What are your plans for Christmas?
It’s time to get started…
Unless you’re one of those people who does all their Christmas shopping and wrapping in June, it feels weird to think about Christmas in the summer. But we all know that now’s the time to get prepared.
Here’s how we think about the most generous time of the year:
People want to give at Christmas.
So make it easy for them!
Most people like to give to a worthwhile cause at Christmas. Your supporters think your cause is worthwhile, so make sure they have the opportunity to give you their Christmas donation!
Successful Christmas campaigns might involve the following aspects:
1) The story. As always, personal stories of transformation are the best. At Christmas, people want to feel positive and hopeful, so it’s probably not the right time to give a lot of dire statistics. Focus on the hopeful and happy result that their giving can bring.
2) Direct mail (campaign materials in the post). You still get the best response rate from the good old fashioned postal system. Beware of postal delays and strikes around Christmas - don’t send your mailing too late.
3) Video. A good video can be so motivational and it’s a great tool to use on social media. If you want to encourage church collections, a video about your campaign is a really helpful resource for them to use at a service over the Christmas period.
4) Match funding. Doubling donations has been shown to be highly motivational to donors who feel like they’re getting more for their money! The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the famous match funding programme tied to Giving Tuesday. But the criteria mean it doesn’t work for every charity, and applications are now closed.
There are other match funding schemes through The Big Give that are worth checking out, but note that you have to raise pledges from your own supporters first to be able to access the extra ‘free’ match funding from the Big Give. If you have a major donor who’s up for it, you could just run your own match funding campaign, with your donor pledging to match the total raised up to an amount of their choosing.
5) Christmas Eve. It’s the top day of the year for charitable giving. Don’t miss out - send a happy Christmas email to your contacts on Christmas Eve and remind them they can still give to your Christmas appeal. You’ll be surprised by the response from people feeling the goodwill of Christmas, and from the ‘last chance’ people who meant to give earlier and haven’t got round to it yet!
and finally…
6) Christmas music compilations. Putting one of these on in the background may help you write and design a Christmassy campaign when it’s hot outside!!
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If you’d like any help with your Christmas prep or next year’s Christmas campaign, get in touch!
