It’s important to know the essentials of an online centered fundraiser. Source: Freedigitalphotos.net
In today’s technology-driven world, utilizing an online fundraiser for your organization just makes good sense. Many of us spend all day in front of a computer, while the rest of the adult population connects to the internet through a smartphone – some do both! We practically live online and the internet isn’t going away, so the nonprofit sector should embrace the use of this tool as soon as possible. If your organization is ready to give it a try, here are some of the essentials of creating an online centered fundraiser.
Just like hosting any successful fundraising effort, your organization will need to put together a team of individuals to manage and promote your online fundraiser, plus a group of volunteers to handle the details. For an online fundraising effort you will need volunteers with skills in these areas: photography, writing, social media and more.
Your campaign will lean heavily on social media, and photos and video are a key element of that medium. Donors want to know how their gifts will be used. Make sure your photographers get pictures that represent the people that you help or the facility you are building, including updates as the building is built! It’s also important to get pictures of ribbon cuttings and special events to show the public the whole picture of your organization.
If you have volunteers who like to write, they won’t be bored working with an online campaign. You will turn to these volunteers for press releases, emails, blog posts, donor spotlight articles and e-newsletters. Depending on your organization, you might also have them create acknowledgment letters and talking points for speeches.
Utilizing social media is so important for your organization because of the ability to “share.” Once your social media team posts those great photos (or video) of your happy clients being helped, your supporters may choose to share them with their own friends. Of course the large Donate Now link is clearly featured. This is what online fundraising is all about – and it’s free! Deciding how many volunteers you want to put on the social media team depends on your organization, but it’s good to remember that posting to social media takes considerably longer than reading it! Just like anything else, if you want it done right, it takes time.
Bricks R Us
The excellent customer service team here at Bricks R Us is ready to help your organization make the most of your online fundraiser. Here are just some of the ways you can turn to BRU for assistance:
- Ordering donor appreciation gifts for your best supporters, such as commemorative engraved brick pavers.
- Design and creation of a secure, user-friendly donor website for online brick ordering, reporting and thanking.
- Suggestions for utilizing brick pavers as gifts, awards, prizes and more.
If you have questions about hosting an online fundraiser, contact Bricks R Us today. We’ve been helping nonprofit organizations meet their fundraising goals for more than 25 years. Let us help you today!
