The last quarter of the year doesn’t have to become a choice between encouraging year-end gifts and promoting planned gifts. In fact, the two concepts can co-exist.
- Use planned giving inserts in year-end gift receipts and donor acknowledgments. A “thank you” rather than an “ask” offers an excellent opportunity to suggest ways to make planned gifts.
- Include planned giving ads and articles in other publications in the last quarter of the year. This is a cost-effective way to educate constituents on various gift planning opportunities.
- Hand out planned giving materials at board meetings and special events in the fall. You have a captive and generally highly motivated audience that is interested in your organization.
- Add planned gift tag lines to your email and on other digital marketing. Including a phrase such as “Consider including [ORG] in your will or trust” reminds donors that planned gifts are welcomed and appreciated any time of year.
- In year-end appeals, include check-off requests for gift planning information on response devices. This can convey your planned giving message in a format that should not compete with the solicitation of current gifts. The same principle applies after a donor has completed an online gift.
