4 easy steps to create an effective Generous Tuesday email

Generous Tuesday is a tremendous opportunity for any nonprofit, but without proper planning, it can be another failed fundraiser. One aspect of this event that can't be overlooked is creating a proper email for the event. Without a clear strategy for your email campaign, you could be wasting time, money or missing out on donations. To prevent losing this important opportunity, start implementing a plan that helps you reach your Giving Tuesday fundraising goals.

Plan your email campaign

There are a few basics you'll want to keep in mind when creating your Giving Tuesday email campaign. Targeting the right supporters, creating a timeline, and outlining goals are all key elements your organization will need to establish before you get started. Below, we outline what each of these elements should look like in order for your team to launch a successful campaign.

Check out our article How to Write a Compelling Fundraising Letter.

1. Gather your target list

Open your archive of donors and start segmenting them based on the greatest opportunity to donate. Creating a targeted list of donor types can really help you maximize the opportunity to receive more donations.

• One easy way to do this is to look at who has donated during past Giving Tuesday events and then start contacting those people first.
• You can also look at donors who have given more than once to other fundraising campaigns.
• Ranking your supporters based on their frequency of giving can help you target donors who are more likely to give on Giving Tuesday or share your fundraising campaign.

2. Create a timeline

In conjunction with your segmented list of supporters, your team will need to build a timeline for your email campaign. Your timeline shouldn't be too far off, but you also don't want to be sending last-minute emails to your supporters. During that time, they may be receiving other email marketing content from other organizations they follow, so make sure you're reaching out to them regularly.

• If your organization is able, you may choose to do a longer email campaign that is a few weeks away.
• If that's not possible, start the campaign two weeks before the actual event.
• If two weeks is too far away, a one-week timeline may be enough to drum up support.
• As you decide what's best for your organization, keep in mind that longer timelines may require more emails as part of your outreach campaign.
• You might consider limiting your schedule to one or two weeks if your nonprofit doesn't have the resources to run a longer outreach campaign.

3. Set goals and track them

Getting donations for Generous Tuesday is the primary goal for your campaign, but there are other secondary goals that can be included as part of your campaign. Having these secondary goals can help you create email campaigns that are more effective and impactful.

Here are just a few secondary goals and best practices that your nonprofit can start tracking through the specific email program you use:

• Email open rate: getting people to open your Giving Tuesday emails is the first step to making sure you're getting donations, which is why your email open rate can give you insight into how your emails are performing. Is your subject line getting people the attention you need to get them to open your messages and donate? Having a low open rate indicates that you may need to change your subject line strategy.
• Click Through Rate (CTR): Once you confirm that people are opening your emails, you'll also want to find out if they're clicking through to the donation page. Check the click-through rate of your emails. A low click-through rate means you need to change the prompt phrase or make the donation button more prominent.
• ConversionRate: By tracking the conversion rate for your email campaign, your organization can understand how well the campaign is working. If a large percentage of the people you're emailing aren't donating, it may be time to change your campaign language or strategy. This change could mean updating the copy on your emails or changing the frequency of your emails.
• Bounce Rate: Bounce rate is a basic, but mandatory component of any email campaign. It will tell you if people are actually receiving your emails. It's a great way to clean up your list of supporters. High bounce rates can mean you have a lot of old or inaccurate email addresses. Review this data and start cleaning up your email lists for better targeting in the future.

4. Design your Giving Tuesday email templates

In order to have a successful campaign, your organization will need to have the right email templates for Giving Tuesday. Each phase of your email campaign will need to have its own template that you can easily repurpose.

In addition to fundraising email templates, your team will need to decide the frequency of each Giving Tuesday email. Get an idea of what this might look like for your organization using these simple examples and guidelines for Generous Tuesday emails:

First Contact

The first email you send to your supporters will explain your organization's participation in Giving Tuesday. Depending on your team's resources and the number of emails that are part of your campaign, you can send this first email one to four weeks before Giving Tuesday.

• Include the actual date for the Giving Tuesday.
• Explain what the event is and why your organization is participating.
• Add a clear call to action. Some email software tools will allow you to add customizable call-to-action buttons - so always use this if you have the option.
• The first email should be something like the example included below.

Hi __________,

On [Date] is Giving Tuesday, a global event that allows people around the world to donate to their favorite cause. This year, [your nonprofit's name] will be participating, and we're counting on supporters like you to help us make a difference.

Save the date or you can donate now. With your donation, our organization can continue to work and provide more food for families in need. This year's Giving Tuesday event will help our organization reach its goal of $10,000 to provide much needed support to low-income families - and you can be a part of it!

[Donate Now] - button

Second Contact

You can send a second email closer to the actual event date and focus on how donations impact your cause. You can also remind supporters that Giving Tuesday is just around the corner. For your email message, keep the following in mind:

• Include a mention of your overall goal.
• Indicate the impact of one donation.
• Add a call to action.
• Ask supporters to share your fundraising campaign with others on their social networks to reach potential donors.

Hi ___________,

Giving Tuesday is just around the corner! Join our team on [date] and help us reach our goal this year. With your donation, our non-profit organization is able to provide resources and meals to families in need in our county. Just one donation of $25 provides breakfast and lunch for a family of four.

If you have already donated, you can go one step further to support us by sharing our fundraising with your family and friends. Sharing on social media brings our organization one stepcloser to reaching more potential supporters like you.

Third Contact

Your third email should be sent just before donating to Generous Tuesday. This is an email you can choose to skip if you don't have the resources. However, if you are able, include them in your third email:

• Build excitement and share the progress made toward your goal.
• Like all your other emails, include a call to action.
• Ask for donations by including a donation button.

Hi _______,

Generous Giving Tuesday is in two days and we're almost halfway to our goal of 10,000! Help our organization reach its goal by donating today or on [date]. With your help, we will provide food to over 5,000 low-income families this holiday season alone. Make a difference today by donating or asking your network of friends and family to support this amazing cause.

Last contact

Your last email should take place on the day of Giving Tuesday. There are many email examples to choose from for this important email. When composing this last email, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Focus on the excitement of the day.
• Have a strong call to action.
• Whatever message you choose for this email, be sure to keep it simple and focus on your main goal - bringing in more donations for Generous Tuesday to help your cause.

Start fundraising for Giving Tuesday today

Now that you have a starting point for your Giving Tuesday email campaign, don't waste time wandering. Check out our fundraising ideas and fundraising tips your organization can use to make Giving Tuesday a meaningful event for your nonprofit. Our online fundraising platform offers the flexibility you need to make your efforts more impactful than ever. Contact us using the buttons below and we'll launch your Generous Tuesday fundraising campaign.