It can be a bit of a daunting task to start thinking about planning an event that is months away. Make this the year you set a goal to plan ahead, and execute your Giving Day or appeal campaign to its fullest potential.
Good news: If you’re working on a 3-month timeline (or even earlier), you’ll have plenty of time to create a campaign that drives meaningful results for your organization.
Set your foundation.
1. Make the most of what your community gives you. Don’t just sign up—do a deep dive into the features of your community’s Giving Day platform and anything else your community has to offer. Take time to explore every feature that could amplify your campaign.
2. Understand the timelines. Is it a day, a week, a full month? Keep track of the start and end dates, and mark any key preparation milestones or campaign events.
3. Get your links in order. Make sure you have the correct link to publicize on your preferred communication channels—but don’t wait until you have this link to start planning! Pro tip: Create a simple redirect on your website that you can update with your campaign page, allowing you to begin promoting a consistent URL right away.
4. Update, update, update. Think of this as your digital spring cleaning. Refresh your:
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- Website content and imagery
- Campaign page messaging
- Social media profiles
- Donation pathways (and test them too!)
- Impact stories, statistics and testimonials
Make your campaign page shine with compelling stories and authentic images that showcase your mission in action.
5. Promote! Start promoting as early and often as you can. Other organizations will be competing for attention at the same time, so make sure your material stands out.
Create a multi-channel promotion strategy that includes emails, social posts and personal outreach both over the promotional period and during the time of the campaign.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Remember to get started as early as possible and break each task into manageable chunks.
Firespring is here to help make sure your Giving Day or appeals campaign makes the most of your community’s generosity. Download our Giving Day Checklist for a more detailed guide to success.
