As the year ends, your 2019 Giving Tuesday campaign likely seems very far away. Just because its eleven months until the next one, however, doesn’t mean that it’s too early to start planning! Use the following strategies to get a head start and boost your results!

Start Planning Early

Giving Tuesday is often the one day that many nonprofits receive the bulk of their donations, so it really isn’t too soon to begin preparing. Pull out your data and begin using analytics and other tools to analyse this year’s campaign. Are you capturing enough data points to be able to get a clear picture about what does contribute to your campaign’s success? What worked for you, and, what tactics fell flat? Are there things you could have changed or tweaked about your messaging to improve your results?

Do More Than Ask

As you reflect on your most recent campaign, think about what it is that you are giving your donors. When we think of Giving Tuesday, we often focus on the money that it typically brings in, but it should be about more than the money.

Put the focus on your contributors and their needs. When planning your next campaign, think about their needs, and the steps that you can take to meet them. Treat your donors as real people and help them feel good about their donation.

Show them how their contribution, no matter how big or small it may be, is helping to make a difference in the lives of others. Look for ways to put them in the shoes of your beneficiaries in your messaging, and how their donation has made a direct impact in one moment of the life of a specific person. Give them words and images from the perspective of your beneficiaries so that they can see, and feel, the impact of their donation.  Provide your donors with regular updates on your work, and how their contributions make it all happen!

Give Donors More Time to Join In

When designing next year’s campaign, keep in mind that studies show that matching campaigns and challenges can really help build momentum and increase giving. Take advantage of the increasing sense of generosity during the season and use visual trackers on your website and social media to show supporters your progress. Send out alerts to issue fundraising challenges and extend your timeline and allow donations, as well as matching funds, for the entire week that Giving Tuesday falls on to increase participation.

Express Your Thanks

So many nonprofits fail to convert one-time donors because they forget this one simple tip, and no, that automated thank you that someone receives when they donate is not a genuine expression of gratitude. Look for ways to make your acknowledgements personal. Don’t just rely on automation, but pick up the phone, or your pen, and take the time to express your thanks personally. Get your staff, volunteers and board members in on the act and have them contact your donors to say thanks.