In this 20-minute session, Brooke Battle shares practical ways to strengthen your year-end fundraising strategy with simple digital tools. Learn how to align your mail, email, and social outreach for greater impact, engage your board and donors through personal storytelling, and use Giving Tuesday to launch a strong finish to the year.
Navigation
Direct Mail That Drives Online Action
Build a Compelling Digital Presence
Send Emails That Inspire Action
Reinforce Your Message on Social Media
Activate Your Board for Peer-to-Peer Success
Launch Strong with Giving Tuesday
Overview
Storytelling is the heartbeat of every successful year-end campaign, and Swell gives you the perfect tools to share yours.
In this session, Brooke Battle, CEO of Swell Fundraising, shared practical strategies to maximize year-end giving by combining traditional outreach with digital tools.
You’ll learn how to:
- Strengthen your year-end message across mail, email, and social channels.
- Engage your board and loyal donors in simple peer-to-peer outreach.
- Create a cohesive “digital twin” that mirrors your direct-mail appeal online Use Giving Tuesday as a natural launch point for December giving.
Direct Mail That Drives Online Action
Direct mail still works, but today’s most successful appeals bridge the physical and digital worlds.
Create a digital twin
Build a Swell campaign site that matches the design and language of your mailed letter so donors feel the same emotional connection online.
Add a QR code
Link every printed letter directly to your giving page to make donating effortless, especially for mobile users.
Segment your list
Tailor messages for longtime supporters, new donors, and those who have lapsed.
Keep it personal
Handwrite a few notes or highlight a longtime donor with a matching gift to make the appeal feel authentic.
Build a Compelling Digital Presence
Your Swell site is the storytelling hub of your campaign.
- Feature donor stories answering “Why I Give.”
- Show last year’s impact with specific outcomes.
- Offer program categories so donors can choose what matters most to them.
- Recognize champions and board members publicly. Set micro-goals such as “Help us raise $10,000 this week” to maintain momentum.
- Display recent donors for social proof and connection.
Send Emails That Inspire Action
Consistent communication throughout December keeps supporters engaged.
Send weekly
Each message can include a short impact story, a photo, and a clear call to action.
Dare to be different
Break from look-alike nonprofit templates, and keep text concise with plenty of white space.
Make giving easy
Include buttons near the top, middle, and end, labeled with inspiring language such as “Be the Difference” or “Match Sam’s Gift.”
Empower your board
Provide a version they can forward to friends, a “peer-to-peer light” outreach that feels natural and personal.
Reinforce Your Message on Social Media
Use social posts to echo and amplify your emails rather than create new content from scratch.
Suggested posting rhythm:
- Sunday: Thank donors from the past week.
- Tuesday: Share an impact story with photos.
- Wednesday: Post community-building content.
- Thursday: Update progress toward your goal.
- Friday: Highlight partners or relevant articles.
Always send post links to your board so they can like and share them. These small actions help boost visibility in social media algorithms.
Activate Your Board for Peer-to-Peer Success
Your board can extend your reach when you make participation easy.
- Host a 15-minute mini-training at a board meeting.
- Provide sample emails and social post templates.
- Share weekly internal updates so they see their impact.
- Give physical tools such as QR-code cards for in-person asks.
- Share short lists of lapsed donors they might know.
- Offer alternate roles such as thank-you calls for members who can’t fundraise.
Launch Strong with Giving Tuesday
Treat Giving Tuesday as the opening act of your year-end campaign.
- Announce your campaign theme that day.
- Feature a matching gift or corporate partner.
- Invite board members to share posts and stories.
- Host a short virtual “lunch and learn” to introduce your theme.
- Re-engage lapsed donors with a personal invitation to reconnect. Use Giving Tuesday as an excuse to reach out.
What Really Matters
Behind every effective campaign are four elements that transform transactions into relationships.
| Focus | Description |
| Stories of Impact | Share specific, emotional stories that show donors how their gifts change lives. |
| Powerful Pictures | Authentic photos that create emotional connection. |
| Board Engagement | Visible enthusiasm from leaders builds donor confidence. |
| People and Relationships | Fundraising is ultimately about people helping people. |
Video Replay, Transcript, and Slides
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