Giving Back on Giving Tuesday – Stories that Matter
By: Scott Pansky
Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday have all become online holiday staples, but each bring a unique energy and reason to participate.
Black Friday began as a chance for people to get the big “door busters” at Walmart, Target or major department stores. People would wait in line early in the morning to be the first to get limited amounts of clothes or electronics and spend the rest of the day shopping for the holiday. Retailers started moving the store hours earlier until some just opened early on Thanksgiving Day to make a profit.
REI changed the game by recognizing family time was meant to be with family, not working retail and shopping. Cyber Monday followed and allowed people to make their purchases from home instead of waking up early the day after Thanksgiving to visit the bricks and mortars. The online specials only got better.
Then came Giving Tuesday. It was not about purchasing, gifting or getting great deals. It was about charity and doing good. This annual event has raised millions of dollars to support thousands of different nonprofits.
Yet for many, all three have become either a thing to “participate” in or just another online “event.” But Giving Tuesday should really mean something and not be just about asking for a donation. It should be about our actual feelings around a cause, something we identify with and something that helps us make a difference about something we care authentically about.
What truly matters most are the stories about hope, a family member or friend, or an issue that has really touched you. It’s important nonprofits remember it’s their services and impact that motivate their donors, not just fundraising. Stories about successes, services and inspiration can be shared year-round, not just during the Giving Tuesday time window.
Our agency conducted a survey a few years ago titled, “Powerful Connections” and found 38% of people who followed someone online who was authentically touched by a cause would donate or volunteer. Think about this – not 1% to 3% like direct mail. So, if we are personally touched by something, we can forward a call to action to our own contacts to create momentum that could raise much more than a traditional donation.
Not every charity can create an Ice Bucket Challenge. But the art of the story carried the Ice Bucket Challenge to levels unheard of in 2014. And it all started with a simple story. Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, who recently died, met through the ALS Therapy Development Institute’s Young Face of ALS. Together, they created the Ice Bucket Challenge. Their call to action reached politicians, athletes, performers, you and me.
Scott Allison and I did the Ice Bucket Challenge five years ago and challenged our friends and family, just like so many others did. It became a real movement. What amazed me was how many people I knew who were somehow touched about ALS. Working with Scott Kauffman, George Olexa, Shannon Shryne, Rob Goldstein, Carol Hamilton, Dr. Steve Perrin and so many others, we developed marketing opportunities to help keepalive Pat and Pete’s vision to find a cure.
Being introduced to other people with ALS made it even more personal and created additional reasons to want to help find a cure: Augie Nieto, the founder of Augie’s Quest, and his wife Lynn, who have personally raised millions of dollars to help find a cure; Anthony Carbajal, diagnosed with familial ALS and has raised more than $4 million dollars to help launch a precision medicine program that allowed more than 300 people to participate; and the Reich family, our tax consultant whose son was diagnosed with ALS and developed grassroots programs to raise funds for ALS research.
Their stories inspire, and their passion is unlike anything I have ever seen. Making a donation to their cause is not because of an email. It’s not because there is no cure yet for ALS. It’s their leadership and their drive that make me want to donate to their cause.
I know I can never donate enough, but if I can share their stories, I can also help them raise more. If I can encourage causes to further share their stories to others, they too will see the long-term impact on their organizations.
Good luck with Giving Tuesday! And please share your stories year-round, not just during the holidays!
Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to education, corporate and nonprofit organizations.
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