Top 3 Ways to Keep the Holiday Momentum Going

The holidays seem to be a sort of jackpot for non-profits: send out an appeal and the response cards or online donations pour in like a blinking and bell-ringing slot machine. Okay, so it’s not that easy, but it is hard to argue against donors being more generous during the holidays and that donations are at their peak for the year.

Here are some ways to keep that holiday momentum going:

1)     Send a note of thanks – When I was little, my mom made sure that I send thank you cards to all the people that gave me presents. I had to state what the gift was and why I liked it. This is a practice that I have kept with me throughout my personal and professional life. Let donors know you received their gift, that it was an important part of their holiday outreach program, and what events are in the near future. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and that their gift is being used.

2)     Organize documentation of your events –While volunteers and donors who participated in your events are fresh in your mind, write captions for your photos and list groups and major individuals who joined in your outreach programs. This will help you for your December 2012 campaigns and you won’t be trying to scramble to find out names and remember what happened a year earlier. This is also helpful when you send out requests for more volunteers or donations; these pictures will be great reminders of the fun they had and they will be more eager to sign up again (and tell their friends!)

3)     Get as much donor info as you can – I should have mentioned this earlier, but it still can be helpful for future events: get your donor information while they are active and eager to participate. Obviously their name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address is all important, but how can they specifically help your organization? Do they want to help your clients one on one? Are they interested in office work? Would they like invitations to future banquets and special events? Do they have a distinct expertise or professional skill they can donate? Find out their interests and when the need arises, you know exactly who to call.

Although the garland may be taken down, the Christmas tree needles are brittle and the gifts are now in piles to be put away, I believe the spirit of generosity still lingers. Using social media to stay in contact with your donors can play an important role is keeping them active in your organization and Fundly can help you create the perfect strategies for continuous fundraising and improving donor engagement.