Latest / The Nonprofit Podcast / Ep 183| 3 November Fundraising Strategies To Maximize Year-End Results

Transcript

Ep 183| 3 November Fundraising Strategies To Maximize Year-End Results · The Nonprofit Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go live with confidence, shifting out of that planning mode and into leadership mode.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk about what I call the lead, watch, and adjust rhythm.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's about showing up, steering it, and keeping that energy alive all month long.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: The Nonprofit Podcast, powered by DonorBox.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Jenna Lynch, Education and Community Engagement Manager here at DonorBox.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_02: Each week we share practical information, clear insights, and inspiration to help you raise more, reach further, and drive real results to take your nonprofit to the next level.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_02: If you've been following along this fall, you know we've been breaking down the year end giving season month by month.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_02: September was all about refreshing your relationships.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_02: October was about getting organized and building urgency.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_02: And now we are here in November.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: This is the month where all of your planning finally hits the real world.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: And of course, our on the ground correspondent, Kara Augsberger, is here with us.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: Kara, I imagine you're in the middle of your own year-end campaign right now.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: November sure is go time and I'm feeling it.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: So the plans are made and now it's launching.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: This is the moment where you move from just talking about it to actually doing it.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_02: November is when all those systems and stories and strategies that we've been talking about for the last few months finally come to life.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: So today we're going to dive into how to launch your campaign with confidence.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: And that is the key phrase for November.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: I love that, Jenna, confidence.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Because hesitation and perfectionism are the enemies of progress this month.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: You don't need to have every single thing polished before launching.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: You just need to start strong and stay consistent.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: You nailed it, confidence.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: And November is, again, when all those systems and stories we've been talking about finally turn into action.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_02: It is not about perfection anymore, as you said, Kara.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: It's about the execution.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yep, absolutely.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: So let's start there.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's go live with confidence.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: So to me, that means shifting out of that planning mode and into leadership mode.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: You've already built your campaign framework.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's about showing up, steering it, and keeping that energy alive all month long.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: And that's really hard.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, at this point, you're not behind the curtain anymore.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: We'll use that Wizard of Oz reference.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: You're front and center, you're leading the campaign as it unfolds in real time.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: It could feel a little uncomfortable if you're used to just kind of planning everything before before it happens.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: But that's your job now.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's keeping your team and your audience in rhythm.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the rhythm rhythm that you've already worked hard and now you've just set in motion.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_02: And I really like how you said leadership mode because that's exactly what this month I think requires.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: It's like all the pieces you've been building are finally out in the world, right?
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_02: And they should be working together.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: And it can be hard when you have your head down and you're in planning mode and there's a clear path to that goal.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: And now your job is to keep the focus clear and the communication consistent.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_02: Make sure that you're holding your team accountable if you've got one or holding yourself accountable if you're a team of one.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_02: And that's also what gives donors the confidence in you.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: If you have confidence in yourself and the systems that you've set up.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so let's talk today a little bit about what I call the lead, watch, and adjust rhythm during this part of the year.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: And again, it starts with leadership.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: And and what that means is lead means stick with your message and your main goal.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Confidence doesn't come from doing more, it comes from doing the right things consistently.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: So you've already picked your campaign story and your goals.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: So don't second guess yourself halfway through and change your messaging or something because somebody else's message looks shiny and it's saying something that you really admire.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: Don't change.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: You need to stay grounded in your message and lead it, lead that message through this giving season.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: It's really easy to get distracted in November, I think, right?
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: You're scrolling through LinkedIn or your inbox and you see what other nonprofits are doing.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: There's a lot out there, right?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_02: And you think, oh, maybe we should try that.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: I've been there, I've done it.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but often those are things that don't actually serve your core campaign.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: So you really want to stick with what you've planned out so carefully.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I tend to admire things in others and want to replicate them.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's easy to do that here as well.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: And those ideas are not bad.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, if you see something, take a picture of it, save it for next year.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: That could be your inspiration for next August and September when you start planning for next year.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: But donors really need to see and hear the same focus coming from you over and over.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: It can really confuse them if you change course midway.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: You need to connect and you want to give them something to remember.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: And so that leads us to the second part of this and this watch.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: So we have leadership.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's watch.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: Watch what's happening in real time, but don't obsess about it.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: You can use your donor box tools.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_01: They're super helpful.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: Take a few minutes, a few minutes, a couple of times a week to really log in to your fundraising platform, pull those campaign reports, check your progress, what's resonating.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: You have something that's underperforming.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, don't panic, but just kind of look at it out of curiosity and then do the same with your email marketing platform.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: If an email does really well, note why.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: It might be timing, it could be the tone, the story, um, even just your subject line.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_01: And if something flopped, ask the same question.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so you're gonna build your instinct over this over time by learning what is happening.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: You're learning it while it's happening, and you're not studying this in February or March several months later.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: You're looking at it in real time.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_02: I like how you said watch without obsessing.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: It's hard to do.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's hard to do.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we do that all the time, especially in marketing.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: We post something on LinkedIn and we want to see that engagement.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_02: That is such a smart way to look at it because the truth is y'all get caught up refreshing our donation campaigns like every five minutes.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: But being a good campaign leader means zooming out a little, watching for those patterns and not individual moments, right?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: It's not full picture.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so we've let it through the leadership, we're watching it.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then, just like you alluded to, adjust.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: And this is where you take what you've learned by watching those things.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: But after you've zoomed out, you can make small adjustments, micro changes, not big pivots.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: We're not changing the messaging here, we're not totally rewriting anything, just some thoughtful tweaks.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe it's just one line in your appeal could be stronger.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's a donation button color.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: So those little, little, small adjustments could really help you stand out more.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So if something is really resonating with your audience, start using that wording over and over again and people will really recognize it.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: So when you make those small intentional adjustments during your campaign, it really helps you stay nimble without throwing your whole team, without throwing your whole plan into chaos.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: It's such a healthy mindset, less reacting and more refining.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: And it gives your team permission to learn as you go, right?
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_02: It kind of takes off that pressure.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_02: And confidence isn't about pretending you have everything perfect.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: It's just about being comfortable enough to adapt in real time, I think.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yep, absolutely.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: So leadership, lead, watch, adjust.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: And that's where you are gonna find a real win.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: That message stays clear when you keep leading with that confidence that comes from knowing your stuff.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: Donors are gonna follow your tone.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: They're gonna feel that energy, they're gonna see that consistency, and it's really gonna build momentum through the end of the year.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: Let's talk about the mid-November lull.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and what I mean by this is you launch your campaign, you're feeling really excited, right?
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: You've laid all this groundwork, you send out your first email or your first batch of direct mail, and then you're waiting for that response.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: This one kind of sneaks up on people.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: The campaign may kick off really strong and everybody's hyped.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_02: And then I'd say probably a week and a half in, somewhere around there, things just kind of get quiet because you're waiting.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: That one's kind of tough.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's that launch adrenaline wears off a little bit.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: And so you've sent your first big email, you've launched those social posts.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's not quite Giving Tuesday, you're waiting for Giving Tuesday.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: It's so easy to let that stretch go completely dormant.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: But that middle part is where you can really start to make that relationship work happen.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's the keep warm phase.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: You're not doing the hard sell, you're keeping people connected.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if they gave early, it's a great time to show them some progress, what their leadership gift made.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: If they haven't given yet, you can remind them that they're part of the story too.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_01: Keep telling stories, keep communicating all the way through the end.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: Don't let your foot up off the gas just yet.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so temperature control for your campaign.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, keep it warm.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_02: You're not trying to light a new fire here exactly.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: You're just trying to make sure that this campaign doesn't cool down too much.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, that mid-month window in November is a really good way to communicate in three different ways.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_01: So, first, you can show that visible progress.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: Donors like to see that their contributions um are actually on the move.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: Like they're moving the needle.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: They're at work in your organization.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_01: You can send a quick update either on social media or email.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, we're halfway to goal.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: Because of your early support, three families are already receiving these amazing services.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: You could do a short video update.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't need to be polished, just honest and specific.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: And again, use some of the same wording that you've used all season long.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: Second, highlight the humans behind the mission.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: So share a volunteer quote, a short donor story, or a quick meet the team post people give to people and remind them that there are real humans behind this effort, and it really keeps it personal.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: You could do it a really nice personal email to some of your supporters too.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: And then third, add a micro moment.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_01: So that could be like a mini challenge or a milestone, like trying to reach 100 donors by Friday.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: It really creates that sense of movement again without making it feel like a whole new campaign.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: So just a little milestone.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: Visible progress, highlight those humans, add that micro moment.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: It might keep the middle of the month from getting a little sleepy.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: That's so smart.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: You're you're basically creating waves of energy so your campaign doesn't plateau.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I think those are really meaningful touch points.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_02: And you have to get all those touch points in.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: So this is a good way to do it.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Uh campaigns die in silence.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I think I see a lot of organizations thinking that they're over-communicating.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: In reality, your uh supporters, your volunteers are only seeing a portion of the things that you're putting out there.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: You're the only one that's seen all of it.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: So I always encourage organizations to communicate more this time of year, probably a little bit more than comfortable.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_01: Just stay present.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: I also think that this is the perfect time to send something physical, right?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_02: We're talking about touch points.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_02: We talk a lot about online fundraising, but this is a good time to send something donors can actually touch and remember.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, 100% agree with you.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: You know this.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: We've talked about this the last few episodes for sure.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's very important to send something physical.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: So it could either be a quick printed postcard, a short, hey, thank you for being part of this note, even before Giving Tuesday.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I really like sending last year's donors who have not yet supported this year a quick tangible thing.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, maybe it's a handwritten note that says, your gift really made a difference.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: Will you consider supporting again this year?
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: You can add that QR code, text to give short code, even a text message is really helpful.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: We spent a little bit of time on this last month, I know, but AppealMaker has a really great printed postcard template.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: They can get that turned around for you in just a couple days.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it really bridges that digital and physical connection.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: They make it really easy to create and you can send it in almost real time, whether it's a letter, postcard, what and you don't have to have any graphic design experience.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I do that a lot.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it gives your campaign some nice feeling to it.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: And especially right now, everyone's inbox is overflowing.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that tangible piece of mail really does stand out.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, we love Appeal Maker here.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_02: And direct mail makes so much sense right now.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: A physical postcard in mid-November just makes this feel like a gentle reminder that says we're here and you're a part of it.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_02: It is such a special touch point.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: And if you're interested in learning more, you can sign up for a free account, no credit card required at appealmaker.com.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's that middle of the month check-in.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: It keeps things warm and it really doesn't add a lot of stress to your workload.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the beauty of it.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: We can't talk about November without talking about Giving Tuesday.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_02: I know it's not until December 2nd this year, but that means that it'll be a major focus in your November efforts.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: It is a pretty big fundraising moment of the year, and it can also be one of the most chaotic if you go in without a plan.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_02: But hopefully by now you've got a plan because we've been working through it.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully, yes.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I think the biggest misconception is that Giving Tuesday is the big finale.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: It's the biggest giving day of the year.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_01: Giving Tuesday should be the kickoff to your strongest month, December.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: And so let's break it into three phases.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: So Giving Tuesday, you have prep, performance, and follow-through.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: So prep is going to start a week before.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: You're going to send a light teaser email, not a fundraising appeal, just something that builds anticipation.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: You can hint at the story that you might tell on Giving Tuesday, or maybe a story about the impact you're hoping to make, or a behind-the-scenes snapshot of your team getting ready, something that plants the idea so people aren't caught off guard when that big day comes.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_01: And then performance.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: So that's the day itself.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: Have your first message ready to go early in the morning, ideally before 9 a.m.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's when inboxes are a little fresh.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: You can plan at least one mid-day update, even if you're only 20% to goal.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Share that.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: People love being part of progress during that day.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: And then end the day with gratitude.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: Thank your supporters publicly, even before the dust settles.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: You can let them see emotion and excitement right away.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not about totals.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's really, really about connection.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_02: Gratitude right away is so important because so often we wait until we have a final number before saying thank you, right?
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_02: We want that dollar amount or the impact stats to show, but you can say thank you before you have all that, right?
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_02: Showing a real-time gratitude is actually what motivates people to give more.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: Last year I kind of knew that Giving Tuesday was going to be a busy day for me.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: And so I was just in front of my laptop all day.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: And so as gifts came in, I sent, you know, quick thank you emails.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you can do, you know, link people's names and Facebook posts and say, so-and-so gave today.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: You really finished strong on Giving Tuesday.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's that follow-through is so important.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: So that is our next part, follow through.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_01: The next morning, send a mass thank you email that really transitions that story that you told on Giving Tuesday forward through the end of the year.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: So because of you, 70% of this was raised, or we're 70% to goal.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: Now we're getting ready for the final stretch.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: And so that's gonna build your momentum into the last weeks of the year.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I think if you're using donor box, I know I am, this is a perfect time to highlight other giving options.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: You can add that QR code to your social posts.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_01: You could set up that text to give for your campaign, especially if you're with people who are serving, you know, alongside you, volunteering, or you can feature that recurring donation option right on the form.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I even have my upsell option turned on and ready to go for year end.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll catch those supporters who are inspired in the moment and you're gonna make it easy for them to give.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: And that is really important.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I I know we say this a lot, but meeting people where they are, whether it's on their phone, in their inbox, with the letter they got in the mail, whether it's on social media, that's what builds trust and keeps the giving process easy and keeps the momentum up.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I also think it's worth talking about how to maintain your energy through all of this.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_02: We've covered a lot already, all the ducks you have to have in a row.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, November can be such a whirlwind.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_01: It's go, go, go.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're not careful, you can lose that steam right before December, which is when you really need to be at your best.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's important to build in some reflection checkpoints, even just 10 minutes at the end of the week to ask, okay, what worked this week?
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: What can we simplify for next week?
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's not about more effort, it's about smarter effort.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: Work smarter, not harder, right?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: And I'd add to protect your storytelling energy.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_02: So, for example, when you're writing multiple appeals or posts, I think it can be easy to fall into like this formulaic language, you know, like your gift today will make a difference, or together we can change lives.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: And those lines aren't wrong.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_02: And Kara, you and I have talked a lot about these calls to actions.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_02: They're fine, they're just so familiar that people kind of stop hearing them after a while.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: And what grabs attention is when you sound like a real person because you are, and like the way you would actually talk if you were sitting across from your donor at coffee.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: So if you find yourself going on autopilot, I would say pause and say out loud.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: Say the story to a teammate.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: And that natural tone you use when you speak is the one that connects donors, and that's the one that you should use.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so just kind of check your energy and make sure you're not going into robot mode.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: I actually just did that out loud before we got on this call.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we have an event coming up.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: I was reading through what I might say when I asked people for support, and I did sound like a robot.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm gonna go back and change that.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: But it all came from hearing it out loud.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a really great tip.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you don't have to chase perfection, chase that connection.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: Sound like yourself, right?
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_01: So again, this campaign doesn't have to be flawless, and it's not going to be flawless for sure.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: It just really needs to be honest, consistent, and authentic.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: So to wrap it up, we've given you a lot here.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: You're going to want to lead your campaign like a showrunner, right?
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_02: Making sure that you're zooming out, looking at the full picture, adjusting in microwaves if you need to, keeping the middle of the month alive, right?
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_02: Communicating, finding those thoughtful touch points, and writing the momentum of Giving Tuesday so that you are continuing the story into the biggest month of the year, which is December.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: And of course, protecting your energy for the final stretch and checking in with yourself while you're doing that.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a lot, but it's totally doable.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to also go back to what you said in the beginning: confidence.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: Stay confident in the work that you've already done.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure you're giving yourself a lot of grace.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you've set the stage beautifully over the past few months.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's really just about showing up, trusting your systems to carry you through and that consistency.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_01: You've got this.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, Kara.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate it.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_02: And since we've talked a lot about direct mail this season, we'll drop a link in the show notes to Appeal Maker's State of Direct Mail report.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_02: It is full of really useful data and trends you can apply right away as you plan your next campaign.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_02: It is such a great resource.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_02: All right, go off and have a great November, y'all.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for being part of the nonprofit podcast community.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: Your work matters, and we are honored to support it.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_02: If you enjoyed this episode, share it, leave a review, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: Until next time, take that first step and stay inspired.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: That warm feeling when you help someone, it's not just happiness, it's fulfillment.
• 21:07
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• 21:10
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• 21:13
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• 21:16
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• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: This is Donor Box helping you help others.