Top Tips for Successful Fundraising – and How Communications Can Help

Want to step up your fundraising game? Effective fundraising depends on a number of factors – and good communications is crucial. Check out our top tips for successful fundraising below to help your organization achieve its goals.

• Know your audience. Your messaging and strategy for fundraising could vary drastically depending on your target donors. Do your homework about your audience to tailor your fundraising activities appropriately.
• Tell a story. Everyone loves a personal touch. Promoting successful case studies of your work gives potential donors a concrete example of your group’s benefits. Tell a compelling human story of how your work has made a difference.
• Be clear about the problem and solution. This sounds obvious, but any donor pitch needs to clearly illustrate the problem you are trying to solve and how you are going to do it.
• Make it real. Donors want to know what their money is going toward, and the more specific, the better. For example, if your nonprofit runs after-school programs for low-income youth, your pitch could be: “A donation of $X covers one child for the school year.” This allows donors to see a direct benefit from their donations.
• Cultivate relationships with donors. Many nonprofits experience very high rates of donor turnover. Prospecting new donors is a time-consuming and expensive task. Simply put, it’s less expensive for organizations to maintain current relationships than to seek new ones. Avoid seeing your donations as just a transaction – thank your donors and encourage them to get involved in your organization in other ways to keep them engaged and more likely to give again. Provide updates and celebrate successes with donors so they feel they are part of tracking the progress toward your goals.
• Make giving easy. When it comes to convincing people to give you their money, don’t make them jump through hoops. Use social media, integrate an easy giving page on your website and make it simple.
• Stand out from the crowd! The United States has 1.5 million registered nonprofits – so the fundraising space is crowded. Don’t be afraid to show off how your organization is unique, and make it clear why your group is best suited for someone’s donation. Don’t be boring!

Need more help? The Hatcher Group can assist with your communications and fundraising needs. Contact us!