We're gearing up for Week 3 of NewsMatch. By now, you should be in the swing of spreading your fundraising message far and wide. Maybe you feel that things are starting to slow down? Don't worry — that's normal during this phase of an eight-week campaign.

A traditional marketer would say that folks need to hear a message 14 to 20 times before taking action. While it feels like you're repeating yourself over and over again, the message may just be starting to stick with your readers. Stay the course by dropping your email and social appeals regularly and remind readers of the Dec. 31 deadline to get their gift matched!

To dig deeper into what you can do to "boost" your campaign, join us next Wednesday for a webinar on this very topic. Maybe you're close to reaching your goal or recently secured a new local match? Crowdfunding consultant (and previous outreach lead at Kickstarter) Daniel Sharp will walk you through ways to pivot your campaign and raise as much money as possible during the final 30 days.

Until then, we're always here to answer questions and lend ideas at hello@newsmatch.org.

In this section, we've listed the bare minimum of what you should do to run your NewsMatch campaign. If you don't have a lot of time on your hands, focus on this section to stay organized and up to date. We are following the suggested schedule on the 2020 Campaign Roadmap. Feel free to modify this schedule to fit your editorial workflow.

☝️Pro Tips!

We are all fatigued, but journalists keep going. Next week's email pitch reminds readers that reporters are on the front lines every day working to produce high-quality, fact-based reporting. We have three different openings to serve as a jump-off point, drawing upon three major markers of our year — the election, COVD-19, social justice. If these themes do not apply to your organization, customize this pitch to fit your focus.

But don't worry too much about donor fatigue. You may be experiencing a lull since we are in between the election and #GivingNewsDay. Try experimenting with your messaging and continue to show your readers what their donation means to you. We love this example from The Imprint. Remember to suppress people who have already given or perhaps incentivize readers to give now and opt-out of appeals for the remainder of the campaign.

Consider asking people who have recently donated for a testimonial on why they support you. Some may already have in GiveGab (check the comments in your donation report)!

Feature their quote in a pitch, on your giving page, or on social media and continue building a community of nonprofit news supporters. Have fun with it — maybe ask for quick videos or photos to liven up your posts. And if you need a template to create a quote image with the NewsMatch visual style, you can steal this.

We’ve seen some great examples of how newsrooms have customized the NewsMatch digital assets to make them your own. Take a look at how Aspen Journalism modified an animated graphic to create an email banner that reflects their brand. Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI) stuck with NewsMatch’s style guide but remixed the banner ads to really stand out!

The Campaign Toolkit contains Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop files that you can modify to put your own spin on this year’s campaign assets.

NewsMatch banner on the homepage of periodismoinvestigativo.com

— Help us spread good news on Facebook & Twitter.

Have you checked out the NewsMatch feed on Twitter and Facebook feed lately? Throughout the campaign, we will be looking for stories that illustrate the value of nonprofit news for the people, with the people. If you’ve published a story that you think we should highlight, send us a link here! Here are some ideas:

— Wednesday, Nov. 18 • 1 pm ET / 10 am PT

This year is all about the pivot, and this session focuses on just that. What should you do if you’ve reached your goal before December 31? Maybe you’ve hit a plateau.What should you do to boost donations? 

Crowdfunding consultant Daniel Sharp will walk us through ways to pivot your campaign to raise as much money as possible during the second half of your NewsMatch campaign. 

GivingTuesday (December 1) is a global day of giving, inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. At NewsMatch, we’ve remixed this day to make it our own — #GivingNewsDay.

How can you cut through the noise? What should you say if you’re close to reaching your goal? Try some of these pointers shared during Wednesday's information exchange.

— Wednesday, Dec. 9 • 1 pm ET / 10 am PT

Join INN for a kickoff conversation about this year’s INN Index. In this webinar, we’ll review a few changes to the INN Index reporting process, how your newsroom data is used and protected, and answer a few commonly asked questions. This webinar will help you and your team prepare for this essential piece of INN’s programming and research. 

Invite other team members to subscribe and receive weekly assignments from NewsMatch by sharing this link.

Questions? Send us an email at hello@newsmatch.org.

Why did I get this? You received this email because you are listed as a NewsMatch 2020 contact for your organization. If you were sent this message in error, please contact hello@newsmatch.org.