Chances are if you are reading this, you have a vested interest in a non-profit who could benefit from the fundraising power of #givingtuesday. Celebrated the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday started in 2012 as a way to push back against the commercialism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and to support individual causes with generosity and donation support.

Over the past five years, more than an estimated $400 million has been raised for community-based organizations through online fundraising efforts from Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to tap into the giving spirit, however with the number of organizations participating, being persuasive and prepared is critical.

Following this timeline for the next six weeks will help ensure your message is being seen, heard, and contributions made.

6 Weeks Out: Start Planning
It is never too early to start planning, but the ideal range is about six (6) weeks out.

• Work out the details now, so you can work on your communication plan.
• What is the campaign and goal?
• Decide what platforms will you use to get your message out, and start drafting content
• Start working on graphics and website landing page or donation platform (you can find logos and graphic elements for Giving Tuesday on their site)

4 Weeks Out: Announce Your Event/Participation in Giving Tuesday
Social media messaging is getting crowded. Campaign announcements need to be shared early and often.

• Communicate the outreach strategy with employees/volunteers/brand ambassadors
• Share your campaign on social platforms and email newsletter
• If you plan to host an event or volunteer opportunity share the details now
• Order any promotional items, mailing materials, etc.

3 Weeks Out: Increase Promotion
Creating a clear messaging schedule will allow you to streamline your messaging for multiple touchpoints.

• Define action steps for participation
• Promote your campaign on social
• Finalize plan for the day of, follow up, and what’s next for continued buy-in

2 Weeks Out: Work PR Angles
Many media outlets work on a two-week cycle to get upcoming events out, keep this in mind when planning.

• Craft and send a media alert to news stations
• Email members, donors, volunteers, stakeholders with “2 weeks to Go” messaging
• Share “2 Weeks to Go” graphics on Social or better yet, post a video

1 Week Out: Test & Schedule
Think about, and prepare for worst-case scenarios before you take any time off to celebrate Thanksgiving.

• Upload, schedule and test everything for #givingtuesday
• Set reminders to go out on Monday

Day Of: #GivingTuesday
Remember most people will be returning to work after being gone since Wednesday. Emails should go out early in the morning, but not too early to get buried in inboxes.

• Ensure scheduled emails and social posts are going out correctly
• Share fundraising milestones throughout the day

Day After: Follow Up
Often times once a campaign is over, messaging drops off until the next big thing. Don’t let that be how you leave things.

• Say thank you! Send emails and post to social sharing results
• Share how people can continue to donate or stay involved
• Give information about the next event or efforts- you have a captive audience

While this plan is specifically focused on Giving Tuesday, the same steps can be applied to many other fundraising and event focused campaigns. Being prepared always makes targeted campaign posting more effective and less stressful. For some basic tips on crafting your posting calendar see our article titled The Content Calendar: A Structure to Reduce Stress!