Shine a spotlight on your volunteers

Hearing heartfelt stories about why your cause is important to them will amplify your messaging and help make it resonate with prospects and donors, deepening their emotional connection to your organization and fostering long-term support. It shows everyone your cause is an investment that the broader community supports and champions.  

Is celebrating your volunteers and how much they mean to your work a simple but surefire way to get others to get involved? Yes!  

Plus giving the mic and shining the spotlight on your volunteers also gives them a well-deserved moment to bask in the glow of genuine appreciation.    

Spend the day thanking instead of asking

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity.

In 2014, Meredith Niles had just taken over fundraising for Marie Curie in the UK when her phone rang. It was GivingTuesday inviting her to be a part of GivingTuesday’s inaugural UK launch.  

New in her role, with two new staff persons reporting to her and an already-packed end-of-year schedule—including appeals, a holiday catalog, events, and concerts—Melissa felt torn.

With such a busy year-end agenda, she didn’t want to risk cannibalizing their planned appeals.  

The organization was also experiencing some cultural shifts as well. Like many healthy nonprofits, Marie Curie was trying to instill greater collaboration and a deeper culture of philanthropy across teams, some of which were siloed. They were also shifting their culture to more evidence-based planning. This meant Meredith would need to prove that anything she did was a worthwhile investment. 

Meredith’s brilliant solution?

To spend the day thanking instead of asking. She asked staff to give 15 minutes of their time to handwrite a card and prepared them with ready-made assets, stationery, stamps, and sample scripts. She made it fun with decorations and a staff photo contest. Staff got into the spirit with personalized doodles and videos. Every department participated—even finance and nursing—and everyone reported that it made them feel more connected to the organization.    

Did thanking them raise more money?

Meredith and her team did a brilliant job of testing the campaign.

They segmented the donors by type and put them into two groups: one group that would get a (thank you) letter and another that didn’t. They then tracked the level of donations from those groups, how many of them were still giving to the organization in the future, and what the level of their gifts were. In other words, they looked at retention and future gifts among both groups.

Ultimately those who were thanked gave £20 (about $25 USD) MORE than those who were not thanked.  

To make it even more mission-friendly, Meredith explained that those results meant that for every 15 minutes of thanking by staff members, they were able to pay for an extra hour of nursing care. 

On top of launching a new and successful GivingTuesday campaign in a brand new market, Meredith exceeded all her goals: delighting volunteers and donors, inspiring them to give more, bringing diverse teams together in a culture of philanthropy, and perhaps best of all—she made it easy so no one was overwhelmed in a busy end-of-year season.    

Learn more about Meredith and her favorite GivingTuesday campaigns on Sofii.   

How can you celebrate your volunteers and donors this GivingTuesday?

My friend Brock Warner, CFRE at Broccoli, and author of From the Ground Up: Digital Fundraising for Nonprofits, teases me because I love to brag on his brilliant quote: 

“One thing humans never tire of is being the recipient of honest, heartfelt gratitude. Like a timeless piece of music, gratitude has an incredibly long half-life. The opportunity to surprise and delight donors simply by saying thank you is present more often than you might think.”

If you’re feel stressed that GivingTuesday feels like an “Asking Tuesday,” consider making it a Thanking Tuesday instead!  

Drop your comments about plans or campaigns that have inspired you in the comment section below.  

The post Let Volunteers Shine (And Inspire Gifts) On GivingTuesday appeared first on Bloomerang.

We must do better.

GivingTuesday’s “Data Commons” says something similar in their report “Rethinking Resilience: Insights from the Giving Ecosystem.”

Yet general statistics don’t have to be your reality! 

Rachel Muir’s terrific post, Four Strategies to Retain Your #GivingTuesday Donors, shares her thoughts on this vital subject.

Here’s how you can beat the odds.

Keep the momentum going after GivingTuesday

Keep the momentum going and continue engaging your supporters. Take these steps to have a stellar post-GivingTuesday:

1. Reflect and analyze

Review your results from GivingTuesday, including the total amount raised, donor demographics, and the success of your different approaches and social media channels. Share the hard data with your Development Committee and have a conversation about it. By taking this step you’re infusing data-driven strategic thinking into your fundraising program. Use your data from GivingTuesday to inform your post-GivingTuesday strategy. Refine your approach for next year by learning from what worked and what didn’t.

2. Thank your donors the day after

Express your gratitude to GivingTuesday donors promptly. Send personalized thank-you messages, emails, or letters to acknowledge their support—even if you have an automated email acknowledgement message. Make phone calls or send text messages that solely express your thanks. That alone will make you stand out.

3. Share the impact

Share the impact of your GivingTuesday donations. Update your supporters on how their contributions are making a difference and achieving your organization’s goals. Remind them of your initial GivingTuesday goals.

4. Consider doubling

Try using a crowdfunding platform to ask a new segment of your past supporters to match the GivingTuesday contributions. You segmented your donor list based on their giving history, interests, and engagement level, right? Plus, you customized your messaging for each group to increase relevance and impact, correct? If not, commit to doing so going forward.

5. Engage your supporters

Encourage your supporters to become advocates for your cause. Ask them to share their stories and experiences with your organization and invite others to contribute.

6. Take advantage of matching gifts

Partner with corporations or major donors to offer matching gift opportunities. You may inspire more people to donate, knowing their contribution will be doubled. A service like Double the Donation can help you streamline this effort.

7. Consider: What if every Tuesday was GivingTuesday?

#GivingEveryTuesday is a series of weekly opportunities to come together to give, volunteer, and show kindness in shared moments with communities, causes, and countries around the world. Developed by the GivingTuesday leader community, #GivingEveryTuesday offers opportunities to increase civic participation, drive giving, and build connection and empathy. They’ve done the work for you! Subscribe here and follow their calendar.

8. Provide regular updates

Keep your supporters informed about the progress of your post-GivingTuesday campaign, and what’s ahead for your year-end giving. Share updates, success stories, donor giving stories, and milestones. This is the work retaining your donors!

9. Optimize for mobile

Make sure your fundraising efforts are mobile-friendly, as many people donate online and with mobile devices.

10. Follow up with non-donors

Don’t forget to follow up with individuals who didn’t donate on GivingTuesday. Send them directed messages explaining the ongoing need and how their contribution can make a difference. Find out why they’re missing in action by using a donor survey.

11. Sustain engagement

How many of your GivingTuesday donors joined your monthly giving program? If they haven’t, invite them to join so as to encourage their long-term support. Regular engagement maintains relationships with donors.

12. Evaluate and adjust

Continuously monitor the performance of your post-GivingTuesday campaign and make adjustments as needed. Use those analytics and donor feedback to refine your strategy.

13. Express gratitude again

After your post-GivingTuesday plan or year-end drive concludes, make sure to express gratitude to your donors and share the final results, so they know the impact of their support.

Remember that post-GivingTuesday fundraising is an opportunity to build on the momentum generated on GivingTuesday and sustain your organization’s funding. By following a well-structured plan and engaging your supporters effectively, you can continue to raise funds and make a meaningful impact.

Please let us know how you make out by sharing your experiences below.

The post Your ‘’Day After” GivingTuesday Plan appeared first on Bloomerang.

The subject lines of your GivingTuesday emails are incredibly important. How important? Here’s what one expert fundraiser declares: “If your fundraising emails didn’t get opened there’s one big thing you can do to fix that: change your subject line. A bad subject line will tank your fundraising appeal. Even the greatest appeal can’t overcome a tepid subject line,” says Rachel Muir. Her exceptional post on this subject can be read here.

Email subject line checklist

Use this checklist to create the best GivingTuesday subject lines. Does your subject line meet these eight criteria?

1. First impression: Your subject line is the first thing recipients see when they receive your email. It’s the initial impression of your message, and as the saying goes, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” A compelling subject line piques the recipient’s interest and encourages them to open the email, while a dull or unclear one may lead them to ignore or delete it.
2. Open rate: The success of your email often hinges on the open rate. A well-crafted subject line can significantly increase the likelihood that your email gets opened. On the flip side, a poorly crafted subject line can lead to lower open rates and, consequently, reduced chances of achieving your fundraising goals.
3. Relevance: A good subject line communicates the relevance of your email to the recipient. It should give them a clear idea of what to expect when they open the email. If your subject line doesn’t align with the content inside, it can lead to disappointment and frustration, potentially damaging your nonprofit’s credibility.
4. Encouraging action: An effective subject line can motivate recipients to take action. Whether it’s making a donation, signing up for a monthly donation, or committing to volunteer, a compelling subject line can generate curiosity or excitement, prompting the recipient to engage with your email and follow through with the desired action.
5. Differentiation: In a crowded inbox, your email competes for attention with numerous other messages. A well-crafted subject line helps your email stand out. It can differentiate your message from others and entice the recipient to prioritize opening and reading it over other emails.
6. Compliance and trust: Including key information or incentives in the subject line, such as a challenge or matching gift, a deadline (for GivingTuesday that deadline is midnight on Nov. 28th), or important updates, can enhance trust and transparency. It can also help ensure compliance with email marketing regulations, as it provides clarity about the email’s purpose.
7. Mobile optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices for email consumption, concise and attention-grabbing subject lines are even more critical. Mobile screens have limited space, and your subject line needs to be concise and compelling enough to fit within the available space and capture the recipient’s attention quickly.
8. A/B testing: Subject lines are often the primary variable in A/B testing for email campaigns. By experimenting with different subject lines, you can learn what types of messaging resonate best with your audience, leading to improved future communication.

Your subject line is a critical component of GivingTuesday and all fundraising emails because they impact open rates, engagement, and ultimately, the success of your emails. Crafting compelling subject lines requires a deep understanding of your audience, a focus on relevance, and a knack for creativity and persuasion.

If you crave more about having the most successful GivingTuesday ever, read our post on key factors to consider.

All of us at Bloomerang wish that your GivingTuesday (Nov. 28) is the best it can be!

The post Eight Point Checklist For Stellar GivingTuesday Subject Lines appeared first on Bloomerang.

 
You engaged with a lot of donors on Giving Tuesday this year…..but NOW WHAT? How can you turn your Giving Tuesday donors into loyal year-round donors?
 
Learn a few simple ways to increase the likelihood that donors will not be ‘one-and-done donors’, but will engage with your organization on a more long-term basis. These strategies are quick, easy, cost-effective, and can be done today!
 

The post Increase Donor Retention for Giving Tuesday Donors appeared first on Bloomerang.

Here are the key factors for your ultimate GivingTuesday success

1. You have to be in it to win it

Your nonprofit’s GivingTuesday absence may not be noticed directly, but your supporters will most likely give to other nonprofits because those other nonprofits will reach out to them. (The average donor often gives to multiple nonprofits according to prospect research data.) We get it, your plate is full; but remember that perfect is the enemy of ‘good enough.’ Send something, even if it’s just a thoughtful email and an online post asking for their support. Show up.

2. Sometimes a surprise donation request has value

A study of around 6,000 participants from the Journal of Public Economics found that alerting the participants to the upcoming ask for a donation decreased click-through rates. The implication of their research is that a surprise donation ask in an email or on a page is likely to result in an increase in donations. GivingTuesday is such a day to surprise your donors.

3. Find new ways to inspire and engage with donors

We can hear you saying that your engagement as defined by shares, likes, open and click through rates is awful and has been awful since the beginning of time. Welcome to the work needing to be done, and that work is donor engagement. It may be true that your GivingTuesday campaign may not raise a lot of revenue this year because your prior online engagement has been low. If that’s the case keep your revenue expectations reasonable but focus instead on inspiring your donors to pay attention. For example, teach your donors something that will stun them about your nonprofit’s work, or show them an actual picture of your work that makes everyone smile. Or do both! Make your short pithy email or post memorable. This year win on engagement, so that next time you will have a better footing to advance.

4. Remember SMART goals?

If you’ve attended management workshops that drilled you on the SMART goals, now is the time to use them. The acronym SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your donors need your definitions for each SMART goal centered around a specific project, with a defined impact. For example:

“We need a new swing set for our school’s playground, but it has to be an inclusive swing design that accommodates children with disabilities. This includes swings with wider seats, harnesses for additional support, and wheelchair-accessible swing platforms. We also need rubberized or soft-landing surfaces beneath the swings to reduce the risk of injuries in case of falls. These features drive up our costs, but they are still reasonable at $15,000 for six swings, that’s $2,500 per swing. There are 120 supporters receiving this email. Would you consider a $2,500 gift, half of that, or even $250? In fact, forget those specific amounts if you want because, I bet, we’d meet our $15,000 goal if you would just give what for you is doable, affordable, and possibly even inspiring! You determine the amount that’s right. This drive ends tonight at midnight. May we hear from you?”

By setting a goal, you will help your organization measure GivingTuesday success and possibly help you raise more. Notice that the set goal is specific, and you have to ensure that it’s realistic. It certainly has a clear purpose. Communicate your progress toward reaching the goal twice during the day. You may want to include the goal on your website donation page and feature a progress bar. We’re all busy but it’s your job to keep your cause top of mind. That being said, consider capping the number of emails/posts at four for the day, but if you’re pressed for time, two emails or posts will suffice. If you reach the goal before the day ends, have a plan for what you will do with the extra funds and share that as you celebrate GivingTuesday success.

5. Prime the pump

Most donors like to follow a winner, but some like to prime the pump and give first. We even have a name for these donors: lead gift donors. Ask those lead donors that you know well for their gifts in advance. Or possibly ask that they make their gift at 6 a.m. before the rest of your community sees it that day. Board members may be ideal for this. An empty fundraising thermometer inspires no one! In fact, more people will support one that looks popular. Ideally you should have 35-40 percent raised when the campaign “goes live” on GivingTuesday.

6. Dive deeply into your donor segments

Deeper segmentation strategies will strengthen your fundraising efforts over time. Make sure these steps are taken:

• Gather key donor data during their giving. The best time to gather important data to build your different donor segments is when your supporters give. Ask them questions to determine their demographics (age, zip code, marital status, communication preference, etc.) or automatically sort them into segments based on their giving activity.
• Create corporate giving lists directly into your nonprofit CRM, so you can sort them by their corporate giving eligibility. Flag their eligibility for matching gifts by searching a database like Double the Donation. Hopefully, you are using an integrated prospect research database; if so, then many corporate affiliations can be automatically flagged.
• Document the giving patterns among each donor segment. Specifically, track what kinds of fundraising opportunities work for each donor segment. This way, your team can focus on offering similar opportunities to these segments going forward.
• Be sure your fundraising strategy takes into account segmented supporters who behave outside of the norm for their groups. Such donors include older donors who prefer to donate to social media-driven campaigns or donors with lower wealth markers who still manage to make generous gifts. These donors should not be set aside as anomalies! You will want to note who these givers are and learn to offer tailored fundraising opportunities to their unique needs instead of solely focusing on larger, more predictable segments.

7. Don’t overlook communication channels

On GivingTuesday email is king — followed by social media — but what about other communication methods? Have you considered leveraging the email signatures of your staff, board members, and volunteers? Create a custom GivingTuesday email signature and invite everyone to use it. Share simple instructions for how to alter email signatures. Does your website have a front-page feature on your GivingTuesday project? Or will your board members ask their company to create a special banner on their website for the day with a link to your GivingTuesday initiative? Switch it up and try new ways to communicate.

8. Create energy, send multiple messages, and say thank you

So much sameness plagues the fundraising field. GivingTuesday is a time to break out the Mardi Gras outfit and celebrate our sector. This is the start of the great gift-giving season. Plus, you are queuing up your donors for the three most lucrative online giving days of the year. Get them excited now. Donors will excuse your intrusions if your messaging is pithy, relevant, and meaningful. Start the day by announcing your goal, give midday updates, recognize specific donors throughout the day, and end the day with a “it’s not too late to give” message. Share and post messages of positivity, courage, and conviction. Contact your supporters again at the close of the day and thank them for contributing. Remind them of what their gift will do. Express gratitude and give updates about progress. If you have not reached your goal, express hope that you will as other donors may give tomorrow.

Unique aspects of GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday has cause-based coalitions that you can join. Examples include #LatinxGive, #iGiveCatholic, GivingTuesdayLGBTQ, and #CryptoGivingTuesday. The point is that you can join an existing campaign related to your mission and enjoy that support.

GivingTuesday has a special resource for young people. Led by a squad of young do-gooders aged 6-21 from all over the world, GivingTuesdaySpark is all about encouraging young people to take action around the causes they care about most.

GT also has a toolkit chock full of amazing resources like logos that you can use.

Additional resources for GivingTuesday success

• GivingTuesday has a complete toolkit that’s chock full of vital content.
• There’s also an FAQ sheet.
• You can find free logos and stock images here to help you communicate about GivingTuesday.

What is your nonprofit doing to prepare for GivingTuesday success? 

The post Read This Post If You Want Your Most Successful GivingTuesday appeared first on Bloomerang.

 
Year-end giving refers to the rise in charitable giving during the last three months of the calendar year. It greatly impacts nonprofit fundraising due to the rise in donations and awareness of each cause. Many organizations raise as much as 50% of their budget in December. Are you ready to be one of them?
 
Your end-of-year giving plan is a major part of your nonprofit’s overall annual fund strategy. Join Qgiv and Bloomerang as we discuss how to make the most of your fundraising efforts to be ready!
 
Access the Giving Tuesday Ultimate Guide here.
 

The post Bloomerang + Qgiv: Giving Tuesday appeared first on Bloomerang.

On Giving Tuesday 2022, donors were even more generous than they were in previous years. Better yet, the number of donors increased too.

According to the GivingTuesday Data Commons: “[Giving] in the United States alone totaled $3.1 billion representing a 15% increase compared to GivingTuesday 2021, and a 25% increase since 2020. 37 million adults in the U.S. participated in GivingTuesday in some way, a 6% increase from 2021, contributing much-needed and critical support to causes, communities, and non-profit organizations as they kick off the giving season this year in the face of substantial economic challenges and continued volatility.”

Bloomerang and Kindful customers raised more funds than in previous years.

In a year that showed that donors will support the causes they care about even during difficult times, the results from Giving Tuesday 2022 also proved that to be true:

• Bloomerang and Kindful nonprofit customers raised $42.4 million on Giving Tuesday 2022, a 51% increase in total donations since 2020. Donors were generous with an average donation size of $331.
• On the Bloomerang platform, we saw a 15% increase in the average donation size compared to Giving Tuesday 2021.
• Bloomerang employees gave $24,022 to 334 causes.

“It’s exciting to see the impact that Giving Tuesday has had on the nonprofit community,” says Bloomerang CEO Ross Hendrickson. “During such a challenging time, we’re encouraged to see an increase in donations and in the number of people who are committed to building a world inspired by giving.”

Building that world means providing donors with a better giving experience—something Bloomerang is built to help nonprofits do.

“By fostering deeper relationships with their donors, nonprofits are better positioned to thrive for years to come,” says Ann Fellman, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloomerang. “Over the past year, we’ve made a number of enhancements to our product that make it easier for fundraisers to do just that. With the right tools in place, we know nonprofit customers will continue to attract new donors and retain existing donors—as well as grow the average donation amount over time.”

Some recent enhancements to the Bloomerang product include a refreshed dashboard and user-interface updates designed to save time and help nonprofits monitor their fundraising campaign performance. Fundraisers now also have the ability to create and send thoughtful tribute letters without ever leaving Bloomerang.

Additionally, we launched mobile apps for iOS and Android, making it easier to raise funds anywhere and in real time and to provide meaningful insights that improve constituent interactions. As fundraisers get back into the field with in-person meetings and events, they can access the data they need to process donations on the go, increase productivity, and engage in real-time donor engagement activities—all from their phone.

Resources

Make the most of the end-of-year giving season with these free resources:

• Thanking and retaining donors. Write the perfect donor thank you letter, check out our first-time donor calls feature, and learn more about the importance of donor retention in this free guide.
• Last-minute fundraising strategies. It’s not too late to implement effective year-end fundraising strategies. Check out this free guide that includes 7 fundraising strategies and 16 action tips.
• Fundraising thermometer template. Track your fundraising progress by creating your own fundraising thermometer for free.

Raise more funds and retain more donors with Bloomerang.

If you’re looking to raise more funds and move your mission forward in 2023, fill out this form and a Bloomerang team member will be in touch shortly.

The post Giving Tuesday 2022: Bloomerang And Kindful Nonprofit Customers Raise $42.4 Million appeared first on Bloomerang.

Do you remember the ones that stood out? The ones that intrigued you enough to click on them?

If your emails didn’t get opened there’s one thing to blame: your subject line. A bad subject line will tank your fundraising appeal. Even the greatest appeal can’t overcome a bad subject line.

I’m here to help you write click-worthy subject lines just in time for year-end giving, your next campaign, or even next year’s Giving Tuesday. 

I have healthy obsession with email subject lines so Giving Tuesday is kind of like my Christmas morning or Super Bowl.

I received 79 Giving Tuesday emails, but that wasn’t enough to craft you a “best of” mix tape of winning subject lines. So, I recruited my fundraising friends, like Julie Cooper, Rachel Clemens, John Lepp, Julia Campbell, Alice Ferris, Jim Anderson, Tom Ahern, and Julie Edwards to send me theirs too. In the end I reviewed 200 Giving Tuesday emails.

Winning Giving Tuesday email subject lines and why we love them

Alice, help get 4 more kids to camp!

Love this email the fabulous Alice Ferris got from Ten Oaks Project. Personalization in the subject line will boost your open rate and tangible offers like ‘get 4 more kids to camp!’ always works best.

s t r e t c h goal for koalas!

This gem was shared with me by my fundraising bestie copywriting dynamo Julie Cooper. We love the way the goal is attached to the koalas, not the org’s name, and the brilliance of writing  s t r e t c h like that. Plus emojis!  Emojis help you stand out in a busy and boring inbox. 

Bees are dying and time is running out to save them

Love this very direct and urgent subject line from Friends of the Earth shared with me by Julie Cooper.

Giving Tuesday is Here and Queer!

My friend Jim Anderson sent me this subject line gem from This Way Out which made us both want to cheer!

You inspire me, Rachel 

The ACLU sent me this email the morning after Giving Tuesday to say they know a lot causes are vying for my attention and that it’s not too late to help them meet their match. Flattery and personalization go a long way to boosting open rates!

Can we count on your compassion?

Simple and direct, this subject line could tug the heartstrings of readers who see themselves as compassionate. Special thanks to my friend and digital strategist Julia Campbell for sharing this example from Rosie’s Place.

We are $690 away from crossing the finish line

Donors love being part of that last push that takes you across the finish line and that’s just what happened for my friends at Love Not Lost, who had a $30,000 goal and sent this update email out Wednesday morning which helped them exceed their goal, raising $31,150!

Don’t miss your chance to do twice the good 

Simple, but it reinforces there’s a match and it’s about to expire.

We’d love to see your name on this list

Uses ‘you’ and piques my curiosity on what this list is.

$1,960 needed from donors in Illinois

Orbis did a great job personalizing the home state of their recipient, Julie Cooper, in this email.

Rachel’s gift matched 2x

Personalization will get your emails opened! Pro-tip: substitute “your” instead of “friend” if you don’t have a first name.

These are the birds seeking your support for Giving Tuesday 

Being on lockdown turned me into a bird lover so I’d open this email sent to my friend John Lepp by Birds Canada. How can you use it? Substitute your beneficiary’s name for ‘birds.’

Will you help us build a counseling center for Jessica? 

Another gem sent to me by John Lepp that is direct and to the point.

Give the Gift of Equal Justice

I love this subject line from Legal Aid Nebraska telling me what my gift will do and in only six words! Even better? It was written by one of my members in the League of Extraordinary Fundraisers.

It’s Giving Tuesday! Give the gift of music today to help us end on a high note 

Corny, but I’ll take it. Drop the “It’s Giving Tuesday!” because every email says that.

If you were waiting for the most impactful moment to donate, this is it

I received this email from Save the Children complete with a countdown inside to hit their match and a very compelling image of a child in need looking directly at the camera. Bravo!

Samira is exhausted. You can help us give her the relief she deserves.

Short, compelling storytelling that tells the donor how they can help from the ARC Massachusetts.

People who are unhoused do have jobs

‘Unhoused’ is a complex, uncommon word but piquing curiosity is a winning subject line strategy. Their second subject line: “What is doubled-up homelessness?”

Hurry! Last chance to give water to 105 families this holiday, Julia!

My friend Julia Campbell got this simple, tangible and personalized email. Another gem she got? “This community is getting sick without running water.” A short, compelling storyline.

You’ve got that Giving Tuesday Glow!

My friends at Magic Wheelchair build epic costumes for kids in wheelchairs and they know that flattery can get your email opened. 

Today is the day! Badgers helping Badgers on Giving Tuesday 

I didn’t go to the University of Wisconsin but if I had and I was a proud Badger I might open this. “Today is the day” makes this too long and every email is reminding your readers it’s Giving Tuesday. I’d edit it to “Badgers helping Badgers – you in, [firstname]?”

Don’t “brush” off Giving TOOTHday! 

My friend Tom Ahern shared Healthcare for the Homeless in Baltimore who offer free dental care to the homeless, and the brainchild of their senior exec/fundraiser Keiren Havens. In a stroke of genius, Keiren renamed “Giving Tuesday” to “Giving TOOTHday.” The tooth is Keiren’s brilliance makes their campaign stand out from the crowd.

You lit up the world on GivingTuesday

This was a wrap up email arriving on Wednesday from the Giving Tuesday team sharing highlights of the day and thanking you “for lighting the world on GivingTuesday and every day.” Classy! You are smart to send your readers an email thanking them for the gift of letting you in their inbox and sharing your results. Many may be curious how you did. 

Subject lines that won’t get opened

Please be more creative than the below examples. My comments are in parenthesis and italics.

• Giving Tuesday (yes this was an actual subject line!)
• Doing great so far! (then why would I open the email?)
• Esther’s story (why should I care enough to open this? Where is the teaser?)
• We need your help to reach our Giving Tuesday Goal! (Um, you and everyone else in my inbox)
• You made a powerful difference (then why are you asking me to give?)
• Help us fight food insecurity at JC this Giving Tuesday (Don’t use acronyms or insider jargon)

3 Key Takeaways, Tips & Tools to make it easier

1. If you want to stand out in a busy email inbox don’t mention Giving Tuesday in the subject line. Of the 79 emails I got, 50 used Giving Tuesday in the subject line. You’ll stand out without it.
2. Pro-tip: Save this blog post and use these best-of subject lines for your next campaign. Better yet? Create a “Subject lines” google doc with them and add in your highest performing subject lines (psst, I do this too and I have 384 subject lines in mine). You’ll save yourself time and have a full tank of inspiration at the ready!
3. Test your email subject lines using a free tool like Send Check It (add that link to your bookmarks tool bar).  They’ll rate your email based on grade level, scannability, length, spammy words, and more.

Of all the emails you sent for your Giving Tuesday appeal, we’d love to know what subject line earned you your best open rate and what that rate was. Drop it in the comments below!

Want more help from me with your fundraising, subject lines, emails and appeals? Check out my monthly membership, The League of Extraordinary Fundraisers.

The post The Best Giving Tuesday Email Subject Lines Of 2022 appeared first on Bloomerang.

• What it means to be part of a bigger movement of generosity

• Why a matching gift is a great incentive for Giving Tuesday

• How to utilize your CRM to maximize your matching strategy
 

The post Giving Tuesday: Matching Gifts appeared first on Bloomerang.

• What it means to be part of a bigger movement of generosity

• Best practices for a Giving Tuesday campaign

• How to utilize your CRM to maximize your strategy
 

The post Giving Tuesday Strategies appeared first on Bloomerang.

The post Giving Tuesday Matching Gifts appeared first on Bloomerang.

The post Giving Tuesday Strategies appeared first on Bloomerang.