10 Steps to a Successful
Online Donations Fundraiser
An Online Fundraisingpage, also known as Crowdfunding, is the perfect fundraiser for individuals,small nonprofits, and specific projects!
Crowdfunding is alsobeing used successfully by many largecharities and it really holds some massive potential.
Below is the step-by-stepprocess of setting up your page and fundraising from it successfully!
A Simple Step-by-Step Guide...
This page is the easy tofollow and simple step-by-step guide.
You can download it as a PDF (and print it out) for quick reference and guidance as well, if you wish! Something I would highly recommend you do!!!
For deeperunderstanding of why you should follow the following steps, please read thelinks provided in each step, or read all 3 of the Online Donation Successarticles.
Please remember thatALL steps are important! Especially the second half of them.
Let's start...
Successful Online Fundraising:
Step 1 - Ask Yourself?
The first step is totruly ask yourself if your fundraising cause is good enough to receivedonations.
The simple test question: Will myfriends and family donate to me, us, or this cause?
Because if they won't,then nobody is going to! (And remember that for individual causes, most of your donations will come from people you know.)
If that answer is yes,then you're ready to take the next step and get started...
Step 2 - Signup:
This is the easy step.
Head over here to signup and get started.
Step 3 - Post Title, Fundraising Goal & Pick a Category:
Use a catchy title that will stand out and connect with people.
For example: Be a Hero in Sam's Fight AgainstCancer
You should alreadyhave an online fundraising goal, but if not, you'll need to put some careful thoughtinto what it should be.
Also remember to incorporate the Crowdfundingplatform's service fee when setting your goal.
You’ll also need toselect a category for your page to be listed on.
Once you've done those steps, then...
Step 4 - Create & Post a Photo or Video:
People are imageoriented, so this online fundraising step is important.
It's also well knownthat campaigns with videos raise farmore than those with only a photo.
So creating a videothat tells your cause's story, connects emotionally with those that watch it,and has a clear call to action is HIGHLYrecommended!
If you don't have avideo, then start with a great photo that "speaks the cause", and then create avideo when you can, to replace it.
Step 5 - Write Your Fundraising Message (Elevator Pitch):
This is the message ofthe fundraiser.
Write a pitch that:
- Starts with short,single sentence paragraphs that begin the explanation of why you are fundraisingand why you need the readers help.
For example:
"Over the next year I am going to be qualifyingfor the Olympics!
It's my ultimate dream!!!
But I need your help to do it. Here's how..."
- Is generally writtenwith short paragraphs. People scan when reading on the net and they won't readlong paragraphs. So no more than 3 lines a paragraph.
- Tells your causes story in an emotionally connecting way, and makesyour donorfeel like a hero. You need to relate and connect on an emotional levelto get your potential donor to take the action of donating!
- Explains why theyshould donate (invest) in you or your cause. Why is your cause so special orimportant!
- Has a CLEAR call to action! You must ask andprompt people to donate. Also give them other specific ways that they cansupport you, like sharing your page on Facebook, etc.
For example:
"Donations of $50 wouldbe hugely appreciated... But anything you can spare will be just as welcomed. Clickon the donate button to sponsor me and help my HUGE dream come true! Thank you!
You can also help outBIG time by sharing this page via the Facebook and Twitter buttons, etc. upabove."
Step 6 - Create Rewards (Optional):
This is optional butcan be great motivation for people to take that step to donate.
If it fits with yourcampaign and you're able to set some rewards, then I'drecommend you do it.
Have a few rewardoptions and definitely have one for $25... Stats say that this reward amount isthe most frequently donated to!
Step 7 - Plan your Promotions:
Doing the first 6steps will mean absolutely nothing if you don't do these next few, thepromotion of your online fundraising page, effectively!
If no one sees yourpage, no one will donate to you. The same principle applies with - the morepeople that see your page, the more people who will donate to you!
And the more peoplethat see your page, the more people who will share it, and therefore promote itfurther. Your intention MUST be to have a campaign that goes viral!
You MUST share and promote your fundraisingpage...
- With everyone youknow.
- With every methodpossible. Sharing on Social Media, phoning, speaking face to face, and askingfriends to speak to friends!
- As many times as reasonablypossible - without being too pushy.
So write down astrategy and checklist for promoting your Crowdfunder over the period of timeyou intend to fundraise for. With "starting", general, weekly, and daily actions.
For example:
- Share on Facebook and Twitter onceper day.
- Phone 5 friends a day.
- Message 5 friends aday.
- Recruit 5 differentfriends per week to help promote your fundraiser to their friends!
- Etc.
And make sure you follow that strategythoroughly!!!
Step 8 - Seed your Campaign:
People do what theysee other people do. It's a basic law of humanity.
When someone sees thatanother person has donated to or shared an online fundraising campaign, then they aremore inclined to do the same.
It makes the cause seem more worthy as it hassomeone's stamp of approval.
The bottom line is noone wants to donate to a cause that no one else is donating to. The same goeswith sharing it!
So, do both of thefollowing...
Step 8.1 - Seed Donations:
Get your 5 closestfriends or family (or more), contact them directly (like via a phone call orspeak to them in person) and get them to donate to your cause the day/hour youlaunch it.
You'll also get themto take part in the next seeding step...
Step 8.2 - Start Sharing:
You must start off the sharing of your page. If you don't, no one else will!
Share it on everySocial Media site that you're connected on (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,Google +, Linked In, etc.).
And don't just say, "Please support my cause!" Write up a great post (that's not too long), thatreally encourages people to go to your fundraising page and donate!
And then, as with the step above, get your 5 ormore, closest friends and family to do the same!
For deeperinfo on seeding, read here.
Step 9 - Continue Sharing & Update:
As your online fundraising campaignprogresses, you must continue to share it and update your supporters with itsprogress.
Not to mention, publiclythanking donors as they donate, or once a day in a list of all donorsfor the day (see the final step).
Be sure to post thison Facebook and tag all their names so that your post goes on their walls. Thiswill mean it will also show up on some of their friends' news feeds!
You can also set yoursettings to automatically make a daily Facebook post. You may not want to dothis though, as you might want your daily post to be a bit more personalized.It's up to you.
Posters:
Some platforms alsoprovides a printable version of your fundraising page.
This poster displaysyour Title, campaign image, and page link (url), plus a QR Code for smart phoneusers to easily open your fundraising page.
Post these posters upwherever you can, on local bulletin boards, at your school, at your church, andat your local sports clubs, etc.
Fundraising Widget:
If you have a websiteor blog, or know someone who does, then you should definitely make use of the fundraisingwidget/badge that is provided.
It's essentially an interactivebutton/block that can be placed on a website or blog, and will advertise your campaign,with a direct link to your page.
See the examples below...
Step 10 - Thank & Communicate with Donors:
Finally, but utterlyimportant, is to thank your donors profusely and continue to communicate to them your fundraiser's progress.
You want them to feel reallyspecial for having donated to you! Theymust be a 'hero' of your cause and theymust know that!
Not only is this justa good thing to do, but it will also encourage them to share and talk aboutyour fundraiser to their friends... Widening the reach of your campaign!
Crowdfunding Summary:
Essentially there aretwo major parts to creating and running a successful online fundraisingcampaign:
- Createan awesome campaign page -> that connects with your potential donorsemotionally and makes them feel like a hero if they donate.
- And Promote that online fundraising page ferociously! -> From beginning toend, continually share and promote your page in a way that makes people clickthrough to it and want to donate to it!
For more elaborateguidelines on running a highly successful online fundraising page, readall three of the Successful Online Donations Fundraiser articles.
Ready to Start Your Fundraiser?
Then headover and get your Campaign flying!
I wish you all the best of luck!!!
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