Yes, I know – if you are a fundraiser, you are most certainly burned out by the first of the year.
You may have been planning on coasting through January, letting the (hopefully) successful fundraising strategies of 2012 hold you up until at least February.
It might seem counter-intuitive to ask for donations after the busy holiday season and end-of-the-year rush.
However, the first month of the year may be an effective and under-utilized time of year to ask for material items and donations.
Consider your household’s behavior after the holidays. For many, it’s like Spring Cleaning. Out with the old and in with the New Year!
In my house, we take the time between Christmas and New Year’s Day to clean out the clutter.
We go through all of the new toys my daughter received for Christmas and all of her old toys. We donate gently used ones, put some up in the attic and throw away those that are broken.
We review the contents of our closets and bag up clothing to donate and to consign.
I clean my office, and while I rarely have unused or extra office supplies, I’m sure that larger businesses do and would be happy to donate them at this time of year.
Maybe you received a Razoo Giving Card – use it to donate to your favorite cause!
People may also be inclined to give some of the money or gift cards they received to organizations that really need it.
An important benefit to reaching out in January is that many of your competitors and colleagues will be silent – there won’t be as much fundraising noise in the beginning of the year. Your message should able to get out loud and clear!
Consider January not as a restful time for your nonprofit, but as a potentially prosperous time – reach out to donors, supporters and volunteers to make the most of the first month of the year!
Let January set the stage for a lucrative 2013.
Do you fundraise in January? Please leave your thoughts in the Comments section below or on my Facebook page. Thanks for reading!