Year-end appeals have been a proven successful fundraising strategy for nonprofits for many years. However, writing and executing effective year-end appeals can be challenging. This guide unlocks five key steps to crafting a year-end appeal that increases engagement with your donors and maximizes your fundraising.
1. Start Early and Plan Ahead
Don’t wait until the last minute to get started on your year-end appeal strategy. Successful fundraising takes time and planning. Here are some questions to consider early on:
- What is the story or theme of your campaign?
- Who will be writing it?
- How will you segment your audience? (More on that later!)
- Who will help you?
- How will the board be involved?
- What is your goal?
2. Have a Multi-Channel Approach
People consume information in different ways. In fact, while direct mail still is the largest influence for why people give, many donors still claim to want to make their gift online. This means casting a wide net is important. A multi-channel approach does just this: it means using content from your appeal letter for social media posts and email content. For example, the story from your appeal letter can make a compelling social media post with an included call to action or donate link. When writing letters or posts, FreeWill states that emails written at a third-grade reading level receive 36% more responses than those written at a college-age reading level.
3. Segment Well
Every donor is different – they respond in different ways to different strategies – so don’t treat all your donors the same way! Tailor your message to different groups of people. Here are some examples of how you can segment your audience:
- Major Donors: This usually is your best performing segment so spend time personalizing the messaging. Include a live signature on these letters, hand address envelopes, ask for a specific amount if possible, and lastly, have board members or other volunteers review this list to include a personal handwritten note. You might also want to look at your top 5-10 major donors and determine if they require a more personal ask (or if year-end is even their typical time of giving).
- Recurring or Monthly Donors: Thank them for their generosity by acknowledging their ongoing gifts, and don’t be afraid to ask for an increase in giving (i.e. “Our programs have grown by 10% this year. Would you consider growing your monthly gift by 10%?”)
- Volunteers: Your volunteers are essential to your success, and clearly inclined to your mission! They often are another high-performing segment. Show them your appreciation and let them know how their work (and donation) makes a difference.
- Non-Donors: These are people who are connected in some way to your organization, yet they have not made a gift before. Though this segment does not typically perform particularly well, it’s still important to include them in your year-end strategy. This group could include an e-appeal if sending to a large group, otherwise, limit the list of non-donors you send the hard copy letter to in order to manage costs (perhaps only non-donors who have attended a function, or non-donors who have only given in the past 6-12 months).
- Consider other segments that fit your organization: alumni, families, lapsed donors, etc.
4. Utilize Volunteers
Volunteers are an asset to any fundraising campaign. Here are some ways you can use volunteers:
- Board Members: Have your board handwrite notes on major donor letters, call and say thank you to donors, and share communication and social media elements that you may create.
- Donor Engagement Committee (DEC): This group is great at being proactive and calling major donors ahead of time – say October – and providing key organizational updates. That way, when the ask comes, information feels fresh and the donor is cultivated. DEC members can also call major donors midway through the appeal campaign to remind them to donate and/or ask for an increase in their giving.
- Other Volunteers: You may have volunteers in the program space who are willing to help write notes on the volunteer segment or call and thank volunteers for their gifts.
5. Spend Time Analyzing
Once your campaign is over, take some time to not only celebrate but also analyze the results. What segment or strategy had the best cost per dollar raised? What segment had the best response rate? Use this information to improve your fundraising efforts in the future. Don’t forget to note any successes, and celebrate them with your staff, board, and volunteers.
By following these five key steps, you can craft an appeal strategy that will engage your donors and maximize your fundraising potential. Remember, even small adjustments can make a big difference.
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