Last week we we shared How to Create Successful Donation Pages: 5 Basic Tips. To follow up, we wanted to look at ways to get people to your online donation page in the first place! We know you’re raising money for a good cause, so fundraising will obviously be easier if a large amount of folks read up on your plight. But what can you do to raise the head count at your donation page when there are so many other causes out there? Let’s take a look.
1. Share Socially
Image Courtesy of Janko at Warp Speed http://bit.ly/9q4WKb
Of course this is Rule #1 in today’s world. Posting a link to your cause on Facebook, Twitter and the like is the easiest and quickest way to get the word out. It only takes a few seconds and immediately reaches those nearest and dearest to you (plus those random people you sort of remember from high school).
Remember that though they may feel for you, it takes some people a little while to muster up the energy to click their mouse on your link. So don’t just post it once or it’ll quickly fade away down the feed. On the other hand, don’t post the link a hundred times an hour. You know better than that.
We’ve found that sharing your links on twitter and facebook increase donations an average of $5 a share! So get the word out with your network- it’ll make collecting those donations a snap.
2. Visit Other Sites
If the case is a specific one, like trying to assist someone suffering from a specific disease, try and hunt down websites that pertain to that disease and supporting other sufferers. Often they will have chat forums where you can post a message and link to your case. If anyone out there understands, it will be those folks, and they may even have advice for you that almost nobody else could provide!
3. Publish a Blog
Do you have a blog? Write up a story! Even if you don’t have many readers, getting the word out there in some form always helps. If you don’t own a blog at all, it’s free to start one, and you should be able to find someone out there willing to write up some posts for you.
If all else fails, contact some bloggers to champion your cause! If you’re nice enough and explain the situation to them, you should be able to locate a blogger willing to give you a small write-up. This is especially true if the case is near and dear to their own heart, so keep an eye out for bloggers high up the food chain who care about your cause.
Doubt the power of blogs? Check out this amazing holiday miracle story that occurred on the Bloggess blog. Spontaneously, without corporate sponsorship, “Over 900 gift cards were sent out by 689 people who were so thrilled to help. 450 people who needed small Christmas miracles received donations for medicine, food, or presents under the tree for their children.” Blogs are powerful.
4. Email
It’s easy to forget, as it’s almost become the Internet’s version of snail mail, but make sure to email all your friends and family with a link to your cause. Some people simply don’t use Facebook or read blogs, so they’ll never even know about your fundraising efforts. Send a quick email with a link and a short summary of the issue at hand to friends and family. You should see a sharp incline in visits and (hopefully) donations.
5. Thank Them
One of the most woefully forgotten things to do when it comes to fundraising is to thank people for helping. A simple little email or note on the cause’s page from you thanking them for their contribution goes a long way. If available, give them an update on the cause, so that they understand how their donation has helped. In fact, thanking and updating people can go so far as to generate further donations, as it shows you’re appreciative and dedicated to the cause. This can lead people to spread the word to their friends and family to head over and give whatever they can. Then, be sure to thank them too!
Fountain pen optional
