You might not think you need to be aware of the latest trends in fundraising, but the truth is that those efforts get to be trendy in the first place because they work, so you really should make an effort to find out what is trending in the world of fundraising. This discussion will identify several of the most successful fundraising strategies currently being used, and will explain why they are so successful.
Using the social media
People involved with fundraising should make every possible use of the social media, for the same reason that marketing and advertising gurus do – there are billions of people there to hear your message. Supporters of your cause use the social media to communicate with their friends every day, and they might well be talking about your fundraising campaign if you can reach them. Since people tend to trust friends and relatives far more than they would someone making a pitch to them, all you need to do is reach a few people on social media to get them talking about your mission. If you can get the word-of-mouth machine in motion, there’s no telling where it will eventually stop.
New donor platforms
There are a number of online donor platforms which have appeared in recent years, and many of these have become hugely successful, because online giving is so accessible and so convenient. Sites like GoFundMe.com, CrowdRise.com, Indiegogo.com, and Fundly.com are all changing the way people contribute to good causes these days, so it would be worth your while to look into how they might work in tandem with your other campaign efforts. Contributing on any of these websites is easy as pie, and for people on the go like today’s busy professionals, nothing could be more appealing.
Increased usage of storytelling
Most people are simply not that interested in facts and statistics which relate to your cause. What they’d rather hear are the stories behind your cause, and have an understanding of the human element associated with the mission. A well-crafted story brings potential donors right into the picture themselves, so they can feel the pain, the suffering, and the thrills which are all part of the cause you’re bringing to them. Be sure to develop a good story which outlines why you’re running the campaign in the first place, and who is being helped by contributions. Inject the human element wherever possible, e.g. current donors explaining why they contributed, organizers explaining why they care, etc.
Focus on major donations
It should be obvious why major donations ought to be encouraged as much as possible, but not every fundraising organization is actually equipped or trained in how to handle these major donations. Since major donations make the biggest impact on the bottom line of any campaign, these should be the ones which receive the most focus on an ongoing basis. Staff members should be trained in how to seek out potential major contributors, and how to encourage those larger contributions. Once the big donations have been received, there should also be an appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation expressed to the contributors. A good understanding of how to find and manage major contributors could have a long-lasting effect as well, in terms of future campaigns.
