Year-End Fundraising Do’s and Don’ts

For the last few weeks I’ve been helping organizations draft their year-end appeals. Last week I came across a great list from colleague Gail Perry.  To see Gail’s full description on each tip click on the title of her list.

I’ve added my own short list of things to DO to have a successful year-end campaign. Gail’s list is a great list of things to do to screw up your campaign. By combining our lists you have ALL the guidelines for drafting powerful, successful appeals.

Top 5 Ways to Create a Successful Year-End Fundraising Campaign

• DO include a short example of how the dollars will be used. Bite size gifts add up. Explaining how “My” gift makes a difference will increase your responses – even if you are asking for $5 or $10 per person.
• DO Share your campaign goal and deadline. Let people know how much you need and the date you need it by to create a sense of urgency. Combining this with your email updates, will generate a higher response rate. Keep the goal visible, in print, on your website, at meetings, everywhere.
• DO Share a short story or quote from a client that paints the picture of who will benefit from a contribution. A photo included with the quote or short story is worth a thousand words and sometimes hundreds of dollars. Example: Photo of a child sleeping on a pillow with the words: 3000 children will sleep on the floor or in a car tonight – conveys something the words alone can’t.
• DO make it easy for people to give to you online. Some studies indicate that your response rate will increase up to 40% with easy online contributions. And is your donations page compelling?
• DO send out one or two campaign updates via email. Let people know how you are doing with the campaign. Get them excited about the results or concerned that you are not yet meeting the goal.

Top 10 Ways to Screw up Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign 
– By Gail Perry

1. Send a letter that’s hard to read.
2. Send a letter much like last year’s with tired messaging.
3. Bury “The Ask” deep inside a paragraph.
4. Don’t include a reply envelope.
5. Don’t update your web site.
6. Only send out one appeal letter.
7. Don’t do phone follow-up.
8. Don’t do an email push to non-donors the last two days of December.
9. Don’t send a PROMPT, warm, personal thank you immediately to your donors.
10. Don’t have your board members call donors to thank them.