5 Essential Strategies for #GivingTuesday Follow-Up

As your nonprofit’s #GivingTuesday campaign comes to a close, it’s time to implement an effective follow-up strategy for your audiences. Don’t let too much time pass before considering these simple but powerful principles of post-giving day communication.

1) Say thank you

Acknowledge the people who gave, interacted, shared, or participated (even in the smallest ways) in your #GivingTuesday campaign. It is a best practice that you show genuine appreciation across channels.

2) Aim for future engagement

The goal is to create a long-term relationship out of this giving day. Focus on ways you can continue the conversation with those who participated.

3) Share your results

Your participants will be eager to see how their contribution impacted your overall goal and ultimately how their involvement will impact your mission in the near and long term. As soon as your data is ready to be analyzed and articulated, share the results across platforms and be detailed about every data point. Beyond dollars, what else did your campaign accomplish? Whether it’s new followers, new volunteers, or anecdotal successes, be transparent in your achievements.

4) Provide a long-term plan

With your audience engaged and tuned in from this campaign, what can you share about your organization’s vision for the future? Be clear about what’s next and how donors can continue to participate. Use messaging that details exactly what #GivingTuesday funds will do for those who benefit from your cause, as well as your organizational goals for the future.

5) Leave the door open for those who didn’t participate

Just because someone didn’t give or participate during this window, it doesn’t mean they aren’t still interested in your cause. Creating language that invites further participation for those who missed out can add the potential for a second wave of support. Language that encourages people to be a part of a growing movement (which you can show through data from this giving day) can inspire new attention, especially if you have exceeded your goal.

Utilizing Your Channels

There are different avenues and proven strategies to implement the five key principles above. Here are a few practical suggestions.

• Video: Create a short video from a leader at your organization thanking everyone for their generosity and for taking time out of their schedules. These can be recorded easily over platforms like Zoom. The goal is to show sincerity in your appreciation. Remember to keep it brief and engaging.
• Imagery: Use impactful imagery that shows the people who have benefitted from your cause to accompany your grateful messages. Make sure the images are high resolution and tell an accurate story of your cause at work.
• Social Media: Just as important as it was to utilize all your social media channels during the ramp up to this giving day, leverage these platforms to thank your followers for their continued support. Once you have results to share, use these platforms to share celebrations (if you hit your target), or other data through visual infographics or motion graphics.
• Email: Be authentic in your follow-up emails to your database. If time allows, personalized emails to donors of all levels go a long way toward fostering long-term relationships. Keep your subject lines direct, your email wording concise, and your message genuine at all turns.

Furthering Engagement

Create a call-to-action in all of your communications across channels. Whether it’s asking for feedback on what worked and what didn’t during this online campaign, or encouraging people to head to your website to learn more about your cause, don’t let the loop close so easily.

This article was originally published on May 8, 2020 and has been updated to reflect guidance for #GivingTuesday 2021.