Small Businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, as the places we work, eat, shop, play and gather. On GivingTuesday, small businesses around the world will once again rally together for those in need. This toolkit contains ideas for how small businesses can participate in GivingTuesday, sample social media, emails, and more.
GivingTuesday is about giving of all types — some businesses may choose to give a financial contribution to their favorite cause or a fundraising drive, others will opt to reach out to neighbors, start an advocacy campaign, donate goods or extra supplies, share gratitude to frontline workers and those keeping us safe. If you can show generosity and share kindness, you have something to give!
Be sure to check if your country, community, or neighborhood has a local GivingTuesday movement happening. If so, join efforts and amplify voices!
There are many ways businesses can be a part of this global day of generosity by using their platforms, talents and resources for good.
Connect with us so we can help boost your ideas!
Email is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your audience this time of year. To make sure your subscribers don’t miss a thing you’re doing this holiday season, we recommend sending a 5-email campaign:
Email #1: Give your subscribers a heads up as soon as you can, letting them know about your special offers on Small Business Saturday and how you’ll be participating in Giving Tuesday.
Email #2: Send a reminder email about a week before the holiday shopping weekend. Make sure to include the date, your specific offer, and everything they need to know about your sale.
Email #3: Send an email on Small Business Saturday. Let your subscribers know about your promotion and how much you value their support on Small Business Saturday.
Email #4: Send an email on Giving Tuesday. Let your audience know about a cause you care about and encourage them to donate or volunteer.
Or, you could even lead a volunteer group and let your audience know your store will be closed so you can spend time giving back to your community. Consumers want to support brands who give to others and do their part to make their community a better place.
Email #5: Say thank you. Segment your list and say thank you to those subscribers who supported you during Small Business Saturday or Giving Tuesday.
Your last email is also a good opportunity to follow up with an exclusive offer. Focus on ways to provide ongoing value to your customers through discount codes, guides, courses or other types of content that will help them.
While many shoppers are more likely than ever to take their shopping online due to COVID-19, it’s possible your store may still see some foot traffic.
Make sure to promote your GivingTuesday activity with store signage
You can also run a donation drive on GivingTuesday. Collect non-perishable food or home goods to bring to a nonprofit’s collection. And be sure to take lots of photos along the way so your customers can see how big of a collective impact they helped you make.
Create a new product, flavor, or brew in honor of GivingTuesday. We’ve seen everything from ice cream flavors to custom GivingTuesday beers.
Use our Canva templates and posters + help get the word out about GivingTuesday
