5 Ways to Rock a Donor-Centric Year-End

As you draft your final year-end fundraising campaign email appeals, put yourself in your donors’ shoes. What would you want to hear about from an organization you support? What would inspire you to give one final donation before December 31?

Keeping donors in mind during every step of your fundraising campaign ensures that your campaign speaks to them and inspires them to take action—that is, to give!

Five Essentials for Year-End Success

Leverage these five essential components to create a donor-centric experience and make sure your supporters remember you this giving season.

Show how donations will be used.

If your audience has given before, tell them all the great things they’ve done and all the wonderful things that more support will bring.

Inspire trust.

Be honest and transparent about your programs, spending, impact—everything. Show exactly where the money goes and what the donor’s investment will do. Demonstrate your trustworthiness by displaying your Charity Navigator or BBB rating on your donation page.

It’s not all about you.

Make the donor the superhero of your nonprofit’s success instead of talking only about the greatness of your organization. Be clear that your donor’s support is vital to your mission.

Make it easy.

Ask donors to give, and then make it incredibly easy so they have a hard time saying no. Be sure the donation button is easy to find on your website and in all your emails so donors can simply click and give without wasting time hunting for your donation page.

Say thank you.

Send a thank you message as soon as you can—and make sure it does just that: says thanks. Your sincere note of gratitude (that doesn’t include donation history or another appeal) will be remembered next year!

Now that you have these key essentials mastered, you’re ready to write your best appeal of the year! For a deeper dive, check out our guide, Last-Minute Tips for Year-End Success.