Starting a fundraiser for your cause doesn’t have to be intimidating. Thankfully, there are plenty of simple fundraising tips you can follow to ensure your fundraiser is as successful as possible. In order to help you hit your fundraising goals, we’ve put together the top five tips to help you make your fundraiser as successful as possible.
Use these crowdfunding tips to find success
1. Make it attention-grabbing
If you’re wondering how to have a successful fundraiser, start by focusing on what will show up on social media: the title and the main image.
The title should entice people to click on your fundraiser. Try to make it intriguing and relevant for the reader by including the actual cause in the title. For example, titles like, “Bring Joy to Kids in the Hospital” or, “Helping Our Hero Get Back on His Feet” work perfectly.
Choose a main image that is clear and related to your cause. Since people are bombarded with thousands of images a day, it’s important to make your post stand out. If you can, include photos with the people, animals, or places the fundraiser is for.
2. Write a compelling story
The story is arguably the most important part when it comes to successful fundraising. It’s what will ultimately lead someone to decide whether or not they will donate. Write the story with both strangers and friends in mind. This way, if someone you don’t know stumbles across your fundraiser, they will have enough information to encourage them to donate.
Here’s what to include for a great story:
- The hook: To hook your audience, focus on writing a great first line. It should create a reason for the reader to keep reading.
- Context: Let people know the basics of your story—the who, what, where, when, and why of the fundraiser.
- The current state: Bring the audience into your moment. If this is a personal fundraiser, this would mean how you feel about your circumstances. If this is a fundraiser for an organization, focus on why it means so much for this organization to receive donations.
- Hope for the future: What do you hope to accomplish with the funds you raise? How will donors’ support positively impact the future? If you can, frame your story in a positive light, focusing on a hopeful future and by showing donors how they can be a part of making that dream a reality.
- Emotion: Connect with readers by engaging with their emotions. Facts tell the story, but emotions move the reader to act. The more you can relay the emotion that lies behind your cause or circumstances, the more likely supporters are to donate.
- Formatting: Most crowdfunding platforms allow you to include bolded, underlined, and italicized text. Emphasize the most important words or points to help your readers skim your story and understand what matters most.
3. Gain trust
Since crowdfunding is a relatively new concept, potential supporters might be asking, is crowdfunding safe? It’s normal for people to have questions about online fundraising, making it even more important for you to put their minds at ease.
Potential donors might be wondering how they can be sure that the money will go to the right place or person, or how you’re related to the person or cause you’re raising money for.
With this in mind, it’s important to include as many details as possible in your story, and to consistently update donors on where the funds are going and how they are being used. Supporters love to see how their contribution is making an impact.
4. Create a buzz
There are three fundraising fundamentals to keep in mind when creating buzz around your cause.
Grab their attention
One of the top online fundraising tips includes writing a hook that you can share on social media. Since your audience on social media might not have much time, consider what you could share in your post that would really grab someone’s attention. Can you make your post inspiring? Intriguing? A cliffhanger? Here are a few examples:
- I’m changing the world. Click here to learn what I’ve been up to!
- We’ve been living in the presence of a silent superhero! Read her story here.
Ask for support
Loop your inner circle of friends and family into your efforts. Before or right after you go live, text or call five close supporters. Ask them if they’d be willing to share your campaign, or even donate. This will arm you with the confidence to share the fundraiser with your wider circle.
Start sharing
Finally, share your fundraiser on multiple platforms so that you don’t miss anyone. Every one of your contacts has a unique style of communication. Share by email, phone call, text message, Facebook—and make sure to tag specific people on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or anywhere else you communicate with people you know. Most crowdfunding platforms have easy sharing tools built into their fundraiser dashboards. Ultimately, it’s important to ask people you know to share your fundraiser—even if they can’t donate.
Keep the momentum going
Keep donors and supporters excited about your cause by posting updates to your fundraiser every week or so. Don’t forget to share them! Consider the following ideas for updates:
- Share important milestones and accomplishments. For example, “We’re halfway to our goal!”
- Create ‘mini goals.’ For example, “We hope to raise $500 by Friday! Can you share our fundraiser and help us get to our goal?”
- Publicly thank donors or those who have shared your fundraiser.
5. Go above and beyond
Going the extra mile for your fundraiser can truly improve your chances of success. Here are a few ideas:
- Make a video: Bring your cause to life with a simple video that tells your story. Keep the length around 1-3 minutes.
- Get specific: Share the impact that specific donation amounts will have. For example, if your campaign is raising money to buy coats for kids who need them, including the fact that a donation of $26 will buy one coat may encourage more donations.
- Make flyers: Print them out and hang them around your community. This is a great way to reach community members.
Are you ready to start fundraising?
Before you start, be sure to choose the crowdfunding site that’s right for you, and one that includes the fundraising basics. Remember to keep certain questions in mind when choosing the platform to ensure it fits all of your needs like, “is it really free to fundraise?” and, “does the platform provide all of the sharing tools I’ll need?”
So much of a fundraiser’s success depends on how well it’s crafted, and if you stick to the tips we’ve provided here, you’re guaranteed to make your fundraiser as successful as it can be.