Why You Should Stop Wasting Your Time On #GivingTuesday

OK. It’s time to be honest.

The user experience of #GivingTuesday feels like standing in front of a firing line. Open your email inbox, and you’re pelleted by a barrage of emails. 

By 7:30 yesterday morning, my partner and I each had 10 emails in our respective inboxes. By the end of the day, about another 100 more came into my email system.

OMG. 

I wondered, “Is it just me?” 

Nope. Unsolicited feedback came in from colleagues and friends throughout the day:

It’s overwhelming. It’s unpleasant. And eventually, it’s just plain annoying.

And the response?

Delete.

Or rather: delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete.

You get the idea.

Besides having emails unread, ignored, and ultimately deleted, the organizations that participate face another major problem.

#GivingTuesday has now made making a gift—something generous and soulful, meaningful and important—into a commodity. 

An act that we should be doing from our hearts now has the feel of one of those silly carnival games where you stand in a phone booth and catch money that’s blowing around.

Is this how you want your organization’s important connections with donors to feel? Is this how you want your organization to be perceived?

Time to kick the habit. Put your effort into your year-end appeal and other meaningful activities with donors throughout the year.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about #GivingTuesday. Share a comment below.