5 Ways to Make Your Year-End Campaign Stand Out

Do you know how many year-end giving appeals I received in November and December last year?

136

On average, people tend to support between 4 and 6 nonprofits each year.

If the people who give to you also support five other nonprofits, they're probably being invited to give by at least twice as many.

Assuming each nonprofit sends 10-12 emails plus one or two direct mail pieces the last two months of the year, the 136 I received suddenly seems low.

If your champions receive 100+ invitations to give in November and December, it's easy for your messages to get lost in the torrent.

Here are five ways to consistently stand out:

#1 Grab My Awareness Quickly

Start by answering the question, "Why should someone take the time to read this?" Time is our most precious commodity. Give me a reason to keep reading.

Open with a compelling picture or graphic. Lead with something provocative. Ask me a good question. Invite me into a good story. Tell me what's in it for me.?

#2 Tell Me About The Problem

Don't tell me your mission statement. Don't lead with your vision. Tell me about the problem you're inviting me to help solve. If I don't understand the problem, even the most elegant solution could fall flat.

Your mission and vision will only resonate after I understand the problem. What can you tell me about it to inspire me to action?

#3 Break The Problem Into Bite-Size Chunks

If the problem feels too big to solve, I won't give. What steps need to happen before we can solve this problem together?

Can you invite me to make one of those steps happen? Can you show me a realistic path between the current reality and the future you want us to create together?

#4 Show Me How I Can Help

How will my gift be used? What difference will it make? How will it help solve the problem?

Can you make it crystal clear how you'll turn a gift from me into the outcomes we both seek?

#5 Be Urgent and Hopeful

This is a difficult balance to strike. Learn to express hard truth in matter-of-fact ways. Be honest about the urgent problem you're working to solve without being sensational.

Make me believe two things: the problem is real, and the solution is possible.

The holiday season brings a blizzard of appeals, but you don't have to get lost in the noise. Take time to explain the urgent problem you're inviting people to help solve. Get creative to show how their gifts can make a difference. Share an inspiring dream that turns onlookers into champions, and don't be afraid to let your passion show. Make it easy for people to create the lasting change they seek.

If you do those things, people will respond and your campaign will shine.