Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and encourages individuals and businesses to give back to their communities. For small businesses, it’s the perfect opportunity to engage your employees and customers and strengthen these relationships through meaningful giving.
Set your goals and budget
Before you launch your Giving Tuesday campaign, decide what success looks like for your small business. Your goals might include the amount of money you want to raise, the number of volunteer hours you hope to generate, or engagement metrics like new customer leads. Setting clear objectives helps you measure the campaign’s impact once it’s over.
Next, outline your budget. For example, you may need to cover expenses like promotional materials, social media ads, or donation-matching contributions. Many businesses find that a few hundred dollars in targeted online ads or an employee volunteer stipend can go a long way.
Finally, identify how you’ll track your results. You can use Google Analytics or your email marketing software to see how much traffic or engagement your campaign generates. If you’re collecting donations through a website or app, make sure it’s connected to your CRM so you can track donor activity and follow up later.
Support meaningful causes
Choose causes that align with your company’s mission and values. Customers are more likely to support campaigns that reflect what your company stands for, whether that’s education, sustainability, or community development.
Start by asking your employees which organizations matter most to them. Their input will help you identify worthy causes and build enthusiasm among your staff. You can also consider supporting a local organization, like donating a portion of your sales to a nearby food pantry.
Promote your Giving Tuesday campaign
The most successful Giving Tuesday campaigns start early. Begin spreading the word at least one to two weeks before the event through your website, email newsletter, and social media profiles. Keep your message simple and tell supporters exactly what their participation will accomplish.
Create a few visuals or short videos highlighting the story behind your chosen cause since authentic storytelling drives engagement and helps your audience connect emotionally. You can also add a countdown to Giving Tuesday on your social channels or website to build anticipation.
During the event, post real-time updates on your fundraising and share photos or milestone shoutouts to keep the momentum high. Including a campaign hashtag like #GivingTuesday also helps boost visibility.
Engage customers and employees
Make it easy for customers and employees to participate in your Giving Tuesday initiative. For example, let customers “round up” their purchases at checkout and donate the extra funds to charity.
Encourage your employees to get involved through volunteer opportunities or donation challenges between teams. Some businesses offer paid volunteer hours or match employee contributions dollar for dollar. These activities reinforce a culture of generosity and increase participation across the board.
Focus on your post-campaign follow-up
Once Giving Tuesday ends, your work isn’t over. Following up with any donors and customers is key to maintaining goodwill and turning short-term participants into long-term supporters.
Start by sharing how much money was raised, where it went, and the impact it generated. Post these updates on social media and thank everyone who contributed. If you collected new leads during the campaign, add them to your email list and nurture those relationships over time. You can also create a post-campaign survey to gather feedback and ideas for next year’s Giving Tuesday.
Inspire year-round giving
Giving Tuesday is just one day, but the goodwill it creates can last much longer. Continuing to engage with your community throughout the year reinforces your company’s commitment to purpose and keeps the Giving Tuesday spirit alive until the next holiday season.
This article was originally written by Jamie Johnson.
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