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Build Your Campaign Team and Create Engaging Content 

By: Alex Shipley on | Comments: 1
With Giving Tuesday just around the corner, are you ready to make your campaign SHINE? Before diving into sharing, take a step back and rally your team for some behind-the-scenes prep!

Great campaigns are built with creativity, teamwork, and a touch of elbow grease. Your team will help you brainstorm ideas, rally support, and create content that’s as inspiring as it is shareable.

But don’t worry if you're flying solo! Many of these tips will still be super helpful for anyone looking to create a great Giving Tuesday campaign!

Here’s how to set your campaign up for success:

1. Gather Your Dream Team

Begin by gathering your closest friends, family, and colleagues—the people who will always be in your corner. Your team doesn’t need to be large, just the people who are as committed to your cause’s success as you are!

Personally share your passion and excitement for your campaign, explaining how they can play a role in bringing it to life. These early supporters are your foundation, offering encouragement, ideas, and critical support.

Together, you’ll brainstorm the best ways to tell your story, share your mission, and inspire others to join your journey. Don’t underestimate the power of diverse perspectives—everyone’s unique ideas can make your campaign even stronger.

Tip: Let your team know their role goes beyond just giving. They’re here to help you brainstorm, create content, share your campaign, and build the momentum needed to make your efforts truly stand out!

2. Brainstorm Together for Content Ideas

Now that your team is on board, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start brainstorming content ideas that will bring your campaign to life. Whether you meet in person or virtually, gather your closest supporters to discuss creative ways to connect with potential givers. 

Think about what will resonate—will it be a heartfelt video, behind-the-scenes snapshots, or even a funny meme (because, why not)? Your content sets the stage for everything that follows, so the more prepared and creative you are, the easier it will be to inspire others to share.

Content Brainstorming Examples:
  • Story Highlights – Decide which aspects of your story will most inspire or appeal to others. What personal experiences or goals should you emphasize?
  • Visuals – Discuss photos, videos, or graphics that will help visually bring your story to life.
  • Slogans and Hashtags – Craft memorable phrases or hashtags that capture the heart of your campaign and make it easy for others to follow and share.

3. Engage Your Team in Content Creation

Encourage your team to help create meaningful content for your campaign. For personal campaigns, consider recording a short video explaining your campaign’s purpose, why it matters to you, and how others can get involved. For team-focused efforts like a church mission trip, invite members to create individual or group videos highlighting their goals, sharing their destination (if appropriate), and explaining how people can support or pray for them. Team members can also write heartfelt testimonials about why the cause is important to them. These personal touches add authenticity and resonate deeply with your audience.

Creative Content Ideas for Supporters:
  • Short Testimonials – Team members share why the campaign matters to them or its impact on others.
  • Photos or Videos – Capture moments related to the cause, preparations, or personal messages to supporters.
  • Quotes and Stories – Share inspirational quotes or short stories that highlight the mission’s significance and potential impact.
Bonus Tip: Start building your email list or a list of people you’ll reach out to directly on social media now! We’ll dive into sharing your campaign next week, but having your list ready means you’ll be prepared to hit “send” when it’s time.

4. Build a Campaign Calendar

Set up a schedule with your team for what to post in the lead-up to and on Giving Tuesday. This calendar can guide you on when to share each piece of content, giving your campaign a well-planned and polished feel when the big day arrives. 

Use this time to create posts, graphics, and other materials so they’re already ready to go. You can also divvy out when each person on your team will share your campaign and where. Having everything organized ahead of time will keep sharing your campaign as stress-free and effective as possible.

5. Get Excited and Celebrate the Wins

Take a moment to celebrate what your team has already accomplished, whether it’s a great video, strong visuals, or a well-thought-out plan. Sharing progress helps everyone feel appreciated and energized to push forward as Giving Tuesday approaches. Remember, it’s YOUR campaign, and its success relies on the effort you put into it! Take ownership of when you share, how much you share, and where you share it. And celebrate every win, big or small—whether it’s a share, a dozen likes, or even a few early donations! Each step forward is a sign that your cause is resonating with people and worth supporting!

So, now that you've got all your ducks in a row, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when we talk about sharing next week. But don’t wait too long—getting your team and content prepped early is key to boosting your Giving Tuesday success! 

You’ve got this! 
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Why Should I Care About Giving Tuesday?

By: Alex Shipley on | Comments: 1

Every year, millions of people around the world come together for one day dedicated to giving back—Giving Tuesday. This day sees widespread support for a range of causes, including disaster relief efforts, essential charitable organizations, assistance for families facing crises or costly medical expenses, education initiatives, mission work, and more. But, why should you care? What’s so special about one Tuesday out of the entire year? 


The Origins of Giving Tuesday
 

Giving Tuesday was founded in 2012 with a simple idea: following the consumer-focused frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the need for a day dedicated solely to generosity became abundantly clear. But what began as a social media campaign has now become a global movement, inspiring millions to take action by giving back. Each year, individuals, families, and organizations from over 75 countries participate, united in their commitment to make a difference and support causes they care about through giving, volunteering, and acts of kindness.
Over time, this powerful movement has shown how meaningful change happens when we all come together, even in small ways, to make a huge impact. Sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it?


Take the Next Step: Join the Giver Army

For Giving Tuesday 2024, we invite YOU to join the Giver Army—a community of people around the world committed to making a real difference through their generosity, ensuring that hope reaches those in need across GiveSendGo and beyond.

By joining the Giver Army, you pledge a recurring monthly donation to GiveSendGo Charities, which is then pooled with others and distributed as grants to GiveSendGo campaigns. This is an easy way to positively impact someone’s life and BE part of the change we wish to see in the world. With your recurring donation, you can save time and give confidently, knowing your funds will automatically support the cause you care about. Plus, your donations are tax-deductible as charitable giving!

Imagine the power of your monthly donation, joined with hundreds of others—helping a family rebuild their home after a devastating fire, funding crucial medical care for a child, or covering travel expenses for a missionary. We often hear testimonies from people in really challenging situations about how support from our Giver Army has completely changed the trajectory of their circumstance and their lives. That’s the kind of hope even $5 can bring. 

How You Can Be Generous Every Day

Whether or not you join the Giver Army, there are still so many ways to be generous, not just on Giving Tuesday, or once a month, but every day of the year. Here are a few ideas on how you can make a difference:
  • Start a campaign: Know someone in need? You can start a GiveSendGo campaign for them. Whether it’s a friend facing unexpected medical bills or a local organization that needs support, creating a campaign can rally your community to meet the need.
  • Give to causes you care about: If there’s a cause that you love, find a campaign on GiveSendGo that aligns with your passion and support it. Already know of one to give to? Even better! Your donation—small or large—can make a significant impact.
  • Pray: At GiveSendGo, we believe in the power of prayer so strongly that we have a whole team, page, and even a button dedicated to it. Prayer should always be our first action, not our last resort. So pray—for those in need, for people who are struggling, and for situations both within and beyond your control.
  • Don’t Wait for Someone Else: Sometimes we think, “If someone would just do something, the world would be a better place.” But what if that “someone” is meant to be you? Don’t wait for change to happen—be the change you want to see. Every day brings opportunities to be generous, even if it’s something small. You’d be surprised at the huge impact one small action can have.

Giving Tuesday is an amazing opportunity to be generous, but imagine the impact we could have if we extended that spirit of giving throughout the year. The world needs more hope and more people stepping up to make a difference. So, why care about Giving Tuesday? Because whether you join the Giver Army or start your own campaign, you have the power to inspire others and make a difference through acts of generosity, big or small—not just on one Tuesday, but every day. Let this Giving Tuesday be the start of a lasting habit of generosity for the future.

Let’s make every day a day of giving.
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Best Practices for Sharing Your Campaign

By: Alex Shipley on | Comments: 1

Starting a GiveSendGo campaign is just the beginning of your fundraising journey! But don’t worry, with a little effort, you can increase your campaign's visibility, engagement, and support, ultimately making it more successful. We want to help you achieve your goals, so we've put together some best practices to help you share your GiveSendGo campaign most effectively.

Share With YOUR Network: Contrary to popular belief, starting a campaign doesn't guarantee automatic support. Unless your campaign goes viral, it's unlikely that strangers will spontaneously donate to your cause. That's why it's important to actively share your campaign with YOUR network.
 
Share Often and Consistently: Simply starting your campaign and sharing it once won't ensure its success. You'll need to consistently share it over time to see results. Keep your campaign top of mind and ask your network to share it too!
 
Share Your Story: People connect more with the WHY behind your cause more than the what. Be transparent and speak from the heart when sharing the story behind your cause.
 
What If I Don't Have/Use Social Media?: Word of mouth is a powerful tool
, and so are email, text, and direct messaging. Share posters and postcards on church and community bulletin boards, and reach out to local media like radio stations and newspapers. Consider partnering with local businesses, hosting events, sharing on online forums, and even using the tried and true snail mail method!
 
What Should I Say When I Share?: Keep your message short and sweet. Explain why you're raising money, how the funds will be used, and what people's support will mean to you.

Adopting these best practices, such as actively sharing your campaign with your network, sharing it consistently over time, and telling your story authentically and from the heart, can significantly broaden your campaign's reach and increase support. Remember, the more effort you pour into your campaign, the greater your chances for success. Happy fundraising!
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