Nine ways to promote your personal fundraising page A Firstgiving.com webinar with David Karp and FM Days March 25, 2009

Assumptions You’ve already set up a fundraising page for your favorite nonprofit cause, Set your fundraising goal, Uploaded a great photo, And written a heartfelt personal message. If you haven’t yet, start here: www.firstgiving.com/Design/1/fundraisers.asp

You’ve already set up a fundraising page for your favorite nonprofit cause,

Set your fundraising goal,

Uploaded a great photo,

And written a heartfelt personal message.

If you haven’t yet, start here: www.firstgiving.com/Design/1/fundraisers.asp

Nine ways to promote your page Online 1. Email everybody 3. Facebook 5. Bookmarking 7. Video 9. Email signature Offline 2. Pick up the phone 4. Throw a party 6. Cards & flyers 8. Local press

Online

1. Email everybody

3. Facebook

5. Bookmarking

7. Video

9. Email signature

Offline

2. Pick up the phone

4. Throw a party

6. Cards & flyers

8. Local press

1. Email everybody you know Collect all the email addresses you have Segment them into close friends, old friends, family, work, classmates, etc. Draft an email for each group Personalize whenever possible Start with those closest to you and send in batches

Collect all the email addresses you have

Segment them into close friends, old friends, family, work, classmates, etc.

Draft an email for each group

Personalize whenever possible

Start with those closest to you and send in batches

I said everybody It’s easy to come up with reasons not to ask people – fight the impulse Compile your email list from every reasonable source It’s easy for them to say “no” or just not respond You’re asking for a good cause

It’s easy to come up with reasons not to ask people – fight the impulse

Compile your email list from every reasonable source

It’s easy for them to say “no” or just not respond

You’re asking for a good cause

Once is not enough Don’t send just one email to your lists and call it a day Plan a schedule of messages from now till your event date, maybe beyond it Add timely updates to each message Don’t forget to do a final update and thank-you to all

Don’t send just one email to your lists and call it a day

Plan a schedule of messages from now till your event date, maybe beyond it

Add timely updates to each message

Don’t forget to do a final update and thank-you to all

Simple fundraising letter formula Don’t apologize Say why it’s important to you Ask for an amount and explain what that amount is for Link prominently to your fundaising page Give links for more info about the cause/org Sign up for our successful fundraising letters webinar on April 22

Don’t apologize

Say why it’s important to you

Ask for an amount and explain what that amount is for

Link prominently to your fundaising page

Give links for more info about the cause/org

Sign up for our successful fundraising letters webinar on April 22

2. Pick up the phone Not everybody you know is comfortable online A phone call is immediate and personal Use calls to follow up on emails Use calls to thank big donors and ask for referrals

Not everybody you know is comfortable online

A phone call is immediate and personal

Use calls to follow up on emails

Use calls to thank big donors and ask for referrals

3. Facebook Use your status (just like Twitter) Use the Firstgiving Facebook app Create a Facebook event

Use your status (just like Twitter)

Use the Firstgiving Facebook app

Create a Facebook event

Facebook status

Firstgiving Facebook app

Facebook events

4. Throw a party Host an event and solicit donations from attendees Door/admission fees as donations Tips/sales as donations Bar night / happy hour / bake sale / potluck dinner / karaoke night… Promote the party with online event sites as well as email or paper invites

Host an event and solicit donations from attendees

Door/admission fees as donations

Tips/sales as donations

Bar night / happy hour / bake sale / potluck dinner / karaoke night…

Promote the party with online event sites as well as email or paper invites

5. Social bookmarking Social bookmarking sites are for sharing your favorite websites (Digg.com is one) You list your favorite sites, others comment and vote them up or down If you’re lucky, you’ll get some visitors There are lots of bookmarking sites See our list of 99 places to promote your page online for lots more social bookmarking sites

Social bookmarking sites are for sharing your favorite websites (Digg.com is one)

You list your favorite sites, others comment and vote them up or down

If you’re lucky, you’ll get some visitors

There are lots of bookmarking sites

See our list of 99 places to promote your page online for lots more social bookmarking sites

Digg

6. Cards & flyers Make cards, stickers or flyers (moo, vistaprint, etc.) and always have some with you Give everyone you meet one to keep and some to pass along Post them every- where you can: libraries, churches, supermarkets, post offices, town halls, telephone poles… but don’t litter !

Make cards, stickers or flyers (moo, vistaprint, etc.) and always have some with you

Give everyone you meet one to keep and some to pass along

Post them every- where you can: libraries, churches, supermarkets, post offices, town halls, telephone poles… but don’t litter !

7. Video Make a video about your fundraising Shorter is better, doesn’t have to be fancy Webcams and cell phones work great Let your passion for your cause show Post it to as many video sites as you can, with a link to your fundraising page in the description

Make a video about your fundraising

Shorter is better, doesn’t have to be fancy

Webcams and cell phones work great

Let your passion for your cause show

Post it to as many video sites as you can, with a link to your fundraising page in the description

You can say it in 12 seconds

Your page on YouTube

8. Local press Your fundraising is news! Local papers and websites need stories badly, especially local ones Tell them what you’re doing and why it’s interesting or important or heartwarming Download our PR tip sheet (PDF)

Your fundraising is news!

Local papers and websites need stories badly, especially local ones

Tell them what you’re doing and why it’s interesting or important or heartwarming

Download our PR tip sheet (PDF)

9. Use your email signature Set it up in outlook, hotmail, gmail, etc. Add a little ask to every email message you send

Set it up in outlook, hotmail, gmail, etc.

Add a little ask to every email message you send

Wow, that’s a lot of ideas Where to start? Start with what you’re most comfortable with Expand your comfort zone and experiment What to expect? Not everything will work fast, and not everything will work at all The best results will come from people you’re closest to and where your message is most personal and authentic But every additional dollar from an unexpected source goes to the cause!

Where to start?

Start with what you’re most comfortable with

Expand your comfort zone and experiment

What to expect?

Not everything will work fast, and not everything will work at all

The best results will come from people you’re closest to and where your message is most personal and authentic

But every additional dollar from an unexpected source goes to the cause!

Slides, recording and all questions will posted to www.onlinefundraisingblog.com/ 9ways Learn more and see more webinars at www.onlinefundraisingblog.com or contact us at [email_address] Thank you!