Excuse me for raining on the #givingtuesday celebration parade. If the day went well for you and yours, hooray! But I’m still fuming about the torrent of reminder emails that flooded my inbox that past Tuesday.
Never mind that I’m a regular donor to many of the good causes urgently seeking my #givingtuesday gift. There was nary a hint in any of the messages that anyone, anywhere is aware of my giving record. I was simply one more faceless address in a whole bunch of email blasts.
Needless to say, the one-size-fits-all approach didn’t encourage my heart toward greater generosity, And I have a hunch I’m not alone in how I feel.
So dear friends, here’s a bit of free advice for 2017 – a belated #givingtuesday gift given in love.
#MAKEEVERYDAYAGIVINGDAY
In the coming year, determine to devote as much attention, energy, and planning to one day a month (one day a week is even better) as you’ve given to #givingtuesday. Be creative, donor-centered, and persistent. I guarantee the results will astound you.
If you simply can’t resist the lure of #givingtuesday, next time around take time to segment your email blasts. Cast the net for new donors with one message. Reach out to lapsed donors with another. When messaging regular donors, tread lightly. Acknowledge their faithful support. Thank them for making every day a giving day. Give them a good reason to give again and specifically on #givingtuesday.
Do the same when saying thank you. Segment. Greet newcomers with a “nice to meet you” letter. Welcome back once-upon-a-time donors with a “great to see you again” letter. And acknowledge the repeat giving of regular supporters, reinforcing the good reason for which they gave. (Hint: There’s no need to wait until next year to act on this bit of fundraising counsel.)
Generosity matters, and not just on the Tuesday after American Thanksgiving. Every day is someone’s giving day.
Good advice! I’m not a fan of asking donors for yet another gift during a time of year when most organizations are already doing the lion’s share of their asking. It would be much better to have #GivingTuesday during February or July or…. I really prefer to use the day as a day to give back to donors. A #Giving(thanks)Tuesday. See my article onf #GivingTuesday Jujitsu if you have an interest. http://clairification.com/2016/10/09/quick-nonprofit-guide-givingtuesday-jujitsu/
Thank you for your affirming words, Claire. And thank you for providing the link to your excellent article about Giving Tuesday. It’s fun when a great mind thinks like mine.
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