Five Steps to Making the Most Out of Christmas

Christmas is, as we all know, the season of traditional good will and, despite the tough times we're living in, this remains as true as it ever was. However, there's also no doubt though that Christmas is also the time when a lot of us take our foot off the pedal a little bit and perhaps fail to recognise that this is actually the best time of year to ask for donations from our supporters!

So, here's a few handy tips to refocus your energy and attention on the task at hand:

1. Make Sure Everything is in Good Working Order! Okay, it seems obvious but nevertheless, when is the last time you actually checked to see that the Donate button on your website is actually working as it should be? Check it now and make sure all is well - imagine the frustration of discovering in January that you had lost out on a bunch of donations due to a faulty donation tool!

2. Signpost Your Presence. Add your postal address and phone number to your homepage - again, it's a small thing that you can do to make the process of donating to your organisation as easy as possible (as clearly some people may prefer to donate by cheque - so make sure you remember them too!)

3. Send An End of Year Summary. What has your organisation achieved this year? What are you most proud of? Make a little list up - keep it simple and sincere - and email your database to remind them about the great work you are doing and to invite them to donate to your cause in the run up to Christmas.

4. A Picture Tells a Thousand Stories. Upload an inspiring and appropriate image to your homepage to accompany your Donate button / ask. This image should strive to represent both your cause and the concept of giving (and if it is a little bit Christmassy too, then where's the harm in that?!)

5. Time is Everything! The best time of the year to ask - and receive - donations is the very last week of the year, when people are often in a particularly generous mood. So, make sure that you capture the fundraising magic that is in the air at this time of year by creating a compelling request for support. You may even want to repeat your email campaign a couple of time within this last week of December, to ensure that it doesn't get lost in the whole festive melee.

Remember, focus on those that already support your cause - inspire and move them by reminding them why your cause matters and of the many great things you have done in 2011 and that you plan on doing in 2012.