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The newly announced #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5th, 2020, an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19, is a chance for donors to increase their support for causes around the world - including yours. Here are 8 tips for your organization to quickly and easily make the most of #GivingTuesdayNow.

1. Get past the inbox.

Given the current social distancing climate, email is more saturated than ever, so it’s important that your email stands out from the pack. Take advantage of pre-header information - the short summary text that follows the subject line when an email is viewed in an inbox. Make sure the majority of the text fits on a mobile device screen and that it actually says something meaningful. Be clear about the impact #GivingTuesdayNow donations can have on your organization and the communities you serve.

2. Add urgency with goals.

Get people to act the moment they read your email by focusing on the goal your organization is trying to meet. How will these donations help your organization reach this goal? What would them sharing your email mean to you right now? How is your organization managing? Let your constituents know what's going on and what you need. Transparency can help drive impactful interaction!

3. Segment. Segment. Segment.

Almost half of your donors will stop donating if the content you’re delivering is not what they’re interested in. And that’s not just for #GivingTuesdayNow - it’s year-round.* So, take the time to segment and make it meaningful. Recognize what makes your readers and their relationships different; give them thoughtful, relatable content and end with a targeted call to action.

*Source: NonprofitMarketingGuide.com Trends Report

4. Use digital ads.

When posting content on social media, only a small percentage of your followers will actually see your post. Increase impressions and traffic to your donations page by creating a simple, eye-catching ad with a button to donate on your social media profile.

5. Leverage social ambassadors.

People trust people they know - so when active and well-known social media users share your message and ask others to donate, the results can be huge. Find your most engaged supporters and ask them to share your campaign message ahead of time. You can make it easy by giving them prewritten posts.

6. Say thank you now and later.

The day after #GivingTuesdayNow, send an email to your donors letting them know what was accomplished. But don’t stop there. Check back in a few months and show them the real impact your organization is making because of donors like them.

7. Keep the conversation going.

What happens after the donation is extremely important. When someone gets an email right after they give, they’re more likely to open it and act from that message as well as subsequent emails from your organization. Don’t lose that moment! A welcome series is a simple and effective way to stay engaged with donors.

8. Offer the option to sign up in advance to donate.

Your supporters are busy people. Leading up to #GivingTuesdayNow, offer them the option to sign up in advance to have their credit card charged when the day arrives. This way, it’s one less thing they have to think about. If you’re able to match gifts that day, even better.

Blackbaud is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. For more #GivingTuesdayNow and COVID-19 resources, visit the Blackbaud COVID-19 resource page.

Guest contributions represent the personal opinions and insights of the authors and may not reflect the views or opinions of Imagine Canada.