From Festivities to Fundraising: How Nonprofits Can Shine This Giving Season
We’ve blinked and just like that, the holiday season is here. We’re about to be flooded with festivities, reflection, and most importantly, giving. For businesses and nonprofits, this time of year is a golden opportunity to connect with your audience in meaningful ways while achieving key goals like boosting awareness, driving sales, or increasing donations.
Let’s break it down step-by-step to ensure your holiday marketing and giving campaigns are merry, bright, and impactful.
Start with Goals
Before you dive into posting holiday graphics with fun hashtags, take a moment to define your end-of-year goals. Are you aiming to increase donations or sales, seeking more engagement on social media, or hoping to end the year with a bigger community? Whatever your objectives, make them specific and actionable. For example, instead of saying, “Get more donors,” try setting a goal like, “Raise $5,000 in new donations by December 31.” Once your goals are clear, write them down, discuss them with your team, and use them to guide your campaign planning.
Stand Out from the Noise
It’s not surprising that the holiday season is overly saturated with messaging, so crafting something memorable is essential to connect with your audience. Tap into the nostalgia or generosity of the season through emotional storytelling that highlights how your product or mission makes people feel—nonprofits, for instance, can share heartwarming stories showing the direct impact of donations. Consider unexpected, creative campaigns, like REI’s #OptOutside, which encouraged people to skip Black Friday shopping in favor of outdoor adventures, aligning with their brand’s unique values.
Lastly, engage your audience with interactive ideas tailored to your organization’s mission. For nonprofits, consider running engagement campaigns or challenges that align with your cause—like a photo or storytelling challenge encouraging supporters to share their connection to your mission. Alternatively, behind-the-scenes content showing how donations make a difference can resonate deeply with audiences. For businesses, contests or giveaways can create excitement and generate buzz, but nonprofits can focus on strategies that foster meaningful participation and community building.
Leverage the Power of Video
Video content will make up 82% of all global internet traffic by 2025. With that in mind, the holidays present the perfect opportunity to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Use video to showcase how your organization solves challenges, tell heartfelt stories that resonate with your audience’s values, or add humor and surprise to create shareable content. Even short, simple videos can significantly boost engagement, so don’t hesitate to experiment and let your creativity shine.
Experiment with Ads
If you don’t already, the holiday season is a great time to experiment with paid advertising and expand your campaign’s reach. Begin by identifying where your audience spends their time—be it Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. Start small with a focused budget, promoting posts you’ve already created to test their performance. Be sure to track results to understand which messages resonate most, and use that data to refine your strategy as you go.
Track Success (and Plan for Next Year!)
It’s essential to measure the success of your campaign. Whether it’s tracking donations, sales, or engagement metrics, establish benchmarks to evaluate your efforts. This data not only will help you optimize future campaigns but also makes you look like a holiday marketing pro in your year-end wrap-up meetings.
Final Checklist for Your Campaign
Before you hit “Post” or “Send,” make sure you’ve:
Defined your goals: What are you trying to accomplish?
Crafted a compelling story: Does your message evoke the emotions of the season?
Tailored your offerings: What will make your audience feel special or valued?
Planned your budget: How much are you allocating for ads or giveaways?
Prepared to measure success: Which metrics will you track, and how?
This season is more than just a time for sales or donations; it’s a chance to connect deeply with your audience and end the year on a high note. By blending creativity with clear goals and thoughtful execution, your holiday marketing efforts can spread cheer and achieve results.
Happy holidays—and here’s to a successful season!