Arizona Gives Day Marketing Checklist
National and international days of giving can seem daunting to take on each year. There’s a lot of pressure to create the perfect giving campaign. I’ve worked with an array of nonprofits where the combination of methods below are proven to get your campaign lots of views and donations.
How to Promote Your Nonprofit for AZ Gives Day
Start Early & Set Deadlines for Your Team
Begin planning at least two months ahead of the event. Think about what this year’s theme and ask will be, and what your team can pull off. Get creative with what you think will be effective messaging for a great campaign this year. Consider producing special photo or video to support your campaign. Decided whether you want to host an in-person fundraiser to complement your general marketing efforts.
Set Specific Fundraising Goals and Programs
Donors are may be highly motivated to give towards specific campaigns. If you have specific projects you can fundraise for, let your audience know what those are. When they know their dollars will be spent wisely, and they get to select what project to support with their donation, it makes it easier to give. Once you’ve earned your funds, and brought your projects to fruition, you can highlight them and thank donors the following year, encouraging them to give again.
Specific Goals Could Look Like:
New Shaded Bench - $2,500
New Flowerbeds for Patio - $1,200
New Delivery Truck - $10,000
i.e. Specific Item + Amount
Leverage the Early Giving Period
Announce AZ Gives Day save the dates early, and start asking for donations during the early giving period set by AZ Gives, about two weeks before the actual date. Your donor list and online audience will be excited to get their donation in early, and your fundraiser will get a head start on reaching the fundraising goal.
Publish the Virtual Giving Event to Your Web Calendars
Add AZ Gives Day to your website, Facebook, and on-location calendars so your audience can see the special event where they’re already looking. Display AZ Gives Day and all relevant information on a central event webpage hosted on your own website calendar to drive web traffic towards your AZ Gives page. Create a Facebook event for the virtual giving day, and for any in-person drives you may host.
Plan Your Emails and Social Media Reminders Ahead
Set deadlines for your team or marketing partner to get emails written and social posts drafted nice and early. Schedule these to send and publish in advance of AZ Gives Day so you can “set it and forget it” and watch the donations roll in day of. Going the extra mile could mean doing live social media posting or a live video the day of where you share fundraising goal updates.
Go the Extra Mile with Your AZ Gives Campaign:
Produce Special Videos or Photos for Your Campaign
Whether they’re shot by your in-house team on a smartphone, or by a hired photographer/videographer, you can always create a special set of photos or videos to convey your campaign message. Showcase your organizations work, the team, the volunteers, or whichever subject matter you choose.
Host an In Person Drive or Rally
Bring your donors together for an in person celebration of AZ Gives Day. Host a dinner, a mixer, a dance party, or any sort of event to get people excited to get together and fundraise for your cause. It can be a ticketed event or include any sort of fundraising features that are part of your AZ Gives Day efforts. You can report cash donations on your AZ Gives page.
Invite Your Trusted Network to Host Fundraisers on Your AZ Gives Page
If you have a trusted set of board members, ambassadors, or friends of the organization, invite them to host their own fundraiser via your AZgives.org page. They can quickly and easily click “Create Fundraiser” and set an amount to raise with their friends and family. They’d work to promote their fundraiser as part of your bigger fundraiser.
