#GivingTuesday: Non-Profits’ Answer to Black Friday
What is #GivingTuesday?
#GivingTuesday started in 2012 as a collaboration between 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. 92nd Street Y is a New York-based Jewish organization that functions as a cultural and community center for people from all walks of life. #GivingTuesday is held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, the day falls on Tuesday, December 3rd.
Seven years down the line, the movement has grown by leaps and bounds as the number of organizations looking to make a difference and give back have actively and continuously participated. In 2018, international online giving surpassed one billion dollars! In essence, #GivingTuesday is a day when individuals from all types of backgrounds collaborate under the banners of generosity and giving back. Think of it as a Black Friday or Cyber Monday but for charity!
Marketing #GivingTuesday
As a non-profit, what are some of the ways that you can market #GivingTuesday and your participation in it? One way is dedicate social channels to promoting the day for at least a week prior to December 3rd. You can do this by changing the cover photos of your social accounts and sharing posts using the hashtag to introduce your audience to what #GivingTuesday is all about.
Also be sure to share posts and graphics in the days leading up to the event to engage your audience and promote the day. For instance, you can plan a content calendar of pieces to share ahead of time with teasers, activities and calls to action. Get as creative as you want to. The sky’s the limit!
Partner Up!
You should also consider partnering with a local business to promote and launch the campaign together. A business (or two!) might be willing to donate a small portion of their sales on #GivingTuesday to your cause – arrange ahead of time to coordinate your promotions. The point is to reach out and ask, as you never know who might say yes!
Another fantastic way to market #GivingTuesday and your non-profit’s participation in it is by creating a volunteering initiative that your local community can take part in such as a fun run, marathon, cycling contest, toy drive, or bake sale.
Apart from making a positive impact on communities around the world and local beneficiaries, #GivingTuesday provides a platform by which to give your non-profit a higher level of exposure and ideally, additional financial support to help you carry out your initiatives. People tend to be more generous during the holiday season and so this is an opportune time to capitalize on that and let them know about the philanthropic activities your organization is engaged in and how exactly they can get involved.
Plug and Play
The #GivingTuesday movement makes it easy to get involved – participating organizations are supplied with plug-and-play materials to ensure their social media and marketing techniques are consistent, attractive and more importantly, effective, resulting in support for your cause. Visit the #GivingTuesday website to check these out. Ready to get started? Let us know how your organization plans to utilize #GivingTuesday in the comments below!
