Right now is the perfect time to differentiate your giving programs and create loyal donors. One way to do this is to offer a vehicle that allows a donor to give to a specific program or purpose and at the same time celebrate their love and respect for someone dear to them. This is done by giving a gift in honor or memory of another.

Expand upon this concept by allowing the donor to name the honoree or suggest your own. Is there a particular volunteer leader, past CEO, or inspirational person in general whose past efforts might rally support for a particular program?

If you want to get truly gangbusters, hi-jack your website landing page for one day. Let your landing page promote honor and memorial gifts on Memorial Day which this year falls on May 25, 2015. To create excitement, tell your constituents ahead of time that you will be doing this via an email, direct mail, website story or social media. Provide links to your hi-jacked Memorial Day landing page on social media and email.

Don’t forget to ask for information regarding who should be notified when the gift is made. Use your constituent database to note or code this gift so that you might make this special Memorial Day push a recurring annual giving event.

Consider taking the first step yourself by giving to your organization in honor or memory of someone special to you! Share with your constituents that you are asking them to join you this Memorial Day. Include a heart-felt and compelling story specifically about how each gift will truly impact the lives of others, just as your honoree has impacted you.

For more ideas on how you can incoporate donations in honor or memory or another, please visit our contact page.