Marketing matching gifts in your digital communications

Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Digital Communications

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The #1 reason why donors don’t submit matching gift requests is that they don’t know their employers offer such programs. Corporate giving can be a significant source of revenue for nonprofits, and promoting these engagement opportunities to donors can substantially increase your giving revenue. That’s why more and more organizations like yours are crafting strategies to drive this funding source⁠—including marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.

In fact, studies show that mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. Not only do matching gift programs double individual donations, but they also encourage more donors to give in the first place and to increase their original contribution. In the end, that makes the matched gift larger, too!

In this guide, we’ll discuss a few of the most impactful and efficient ways to inform donors about gift-matching programs by utilizing digital communications. These typically include:

Incorporating corporate giving into your digital outreach strategy can put you on the path to reaching your fundraising goals in a fraction of the time. Let’s get started!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Emails

Email outreach is a vital component of digital communications and overall fundraising. Email provides instantaneous outreach to donors, so you can essentially ask “Have you thought about doubling donations with matching gifts today?” Then, people can reply (or request their match!) just as quickly.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email streams include:

  • Embedding a text link and a visual graphic within your email that directs readers to your matching gift page, attracting supporters’ attention and guiding them to additional information to continue growing their knowledge on the topic.
  • Encouraging supporters to perform a search to see if their company matches donations. If so, your embedded database tool makes it easier than ever for users to access the appropriate forms, guidelines, and instructions to complete their match submissions.

This will allow you to capture donors’ continued support while they’re in the giving mindset⁠. Not to mention, meet them right where they are: on their mobile devices or computers!

A successful email marketing strategy hinges on a well-paced, steady procession of the right moves rather than a reckless bombardment of emails. With enough space to write a quick blurb and/or link to a full-length article, email messages are a great place to educate donors about matching gifts.

Keep in mind that a personalized email or digital newsletter dedicated to matching gifts is likely going to be the most effective strategy. However, incorporating matching gifts in a larger email resource can work well, too. Loyal donors will likely read your regular emails, so it’s a good place to provide in-depth information about the benefits of corporate giving.

Example Content:

  • “Do you work for a match-maker? Instantly find out if your employer will double or even triple your donation to the National Kidney Foundation with a quick search of our online database!”
  • “Thousands of companies will match donations made by their team members, retirees, and even employee spouses. Search now to access your employer’s matching gift forms and complete the simple, minutes-long process to drive additional support toward our cause.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via email

When it comes to timing, we recommend following up with donors soon after they complete their initial gifts. However, you don’t want to include your matching gift messaging within an existing thank-you email, as those are more likely to be overlooked.

Our matching gift research indicates that emails sent within 24 hours of a donation produce a 53% open rate. That’s 2-3x times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Email Signatures

Chances are that your organization sends a ton of emails⁠—including fundraising messages, mission-related content, and more. But did you know that every message you send can be an opportunity to promote matching gifts? Just use your email signature!

An email signature typically includes an individual’s personal contact details, nonprofit information, and even a relevant image or organization logo⁠—but it’s also a great place to promote matching gifts.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email signatures include:

  • Modifying the email signatures for everyone on your membership and/or development teams to promote matching gifts at as many touch points as possible.
  • Linking to additional resources to which recipients can navigate to learn more about matching gift opportunities (such as your dedicated matching gift page on your website).

A simple blurb alongside a flashy graphic about corporate giving can increase awareness and be the needed push for donors to take a quick five minutes to submit matching gift requests. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to promote matching gifts year-round.

Example Content:

  • “Your donation may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at catrescueclub.com/matching-gifts/.”
  • “Your membership contribution may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at doublethedonation.com/CRC/.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via email signature
Marketing matching gifts effectively involves making the most of every opportunity and resource at your disposal. And your staff email signatures offer a valuable source of promotional real estate that can go a long way in your day-to-day interactions!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Social Media Posts

People flock to social media to discover the internet’s best content. Though you don’t need to produce viral posts every day, you do need to provide compelling and engaging information on a consistent basis. And some of the most impactful content you can share has to do with corporate gift-matching opportunities!

There are nearly as many social media outlets as there are stars in the universe, so it’s best to focus on really optimizing your strategy on just a few sites. Depending on your organization and its typical donor base, this might include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and more. Regardless of the platforms you choose, each networking site requires a nuanced approach to get your information out there and best engage with your audience.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your social media platforms include:

  • Sharing educational resources about matching gift programs and the companies that offer them to educate and empower donors to take action.
  • Engaging your digitally savvy donors and volunteers and encouraging them to submit matching gifts to increase the likelihood of submission.
  • Scheduling messages on a recurring basis as a way to appeal to supporters without asking for an additional donation.

Whether or not you employ a matching gift service, a simple tweet, Facebook post, or LinkedIn article can spread the word about these programs to thousands of donors.

Social media sites like these offer a great way to keep people up-to-date on your nonprofit’s campaigns, inform your audience about matching gift opportunities, and encourage donors to look into the process. Just be sure to include a direct link to a location where users can uncover additional information and the next steps!

Example Content:

  • “It takes just a few minutes to submit a corporate employee matching gift form…have you submitted yours?”
  • “What do Microsoft, Bank of America, IBM, and Verizon all have in common? Each one matches donations made by their employees to nonprofit organizations. Many major employers offer similar employee matching gift programs. Search atlantauniversity.edu/employer-matching-gifts/ to find out if your employer offers something like this, as well as to access program guidelines, how-to instructions, and relevant forms.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via social media
Social media offers an excellent opportunity to get matching gift information in front of a wide audience at a time. Not to mention, it allows supporters to interact with your content in personal ways, strengthening their connections with your cause and allowing them to spread the word even further.

Marketing Matching Gifts With Text Messages

Another form of digital communication that is becoming increasingly popular among nonprofits and their donors is texting. In fact, studies show that SMS marketing reports average open and response rates of 98% and 45%, respectively. As a result, text messaging, or SMS, can be a fantastic way to reach donors quickly and affordably using direct marketing strategies.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with SMS communications include:

  • Automating your organization’s outgoing text messaging efforts to donors identified as matching gift eligible to save time while growing revenue.
  • Keeping your texts short and sweet to get your message across quickly (typically 1,000 characters or less) and grab your audience’s attention.
  • Utilizing personalizable SMS templates and customizing names, donation amounts, employing companies, and more to increase likelihood of engagement.

Luckily, there are a number of tech solutions designed to streamline and simplify the processes involved with mass, pre-scheduled text messaging. For example, Double the Donation utilizes programmable communications company, Twilio to offer automated matching gift text marketing services for its enterprise clients.

Example Content:

  • “David, thank you for your generous donation of $200 to the Cat Rescue Club. Did you know that your gift is likely eligible for a corporate match from Johnson & Johnson? View your employer’s matching gift guidelines and forms here!”
  • “Have you submitted your matching gift request for your most recent contribution? Get your donation doubled and increase the impact brought to Atlanta University.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via text
SMS marketing continues to grow in popularity as text is a quick, easy, and effective way to get your message in front of donors. And with a mobile-friendly matching gift solution like Double the Donation, supporters can choose to take the next steps and submit matches from their smart phones from wherever they are!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Start / End-of-Year Reminders

Matchable donations have limited lifespans, so you need to promote matching gifts to eligible donors before the clock runs. In other words, a supporter can’t donate and submit a matching gift request for that donation half a decade later.

Although program specifics vary by company, most corporations adhere to one of the following types of standards for matching gift submission deadlines:

  1. A set number of months from the date of the donation (the standard is one year, though it can range from one to twelve months)
  2. The end of the calendar year
  3. The end of January or February in the year following when the donation was made

That’s why year-end and new-year appeals can be such a great way to remind donors about impending matching gift deadlines.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your start or end-of-year reminders include:

  • Providing context about matching gift programs and the importance of submitting matching gift requests before it’s too late.
  • Stressing that previously made donations are often eligible to be matched for up to a year after being submitted.
  • Ramping up your matching gift marketing efforts with increased communications during the year-end giving season.
  • Utilizing social media as a great way to spread the word to your supporters and reach the widest audiences possible.
  • Optimizing communications by staying up-to-date on your donors’ employers and their specific deadline requirements.

Ideally, your organization will encourage donors to submit their matching gifts at the time of their initial donation. However, many companies have an extended grace period during which they’ll accept requests. Ending or starting a new year is a fantastic chance to remind donors about an opportunity they may have overlooked.

Don’t miss out on a final chance to double donations from the year!

Example Content:

  • “Did you donate to us this year? There’s still time to submit a matching gift request from your employer⁠—submit your match here before the end of the year!”
  • “Many matching gift companies offer a several-month grace period in the year following the year a donation was made. Now, many deadlines are quickly approaching at the end of January and February! Find out how to access your employer’s guidelines and complete your match request here.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via year-end reminder
Check out our matching gift marketing guide

Bonus: Multiply your impact with these recommended marketing resources!

According to Nonprofits Source research, an estimated 80% of nonprofits report having difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources. That’s where we come in at Double the Donation. Our aim is to equip organizations with the tools they need to successfully market matching gifts through digital engagement.

Read on to explore our suggested ways to elevate matching gift results with these available assets.

Double the Donation automation platform

First things first, you don’t want to have to schedule and send each digital correspondence on your own. Nor do you want to be tasked with the manual research involved with screening and identifying match-eligible donors.

Instead, Double the Donation’s complete matching gift automation solution equips organizations to trigger the right messaging at the right time. This ensures more donors are being informed of their matching gift opportunity and encouraged to take part when eligible⁠—helping you to grow funding at your mission!

Check out this 60-second overview to see how it works:

And incorporating eye-catching and attention-grabbing visual elements in your outreach can go a long way!

Double the Donation’s customizable digital marketing templates

A lot of successful digital outreach involves content creation⁠—written, video, graphic, and more. This is especially true when it comes to engaging your audience with a multimedia marketing strategy. For example, one study indicates that social media content with video produces more than 10x the engagement rate of content without video. Meanwhile, another report found that including images in social posts results in over 650% higher engagement than text-only content. And these findings are consistent across views, clicks, likes, replies, shares, and more.

Yet many organizations don’t feel they have the time to devote to the creation of such materials. That’s why the Double the Donation team provides its users with access to free, editable marketing templates. This includes pre-designed graphics and customizable animations for email, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn⁠. And this arsenal of marketing materials should make it quick and easy to promote matching gifts online.

Note: For current clients looking to obtain these assets, log into your Double the Donation account at https://doublethedonation.com/members/login/. From there, navigate to the “Resources” tab and select the option for “Marketing Assets.”

Market matching gifts in your digital communications with Double the Donation's helpful templates

Then, scroll to browse our library of more than 24 pre-made Canva templates, eBooks, and graphics⁠—and begin editing to your liking!

Market matching gifts in your digital communications with Double the Donation's helpful templates

Not familiar with Canva? Register your organization for free access to Canva Premium!

Plus, Double the Donation users also have the opportunity to download a free matching gift video or purchase a custom-branded 60-second overview that can be implemented across digital marketing channels.

For those who do not yet employ Double the Donation’s services, request a demo to get in touch with our team and explore our top matching gift marketing tools.

Matching gift learning materials and expert insights

Finally, Double the Donation is proud to provide a wide array of educational resources⁠—including blog posts, live and on-demand webinars, downloadable guides, templates, and more⁠⁠—for nonprofit fundraisers looking to get better acquainted with matching gifts. After all, your team will be able to market matching gifts to supporters more effectively when those behind the scenes are intimately familiar with the programs.

And one of our top recommended resources for organizations is our online Matching Gift Academy. As the industry’s first and only digital learning platform centered on effective match fundraising, this content on building a matching gift strategy, overcoming common pitfalls, best practices for identifying eligible donors, and an entire module dedicated to matching gift marketing efforts.

Plus, we offer free access to the Academy for all current Double the Donation users as another way to boost our clients’ success.

Wrapping Up & Further Reading

Nonprofits need every dollar they can grab. Luckily, matching gifts are an effective way to increase fundraising without demanding too much out of donors. The first step is simply making donors aware of the opportunities⁠. And one of the best ways to do so is by marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.

You may choose to promote matching gifts using social media, texts, emails, and more (or a combination of such methods). Incorporating online outreach in your strategy allows you to showcase matching gifts in a simple, affordable, and effective way.

Get ready to maximize your matching gift funding! Explore our other suggested educational resources on the topic below:

Make the most of matching gifts for your organization. Learn more about how Double the Donation can help market matching gifts in your digital communications.