When and How to Follow Up With Giving Tuesday Donors

By Stephanie Kanak, Content Strategist at Donor Perfect – a top-rated donor management system and fundraising platform for nonprofits.

Did you know that 63% of Giving Tuesday donors only give on Giving Tuesday? What if you could convert those one-time donors into engaged supporters that give again? That process begins on Welcome Wednesday, the day after Giving Tuesday. In the timeline below, we tell you exactly when to send emails designed to cultivate a relationship with your new Giving Tuesday supporters.

1) Day One: Welcome Wednesday & Thank You

When to send it: Wednesday, 12/2

Subject line: Giving Tuesday was a success, thanks to YOU!

Why send this email?

If you expect to retain your new Giving Tuesday donors, add saying “Thank You” to the top of your to-do list. GuideStar reports that new donors who receive a thank you within 48 hours of donating are four times more likely to give to your organization again.

Share the good news of any preliminary results you have from your Giving Tuesday campaign, such as how much you raised or any challenge matches you’ve met. Also, remind donors who they’ve helped with their donation and how they make your mission possible. Save time and grab this exact template from our Giving Tuesday Fundraising Template Kit and personalize it for your organization.

2) Week One: The Friend Request

When to send it: Tuesday, 12/8

Subject line: Sofia, keep tabs on the impact of your gift by following us on social media.

Why send this email?

Social media is a great tool to showcase your impact, help supporters understand the challenges they can help solve and build an authentic community around your cause. Plus, your social media accounts are the easiest way for donors to keep tabs on all of your organization’s fundraisers, impact stories, and events on their own time, using the platform they interact with daily.

Use this email to share how supporters can learn more about who they are helping with their donation and some details about your community on social media. List the platforms you’re active on and how your new Giving Tuesday donors can connect with you there.

When is the Best Day and Time to Send Emails?

CoSchedule analyzed over 14 different studies from various email marketing tools to determine the best time to send emails. They found that Tuesday was the best day to send emails and Thursday came in a close second. The most effective times to send emails (in order ) are at 10 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM, and 6 AM. Prioritize your most important emails on these days and times to get higher open rates and better click-throughs.

3) Week Two: Share Engagement Opportunities

When to send it: Tuesday, 12/15

Subject line 1: Everyone’s Invited, Especially You! Join Our Latest Events + Volunteer Days
Or
Subject line 2: Sofia, tell us what you think in a short survey!

Why send this email?

Once a donor has given to your organization, it’s essential to keep building a relationship with them by providing many different types of opportunities to engage with your nonprofit. Inviting donors to year-end virtual events and recruiting them for volunteer opportunities can be powerful ways to connect with your Giving Tuesday supporters. If you don’t have any year-end events scheduled, substitute in a donor survey as a way to learn more about this group of new donors.

4) Week Three: Give An Impact Update

When to send it: Tuesday, 12/22

Subject line: Sofia, see the difference you made through your generous donation to Paws & Claws

Why send this email?

Why do donors stop giving after their first gift? One of the top reasons donors only donate once to your nonprofit is that they don’t know the impact of their contribution. Supporters give to your organization to make a difference.

Use this email to show your new Giving Tuesday donors the good that came from their generosity and inspire them to give again. Be sure to thank them for their role in bringing about your nonprofit’s success on Giving Tuesday.

Since your donor’s first gift was during Giving Tuesday, your update email should talk about the impact created by the funds raised during that day. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t let them know about other needs. Impact emails offer the perfect opportunity to let supporters know about your year-end campaign.

Share a Video of Giving Tuesday Impact

Did you know that 57% of people who watch fundraising videos will donate to that cause? Consider adding a short 1-3 minute DIY video about the impact of your Giving Tuesday campaign to your email.

5) Week Four: Year-End Ask (Two Emails)

When to send it: Tuesday, 12/29 & Thursday, 12/31

Why send these emails?

Year-end giving is vital to the success of your organization. Some organizations raise almost 50% of their annual funds just from their year-end appeals. Nonprofits Source reports that 10% of all annual giving comes in the last three days of the year.

Since the end of December is one of the busiest times of the year for donors, you need to grab your supporter’s attention. Donors love matching campaigns because it makes their donations go even further. Small-dollar donations are another way to keep financially challenged donors involved in year-end fundraising. With a Monthly Giving program, budget-conscious donors can still give a larger total gift but spread out the payments over time as a lower amount.

We recommend you send one email on Tuesday, 12/29 asking your Giving Tuesday donors to take the next step and b. Send a second email (to those who still have not donated) on Thursday, 12/31 letting them know about a last-minute challenge match. Visit the Year-End Fundraising Hub to find email templates for both of these last-minute year-end appeals.

Week Five: Inspire Supporters With “What’s Ahead”

When to send it: Tuesday, 1/5

Subject line: Sofia, see what’s coming up at Paws & Claws!

Why send this email?

Generate excitement and momentum for your programs by giving supporters a “sneak peek” into what’s coming up in the New Year. By letting your donors know what’s coming, you provide them with an opportunity to contribute to the success of your goals by donating money, volunteering their time and skills, spreading the word about your events, and launching crowdfunding campaigns on your behalf.

Here are some examples of what to include in your “What’s Ahead” email:

What a challenging year 2020 was! Celebrate the unique ways that your supporters, clients, and nonprofit programs have adapted and thrived during COVID-19.
Share any program or fundraising milestones you’ve accomplished
Give supporters a preview of any new planned projects, upcoming fundraisers, future events, or volunteer opportunities.

Get creative with your What’s Ahead email! Check out some of these easy-to-use tools to manage your organization’s communications and keep your website and social media pages up-to-date.

Conclusion

A first-time gift from a new Giving Tuesday donor can be the start of a long-term relationship that grows over time. If you don’t want your Giving Tuesday donors to give once and immediately turn their attention elsewhere, set up a plan to communicate with them over the next few weeks. Create touchpoints using the templates found in the New Donor Welcome Series Template Kit to serve as their introduction to your organization and encourage them to become more involved.

Nonprofit Tech for Good

A Digital Marketing and Fundraising Resource for Nonprofits

When and How to Follow Up With Giving Tuesday Donors

1) Day One: Welcome Wednesday & Thank You

2) Week One: The Friend Request

3) Week Two: Share Engagement Opportunities