There are some practices that have proven to be more effective than others in the quest for a successful fundraiser. Here are some useful tips:
Visuals awaken our senses and boost our engagement. Many people give donations because they are encouraged to do so by someone they trust. Adding your picture to the fundraiser will help creating trust around your fundraiser, and in this way lead to more donations.
Write a compelling personal story where you answer the questions that any donor would have. For example: What are you fundraising for? Why is it important to you? How will the funds be used? Take your chance to really emphasize your personal fundraising story; why you find the cause meaningful and why people should contribute. Raise awareness on the matter and have fun doing it!
Being ambitious is admirable, but it’s better to start out with a smaller goal that you are confident to reach, and adjust it later if needed. A good way to set a goal is to think of all those in your network you believe would give a donation, and then imagine how much they might donate, then half that amount and you have a starting goal. Hopefully you will beat it in no time and you can use that success to reach your next goal. The average fundraised for any person is around 400 €.
When you ask your network to support you by giving donations, it is important to set a good example and make the first donation yourself. If you are unsure of how much you should donate- think of how much you expect your friends and family to donate, and donate just a little bit more yourself.
Encouraging friends and family to donate through personal messages have proven to be an important tool for a successful fundraiser result. Direct messages are personal, and the person in question will be more inclined to support you if you take the time to write a couple of lines to them personally.
Use multiple social networking websites, share your fundraiser with the world and spread the word, again and again. Make sure that you feature the link to your fundraiser in all your updates and messages, and encourage your network to share on your behalf.
Remember to thank your donors and keep them updated with relevant information. For example share your end result, or if you are participating in an event- give a brief update of how it went.
Visuals engage stakeholders and enhance trust. Incorporate professional photos and videos that showcase your company's commitment to the cause. This builds credibility and encourages more donations.
Develop a compelling story that addresses key questions donors might have:
Highlight your company's mission and values, explaining how they align with the fundraising effort. Sharing your journey and impact can inspire others to contribute.
Starting with a realistic fundraising goal can boost confidence and momentum. Assess your company's network to set an attainable target. As you approach or surpass this goal, consider adjusting it higher to maintain momentum.
Have the company and leadership make the first donations to set a good example for employees, partners, and customers. You can also choose to match all employee donations.
Ask the CEO or another top executive to introduce the fundraiser via email or an announcement. Leadership support boosts credibility and motivates wider participation across the organization.
Share the fundraising page on LinkedIn and encourage employees to re-share it. This extends your reach as employees showcase pride in the company’s initiative. Utilize other social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to maximize outreach.
Keep the fundraiser prominent by informing everyone and displaying progress:
By combining communication and visible progress, you encourage collective participation and maintain enthusiasm.
Motivate employees by setting fundraising milestones and initiating friendly competitions among departments or teams. Offer small prizes or recognition for reaching targets or leading in contributions. This fosters teamwork, boosts morale, and adds fun to the fundraising efforts.
Are you a larger company, then nominate employees as 'fundraising ambassadors' to promote the initiative within their departments. Ambassadors share updates, answer questions, and keep engagement high across the company.
There are plenty of events that make perfect fundraising opportunities. Here are a few: