Most fundraisers coast through summer thinking, “We’ll tune up the email list in October.”
By then, it’s too late to make an impact.
To reach beyond your most loyal supporters at year-end, start building a healthy, engaged list now.
Prioritize reactivating supporters, growing your list early, and testing content and landing pages ahead of time.
Here’s how to ensure your email list is ready to go for #GivingTuesday and beyond.
Step one: Get real about engagement
Start by asking: Who’s really engaging with your emails, and how recently?
Look past open rates and bucket your list based on real behavior:
Engaged: Clicked or converted in the last 90 days
Lapsing: Last clicked or converted 3-6 months ago
Inactive: No engagement in the last 6-12 months
These segments aren’t just for optimizing deliverability to ensure your messages are hitting inboxes—they’re also key to unlocking personalized donor journeys in December, such as:
Recurring donors: Keep them engaged through a pared down volume of year-end emails, acknowledging their ongoing support
High-dollar vs. low-dollar donors: Test cultivation strategies and tailor custom gift language
Non-donors: Nurture them with urgency and potential incentives (stickers, magnets, etc.) to spur their first gift
Step two: Reactivate and reignite
Improving engagement isn’t just about more emails or a set-it-and-forget-it automation series.
Stay relevant and meet supporters where they are. For example:
Personalize appeals now using custom language for each segment: monthly donors, active donors, lapsed donors, and non-donors.
Send “explainer” emails from staff to break down complicated news, pairing with a soft ask when the moment is uncertain.
Use supporter surveys to learn what topics your audience cares about most. Then tailor your content accordingly.
Step three: Build a bigger and better list now
Converting new leads to donors takes time—prioritize acquisition now, so you have months to nurture new emails before Giving Tuesday:
Generate high-intent opt-in leads using petitions, pledges, or quizzes with acquisition partners like Civic Shout and other high-quality list rental providers.
Optimize for the collection of organic leads on your website homepage through pop-ups or your hero section with a compelling call to action.
Welcome your new contacts, and make sure they’re acknowledged as soon as possible with engaging, clickable content.
Step four: Test now, win later
Use August to test what resonates with your list so that you can apply insights during year-end fundraising.
Test framing: Does donor-centric language like “You made this possible” outperform organization-centric language like “Our fight isn’t over?”
Landing page optimization: Experiment with pre-selected donation amounts based on donor segment or multi-step vs. one-step donation forms.
Visuals: Do banners with CTA buttons or countdown clocks meaningfully increase response rates?
The bottom line
A strong year-end fundraising effort begins with smart audits and strategic adjustments as early as possible (and if we’re being completely honest, year-round).
Be proactive this month, and your December self will thank you. (Truly.)
'Til next time!
Sara
P.S. What year-end fundraising questions do you have? Reply directly to this email and let me know!