So it is 4-6 weeks before your “BIG EVENT” and you may not have raised as much money as you hoped…..well it is not too late to reach your goals!! During this “homestretch” period as we like to call it, there are a few things you and your fundraisers can do.
Help your fundraisers personalize their pages: cool tips and ideas
A personalized fundraising page assures donors they’ve come to the right place. Pages also provide the opportunity to learn about what the fundraiser is doing and why this cause is important, so make sure your fundraisers add their own picture and personal message along with these page enhancements:
Adding pictures from Flickr:
Flickr is an online photo uploading site where you can share photos with friends and family. Firstgiving has enabled Flickr images to be added to personal Fundraising Pages.
To add a photos from Flickr, log into your account. Under “Design your page,” select “Add images from Flickr.” Enter your Flickr Id, and any tags, and hit “save.”
Adding a YouTube video:
YouTube is a video hosting site so you can share your own videos online. Firstgiving fundraising pages can be enhanced by adding a YouTube video. This video will display in a small box on the left side of a fundraising page.
To add a YouTube video, log into your account and click “Add a video from YouTube”. Enter the web address of the YouTube video (e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rstRsmRzvBQ) and hit “add video.”
Adding a Fundraising Widget:
Widgets are like a mini version of a fundraising page you can use to spread the word about your fundraising efforts. We give you a few lines of code which you can add to blogs, web pages, and most social networking sites.
To add a widget, log into your account and click “Get a Widget” The code to display your widget online will be in a box for you to copy. Simply copy the text in the box and paste it into the web page or blog where you want your widget to appear. You will be able to see a preview of what your widget will look like.
Adding a Fundraising Badge/Button:
Put a button or badge on your organization’s website linking to your Firstgiving Start Page. A badge works just like a regular link, but has a nice image. (To get a badge, click here: http://www.firstgiving.com/Design/1/badges_start.asp)
Social networking:
Social networks, such as Facebook and MySpace, are great ways to reach out to even more people who may donate to your efforts.
Add our Facebook application here: http://apps.facebook.com/firstgiving. Ask your friends to add the application too!
If you’re on MySpace, grab a badge by selecting “share this page” on your fundraising page.
Things to do on your end:
-Encourage your fundraisers to check this very blog daily! There are always good ideas and fundraising information and updates
-Send regular updates to your fundraisers with event information, fundraising tips, and reminders! Keep your event and fundraising fresh in their mind!
-Use your Donor Report to contact these folks directly. Send a special thank you email to them encouraging them to send the link out to their own personal networks.
-Attempt to get media coverage for your event by sending a press release to local media outlets: newspaper, radio, community websites, local news stations, etc.
-Send an newsletter/special email update to all of your constituents (not just event registrants and fundraisers) and ask them to support one of the event participants or make a general donation
They can go to your Start Page and search for a fundraiser, or click “View all Fundraisers”
They can go to your Start Page and click “Donate” which is under the General Donations box
-Consider implementing a special prize or award for the top 5 fundraisers. This can instill a friendly sense of competition and can be very inexpensive. Something as simple as a free t-shirt, $25 gift-certificate to a local eatery or exclusive behind- the-scenes tour of your organization or office can be very enticing and really help your fundraisers kick it into high gear!
-Make sure you take advantage of any potential matching gifts! When each donation is made, the donor is asked if the gift will be matched. Use your Donor Report to see which donors checked “yes”. (The column in the report is titled “Match Eligible?”) Email those donors individually and make sure their matching gift is being processed.
-Give clear instructions to your supporters about how to create a fundraising page and solicit donations (All they need to do is go to your Start Page and click “Get Started”)
-Create a sample fundraising email with facts about your organization and where the money goes and make this available to your supporters
-Remind fundraisers to send multiple donation request emails. The average donor needs to be reminded 6 times!
-Remember that personal fundraising pages are viral—donors can make an even bigger impact by spreading the page link to others
From our experience working with fundraisers and donors, fundraising pages that are personalized raise much more money. It assures donors they’ve come to the right place and also provides the opportunity to learn about what the fundraiser is doing and why this cause is important. Make sure your fundraisers add their own picture and use the personal message area.
So there you have it : our "homestretch" ways to reach your Fundraising goals!
You can always contact the Firstgiving support team for more ideas! We are 4 strong: Beth, Ryan, team leader Margaret, and your account manager, Hannah.
