Four Tips for Successful Year-End Fundraising Texts

Year-end is a crucial time for fundraising. Many donors have the habit of waiting until December to finalize their giving decisions – some motivated by the season’s feelings of giving and generosity, others by the December 31 tax deadline. However, this busy time also means competing for donors’ attention amidst holiday shopping, gatherings, cooking, and travel.

That’s why text (SMS) appeals are so effective – they reach donors directly on their cellphones, wherever they are. Text fundraising appeals are attention grabbing and convenient so whether donors are at the mall, exchanging Secret Santa gifts, or on their way to the airport for a holiday trip, they are sure to get your text appeal.

Now is the time to start planning your year-end text broadcasts. Here are four tips to make your messages stand out and drive donations.

Time Your Appeals Strategically:

Keep donor motivations in mind. Send a holiday-themed appeal just before Christmas to tap into the season’s spirit of generosity. Follow up with a second message just before New Year’s, emphasizing the urgency of the December 31 tax deadline.

Stand Out Amidst Competing Messages:

Let’s face it – the year-end inbox is a crowded one, with charities competing against each other and commercial advertisers for donors’ dollars. Make sure your message stands out by highlighting your mission and the impact donors can make. Use urgency to grab donors’ attention and show why their support matters now more than ever.

Highlight Gift Matching Opportunities:

Donors want to feel like their support has an impact and a gift match is a perfect way to show donors that with your charity, their donation will go further. This reinforces a sense of community by showing that your charity has broad support and helps to make donors feel that they are part of something bigger.

Keep the Conversation Personal:

Make sure to use live agents for responding to donor questions and comments. It’s tempting to set up a text broadcast with an “out of office” auto-reply because you and your staff may be taking the holidays off. But this is a highly impersonal response for such an intimate channel. And it won’t win you fans. If you need support, Stratcom’s expert live agents can help to ensure your text conversations with donors are warm and personal over the holidays, and beyond.

Following these handy tips will ensure your year-end text appeals not only drive donations with a high return on investment, but also strengthen relationships with your donors during the season of giving.

Start planning your year-end text broadcasts today to maximize your impact.

Reach out to Jerome Cheung at jerome.cheung@stratcom.ca to kick-start the conversation.