6 Tips for Running a Successful Fundraiser
Fundraising is undoubtedly a powerful tool. There are countless success stories of visionaries setting a goal and reaching it through the help of community. When a lot of people get behind an idea the possibilities and potential are endless. Fundraising is a way to harness that potential and put it into a tangible form — funding your project. Fundraising is a simple concept but there are things that you’ll want to know before you go and reach your community. Too many fundraisers have failed before they got started; here are tips to take with you as you raise support.
Dress the bear up – a fundraising idea? by kqom, on Flickr. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Keep it Simple
One of the first things you need to do for maximized results is to make sure your project is clear and simple. In other words if you try to fund a project that revolves around nuclear physics you are going to want to figure out a way to make sure your reader understands and sympathizes with your cause. If it goes over their head you won’t ever get the funding you want. They need to feel that what you are doing is going to benefit them, and that they are supporting a cause by donating.
Set the Example
Another thing that will help funds come in is if you donate to your own project. It will be much easier to get friends, family and co-workers to give if they see that you are actually invested and interested in your own work. Expect people to donate the same sum that you are donating; so be generous to your own cause.
Leverage Social Media
Another tactic is social media. It is an absolute must that you utilize social media. Get support for your project by sharing your Facebook page at least a couple of times a day. Social media has the ability to travel enormous distances in only a few clicks. Get your friends to share your page as well; the more people that know about your project the more momentum you can build.
Communicate Urgency
Another step that is often overlooked in raising money is the sense of urgency. You have to create the urgency. If people have two years to decide whether or not they should give, it’ll never happen; however if they get the impression that funds are needed immediately, then they are more inclined to give.
Set a Clear Vision
There needs to be a goal in mind as well. If you don’t set a goal sum, people will think they are putting their money in a black hole. But if you can show progress and keep them updated on how close you are to reaching your goal then you will have more of a chance of getting a donation.
Keep it Personal
Fundraising really is about people. The more personal you can make your campaign the more likely you can reach your goal. People will respond to a personal touch. Don’t try to blanket a community with mass letters or expect Facebook to bring in all your proceeds, get out there and talk to people.
