Canada Post Strike Enters Week Four

7 Strategies You Can Implement Today

First the good news, our client results from Giving Tuesday indicate that results are up between 30% – 100%. Other sources indicate a similar trend.

Now, the bad news, the Canada Post mail strike is entering an unprecedented fourth week. For many organizations, as much as 80% of their charitable giving comes in December and much of it via direct mail. The generosity window is closing rapidly.

Here are 7 ideas to help your organization continue fundraising through the postal strike

1. Treat the postal strike as an emergency.
   • If the postal strike is hampering your fundraising, then it is an emergency.
   • Be honest, let donors know how they can help.
   • Find a gift match if you don’t have one already.
   • Mention your shortfall if you have one. This can be very effective.
2. Use SMS and phone to connect with your donors
   • Consider a text-to-give campaign.
   • Call your donors. One of our clients organized a staff-led fundraising phone bank. Use volunteers or hire an agency.
   • Try a voice broadcast message (VBM)
   • Audit your inbound phone line — call your organization and see what happens. If a donor calls your number, will they be greeted appropriately?
3. Update your homepage
   • Ensure a seamless user experience.
   • Include an urgent pop-up and/or an urgent banner. If you decide to treat this as an emergency, make sure your homepage reflects that messaging.
   • Encourage gifts online.
   • Audit your donor’s user experience by making an online gift yourself.
4. Get Digital!
   • Enhance your email solicitation:  email more frequently; vary your sender and your subject lines and deployment cadence.
   • Test Digital Ads: You don’t have to have an email list; online advertising can help you find your current and new donors.
   • If you’re not using Google ads such as PMax, then you’re losing out. Many charities are currently experiencing net positive results.
   • Communicate Urgency. Always… tell donors why it’s important they give, and if it’s truly urgent, say so.
   • Peer-to-Peer events raise money. If you haven’t done one, put one in your plan.
5. Be prepared with your plan for when the strike does end. And it will.
   • Know the status of your mailings and plan to deploy accordingly.
   • Review the content of your appeals and update messaging as needed.
   • Add messaging as per the above as appropriate.
6. Keep Calm and Fundraise On.
   • Remember, a postal strike will not hamper your donor’s generosity. Keep communicating with them with strong messaging and a seamless way to give. If you don’t ask, you won’t get.
7. Talk to us.
   • Do you have any questions about the above, or need specific help? Let us know.
   • Or maybe the strike has put a finer point on your organization’s need for an integrated direct response strategy that will help future proof your program.  If so,  give me a call at 416-690-8801, or send me an email at paulaa@stephenthomas.ca

Lastly, if you want to join the movement to encourage the end the strike, you can:

• Send a message to your local MP. The Association of Fundraising Professionals has sent this letter. You can send one too.

• Start or join a coalition such as this one.
• You can also join other charities in requesting that the CRA extend the deadline for issuing 2024 tax receipts.

Paula Attfield
CEO