Thursday, May 17, 2012

Social Fundraising Online is the Trend. Get with it Non-Profits

As technology continues to get more and more advanced social fundraising is on the rise. With more and more non-profits realizing the potential of social media to advance their fundraising efforts they have to step in to the future or get left behind. Right now social media is about letting friends and family stay connected.

But many organizations have seen the light and marketing potential in using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to promote themselves and their charity events and drives. This way non-profits can reach a massive amount of people who could become donors to their cause. If you are a non-profit or just researching a way to leverage your online fundraising potential here are just a few tips in helping you reach out in social media that can benefit your social fundraising efforts fast.

Build A Strong Following of Supporters

A strong following or community in many sites is very important for you before you attempt to inject your fundraising in to it. Getting a lot of people involved in your cause and than asking for donations is better than setting up a community and asking for donations right from the start. Without the element of trust your fundraising efforts may go largely unnoticed.

Make Your Mission Statement and Reason For Fundraising Crystal Clear

The way you word your cause and what donors donations will be used for is as important to your donors as it is to your cause. Your statement should be concise and give people a positive first impression of you. It should also tell about what happens after the donation effort and if your community or group will continue monitoring the progress after the fact. If people cannot make sense of your cause than they are most likely not going to back you in it.

HYPE! Create Hype Around Your Cause and Event

There is a multitude of marketing strategies available on the internet and social media helps you to create hype about your cause. Catchy tag-lines, colorful ribbons, or some other eye catching feature that will set you apart from everyone else! This helps create a sense of community as well as an identity for your group and yourself.

Build Relationships Offline as Well As Online

Social media just gives your non-profit or organization a way to communicate and spread your message. You might have a tag-line that is catchy or other interesting new ways to get people interested, but everything you do for your organization is probably going to fall flat on it’s face if you don’t have a physical presence! Usually people are interested in knowing more about the background of an organization before they give away any money to it. So, rent a building, send out fliers, do anything to bring your cause and organization out of the internet and in to the streets!

Keep Donors In The Loop with What You Are Doing

Giving updates regularly about your cause or non-profit is another way to keep your donors informed. You have to let donors know how the money they donating is being spent and who is benefiting from their donation(s). Keeping sponsors in the loop is just another way of letting them feel like they are a larger part of your cause and charity instead of just another dollar.

Using Online Fundraising Tools

A great site that has helped raise millions of dollars is Fundly, they are the leading social fundraising platform around. With this site you can easily add a plug and play donation form. Raising awareness for your cause is hard enough so collecting donations should be easy.

No matter how big or small your non-profit, school, group, or cause is, social fundraising is the easiest and most effective way to raise money online, especially when compared to traditional fundraisers. Start fundraising online today the right way, by promoting a social fundraiser via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, and email!

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