Are you struggling to find ways to raise money for your non-profit organization? Are you not sure where to start when it comes to creating a successful campaign? Luckily, there are so many ways to create a successful campaign using both digital fundraising methods and traditional fundraising methods. Keep reading to learn more about what strategies to use and how to start using them!
Digital Marketing Fundraising:
- Email Marketing
When people think of fundraising for digital marketing, they may think of email marketing. Email marketing is a great way to target individuals and prompt them to donate to your organization. There are several reasons to start utilizing email marketing in your fundraising strategy:
- It’s affordable: There are several email marketing tools available that are easy on your budget. A few examples of affordable email marketing tools include MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, Sendinblue, or Constant Contact. Many of these email marketing platforms have other cool features too — such as SMS messaging and a built-in CRM to manage your database.
- So many ways to tell your story: The beauty of email marketing is that you can write whatever you want to spread the story of your organization. There are multiple types of emails to send to people on your email list. Some examples are welcome letters, newsletters, lead nurturing emails, sponsorship emails, and much more!
- Make it personal: The beauty of email marketing is that you are delivering the message in the email directly to the recipient. Rather than simply creating a printed advertisement and posting it on a wall, the recipient receives the message right on their electronic device. There are also ways to personalize the email depending on who the email is going to, and the less automated the email sounds, the better!
2. Social Media
Another digital tool to use for your fundraising campaign is social media. Non-profit organizations utilize many social media platforms for their campaigns, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and much more! There are many advantages to using social media for your fundraising campaign. Here are a few:
- Target different age groups: The beauty of using multiple social media platforms is that you can target different audiences. If you use Facebook for your nonprofit fundraising, you are likely going to reach people between the ages of 25–34. On the other hand, if you are using TikTok or Instagram for your fundraising efforts, you are more likely to reach an audience between the ages 16–24.
- Different social media platforms provide different tools: One unique part about using social media in your non-profit fundraising is that many social media platforms have built-in tools you can use. Take Facebook which provides two main ways for organizations to fundraise: through a non-profit Facebook account, or through supporters fundraising on the organization’s behalf. Click the link here to learn more.
- Tell your story with exciting visuals: Social media is known for the exciting visuals that people post on their social media pages. One way non-profits can utilize social media is by creating graphics to tell the story of their organization and the fundraising mission. Some ideas for content to produce include personal stories, facts about the organization’s cause, and showing how the organization helps others every day. Using visuals shows potential donors that the organization they are supporting is passionate about what they do.
Traditional Fundraising:
- Fundraising Events:
Have you ever seen organizations hold charity events such as spaghetti dinners or auctions? These types of events are great ways to raise money for your organization and meet people who care about your cause. The type of event you should hold for your event depends on many factors, such as where you are located, what your fundraiser is for, and what your budget is. Below are some reasons why a fundraising event could be the most effective way to raise money for your organization:
- Bring the community together: One thing about fundraising events is that people will come together and talk to each other. No one goes to an event without talking to anyone. This prompts people to talk either about the event itself or the organization running the event. Community events are great for people to meet one another and form friendships. Therefore, holding an event is not only good for fundraising, but it is good for your community in general.
- Spread your message: Usually, at fundraising events, people in non-profit organizations take the time to speak to people about what the organization does, and what the fundraiser is for. Because these events gather people who care about your cause, this is your chance to speak with attendees to spread awareness about your mission. As a result, people will talk to others about the mission of the organization, or people may even feel inspired to join the organization and/or further support your mission.
- Many ways for people to donate: Many fundraising events have pre-order ticket sales. People can order their tickets to the event beforehand so event organizers can accommodate the number of people coming. You can also have day-of ticket sales depending on what type of event you are having. There are also additional ways to raise money during the event, such as t-shirt sales, raffle tickets, or bake sales. When hosting an event, don’t forget to use other ways to earn donations on the day of the event!
- Event Sponsors: One way to get businesses to participate in your non-profit fundraising campaign is by setting up a tier system for businesses to donate money by sponsoring the event. You can create a bronze, silver, and gold sponsor system. A “bronze” sponsor could donate $500, “silver” could donate $1,000, and “gold” could donate $2000. These sponsors may have a table at the event or may have their logo on the back of a t-shirt, depending on the level of sponsorship and the event type itself. There are many ways to get sponsors involved in your fundraising event.
Non-profit fundraising campaigns are not always easy, but there are many resources to help you get started! If you don’t know where to start, or if you need help reaching your fundraising goals, contact Marquee at 330–234–9396, or by emailing info@marqueecreatives!
