3 Tips For a Successful Online Fundraiser

Let's face it fundraising can be difficult. You have such a great cause and you are really making this world a better place but you need funding to keep making this happen.

How do you get people's attention and show them that you need help? This is the question charities and personal fundraisers around the world are facing. Fundraising seems to take time away from doing the actual cause itself! Even though fundraising takes your much-needed time remember it’s not time wasted. Without funds you simply cannot help your cause, which is the reason you are taking up fundraising in the first place! So spend the time fundraising but save time by fundraising the right way.

At Continue to Give we help fundraisers just like yours meet their fundraising goals everyday and we are prepared to share with you some of our best tips to make this happen.

1. Make the Giving Process Easy and Accessible without Added Costs

This is one of the most overlooked aspects of fundraising and one of the most important. It is your responsibility to put the “sign here” in front of your audience of potential donors. The best way to do this is to have all giving avenues available for your donor to give through: Mobile, Kiosk, and Online.

Now before you say you’re only a personal fundraiser or you couldn’t afford to have mobile, kiosk, and online e-giving options, know this, all three can cost the same to have as it does to have just one online giving option. Yes that’s right! If you use a personal fundraising account through an online giving platform that setups a WePay you won’t even be required to pay any monthly setup. So make sure you do your research when you choose a provider and check out both the organization’s nonprofit rates and the personal fundraisers nonprofit rates and compare with your situation. Either type should offer you all the giving avenues.

Next, Don’t expect your givers to be caring around cash and checks. According to a Bankrate survey 2 in every 5 people carry less than $20 in cash on a given day! Get easy donations avenues that can accept credit, debit, and ach payments.

Now, one way you could make it easier for givers is to have a self addressed already stamped return letter in your fundraising letters right? Wrong! Instead of eating that extra cost of that stamp and the extra return letter add your Text-To-Donate number and QR code. Chances are most people will have their mobile device right in their pocket! After 10 years of electronic fundraising experience, Continue to Give’s personal data shows that over 17% of donations are made on a mobile device! It’s quick, it’s easy, and you will receive the donation faster. If you don’t have a mobile option for your givers you need to get one.

Secondly, harness electronic giving avenues. Get that donate button on your website that is strategically placed either in the upper right hand corner of the screen at all times or is in your menu bar. Do not make your givers go on a hunt for your donate button! People get frustrated when finding information, such as the donate button, turns into a scavenger hunt. If you already roped them in and they want to donate, don’t make them frustrated with your giving process.

Thirdly, at fundraising events have a point of donation kiosk setup with a credit card swiper or have staff sit at a computer to take peoples donations through your online giving provider. This will make donating with a credit card easy and convenient for your givers. Remember; don’t expect people to be caring around cash and checks. Expect a credit or debit card.

In addition, credit and debit cards are not the only electronic giving method people use. Over 22% of donations made on Continue to Give software is ACH donations. What is ACH? ACH is when people can donate online with their checking account. ACH transaction rates can be a quarter of a credit card transaction. Allow your givers to donate in a way that is cheaper for you.

2. Harness the Recurring Donation

Don’t let the donation process depend on your givers! They have families, basketball games, funerals, medical, and other situations running their life besides your fundraiser. Remember the slogan, ‘The squeaky wheel gets the oil.’ Instead of constantly reminding them about your much-needed funding take time to talk with your givers about setting up a monthly donation to your cause. Remember, one conversation could lead to 12 months of steady donations!

Fundraisers setup with Continue to Give’s services that emphasized setting up recurring donations saw an increase of donations because without consecutive missed months of giving the fundraiser had a steady flow of cash coming in that they could count on.

Make the process of recurring donations easy! When a donation is being made ask if they would make it a recurring donation. Or if the donor gave a while ago ask them if they would extend that donation to become a recurring monthly donation using the same payment information that you already have on file. All they have to do is say yes and your golden!

3. Understand the word “Why?”

There are a few different reasons you should examine the word ‘Why’.

First question, “Why should I give this specific fundraiser my money instead of a different one?” You need to show the giver what their donation will go towards. Give them specific examples that will stick in their mind. For example you might be able to tell them that for every $10 given they feed a child 4 times that week, or $100 a month will ensure a family clean drinking water. Give them something to brag about. They need to know that they are making a difference.

Second question, “Why am I targeting this person or group to get funding from?” This is very important. If you are trying to get funding for an animal rights fundraiser, do not go and try to get donations from people who hunt. Take your time to know your audience. Ask yourself, “Who cares about my cause as much as I do?” Think about the perfect match of link-minded people that would be willing to give.

We hope that you have enjoyed our fundraising tips and that you can use them to increase giving. All you have to remember are these three rules: make it easy, ask for recurring donations, and relay your fundraiser to like-minded supporters.