Julie Queler, a renowned and dedicated philanthropist, once said, “Everyone is passionate about something. I want to help people believe that they can affect change in the world. Sometimes all you need is a little nudge and someone else to believe in you.” This is a quote anyone working for, or in charge of a fundraiser, should keep in mind. The sole purpose of a fundraiser is in it’s name, to raise funds. If one keeps in mind that everyone has a desire or a goal, you can motivate them to give you funds! Here are the top 4 tips to help you get better at that.
Know Your Audience
This helpful nugget pops up in many different niches, but most frequently in jobs where there must be some form of communication. You need to know who are the kinds of people who would most likely donate, and then you need to figure out how to get them in the door!
If your fundraiser is seeking to help refugees in a third world country, and you happen to operate in a predominantly middle class family, how would you figure out who to “target” as potential sponsors or donors?
After doing some legwork, you could come to discover that there are many families of immigrants in the area. Once you know that, you can use that connection to foster a genuine bond with a potential sponsor or donor.
Bottom line is that if you reach out to the right people for your cause, you have a better chance at creating long term, lasting relationships with your sponsors/donors.
Set Realistic Goals
Yes, I get it. You want to save the world. Maybe end world hunger or usher in world peace. But those are the exact opposite of realistic goals.
In Network for Good’s free ebook on being a better fundraiser, they give a small piece of advice. “Challenge yourself to set goals and success measures that truly advance your mission and meet the most critical needs of your organization.”
It can be tempting to try to throw a huge event because you think that’s how things are done, but before you do, take the time to consider the pros and the cons. Make sure you are having the right type of events. Make sure that your event actually brings in money to be used for your particular cause. There’s no sense in having an event and not having any money left over for your movement.
Setting Fundraising Goals
Obviously, a fundraiser needs to have a goal. Goals give motivation to everyone involved, from any volunteers/employees down to the sponsors and the donors. The goals are also like barometers in a way. It’s a good way to measure growth, expansion, and effectiveness. But you must also keep in mind that events and things of that nature have associated costs, so you may want to factor in the estimated costs of the events when deciding on a goal.
Form a Squad
No man is an island and your fundraiser shouldn’t be either. Recruit friends, family, friends, neighbors, anybody really, to help support your cause. If you’re lucky enough to have the money, hire the people that feel right to you, and have demonstrated that they are committed to the cause. You can’t do everything by yourself. Not to mention how bad of an idea that would be. You need people on your side who can handle the things you can’t while you handle other duties. You need people who support you and share in the fight to complete the mission. That way, you can more easily overcome any obstacles and challenges.
We all have different passions and movements that we want to support, that’s why we should strive to do it in a better and more efficient way. If you’re running a fundraiser, you’ll need to be able to connect with the right sponsors and donors for your movement, set goals you can realistically achieve, and form a team that can help take you further than you could have by yourself. Of course, there’s a lot more that goes into organizing a fundraiser, but these four tips boil it down to the bare bones to give you an idea of where to start. Happy Fundraising!
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