As we continue the countdown to Giving Tuesday on December 1st, we want to look at ways in which your organization can maximize its impact on this global day of giving. One of the activation ideas in For Momentum’s Giving Tuesday E-book Corporate Partners, Activate! is an employee or volunteer initiative. This tactic is especially effective for engaging Millennial audiences. Here are a few reasons why you should consider a Giving Tuesday campaign and how to effectively activate it to reach Millennials.
1. THERE’S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
The Millennial generation is poised to overtake the Boomer generation this year in population size. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Millennials (individuals born between 1981 and 1997) will account for 75.3 million Americans, barely edging out the next largest generation of 74.9 million Baby Boomers (individuals born between 1946 and 1964). These statistics translate to a larger pool of Millennial employees or volunteers to expand your company or nonprofit’s Giving Tuesday efforts.
2. MILLENNIALS SUPPORT CAUSES WITH THEIR WALLETS…
There’s a reason that millennials are sometimes referred to as the “do-gooder generation.” A recently-released Cone Communications Millennial CSR Study shows that Millennials are generally more engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. According to the study, more than nine-in-10 Millennials would switch brands to support one associated with a cause (91% vs. 85% U.S. average).
3. …AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE
Not only are Millennials willing and able to vote with their pocketbooks, they’re standing by with their smartphones to amplify the messages of your Giving Tuesday cause. Two-thirds of survey respondents said they use social media to engage in CSR, an important fact to keep in mind since Giving Tuesday is an online-driven social movement organized around the #GivingTuesday hashtag.
HOW TO INFLUENCE MILLENNIAL EMPLOYEES OR VOLUNTEERS
1. LEVERAGE THEIR PEERS
For the last five years, the Case Foundation has been studying Millennials’ impact on the workforce and in effecting social change. This year’s edition of the Case Foundation Millennial Impact Report focuses specifically on the factors that influence engagement in the workplace. Their first breakthrough piece of advice for engaging Millennials for a cause at work? Reach them through their peers.
The 2015 Millennial Impact Report shows that Millennials are more likely to donate time or money to a cause if a co-worker asks them. Peers have nearly twice as much influence (46%) as direct supervisors (27%) or top-ranking executives (21%) on Millennial cause participation.
2. KEEP IT BRIEF, MAKE IT TANGIBLE
The Case Foundation’s research also shows that Millennials respond well to short, episodic volunteer opportunities–good news if you’re considering a Giving Tuesday volunteer project. 45% of the Millennials surveyed said they had participated in a company-sponsored volunteer day. In addition to leveraging peer influence, make sure you demonstrate your cause’s significance and emotional impact and give Millennials specific ways to help using their skill sets to get more buy-in.
3. PUT SOME SKIN IN THE GAME
If your organization plans to collect donations on Giving Tuesday, consider a matching gift incentive for your employees or volunteers. The Case Report shows that Millennials are 69% more likely to support a cause if they know their employer is going to match at least a portion of the funds.
What are your plans for mobilizing the Millennial generation on Giving Tuesday? We’d love to hear about them in the comments section. If you’re looking for cause partnership activation ideas for Giving Tuesday, we hope you’ll download our free Giving Tuesday E-book.
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