This is our third post to help with your election-year fundraising. (Be sure to read about what to do in The Noisy Spring and The Summer Slump.)
Today’s topic is The Election Storm (September through Election Day).
The Election Storm
As the political campaigns reach their peak, and media attention is laser-focused on the election, fundraising for non-political organizations tends to drop.
During this period, you should expect a lull in giving. That September appeal that’s always a winner won’t work quite as well. Those major donors who always buy a table at your event… a couple of them won’t do it this year.
Here’s how to make the most of this period, and set yourself up for a strong year-end:
- Run the campaigns you normally run. Just be aware that they probably won’t raise as much as normal. And try to avoid any important fundraising communications in the 10 days before the election.
- Continue to communicate with your donors. Share stories of success, and tell your donors the powerful difference their gift has made. Your donors will be inundated with a lot of negative news – be the bright spot in their day!
- Maintain an active presence on social media. As we saw during the pandemic, many people are eager to talk, read, and hear about things other than the “News.” Your social media followers will be grateful for the positive things they see in their feed.
Don’t panic if giving looks different from typical years. Work your plan and get everything in place for what’s coming next… The Year-End Rally!
Read this series of blog posts:
- The Noisy Spring
- The Summer Slump
- The Election Storm (this post)
- The Year-End Rally
- …and view our video with related white paper download!