Top 4 Things to Ensure Last-Minute Giving Success

If you haven’t gotten out your year-end online appeal yet, there's still time!

You aren’t the only procrastinator – your online donors are just like you.

Generous procrastinators like to get their gifts in at the last minute for tax purposes. So, it’s not too late to be successful, but now is the time to be strategic!

Here are the top four things you need to remember:

1. Strike now and then again at the last minute: The best piece of advice I can give you at this time of year is this: Send out an appeal soon – then send out a last-minute reminder appeal the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Surprisingly few nonprofits send out appeals then, so you get the double advantage of gaining visibility and reaching donors when they are most inclined to give.
   
   
2. Craft a great ask: Forge an emotional connection right away that tells the donor why they should personally care and what tangible difference they will make. Then put that appeal in the mouth of someone the prospective donor trusts.
   
   
3. Make sure your donate form is in perfect working order — easy to find, quick to use, and full of security assurances. You want it to feel simple and safe to give. Ask one of your more technically-challenged friends to make a donation and see if they can do it. If they can’t, fix your form.
   
   
4. Receipt and thank quickly and graciously: Send out the receipt instantly and thank profusely. Remember: the number one irritation of donors is lack of gratitude or information on the impact of their gift. It’s the season to ask for money, but it’s also the season to give thanks.