Have you ever run into an issue with over communicating to your audiences? Don’t worry, this is very common especially as you start to layer in direct response messages, stewardship and impact and other programmatic messaging.  A well-organized calendar will not only keep you sane, but also can help identify any strategic gaps in communication. Let’s walk through some tips on how to set up your annual communications calendar– and don’t worry, we have a handy template for you!

Understanding your Audience

When planning your calendar, always keep your audience in mind. Think about their journey throughout the year and identify key moments when your messages can have the most impact. Consider their interests, needs, and preferences at different times of the year. Tailoring your calendar this way makes your messages relevant, timely, and engaging, which builds stronger connections and boosts engagement.

TIP: You can use our template to help map this out!

Mapping Out Key Dates and Events

Identify major fundraising campaigns, awareness days, holidays, and significant events for your organization and place them on the calendar first. You will want to be thoughtful about the quantity of messages you want to send for each campaign. For example, your End of Year campaign may have more individual messages than your Spring Campaign. Make sure each message is mapped out on the calendar. 

Next, plan for recurring communications like monthly newsletters or quarterly updates. This provides a framework for your calendar and helps ensure all important dates are accounted for.

Content Planning

Keep your audience engaged with a diverse mix of content—newsletters, direct mail, social media updates, and emails. We like to color code this on the calendar so you can visually see the mix of communications. This avoids last-minute scrambles and keeps your messaging on track.

Now you are ready to fill in the gaps. If you see a lapse in communication, how can you fill that? Take a look at your solicitation to impact ratio and see what type of messaging can fill that slot. Remember, it can take 7-12 touches before a prospect will convert to a donor. 

TIP: Use our template to map this out!

Planning is important, but so is flexibility. Be ready to adapt your strategy to unexpected events and opportunities. Regularly review and adjust your calendar to reflect new priorities and insights. When working with our clients, we review the calendar at every weekly call and make regular adjustments as needed. 

Measuring Success

Don’t forget to track key metrics and KPIs to measure your communications efforts. Analyze these results to see what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. It is important to always learn something from every send. You can then use this data to make informed, data-driven adjustments to your strategy.

TIP: Check out our blog post on campaign reporting.

Building a well-structured and organized annual communications calendar is crucial for staying connected with your audience – and maintaining a sense of order in your organization. Regular reviews and adjustments will keep your strategy fresh, and tracking success will help you fine-tune your approach. If you need help organizing your communications or developing your digital strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our strategists!