In fact, the year-end fundraising season is already here. Don’t panic! As you gear up to battle the looming December 31 tax deadline, consider this blog post your special ammunition supply point. We’ve got some tips, tricks, experiment results, how-to guides, dragon glass, Valyrian steel… stuff you can’t live without as winter approaches.
Read the ultimate online fundraising guide
If you read nothing else, read this—our Guide to What Worked (and Didn’t): Eight Lessons for Online Fundraising in 2015. It explains how to double down to get the most out of every email, court donors on a personal level, instill a competitive spirit with your team, get mobile ready, and more. Organizations like Heifer International and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society have increased year-end revenue by over 30% within one year utilizing these approaches, so the ROI looks good when it comes to giving this a read.
Optimize those emails and donation forms
Sending your supporters to a cluttered or untested donation form is like marching miles and miles in bad shoes. Don’t do it! It’ll hurt! Check out our popular Anatomy of a Donation Form and Anatomy of a Winning Email for great ideas around what to tweak and test.
Learn from social success
If you don’t believe social media can be an effective channel for fundraising, read Digital Storytelling, Crowdfunding, And Social Media: How HONY Raised $1M+ Online and revisit lessons learned from ALS’s $165 million runaway success—The Ice Bucket Challenge.
Even more year-end ammo! Learn how to…
Plan for when end-of-year (Dec. 31) falls on a weekend
Measure your KPIs the right way
Use behavioral science to get into donor’s heads
Craft a smart, strategic welcome series
Checklist your way to a flawless email program
Optimize Facebook’s new “Donate Now” CTA buttons
Drive social action on #GivingTuesday
Instagram your way to year-end success
Make this year-end the best yet [watch the video]
And remember, as you gear up for an intense fundraising season, ultimately it’s what your donors do that matters. Treat them well, and they’ll do likewise.