Make-A-Will Month: A Planned Giving Recipe for Success

As we enter the holiday season, we’re reminded that it’s a time for celebrating traditions, family gatherings and sharing meals with cherished recipes passed down through the years. In partnership with Giving Docs, this year public media stations cooked up their own recipe for success during Make-A-Will Month (MAWM), a campaign held in August that saw delicious results and secured its place on the calendar. Be sure to read to the end for some tempting takeaway tips for your own planned giving campaigns.

Ingredients for Success

Just like a well-prepared holiday feast, Make-A-Will Month was a carefully crafted initiative that yielded some tasty outcomes:  

  • Completed Gifts: This past August saw an impressive $3.4 million from 141 completed gifts, reflecting the generosity and commitment of public media supporters.

  • Hand-Raisers: 235 individuals expressed their interest in planned giving, indicating a robust pipeline for future contributions.

  • Gift Disclosure Rate: At a 59% gift disclosure rate, a high level of transparency and trust was achieved with donors.

  • Completed Documents: A total of 758 documents were completed using Giving Docs’ platform including wills, codicils, health-care directives and more, further solidifying the inherent need public media donors have for high-quality estate and gift planning tools.

  • Account Activations: 1,764 new accounts were activated on the Giving Docs platform by donors and prospects to access these estate planning tools for free for their lifetime, showing a strong interest in planned giving.

Step-by-Step Directions

Like a variety of dishes coming together to create a memorable holiday meal, the secret ingredient to MAWM's success was the use of multichannel marketing. By leveraging various platforms, public media organizations reached a broader audience and reinforced their message. This approach included:

  • Step 1: Prominent Placement on Websites: This practice ensured that planned giving information was easily accessible on station websites in multiple places.

  • Step 2: Consistent Digital Marketing: The tactic provided various ways for donors to engage and learn more through email and social media promotions.

  • Step 3: Amplified On-Air Spots: Taking to the air reinforced planned giving opportunities beyond the traditional base of supporters to a broader audience.

Recipe Notes

Akin to following a trusted family recipe, the success of MAWM was also driven by the adoption of a few marketing best practices. Some of these effective strategies included:

  • Short, Simple Sentences: Clear and concise messaging resonated with donors.

  • Encouraging Immediate Action: Phrases like "Get started today" and "Join other supporters" motivated individuals to take action.

  • A/B Testing: Incorporating insights from other public media and nonprofit organizations optimized content and engagement.

As we look forward to 2025, the success of Make-A-Will Month serves as a guide for future campaigns. The lessons learned and the strategies implemented will continue to guide efforts in driving planned giving for public media. We are excited to build on this momentum and explore new opportunities for engagement and growth with our New Year’s Resolution and Spring Appeal campaigns in early 2025.

If you’re interested in learning more about Giving Docs’ user-friendly online estate planning tools download our one-sheet or contact us at cdp@cdpcommunity.org.

Susannah Winslow