Thanksgiving and Christmas are special times for nonprofit organizations. People are thinking about gratitude, generosity, family, compassion and helping others. For missions and ministries, these themes often connect naturally with the work being done every day. But the holidays also bring an extraordinary amount of competition for attention.
Donors receive appeals from numerous organizations. Email inboxes fill up. Social media feeds become crowded. Local news outlets are inundated with holiday events and charitable activities.
That’s why thoughtful messaging and a well-organized communications plan are so important.
Thanksgiving and Christmas offer different opportunities to connect with your audience. Thanksgiving is a natural time to emphasize gratitude. Share the impact donors have made possible. Tell stories of lives changed through their generosity. Remind supporters that they are an important part of your mission. Christmas provides an opportunity to focus on hope, compassion and the difference a gift can make in someone’s life.
For faith-based organizations, the spiritual meaning of Christmas can also provide a meaningful connection to the work being done. The important thing is to develop messaging that feels authentic to your organization and appropriate to the season.
Holiday fundraising often focuses on urgent needs, and understandably so. But a compelling story can communicate those needs far more effectively than a list of statistics or expenses.
Introduce donors to a person whose life has been affected by your work. Help them understand the challenges that person faced and the difference your organization made.
Whenever possible, show the transformation that generosity makes possible. A good holiday story should help donors understand not only why help is needed, but also what their support can accomplish.
As we discussed previously, developing relationships with local reporters can create valuable opportunities to share your mission with the broader community. The holiday season offers plenty of potential story angles.
Perhaps your organization is preparing thousands of holiday meals, distributing gifts to families, hosting a special community event or responding to an increasing need for services. Prepare your press releases early. Identify the reporters most likely to be interested. Include compelling facts, a clear local angle and contact information for someone who can respond promptly.
And remember, a press release isn’t the only way to communicate with the media. A personal email offering an interesting story or inviting a reporter to visit can sometimes be more effective.
One of the simplest ways to improve holiday communications is to create a comprehensive schedule. Include your direct mail appeals, email messages, social media posts, press releases, events and other outreach activities. Look for opportunities to reinforce important messages across multiple channels without simply repeating the same content everywhere.
Also make sure the schedule includes room for timely updates. An unexpected success, a compelling new story or an emerging community need may deserve attention.
During the holidays, it’s easy to become focused on fundraising goals, deadlines and campaign performance.
Those things matter. But remember what makes people want to support your organization in the first place.
They care about the mission. They care about the people you serve. They want to know that their generosity is making a difference.
When your holiday communications consistently reflect those values, you’re doing more than asking for support. You’re reminding people why your work matters.
