Accelerate your personal fundraising goals – 5 easy tips
You found a cause you're passionate about - now how do you spread the word?
Develop a list of potential donors
Put together a list of anyone and everyone in your network - it could be family, friends, co-workers, friends of friends and local businesses. You'll be surprised how large your network really is, and how open people are to contributing to a good cause!
Begin communicating and build a website
Once you've built a list, it's time to reach out and tell your story. You can do this through email, phone calls, personal meetings, fundraising events, or by asking your contacts to spread the word.
The most effective means to communicate to a wide audience is through an online presence. You'll need a central place that conveys the message behind the cause and can easily capture donations. Blackbaud WebNow with PayPal is a simple way to get your personal fundraising site up and running quickly, and doesn't require technical expertise.
Leverage social networking
Social networking is becoming a powerful way to expand your network and reach new donors. You can add your donation link to your Facebook profile, and your visitors can link directly from that page to your donation site. You'll reap the benefits of getting additional exposure to people that you may not come in contact with regularly. You can do the same for LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace or any other social networking site you belong to.
Contact your local newspaper and news station
Human interest stories are always a favorite of the media and draw in viewers and readers. Find out which reporters are in charge of community news and appeal to them directly with a feel-good, people-focused story. You'll be amazed by how much traffic will increase to your site with one story in the local paper - and who knows, it may be compelling enough to capture national media attention.
Keep your donors updated
Keep your donors up to speed on your progress - donations raised, relevant events and news. Once you've reached your goals, make sure your donors are thanked and feel appreciated. Your website is the ideal place to communicate the status of your cause and to keep the momentum going even after you've reached your initial goals.