How to Ask for Donation
by Admin / May 09, 2024
Simple but effective Fundraising Strategy
Almost all of us have been in situations where we needed help financially, for different reasons, however you would agree that asking for help is a very difficult task. Most of us don’t ever want people to think we are burdening them with our problems, let alone the shame, awkwardness and fear of failure that we feel when reaching out to others for financial support.
Seeking of donations and or investors can also be a daunting task. No matter what the medium is, we can all agree that asking for money from anyone is one of the hardest things to do, especially if you have never done it before.
Crowdfunding platforms exist to help you easy that peer pressure, however you must follow some clear guide line if you are to succeed in the efforts. We have outline a few key point below that would assist you in creating a successful campaign and hopefully assist you in meeting your goals.
Jump in with this thought in mind – “I know that my financial support is on the other side of my fear”. If it helps know that most people enjoy helping others. When you seek out the help in the form of donations, you’re simply tapping into their good human instinct.
Be as transparent and specific as possible
In raising funds being honest is always the best policy. People want to know from the start that the cause is worthy and legitimate. They need to be convinced that they can trust that their donations or investments are going toward something authentic and genuine. People connect to your story once they understand your commitment to your cause. Only then will they donate or participate with you on your journey. (Our staff can assist you with writing your fundraising story)
You just don’t want to grab people’s attention – you want to provide very specific information in a very strong way to move your audience from reading your story to actually participate. What is the current situation of the campaign, where you want to take it – your aim and objective of the fundraising and what you hop to achieve at the end. Also how can people be part of the outcome, for example, can they be present and participate at the handing over ceremony, or can they recommend beneficiaries for your campaign etc.
Be thoughtful in your request
The best way to get positive responses is to strongly appeal to a specific interests. All of us have pet project that we love but may not be able to do it but we can contribute to a love project that is already going on in the community. Do not make demands, just simple request and only focus on what is it that you need at the time.
Do not make the campaign too complicated by adding to many components. Focus on just one Item at a time. You can always create another campaign for other things once the first one is completed successfully. People respond better to simplicity so focus on delivering your message accordingly.
By keeping it simple, you can target the types of donor or investors you are seeking out because you want to seek out those that are interested in your type of activities, you can go as far as personalize the request by stating who the beneficiaries is going to be, for example the victims of a recent home fire or a recent amputee etc. Some campaigners even state the relationship of the beneficiaries, making it known to friend and family who may want to donate and assist that beneficiary.
If you plan on sending out emails about your campaign with links to your page, ensure that you personalize your email. While it might be a little bit more time consuming, personalize mail to potential donors or investors increases the number of donation you receives and separates your message from all the spam that the donor or investor receives daily. Personalize email or mail also enhance your campaign returns because it shows that the relationship is more than just money.
Create a sense of urgency
The importance of urgency cannot be understated. You don’t want your potential donors waiting to donate. How do you create the sense of urgency? By simply explaining what will happen if you don’t raise the money in a certain amount of time. As best as possible, try not to be negative with your campaign. Remember even the negative consequences can still be outlined with a silver lining.
Make it easy to donate
Life move fast and people forget very quickly so it is important to make it easy for people to donate. In the Caribbean we are at a little disadvantage because we don’t have access to online payment system. That’s what Fund Hub utilizes a “Third Party Trustee Company” with Money Mobile Guyana (MMG) System.
Set up creative ways for your donors like always include a link to your donation page in your regular emails. Prepare and send out images and videos that links to your page and donation button. Create an FAQ section in your campaign that can address any concern ad fears immediately and use it to prompt your donor to donate. Create text messages and email blast and asked your close friends and family to assist you in forwarding your cause. Lastly don’t forget to use social media such as Facebook, tiktok and instagram to promote your cause.
Show gratitude to your donors
This is the most important step for all campaigners – please let your donors know how much you appreciate them by thanking for their donations. Email is a great way to open this communication but you can also send out thank you cards or a small appreciation gift. These small gestures of gratitude do go a long very way in building and maintaining relationships and even encouraging repeat donations.
Remember everyone is entitled to their opinion and you won’t get a donation from every person you ask, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you have done a bad job. Life happens, and people get distracted or they don’t have the money to donate. Understanding this, continue to politely follow up with anyone who didn’t donate the first time you reached out and perhaps suggest other ways they can show support for free, such as sharing your fundraiser. Now that you’re armed with this information on how to improve your fundraising campaign, don’t for get to help others.
Almost all of us have been in situations where we needed help financially, for different reasons, however you would agree that asking for help is a very difficult task. Most of us don’t ever want people to think we are burdening them with our problems, let alone the shame, awkwardness and fear of failure that we feel when reaching out to others for financial support.
Seeking of donations and or investors can also be a daunting task. No matter what the medium is, we can all agree that asking for money from anyone is one of the hardest things to do, especially if you have never done it before.
Crowdfunding platforms exist to help you easy that peer pressure, however you must follow some clear guide line if you are to succeed in the efforts. We have outline a few key point below that would assist you in creating a successful campaign and hopefully assist you in meeting your goals.
Jump in with this thought in mind – “I know that my financial support is on the other side of my fear”. If it helps know that most people enjoy helping others. When you seek out the help in the form of donations, you’re simply tapping into their good human instinct.
Be as transparent and specific as possible
In raising funds being honest is always the best policy. People want to know from the start that the cause is worthy and legitimate. They need to be convinced that they can trust that their donations or investments are going toward something authentic and genuine. People connect to your story once they understand your commitment to your cause. Only then will they donate or participate with you on your journey. (Our staff can assist you with writing your fundraising story)
You just don’t want to grab people’s attention – you want to provide very specific information in a very strong way to move your audience from reading your story to actually participate. What is the current situation of the campaign, where you want to take it – your aim and objective of the fundraising and what you hop to achieve at the end. Also how can people be part of the outcome, for example, can they be present and participate at the handing over ceremony, or can they recommend beneficiaries for your campaign etc.
Be thoughtful in your request
The best way to get positive responses is to strongly appeal to a specific interests. All of us have pet project that we love but may not be able to do it but we can contribute to a love project that is already going on in the community. Do not make demands, just simple request and only focus on what is it that you need at the time.
Do not make the campaign too complicated by adding to many components. Focus on just one Item at a time. You can always create another campaign for other things once the first one is completed successfully. People respond better to simplicity so focus on delivering your message accordingly.
By keeping it simple, you can target the types of donor or investors you are seeking out because you want to seek out those that are interested in your type of activities, you can go as far as personalize the request by stating who the beneficiaries is going to be, for example the victims of a recent home fire or a recent amputee etc. Some campaigners even state the relationship of the beneficiaries, making it known to friend and family who may want to donate and assist that beneficiary.
If you plan on sending out emails about your campaign with links to your page, ensure that you personalize your email. While it might be a little bit more time consuming, personalize mail to potential donors or investors increases the number of donation you receives and separates your message from all the spam that the donor or investor receives daily. Personalize email or mail also enhance your campaign returns because it shows that the relationship is more than just money.
Create a sense of urgency
The importance of urgency cannot be understated. You don’t want your potential donors waiting to donate. How do you create the sense of urgency? By simply explaining what will happen if you don’t raise the money in a certain amount of time. As best as possible, try not to be negative with your campaign. Remember even the negative consequences can still be outlined with a silver lining.
Make it easy to donate
Life move fast and people forget very quickly so it is important to make it easy for people to donate. In the Caribbean we are at a little disadvantage because we don’t have access to online payment system. That’s what Fund Hub utilizes a “Third Party Trustee Company” with Money Mobile Guyana (MMG) System.
Set up creative ways for your donors like always include a link to your donation page in your regular emails. Prepare and send out images and videos that links to your page and donation button. Create an FAQ section in your campaign that can address any concern ad fears immediately and use it to prompt your donor to donate. Create text messages and email blast and asked your close friends and family to assist you in forwarding your cause. Lastly don’t forget to use social media such as Facebook, tiktok and instagram to promote your cause.
Show gratitude to your donors
This is the most important step for all campaigners – please let your donors know how much you appreciate them by thanking for their donations. Email is a great way to open this communication but you can also send out thank you cards or a small appreciation gift. These small gestures of gratitude do go a long very way in building and maintaining relationships and even encouraging repeat donations.
Remember everyone is entitled to their opinion and you won’t get a donation from every person you ask, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you have done a bad job. Life happens, and people get distracted or they don’t have the money to donate. Understanding this, continue to politely follow up with anyone who didn’t donate the first time you reached out and perhaps suggest other ways they can show support for free, such as sharing your fundraiser. Now that you’re armed with this information on how to improve your fundraising campaign, don’t for get to help others.