Everyone wants to get in the spirit of giving during the holiday season, and a toy drive is one of the best ways to do that. You can bring your community together and help those in need, all while enjoying your Christmas shopping, so what is there not to like?

This year, elevate your toy drive with a great online strategy to reach out to your community with power and purpose. By promoting your toy drive online, you can include your community like never before. You can reach new demographics, keep your donors completely up to date, and stay organized with the power of online promotion.

Set Dates

Your first step to organize your toy drive is to plan the dates. If you are working with another non-profit, they usually have distribution dates you should be aware of. Most toy drives will run from early November to mid-December. Once you have a timeframe to plan around, you can work backward from there.

Be sure to keep your community in the loop with a festive Christmas Calendar that will keep your toy drive organized and in the holiday spirit!

Designate locations

The best drop-off locations for your toy drive are safe, visible places with plenty of traffic so people can easily see it.  To that end, you can also include a map or a description of the locations on all your promotional material.

One great way to get the community involved is to ask local businesses to partner with you and act as a drop-off location. You get more helpers involved and they get increased traffic in their stores, so everybody wins!

You can even reach people who might not live in your area by giving out an address they can send their donations to. This way, they can give to those in need without even leaving their homes.

Use social media  

Now that you have all your logistics arranged, it is time to spread the word.  When it comes to online promotions, social media is the best bet to increase your donations.  Keep your community up to date and answer questions anyone has about your toy drive.

The key to successfully promoting your toy drive on social media is to show off your festive toy drive at every stage to keep your followers engaged. This is also the place to link your calendar, website, and anything else you need your donors to see.

Promotions with flyers 

The centerpiece of your promotional strategy should be an eye-catching Christmas flyer that spreads Christmas cheer and lets everyone know everything they need to know about your toy drive.  Make sure to include your pick-up times, locations, contact information, and any other important details.

Try to post these flyers wherever you can, both online and offline. You can try getting them featured in local newspapers or newsletters, as well as in storefronts and businesses in your community

Host an event

While online promotions have power and reach, nothing spreads Christmas cheer like an in-person event. Host a holiday party with your office, church, or school and rather than selling tickets, set the price of admission as one gift for a child in need.  Have a dedicated drop off location (bonus points if it is under a Christmas tree) for your attendees and then simply enjoy making merry with your community!

Be sure to take frequent pictures for future content or thank you cards to let your guests know you care, and maybe even to promote a similar event next year.

Email campaigns

Another great way to spread the word about your toy drive is through email campaigns.  If you have a mailing list from a previous event, stay in touch by keeping your contacts up to date on your toy drive.  If you are working with a local organization that already has a mailing list, use that as well.

Some nice holiday emails might be gift guides or suggestions, an introduction to your team or just a simple season’s greetings finished with all the important information on your toy drive. Be sure to link your social media, website, and anything else you want your contacts to know.

Goal Tracking

One way to engage your donors is to set a goal and keep track of the amount of donations your drive has received.  Not only does keeping track of your donations help you know how much good you are doing, but it also serves as good content for your email campaign and social media.

Make celebratory posts for your quarter and halfway marks to boost morale and to let your donors know that they were a part of something.  If you keep your goals ambitious, but just attainable enough, you can even plan a celebration for meeting your goal!

Spotlight your Charity

If you are working with a local shelter, charity, boys and girls club, or a police or fire department, be sure to make the most of your partnership.  If they have an active social media account or website, do your best to feature them, and be sure they do the same.

You can post interviews or pictures of possible gift recipients to help your donors know how much good they are doing, or thank you messages from everyone involved.

Spotlight your Donors

Similar to interacting with your charity, try interacting with your donors too.  If any of your donors have a good inspiring story or previous ties to your organization, share it with your community. Can post a thank you picture if anyone has been particularly generous to let them know they are appreciated.  This will encourage others to be generous as well!

Wrapping up

This Holiday season, kickstart your toy drive with a great online strategy.  Use social media, email, and your organization’s website to get the word out about your charitable endeavors.  With festive content like goal tracking and special spotlights, people will be just as excited to give gifts as they will be to receive them!