Guide to Nonprofit Christmas Card Fundraising
Plus: 4 Reasons Why Holiday Cards Are Effective
Should your nonprofit send Christmas cards?
Yes!
You’ll see why in a moment, but first here’s a quick 8-step guide to writing great nonprofit Christmas cards.
8 Steps to Writing and Sending Nonprofit Christmas Cards
1. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
Should you say ‘Christmas’ or ‘Holiday’ when your nonprofit sends out cards? Without getting into the politics, this really depends on your audience. One nonprofit I’ve worked with has readers from different religions, so using Christmas wouldn’t be appropriate. But I’ve also worked with ones that have Christian faith more central to their identity. For them, they should probably use Christmas.
Okay, let’s get into politics, just a bit. Let’s be honest – if your supporters come mostly from the conservative side, regardless of whether your mission is religious, using ‘Christmas’ is probably the smart move. And the thing is – this shouldn’t really matter to you, because fundraising is about your donors, not you. So do whatever your donors would want you to do, and move on.
2. Include Photos
Christmas cards are personal by their very nature. Most people who send one to a friend or family member usually include a picture, especially with how easy that is to do with today’s technology. So if you can make it happen, include a photo.
And because Christmas cards are personal, this is a good time to use a photo of your staff. You could still use one of a person helped by your nonprofit, but it will be less personal. The main point here is, be real.
3. Keep It Simple and Gracious
This isn’t the place to go on about your mission, or even much about impact. It’s a card, not a letter. Don’t include any statistics or stories. Just write a simple greeting of gratitude and appreciation. More than anything else, nonprofit Christmas cards are a time to thank your donors.
4. Sign By Hand
Ideally, you should get several staff people to sign your nonprofit’s Christmas card. Yes this takes time, but remember, this is about gratitude, and you can never thank your donors too often. It’s worth your time.
5. Postcard or Envelope?
There’s some disagreement about this, but I would personally always opt for a real card that comes in an envelope. Opening an envelope takes more time, and it’s an experience that produces a nugget of delight in the recipient. Getting real mail is exciting, in part because it stands out from everything else. Conversely, it’s pretty simple and effortless to just glance at a postcard and then toss it.
The more time your supporters spend interacting with your Christmas cards (or anything you send), the better. My recommendation: Envelopes.
6. Hand-Address the Envelopes
This too takes more time, but unless you’re sending out thousands of these, it’s worth it to get a few people (staff, volunteers) together and spend an hour or two writing them all by hand. If that’s not feasible, then use a printed font that looks like real handwriting.
Again, this is about being personal, genuine, and real. Not processed and packaged.
7. Don’t Wait too Long!
People travel during the holidays, so don’t send your cards out on December 21st. That’s too late. Send them in early December so the majority of your people get them before traveling picks up.
8. Should We Mention Our Year End Campaign?
Christmas cards should be separate from any year end campaign, because this is purely about thanking them and celebrating the holiday. My recommendation is to keep this one-time mailing purely focused on gratitude. But this is something you could test if you wish.
Why Nonprofit Christmas Cards Work
You already know how important thanking your donors is. Doing it during the holiday season is arguably the best time of the year. Why? 3 reasons.
1. Christmas Cards Are Not Perceived as ‘Fundraising’
People don’t receive these the same way as a fundraising appeal. It’s one of your rare opportunities to connect with donors in a genuine way. This again is why Christmas cards are not the time to ask for money. This is the time to be a friend and inject your nonprofit into the lives of your donors.
2. More Personal Than Letters
With handwritten names and addresses, a simple message, a friendly and warm photo, and no hidden motives, nonprofit Christmas cards make a personal connection at a time of year when people need one.
In this busy time of year, whenever I receive these cards from nonprofits, it’s a nice moment of peace where I can just stop, breathe, and reflect.
Give your supporters that moment of peace.
3. They Take Little Time to Read
If all you have is a quick sentence or two, some names, and a photo, this is one of your few mailings where just about everyone who gets it will read the whole thing.
Even though your message will be very simple, it will get read, so make it count.
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