How to Ask Your Supporters to Donate Online
Credit to the adorable dog from mynameisgigi.com
BEFORE you ask your supporters to donate on a social network, offer them something in return: whether it be attention, knowledge, or inspiration, give them a reason to visit your Facebook or Twitter page. Let them get to know you and trust you on these pages before you begin to fundraise on them. Once you have built a community base, you’ll have a better understanding of 1) the social platform itself and 2) the audience that you reach on that platform. You’ll know what they respond to, why they’re there, and what they care about, which you can then use for your fundraising efforts.
So, if you have a strong following, it’s time to start fundraising! Here are 10 different ways you can ask your supporters to fund your cause, and make it easier for them to do so:
1) Tell them what the donation is for. Be specific. If you say what exactly you’re doing with the funds, you’ll draw a closer connection between your donor and the real-life difference they made thanks to their donation.
2) Highlight a new donor. People like being acknowledged. Give them a moment in the spotlight by choosing a “supporter of the week” who you mention on your Facebook and/or Twitter page and tell others what they’ve done to make the world a better place. It’ll make their day!
3) Make it easy for supporters to share with friends. People like letting their friends know what they’re up to on social media. That’s one of the main reasons they’re there! Make sure your fundraising app has a “share” option so your supporters can easily tell their friends how they’ve helped your cause. This will help spread the word and encourage others to join in!
4) Tell them about the fundraising platform you’re using. If you’ve grabbed your supporters’ attention, make sure they don’t get lost along the way. Every once in awhile, post or tweet about the fundraising app you’re using and give a quick, simple explanation of how to use it. This way, anyone that wants to make a donation will know exactly what to do and how to do it.
5) Thank them individually. Every donor counts, so make sure to say thanks and even just say hi every once in awhile to let them know you care and appreciate them.
6) Make your “Donate Now” button stand out. If your fundraising app gets lost on your bright, colorful Facebook page, no one will notice it. Make sure you draw attention to it, at least in the first few months you’ve started fundraising, so supporters become familiar with where to find it.
7) Make it a contest. By adding some interactivity on your page, you’ll get people more involved and excited. When there’s competition, there’s some pressure to win…some GOOD pressure, and you’ll have supporters steppin’ up their game (especially the more competitive ones). Not only that, but offer a prize, which gives even more incentive to join in on the fun. The prize could be one of your cause’s t-shirt or free admission to your organization.
8) Talk about things you’ve accomplished thanks to donations. You may have told your supporters what you can do or what you’re trying to do, but have you told them what you’ve already done? Tell them an inspiring story about how your organization changed someone or something’s life.
9) Create a time-specific campaign. Again, the pressure factor. When there’s a time limit or a countdown, it becomes less of one of those “ahh, I can do it later” things and more “whoa! only 1 day left before I can help?!” things, you’ll see better results. Base it around an upcoming event or a deadline for a goal that your org is trying to reach.
10) Incorporate other fundraising methods. If you’re fundraising on your website, via email, or standard mail, make sure you tell people about your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. If they don’t know you’re there, they won’t visit you! This will help integrate all your fundraising efforts.
There you have it! 10 very different ways to ask supporters to donate, and make it simpler for them to do so. If you feel like you’re struggling to build your audience, so you can’t even start to raise funds online, try one of our social media training courses to get the ball rolling!