Nonprofits: January is an (unexpectedly) ideal time to engage your community!

Whether you met, surpassed, or fell short of your year-end goals…

Here’s 5 reasons to reach out THIS MONTH:

1. HARDLY ANY ORGS ARE REACHING OUT RIGHT NOW

   Gone is the noisy volume of “Giving Tuesday thru Dec 31st” outreach. Engaging with your community right now can be more relaxed & more personal.
   
   We’re all in a bit of “hibernation mode,” so let’s use that collective mindset to deepen our connections. 🐻
   

2. YOU’VE GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO CIRCLE BACK TO THOSE LOYAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE M.I.A. AT YEAR END

   Get super intentional here: are there some members of your community who traditionally give by 12/31, but didn’t this year? Go ahead & reach out. Right now, you have the bandwidth to genuinely check in & see how they are doing: Maybe they are having some personal set-backs. They may appreciate you holding space for them during their time of need. Maybe they had some grievance with your org that they haven’t shared.
   They may appreciate you taking the time to explore how the relationship can be mended. ❤️‍🩹
   

3. YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE “EARLY-YEAR GIVERS” (& MAKE THAT ASK!)

   I oversaw 6 Outbound Fundraising Campaigns for Year-End. You’d be surprised by the amount of community members who told members of my Outbound Fundraising teams: “I donate in January.”
   
   Some people are PLANNERS & start their giving in the first month of the year. It’s great to identify who those people are & make sure they get a phone call EVERY January. 

4. YOU’VE GOT ONE LAST OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER 2023 PRICING

   If your org has an experiential component & you offer subscriptions and/or memberships, why not offer the 2023 Pricing for one more month? Frequently, when we personally reach out to a community member to offer them a “deal,” they are more likely to add a donation. It may seem counterintuitive that a community member would make a $50 donation because they are “saving” $20 on their Membership, but it happens all the time!
   
   Community members appreciate the gesture and frequently respond in kind.

5. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE YEAR-END HABITS TO CONTINUE

   I say this all the time: “Givers Give.” Chances are, there are members of your community who gave to OTHER orgs at Year End & it made them feel good.
   
   Let’s keep that dopamine & serotonin flowing: if your org didn’t pick up the phone to make an Ask at Year End, let’s make that phone call happen now!
   

Which of these reasons resonates most with you? How are YOU making Asks in early 2024?