Why do we start working on year end in August?

If you grew up in the New York metro area in the 1980s, you probably remember a retailer called Crazy Eddie. You might also remember that his story didn’t end well: the company filed for bankruptcy in 1989, and years of legal battles followed.

But that’s not the point of my story.

Crazy Eddie was famous for his over-the-top TV commercials (“His prices are INSANE!”), and one of his best-known campaigns promoted his CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST SALE.

While everyone else was still at the beach, he was slashing prices and selling tons of holiday merchandise WAY before Labor Day.

So why am I telling you this?

Because sometime in August—maybe September, most of our clients get a call from someone at Team Kat & Mouse with a similar message: it’s time to start working on year-end.

Not in November. Not after Thanksgiving. In August (maybe September).

What “starting on year-end” really means

We don’t mean dropping your appeal in the mail in August. We mean laying the groundwork now, so that when giving season arrives, you’re ready.

That August call usually covers:

·      Review last year’s results. What did your year-end campaign raise? Which channels worked, which messages landed, and which donors gave last December but haven’t given since?

·      Pull together your impact. Gather the stories, numbers and photos that show what your donors made possible this year. They take time to collect, and they’re the heart of everything you’ll send.

·      Create your messaging. Settle on one clear story and one clear ask that carry through your letter, emails, social posts and website.

·      Build your outreach calendar. Map out every touchpoint (mail, email, social, GivingTuesday and the final days of December) so nothing gets rushed or forgotten.

·      Get your marketing ready. Line up design, printing and the mail house, and make sure your online giving page is updated and working.

·      Plan your major donor outreach. Decide who you’ll reach out to personally, who on your team or board will make each contact, and what you’ll ask for.

And MORE.

Why so early?

Year-end is when many donors give. For most nonprofits, the last few months of the year bring in a big share of annual individual giving. With that much riding on a few weeks, it deserves more than a few weeks of planning.

Your major donors are planning now. Many larger donors decide on their year-end gifts in the fall, often with a financial advisor, and sometimes through stock, donor-advised funds or IRA distributions that take time to process. If you wait until December to ask, the decision may already be made.

Everyone else will be in the mailbox, too. By November, your donors’ mailboxes and inboxes are packed. Organizations that plan ahead stand out. The ones scrambling tend to sound like everyone else.

Vendors and volunteers get busy. Designers, printers and mail houses book up in the fall. So do your board members and your staff, especially once the holidays hit.

Good work takes time. A strong appeal goes through drafts, reviews and approvals. Building in time means you can make it better, not just get it out the door.

What the season looks like

Every organization is different, but here’s a rough timeline we use with clients:

·      August–September: Review last year, gather impact, set goals, and build your plan and calendar.

·      October: Write and design your appeal, finalize your mailing lists, and start major donor conversations.

·      November: Warm up donors with thank-yous and impact updates, get ready for GivingTuesday, and get your mail appeal out the door.

·      December: Follow up by email, phone and social, make the most of the final days of the year, and thank, thank, THANK.

Missed August? Yes, I know it’s October ----Don’t panic.

If you’re reading this after August, you haven’t missed your chance.

You can’t get the summer back, but there’s still time to put a focused plan in place. The sooner you start, the more options you’ll have.

Whatever else you say about Crazy Eddie, he understood one thing: the people who plan ahead win the holiday season. His prices may have been INSANE, but his timing was brilliant.

If you’d like help getting your year-end campaign on track, reach out today

We’d be happy to be the voice on the other end of that August phone call, even if it comes a little after August.