In the dynamic world of advancement and fundraising, it’s not just about the ask; it’s about creating a journey that engages, inspires, and ultimately shows the impact of contributions. Effective communication strategies are the backbone of successful giving days, campaigns, and impact reports. Let’s dive into how to build powerful campaigns that resonate with your donors, drive engagement, and clearly reflect on the impact of their generosity.
Engage: Planning and Execution
Every successful communication strategy starts with a clear plan and well-defined objectives. Identify the big-ticket items—Giving Days, capital campaign initiatives, and annual impact reporting—that will steer your communication efforts throughout the year. Spread these initiatives across different quarters to maintain a steady stream of engagement without overwhelming your audience.
Once you’ve identified these key initiatives, it’s time to think about your outreach approach. Reaching your audience through multiple channels ensures your message is seen and heard by as many people as possible. Emails, social media, direct mail, and personalized videos all play crucial roles in keeping your audience engage – and help ensure you’re meeting them where they are.
Spotlight: Texas Christian University's TCU Gives Day
Goal: Secure early gifts, ramp up awareness, and reach hard-to-contact donors.
Strategy: TCU leveraged Pledgemine by EverTrue to create a colorful self-mailer. This eye-catching piece stood out in recipients' mailboxes, serving as a vibrant reminder to participate.
Results: Exceeded their goal with 1,000 gifts, with 172 gifts directly attributed to the direct mail campaign. The self-mailer ended up on fridges, acting as a daily reminder.
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Inspire: Personalization and Real-Time Engagement
Personalize Your Outreach
Tailoring your messages to specific segments of your audience makes each donor feel valued and connected to your cause. Personalization can significantly boost engagement and donations.
University of North Carolina School of the Arts' End-of-Year Campaign
Goal: Secure as many gifts as possible and surpass the previous year’s numbers.
Strategy: The team used Pledgemine to send out a segmented tri-fold self-mailer based on donor interests and affiliations.
Results: Nearly doubled the number of gifts and more than doubled the amount raised, with a 39% higher average gift size compared to the previous year.
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Real-Time Stewardship
Engaging donors in real-time enhances their experience and fosters a sense of connection and appreciation. Quick acknowledgments and immediate impact show donors they are valued.
Spotlight: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Mocs Give Day
Goal: Raise $1 million from 1,500 donors during their day of giving
Strategy: UTC scaled up their use of ThankView for personalized video messages, coupled with emails and social media outreach. Pre-recorded ThankView videos were prepared and sent within hours of donations, ensuring donors felt valued and appreciated.
Results: High engagement and a strong sense of community, contributing to the overall success of the giving day. The team surpassed their target, raising $1.7 million from 2,131 donors. The ThankView videos had a 77% open rate, with over 1,100 videos sent within hours of donations.
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Bonus: Leverage Social Data!
Using social data to identify and engage potential donors can significantly boost your campaign’s effectiveness. Targeted outreach based on interests and engagement history creates a more personalized experience.
Spotlight: Oklahoma State University
Goal: Secure as many gifts as possible and surpass the previous year’s numbers.
Strategy: OSU used EverTrue’s social data to identify potential donors for their Cowboy Marching Band campaign. They targeted alumni who engaged with related content on Facebook.
Results: With social data, they targeted the right audience for a marching band campaign and increased donations by 40%
Report: Showcasing Impact
It’s a time of year we all know so well: Annual endowment reporting season. While this process can be cumbersome, it is a critical opportunity to highlight the long-term impact of donor contributions.
Traditional printed reports often fail to engage and personalize the donor experience. By making the switch to a digital reporting tool like ODDER, you can revolutionize this process with dynamic, personalized, and easily accessible digital reports. These reports enhance donor satisfaction and streamline workflows, making your reporting process more efficient and impactful.
Since launching ODDER, our partner institutions have sent over 400,000 digital endowment reports, with only 0.3% of donors requesting a print copy. But don’t just take our word for it; check out some of these amazing engagement wins:
Saint Anselm College: Saw a 68% completion rate after breaking tradition and utilizing a B-Roll style video to deliver their endowment reports.
UC Berkeley: Achieved an 89% open rate and 67% click-through rate after moving their endowment reports to 100% digital.
West Virginia University: Went all in with On-Demand Digital Endowment Reporting (ODDER), achieving a 77% open rate and 56% click-through rate.
The West Point Association of Graduates: Achieved a 73% video completion rate by creating a simple gratitude video that kept its supporters’ identity at its core.
You’re spending so much time compiling this information – don’t you want to make sure people are actually seeing it?
Building an annual communication strategy around giving days, capital campaigns, and impact reporting involves a mix of smart planning, personalization, and leveraging technology. Remember, good planning and smart strategy are the keys to success. As you embark on your journey, take inspiration from these success stories, leverage the best tools, and watch your donor relationships flourish. Here’s to making a lasting impact and building strong, meaningful connections with your donors.