Home » All Things Fundraising
ALL THINGS FUNDRAISING
Posted: May 21, 2010 at 9:38 am
Online Fundraising is going to be a major part of the fundraising efforts of the future. Are you up to speed? Answer these few simple questions. (And bear in mind that folks are not very interested anymore in purchasing popcorn, magazine subscriptions or wrapping paper!)
- Are your online fundraising efforts legal? This is a biggie if you’re a non-profit organization! All fundraising efforts should be registered with the proper authorities when those efforts cross state lines. (Religious organizations are exempted overall, but double check with your local state attorney general to ascertain whether your organization is exempt. (PhoneRaiser’s program for recycling cell phones is not subject to this law as you are not soliciting online donations from Phoneraiser, but rather sending the results of your offline fundraising to be recycled, for which you receive a fee to apply towards your organizations needs.)
- Are you utilizing every tool at your disposal? Another big item on the to do list! If you are not using all of the resources that you have to hand, you will never generate the buzz that you need to meet your goals. Of course you should put a “Donate Now” button on your website. But also add in a signature file on all of your emails, mention the campaign in your online newsletters, blog about it and ask others to blog about your campaign. And keep your supporters up to date with regular status updates on what you have raised! (And don’t forget to utilize your social networks.
- Are you being polite? Don’t spam people! Unsolicited mass emails to people who may not have opted in to receive fundraising emails and updates are not only rude, but you run the risk of either being blacklisted by the email provider, or alienating a possible contributor to your campaign! Instead of sending out mass emails to folks that have not expressed an interest, if you feel that they could be beneficial to your campaign, write a personal note and acknowledge they did not opt in, but that you feel that the cause is one that they could support, and here’s why. Failing that, a phone call will never go amiss in this day of technological overload. Personal contact will more likely generate a positive response than electronic communications. Think about it, it’s easier to say no in an impersonal email message than when speaking to someone face to face or on the phone.
- Are you providing every opportunity? Are you giving folks more than one way to donate? Donate by text message (inexpensive for all parties), mail, phone, or electronically. The more options available, the fewer excuses there will be not to donate.
- Are you visible? Have you hidden the donate now button at the bottom of a page or is it buried somewhere on your website? Make it prominent!
- Are you investing people in your cause? Make sure that you have a cause that people want to support! Target the right groups, and if you are doing multiple fundraisers throughout the year, then make sure to spread the love around! Don’t go back to the same well every time. All wells will eventually dry up if tapped to often. And make sure that your goals are reasonable. If you are trying to purchase $1000 cheerleading uniforms that are going to have to be repurchased for every cheerleader each year, folks are not going to want to donate.
And when you can make sure that you are able to provide fringe benefits. Help people declutter their homes by asking them to donate items, such as unwanted cell phones and inkjet cartridges, which is the environmentally smart thing to do!
Be reasonable. Be frugal, and do not expect everyone to support your cause. You will be told no, and when that happens, redouble your efforts and hit the pavement, and make sure that everyone who will benefit in any ways shape or form is involved and burning the midnight oil as well!
View / Add a Comment
ShareThis
Posted: May 14, 2010 at 10:59 am
Let’s face it, fundraising has taken a hit in the last two years. What’s more? We as parents and organizations need the funds from fundraising activities more than ever. We have less disposable income than ever before, and prices for things like cheerleading uniforms, bus transport for church outings, camp fees, etc are certainly not going down, in fact they are climbing at the speed of an asteroid in some cases.
So what can we do? We as a society, organization or parent need to make sure that we squeeze every ounce of success out of every fundraiser we host, from bake sales to car washes. And Phoneraiser has a couple of tips to share with you about how to do that:
- Have a marketable product or service: What’s the point of organizing a fundraiser if you are offering a service that is overpriced, or that no one wants? Make sure that you are competitive in your pricing, and have a product that is desirable. If you can’t come up with something sellable, then don’t sell at all. Collect and recycle cell phones/pda’s and inkjet cartridges! It’s great for the environment and a very profitable way for your group to raise funds. Phoneraiser offers the opportunity for 100% of the profits used cell phones to go to your organization.
- Enlist local businesses: Whether you are enlisting them as sponsors in a dollar for dollar match, as advertisers, or asking them to provide you with free advertising, free product or some other service, you will find that local car washes will often offer you their center for free, or a discounted price, grocery stores will allow you to set up camp outside their store, newspapers will offer free advertising, and sporting goods, toy, and specialty shops will often outright donate items or money to your cause. Get your community involved. The more people you have, the more funding you can generate.
- Cheap Labor: Seriously! If your kids are benefitting from this fundraiser, its time for them to man the battle stations. In fact, anyone who benefits from the event, should be involved in some way, shape or form. Everyone you know should be approached about getting involved. Have each family in your group Facebook their friends and family and ask them to donate phones to your cause too.
- Advertise: Send out emails to your network and ask them to ask them to pass the word along. Ask local publications to write a story about the person/organization that will benefit, and mention the fundraiser. Set up a Facebook page for your group. How can a fundraiser be successful if no one knows about it? Get the word out!
- Add onto another event: If there is a fair, or sporting event or some other event that will already be drawing large crowds of people, ask the organizers if you can set up a booth at the event. They can only say no, and more than likely if you explain to them the goals of the fundraiser they will be more than happy to help!
- Don’t Over Stimulate the market: Its not a good idea to hold a fundraiser every month, regardless of how badly the money is needed. Choose a couple of times a year to talk about it, and offer something fitting for that season. Or alternatively, have an ongoing yearlong campaign with campaign markers showing the level of success so that people get involved and excited. It’s a fact that if people can see results they redouble their efforts. You can collect and recycle at any time, so you can raise funds all year long!
- Pick the Right Time: Who has extra money around Christmas? Definitely not a good time to have a fundraiser. Pick a time when the weather is likely to be pleasant, and there are no major holidays. Pick a time when you will have little competition, and when people will not be stressed out from some other big national/religious event.
- Always Share: With those that have helped you achieve your goal. They are involved and want to make sure that you are successful. This kind of grass roots communication will make sure that you can consider them in the future for help. Don’t think about just this one fundraiser, but all of the ones that you will need help with in the future. (Be sure to not approach the same people every time!)
- Use Phoneraiser – It’s free, and 100% beneficial to your organization, and what’s more it helps the environment. Kill two birds with one stone, and watch your fundraising profits climb. Who doesn’t have old cell phones lying around these days? Most households have between three and five phones in drawers waiting for you to recycle them.
Helping people get rid of unused and unwanted items will certainly be good no matter what the time of year is.
View / Add a Comment
ShareThis
