Campaign Communications Phase 5: Close

PHASE 5: CLOSE

I’ve seen–and as an employee been a part of–quite a few campaigns that closed with a whimper rather than a bang. 

Many development shops are exhausted at the end of a yearslong sprint to goal with an unrelenting focus on the bottom line. Given this, it comes as no surprise that campaign close is often an afterthought. But it’s important to remember that a good campaign is like a cohesive story, and your donors and other supporters should be rewarded with a full and satisfying end to that story.

Your campaign close should embody everything that you achieved over the course of its lengthy run. That end is far more than celebrating how much money you raised. A good campaign close:

• Provides a panoramic perspective on the many impacts the campaign has already achieved and will achieve in the future

• Lifts up voices of leadership reflecting on how the campaign has already transformed the organization, preparing it to lean into its mission with gusto for years to come

• Shares stories from those who directly benefit from campaign investments

• Expresses appreciation for EVERYONE who helped make the campaign a success, whether with large or small contributions and within or beyond the org

As you probably realize, you can’t fit all of the above into a big party at the end (though you should still throw a few). Instead, give yourself a significant runway as you approach the very end to begin incorporating this messaging throughout all of your communications. For a campaign that runs upward of five years, give yourself at least six months to transition to this gratitude-driven language and take the time to properly celebrate everything that you and your partners accomplished.