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Here’s a short article that I wrote recently for my co-workers’ participation in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser. I think there are some good tips here, and I don’t want this article to get lost in Facebook…
We’re one week away from the event! How is your fundraising going? Here are five tips to help you be more effective when asking for donations:
It’s easy to ignore a piece of paper sitting on a desk or a table in the office. It’s much more difficult to say no to someone who asks directly, especially if the person asking is a family member, friend, or co-worker.
For some people, it may help them to simply hear how the money will be used, so do some research and be able to provide information on the organization. But to be most effective, share a story about how the organization has impacted a specific person.
Some people you ask may not provide an answer right away. So in this week leading up to the event, remind them of the event, give them a deadline (“I need an answer by Thursday at 5:00 PM”), and use the first two tactics — Ask in Person and Tell a Story — to be more effective.
Say it verbally, send them an email, or send them a handwritten note. However you do it, be sure to say thank you. This will make it more likely for the person to donate next time you ask.
So what happened? How was the event? How much money was raised in total? Did you take pictures that you can share? Try to provide some kind of follow-up information to the people who donated so they see how their money was used.