Four December Tips to Make Your End-of-Year Giving a Success

Tip #1 – Have a plan and work your plan! If you are not planning, you are planning on failure so let’s devise a plan.

Your plan in a nutshell…

• Social Media posts from now through December 31^st should work to tell your story and how donors make this happen. Each post has a link to your giving portal listed. I recommend at least one a day but prefer one in the AM and one at 2 PM. Pictures can tell the story that springs the heart into action.
• Announcement Screenshots – Use visuals each Sunday through December 25^th to create awareness of the end-of-year appeal.
• Bulletin announcements and screenshots about tax deductions should be run every Sunday until the end of the year. While tax laws have changed, there is still an advantage for many people if they take the opportunity.
• Direct Appeals – I recommend three to four email blasts. For example:
  1.    December 19^th – Short and sweet with multiple links to the giving page.
  2.    December 24^th – This comes from the Senior Pastor and is a Merry Christmas post with a PS about giving if they are gone over the holidays.
  3.    December 26^th – Similar to the 19^th send.
  4.    December 31^st – One last final push. Studies show that 2 PM is the best time to send this last email appeal.

That’s the basics. You can flesh it out for your culture and context. But first, follow this tip…

Tip #2 – Don’t make it about you! Here is where most churches fail before their plan is ever enacted. They make the appeal about hitting some budget number that few understand, and most don’t care about. People give to make a difference, not help you meet your budget. Help them see what a difference their gift will make for Kingdom purposes, and they will give. So, here is…

Tip #3 – Make the appeal appealing! Yes, I know people should give because they just should. You can count on your faithful few to do that at the end of the year. These tips are for those that you are trying to move up the generosity ladder. You need to inspire them to action. An appealing appeal does exactly that. Help connect the dots on how a dollar given will change the world for the better, and you have a better chance of receiving the gift. Then finally…

Tip #4 – Make the appeal! Just make the appeal. Because if you ask them in the right way, they will respond, and you could raise an extra week’s offering.

That’s the head and heart part of an end-of-year “ask.” It would be best if you put “hands” to any plans to achieve the “touches” needed to see an increase in giving.