You don’t need to be a seasoned shopper to have an inbox full of Black Friday deals this week.

From your most favoured brands to the one-off purchase made five years ago, consumers are currently experiencing an onslaught of sales comms making the pre-Christmas shop-a-thon extremely hard to resist.

But while Black Friday is slowly but surely turning into ‘Black November,’ Giving Tuesday is the bright light to this mass display of ultimate consumerism.

Beginning in 2012 as a direct response to the indulgences of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this “global generosity movement” is an internationally recognised day designed to harness the human spirit of giving.

And we fundraisers just love to hear that!

In 2024, Giving Tuesday will be celebrated on December 3. But if you’re like most professional fundraisers nearing the end of another whirlwind year, you might be wondering if launching yet another campaign during the traditional season of giving is really the best time to request more support.

Well, as someone who has watched over $20,000 in donations roll in from a digital Giving Tuesday campaign that took just one afternoon to create, the answer is, of course, a resounding YES.

Your donors will be soaking up the social media hype surrounding Giving Tuesday. Their urge to give for the sake of giving will be high. And in the next week or two, it’s your job to make the most of this Christmas wish the retail Gods have granted us.

If you’re on the cusp of fundraising fatigue as another year draws to a close, here are eight budget-friendly ways to help donors reach their giving potential this Giving Tuesday.

1)Focus on donor acquisition instead of dollars

Giving Tuesday is an excellent opportunity to draw new donors into your fundraising fold or turn prospects into donors.

Instead of asking for money, why not use the campaign to focus on donor acquisition, engaging prospects, or gaining traction on your social media channels?

Remove half the prospects from the Christmas appeal list and add them to the Giving Tuesday campaign instead this year. Run a split test analysis to identify the most successful strategy.

Do your prospects prefer to mull over the content of a carefully planned direct mail appeal, or are they more reactive ‘see and give’ type supporters who get swept up in the digital moment? 

While the dollar figure is significant, it’s not necessarily the most critical aspect of a short-term campaign like Giving Tuesday.

Sometimes, the most valuable acquisition can be gained in the form of the number of new donors, finding out their reason for giving, remove from list requests and insightful data on how donors prefer to give. 

2) Focus on one urgent campaign goal

Decide on a tangible reason your charity needs urgent support this Giving Tuesday.

If you’re going to ask for support in addition to your Christmas appeal in the lead-up to the Season to be Jolly, donors want and deserve a clear objective with a clear target that they can help you reach in these 24 hours.  

Let’s say your charity aims to address homelessness. This Giving Tuesday, in 24 hours, why not aim to raise $240,000 towards creating accommodation for 24 homeless people? Think outside the general appeal box for your Giving Tuesday campaign and watch your supporter base dig a little deeper.

3) Remind donors what’s possible

While someone giving $50 might think their contribution is just a drop in the much-needed ocean, we know that 20 people giving $50 will soon start to create a tidal wave of impact.

Share past successes that remind your supporters what is truly possible every time they tap, swipe or Apply Pay.

4) Create a solid social media campaign

Giving Tuesday is traditionally delivered via social media and digital channels, which is a win for fundraisers.

Not only can you pre-plan content for a relatively low cost, but you can also adjust the campaign and set new and up-to-the-minute targets as you meet milestones throughout the day.

Social media also provides the opportunity to share behind-the-scenes footage from your Giving Day giving supporters a direct connection to their donated dollar.

Giving Tuesday is all about the hashtag but it’s important to remember that Facebook and Co own the data of those who donate through their platforms. As far as donor stewardship is concerned, it’s therefore not necessarily in your best interests to encourage donors to give through a third party. You still need to utilise the reach potential of the platform to gain traction for your #givingtuesday campaign, but where possible, steer donors towards your own dedicated landing page to make their gift really count.

Tips for creating Giving Day Facebook posts:

  • Include a link to your website for EVERY post on Facebook
  • Make it easy – include clear calls to action and tell people how they can donate directly to you
  • Use the hashtag #givingtuesday
  • Always provide a phone number to build credibility
  • Use engaging imagery to attract donors 

5) Strategic segmentation

With two significant campaigns so close together, you must analyse previous data and conduct strategic segmentation before sending a Giving Tuesday appeal.

If you’re asking for financial support, to protect the integrity of your database and avoid saturating donors, you must only contact those more likely to donate.

Selection criteria may include:

  • Those who have given to both campaigns in the past
  • Those who have shown favour towards the appeal type (for example children, cancer, overseas missions)
  • Those who have never donated but were excluded from the Christmas appeal

6) Create a variety of content

Giving Tuesday is just one day of the year, so maximise the opportunity to receive donations without oversharing the same posts.

We suggest you create:

  • A blog post on your website
  • Branded, engaging imagery
  • A two-minute video highlighting your appeal.
  • A short, sharp EDM trail

A variety of content will provide something for everyone without feeling like you’re bombarding your audience with the same piece of repeated content.

7) Use a unique campaign code

Analysis of each campaign is an opportunity to get to know your donors on a deeper level and find out what encourages them to give.

While the account code should stay the same as the general appeal, choose a campaign code specifically for Giving Tuesday. This will help you analyse donor behaviour and find out what makes your supporters take action.

A Giving Tuesday donor who has also received a Christmas appeal may prefer the direct mail content but respond well to digital prompts. Or perhaps a Giving Tuesday appeal recipient has avoided social media and sent their donation in the usual way.

It’s insights like these that will help you tailor future appeals to meet donor’s needs more specifically taking them further up the giving pyramid. 

8) Engage with a fundraising copywriter with Giving Day experience 

With every charity in your vicinity competing for the Giving Tuesday dollar, your content must stand out. If you’ve hit a creative block, or you simply don’t have the time to craft the copy that will convert, engage with a fundraising copywriter with professional fundraising experience who understands the systems, processes and competing priorities in a busy fundraising office.

If you need support writing Giving Tuesday copy to help your donors reach their giving potential, call Jo on 0422 053 199 or contact us today.