How to Run a Successful Fundraiser in 9 Easy Steps
Looking to raise money for your team, organization or nonprofit? A fundraiser is a great way to quickly secure funds and support the causes you care about. But we know how overwhelming it can feel to gather support around your cause.
That’s why, we rounded up our top fundraising tips to help you reach your goals. Online fundraising platforms like Aimly make it easy to raise money in just a few clicks. Aimly even opens up a virtual storefront and takes care of shipping.
That means there’s only a few things left for you to think about leading up to your event. Whether it’s your first fundraising venture or your 100th, this step-by-step guide will level up your game. Read on to learn how to easily organize a successful fundraiser!
Start a fundraiser on Aimly
Unlike other fundraising platforms, Aimly takes care of almost all logistical aspects of your fundraiser. Aimly will set up a virtual storefront for your donors to purchase gourmet potato chips on your event page. A virtual event can get way more reach than an in-person one because you’re not limited to one area. Click “Start a fundraiser” on goaimly.com, and let us help you set up your event page.
Choose a creative title
The title is the first thing visitors will see on your event page. So put on your creative hat and get thinking! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Experiment with wordplay: Try using alliterations or rhymes, like “Brunswick Baseball for Breast Cancer Awareness”.
- Include your “why”: Let people know why you’re fundraising by including the cause in the title, like “More Housing for Furry Friends”.
- Add a personal touch: Include something unique to your organization or cause, like a slogan or keyword.
Personalize your fundraiser’s description
The description is your chance to tell people why they should donate. Pro tip: explain it out loud first to a teammate, coworker, or friend. This will help you authentically craft your story, without the pressure of it sounding perfect on paper.
Think about what makes your team or organization unique. Maybe you’re an animal shelter that raises service dogs. Maybe you’re a newly-formed basketball program for underserved communities. Telling potential donors what differentiates you can help spark a connection, leading to more support.
Choose a quality, personal photo
This is not the time to use Shutterstock images. The photo you choose on your event page should feel personal and directly related to your cause. If you don’t have quality photos of your organization on hand, we recommend hosting a short photoshoot. This can be a quick 30-minute session using a phone camera. Yes, you’ll have to invest a bit more time to do a photoshoot, but it’ll be worth it. Easily recycle photos for social media posts during your event.
Set a fundraising goal
Setting a goal is all dependent on your audience size. Before you select a number, do some opportunity sizing. How many people do you plan to reach out to directly? How many social media channels do you plan to share the event on? Once you tally up the approximate audience size, think about how many chips you can expect people to purchase, on average. Pro tip: run your fundraising goal by at least 3 people for feedback.
Create an outreach template
Your outreach message should be specific and inviting. To make it simple for everyone involved, create a standardized template. For example:
“Hi [NAME]! I hope you’re having a great week. My dance team, Brunswick Dance, has been training hard to go to competitions this year, but we need new uniforms to do so. We’re currently a local team that performs at community events. You might have seen us at the Harvest Fair! Would you kindly consider supporting our goal here: [insert Aimly fundraiser event link]? Thank you!”
Send the fundraiser link to friends and family
Once you have a template message, send out your page link to friends and family via text, email, and other messaging platforms. Pro tip: keep track of everyone you reach out to in a spreadsheet. Include their name, contact information, and whether or not they agreed to support the fundraiser. This will help you stay organized and manage communications throughout the event.
Post about your fundraiser on social media
Social media can expand your fundraiser’s reach. However, you need a content strategy to succeed in 7 days or less, the length of Aimly fundraisers. We recommend posting once a day on 3+ social media channels for 1–2 weeks leading up to your fundraiser. That gives you time to start getting traction around your cause.
During the fundraiser itself, post twice a day. Create content on one channel, like Instagram, and then reshare to TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. What you post is up to you, but we recommend a good mix of short-form video and photos, alongside your Aimly URL.
Say “thank you” to supporters
Once the fundraiser comes to an end, Aimly will send the funds raised directly to your organization. All you have to do is thank your supporters. Send personal thank you messages to all the people who donated, which you should be able to see in your spreadsheet. Also post a thank you video, photo, or story on social media.
Be sure to include a call to action, like “Keep up with our organization on Instagram @handlename” or “Subscribe to our newsletter so you can see our animal houses when they arrive”. Don’t leave your donors hanging– they supported you for a reason! Invite them to become a part of your audience.
Now you’re ready to organize a successful fundraising event. Get started on goaimly.com!
