The document provides essential tips for successful year-end fundraising, emphasizing the importance of personal connections with donors, particularly through phone calls and impactful storytelling. It encourages fundraisers to actively engage new donors, leverage social media, and utilize compelling visuals and videos to enhance their appeals. Additionally, it highlights the need for a well-optimized donation page and a strategic communication plan to stand out amidst heavy competition during the year-end giving season.

1. for Blockbuster Fundraising
Year End Results
10 Super Secrets10 Super Secrets

2. Intro:
Even after 20 years in the business of fundraising, there’s nothing more worrisome than
meeting your Year-End fundraising goals.
Now, well into November, you’ve been working your, a plan created much earlier in the
year! You’re already getting antsy about evaluating your Thanksgiving direct mail piece.
And, if you’re one of the best fundraisers around, you’re still interested in any fabulous idea
would tweak or add more support and attention for your cause .
The big deal here is all the competition you’re facing! Your Donors mailboxes are running
over right now with mails asks that include calendars, cards, address labels, everything and
anything to get the donation dollars to their cause, not yours! Yikes!
Your donors always have a few charities that are close to their heart, that we all know for
sure. And if you speak with your donors now, you also know they are becoming extremely
fatigued (and a little irritable) with so many pleas for help. And every plea for help is more
compelling and desperate then the last one.
This means working hard until the very last minute with the very best year-end fundraising
ideas Here for you now are super tips that have been researched, tried and work!
Use just one or two of these 10 year end super success tips and watch out! You’ll be a
blockbuster fundraising superstar!
Wishing you all the very best in fundraising success now and in the New Year,
Joy Olson

3. MAKE CALLSYOUR CALLING
From personal experience I can honestly say that calling your donor base is the very best
thing, the very best use of your time that you can make now throughout the end of the
year. Every article, blog post, book, etc., all fundraising experts agree on this. So what you
need to do right now is to figure out how many hours a day you will call your donor base
and map out a plan!
Segment your donor base before you make these calls. Research giving patterns and scan
other notes in your database about these donors. If they’ve made donations this year, if
they’ve attended your annual event, if they are active on your Facebook page, use these
personal connections to connect further. You want to really make this call to connect count.
Ask questions and take notes.
When you segment your major donors, ask your board to help you call this top tier of
supporters. Give your board the data base information you’ve researched so they can also
connect with the donors.
Have one compelling story ready to discuss in the call, emotionally allowing a direct impact.
You must help them envision how their gift will make a difference.
I would suggest no less than an hour a day for calls now. Donors love your organization
and are happy to talk to if you are brief and to the point with a compelling story. Of-course
you will tell them how much they are appreciated!
Write a short script (bullet points) for yourself and your board that you can have in front of
you with a succinct and sincere message. The script should indicate how appreciated the
donors are for their support and loyalty. It’s all about them, not your organization. It’s all
about how they have made your success possible.
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4. Storytelling is Imperative
Have three great stories from 2015 that you can build your message around. Brainstorm
with your entire organization to pick out the three most meaningful, touching and personal
stories that your organization has experienced this year. Now build a consistent message
around each story that you can use the last six weeks of the year. Maybe it’s for your last
direct mail piece of the year or perhaps a postcard. It can be the focus of your YouTube
videos or your final Eblasts of the year.
Make your story count and count for a lot! Put a great headline with the story and a really
winsome picture. A picture is worth 1000 words (and perhaps many $1000’s) so work hard to
get just the perfect photo. If it makes you cry, if it makes you happy this is what you want!
Elicit strong emotions now!
There’s nothing more powerful than storytelling to affect your donor’s behavior because
it is the stories that connect us. A good story makes us feel like we are experiencing it
ourselves and we are a part of it.
One of the best qualities a fundraiser can have is empathy, compassion and the ability
to relate this emotion of caring. If you have the compassion and the passion, it will move
mountains for your organization! Actively seek out the stories from your volunteers, donors,
staff and get the very best stories. You can test those stories along with photos on Facebook
to see if they’re really going to move mountains. Sometimes it’s quite surprising. Stories &
photos you think will get their attention do nothing. Social media is a very good way to test
your storytelling and also helps you improve the message.
Just remember to tell stories, don’t just give statistics. It’s true they want to know you’re
doing well but if you’re doing well it’s really because they’re supporting you so let them
know! Thank them for making all the success possible.
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5. Dote on New Donors
As fundraisers, we often tread lightly with a new donor. We don’t want to turn them off by
seeming too greedy with another ask. But the truth of the matter is that second gift is really
as important as the first gift because it’s the second gift that determines if that new donor is
going to turn into a lifetime donor. And if you don’t stay in touch other organizations may
step in gain that donors attention and you may lose the donor.
I recently read in The Fundraising Effectiveness Project 2015 survey that only 19% of new
donors ever give again to the nonprofit. But guess what, if we ask them again and they do
give the second time, 63% will give again. So working with the new donors because it will
really pay off.
If it were earlier in the year, I would tell you to have a new donor party in September or
October, but we don’t have time for that now! So do something special for the new donor
in terms of a postcard or a note just saying how thrilled you are to have them as a new
donor, what a difference their gift has made, and what a difference they can make in the
future.
Don’t let them get away!
Get creative, and if you’ve got time make some phone calls or ask your board to help
you make phone calls to your new donors. That’ll make a difference this year and an even
bigger difference next year.
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6. REVIEW, REVIEW, & REVIEW SOME MORE,
REVIEWYOUR RESULTS CLOSELY
From now to the last minute of this year, you must know what’s working and what’s
working best! If you don’t do well in your Thanksgiving annual direct mail appeal, you
must immediately get super creative and head to the front of the line with good stuff for a
December appeal!
As you might already know, a Development Director of Fundraising makes no major holiday
plans as your job is to be here, to monitor, to review and to make immediate adjustments
and additions if your plan is not getting dollars in the door.
Monday of Veterans Day 2015, we personally got so much snail-mail, so many catalogs, etc
etc, etc, that I thought, oh boy, if any organization had a big direct mail drop to hit Monday,
they are going to be lucky if anyone even sees it! It will probably be recycled before anyone
knows it arrived!
So, what can you do? Use your Christmas or Holiday letter to best advantage, decorate
the envelope, STAND-OUT! Use subject lines in your social media and emails that totally
intrigue and stop them in their tracks. They will feel they just have to open it and see what
you’re talking about!
Be dramatic, be interesting, be motivating, be compelling, just be good, don’t be boring!!!
Classy has a super blog that addresses this: http://www.classy.org/blog/5-trends-jazz-up-
holiday-fundraising/, check it out! One of their tips is to create a Staff Thank You Video.
Super idea and so easy to do!
So jazz it up, stand out, be creative and have fun! And bring lots of dollars in the door!
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7. GETYOURVIDEO ON!
Okay, you have your 3 or 4 best stories ready to go. You’ve picked the ones to move
the world. Now get out the iPhone and make 3 or 4 videos and tell your stories. Unless
someone in your group is great with production, look for a volunteer or someone to hire
to put these 60 second videos together.
You will upload these short videos to your YouTube Channel. You will use them, one at a
time, in your final year end 4-EBlasts, and you will upload to other social media channels, to
your webpage, and add their links to your regular emails, and that’s just for starters.
Make these videos good enough that you can also include them in your 2016 Annual
Event as 2015 success stories or stories that reflect your mission and connection to great
outcomes.
Development is going social media and social media loves short videos! Short videos will
tell your story beautifully, so get in there and find yourself a video person, and create and
script some meaningful heart rendering stories. It will pay off in huge dividends, many
donations and new supporters! Make sure the videos look wonderful on mobile devices as
that’s where most will be viewed.
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8. GO LONG FOR MONTHLY GIVING
In your final month, in all forms of communications with your donors, ask them to upgrade
to Monthly Giving!
Tell them what a wonderful gift this is to your non-profit; to be able to rely on these sustaining
gifts from the best of the best. Tell them why it makes a difference, what you can do with
that money each month, and make it be the best gift they could give your cause, whether
it kiddos, pets, or veterans. Work with your marketing people to come up with a monthly
donation insert, coupon or web-form that is eye-catching, something that stands out from
the crowd. Make it a part of every ask, whether in person, on the phone, in email or social
media.
Your mission needs the gift of sustainablity and year end is certainly the time to ask for
what you need. Create some extra value for the donors to encourage them to make this
commitment. Tie the monthly gift to a special status and use emails to update monthly
donors on the progress you are making and emphasize their contribution to your work.
Rmember to continue thanking monthly donors as long as they keep giving as it reminds
them of the good they are doing and of your sincere gratitude.
• Ensure your donation form allows for a monthly gift.
• Audit your appeals: make sure you ask donors to consider giving a monthly contribution.
• Think of creative ways to illustrate a monthly gift’s impact.
• Reward monthly donors with special recognition or perks.
Keep Asking for Monthly giving on into the New Year also!
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9. EMAILS TO EBLASTYOUR RESULTS
Plan these four emails so there is some type of consistency in your brand and style. Use the
colors and logos of your organization so you are easily recognizable.
Next make it simple! Make the headline compelling and use a great image, an image that
will just stop their heart, make them cry. Make sure that your image not only complements
your message but that it shows up correctly so test that out to make sure it shows up on all
formats, mobile, laptop or tablet.. Link your images to your donate now button!
MarketingSherpa.com says that each email should have a single picture, a headline, 3 to 4
sentences of copy.
Get a matching donation for these last four emails and that could be your PS (PS donations
will be matched.) And the final email delivered on New Year’s Eve will emphasize that there
is still time to make your 2015 donation. Marketing Sherpa did their emails on December 2,
December 15, December 23 and December 31. I have personally, as development director,
done the last four days of the year with very good results.
I am enclosing this link for you: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/four-
short-emails-boost-yearend. This is worth reading.
Make these 4 emails very personal. The end of the year is emotional weighted with hopes
and memories of the year past. Inspire with the story and the need, don’t make them
feel guilty, make them want to help because it is going to feel so good to make such
an immediate difference in the world. Integrate these emails with your social media sites
to make the effort very consistent. Work and rework your subject lines, brainstorm with
your team and decide what commands your attention immediately. You are facing lots of
competition, now is the time to be BOLD! STAND OUT! You cannot over communicate
at Year-End, remember this!
P.S. Here are some subject lines to get their attention:
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Are You In? Don’t Wait! Last chance. Only
Hours Left The clock is ticking, Will YOU
Help?
You still have a chance Midnight is just a
few hours away. Don’t Miss Out on this
Special Opportunity (great for matching
gift)

10. YOUR DONATION PAGE DESERVES EXTREME
ATTENTION
If there is one thing that you should do right now is get your donation page ready for YEAR END. Spruce
it up. Have others test it. Have people give you honest feedback on how easy it is to donate.
Place your donate button near the top of the page and make it colorful!! Make it accessible and very
visible. Make sure your donation page is mobile responsive and works like clockwork
Put a compelling picture together with one of your best stories highlighted on the page so people can
remember what motivated them to donate in the first place. Make sure your tax ID number is also very
visible because many foundations or companies are going to want that number immediately. Remember
that attention span is short now so make it easy to see and to donate. Trust is certainly always an issue so
make sure that your donation page is secured.
There are many best practices you need to consider.
1. You want to have one purpose right now and that is to encourage your visitor to make a donation.
2. You want to make it clear and keep it short.
3. Write a great headline and combine with a compelling visual.
4. Your visual must show your donors how their support will make the difference.
5. Include these four words: Small (amount); Instant (you instantly help); YOU (they are the focus); and
BECAUSE (because this small amount will instantly help solve the problem).
The last three weeks of the year your website’s number one goal is to collect donations! Make it simple to
immediately connect to the page and donate. Give them choices. Choices are giving gift levels, frequency,
and certainly highlight the opportunity of becoming a monthly giver. Give them the opportunity for
personal interest comments and give them the opportunity to make their gift “in memory of” or “in honor
of” with enough space for any wording they might want included in message to recipient of their gift.
Sit down immediately with your webmaster and talk about your Year End Donation page. Research it, check
out the 10 best donation pages in your particular field, know how your donate page will look. It’s a Mobile
world we live in. Year End is all about your Donation Page. Research at least 10 best pages now and know
how you want your page to look and perform! Do not skip this step!
Caryn Stein of Donor Perfect gives these 8 ways to make the most of your year-end donate asks:
1. Simplify your home page to offer one call to action, DONATE.
2. Make your donate buttons large, colorful and easy to find.
3. Send donors straight to your online donation form and make sure it is well-designed.
4. Include your donation link in your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media profiles
5. Encourage Recurring gifts.
6. TEST YOUR DONATION PROCESS and fix problems
7. Include third-party testimonials on your donation page
8. Create a “Why Donate Page” that makes a case for why someone should donate so they will give more
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11. SOCIAL MEDIA
I for one love social media and have been managing a Facebook page for a nonprofit for
a number of years. If you’re not active in social media, certainly year-end is not the time
to begin. I suspect many of you do participate in social media and most of you are really
trying to define social media’s role in your communications strategy. At year-end, you must
integrate your communications and align your goals and message with your target audience
on social media. All your messages, all your themes for year-end should be represented on
your social media platforms.
Now, we must engage our community and let our supporters know who we are, what
we’re doing, why we want to connect and how they can help. And we want to attract new
supporters! This is a lot to accomplish and it takes definite planning. Social media will
definitely strengthen your message and get your message out there so get busy and do it
now.
You definitely want to take advantage of the new “donate now” call to action on Facebook. I
would you link your compelling images directly to your own online donation page. I use bit.
ly to shorten the donation link in case you have a donation URL that’s a half a block long.
Definitely work with your marketing manager and your executive director to define your
year-end content strategy.
Many of you might have planned a #GivingTuesday campaign as a part of your year-end
plan this year and if you have done so, great! If you have not it’s definitely too late for 2015,
but put it in your 2016 year end giving plan and study your competitors #GivingTuesday
campaigns this year for ideas.
Year-end is an ideal time to use testimonials on your Facebook page from current supporters
telling why they love supporting your organization. Connect the testimonial to a ‘donate
now’ link. Social media is designed for two way conversation so it’s powerful to get your
supporters talking and connecting with you. These conversations get other supporters in
the conversation and this is the wonderful advantage of social media.
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12. Be sure to stay very much in tune with your social media pages at Year-End because you
need to respond to questions, comments and posts and look for new conversations to join.
Year-End is not vacation time for development or fundraising peeps!
If you’re using Facebooks power editor or ads manager, this is a great time to select an
image or a message that’s getting great response and use it as an ad. If you don’t have
an ad budget find a donor that would donate $100 dollars for Facebook ads for year-end
giving. If you’re new to ads or boosts, take a tutorial on power editor or add manager on
Facebook. It’s really not difficult and will give your organization a year-end boost. You can
also learn how to use Facebooks conversion pixels so you can track your results and that’s
really changing the game on Facebook. We want to be able to quantify the time we’re
spending on social media and it’s becoming much easier to do.
Social Media has an important role to play in year-end giving! More important than all
those television ads begging for donations and much cheaper! Go boldly forth and have
fun!

13. WALKA MILE INYOUR DONORS SHOES
Your non-profit already has a relationship with your donors and a lot of donors have grown
to really trust your organization. They understand what you’re doing and they feel like
they’re part of your mission; that you’re accomplishing things together. So what does year
end giving have to do with this?
Let’s examine why your donors are giving at year-end, and why year end giving accounts
for over 33% of our total nonprofit giving.
1. The holidays are a happy time, they inspire all of us to be more giving. Thanksgiving,
Hanuka, Christmas, and New Year’s line up to naturally motivate all of us to want to do more
for others, especially those that we perceive as needing our help. INSPIRATION: we are
inspired to give and so are your donors, SO INSPIRE THEM WITH ALL YOUR MESSAGES!
2. The reality is that our donors can claim tax deductions for their charitable gifts and many
of our donors make year end gifts to get tax benefits. These last weeks of the year are when
your donors are going to make their gifts according to their financial planning strategies.
They are going to be looking over their taxes with their accountants to try to get a clear
picture of what they might owe. So they very well may need to give and you need to ask
because if you don’t someone else will and they’re going to get that last minute tax gift.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK AGAIN AT YEAR END
3. In the non-profit business you realize there is often money left in government or
foundation budgets that need to be used or they lose and this can also be true with your
donors. No matter how late in the year you send a direct mail, you must always include the
opportunity for them to make one more gift!
A RETURN ENVELOPE OR A GREAT BIG DONATION BUTTON IN EMAILS OR WEB SITES
gives them an immediate way to give again and they will give again if you make it easy
and motivating!. This happens about 20% of the time and a lot of nonprofits miss this
opportunity by being worried about asking too often. Always include a return envelope or
a place to go to donate once again. This is a very compelling reason to MAKE SURE YOUR
THANK YOU NOTES GO OUT FAST WITH A RETURN ENVELOPE INCLUDED.
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14. CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION:
blockbusterfundraising@gmail.com
www.joyolsongroup.com
BlockBusterBlog: www.blockbusterfundraisingblog.com
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