Nate Carzon: Five Fundraising Tips from a Three-Time Letterman
June 8, 2018
1. Personalize
This isn't just about personalizing the reason as to why you're fundraising or even competing in The D10. This is also about giving your personalized touch to every person you interact with. Try to meet with friends, co-workers, and family in person to explain to them why The D10 is so important to you and to those you fundraise for. E-mails are easy to ignore.
2. Persistence
After you've met with people, follow up with them. We're all busy, and even though people have the best intention to donate, they may forget to. Sending a few kind nudges/follow-ups is always best as a reminder. Don't bombard them though. I like to send through a link a day or two after meeting with them, and maybe a follow-up with them a week or two later.
3. Gratitude
Like your parents always said, "Remember to say thank you." Make sure you recognize the people who are helping you and the cause. This goes a long way and they'll truly appreciate you acknowledging their generosity. Even if they weren't able to donate, they might've recommended to their friends and family.
4. Network
This applies to your own social network and your broader network. Don't bombard all your social networks at once. You'll reach a much narrower audience. Instead, spread your social media posts out over a couple of weeks hitting different outlets every time. Additionally, always mention to your potential donors that even if they can't donate, it'd be awesome if they could spread the word to their broader network. I can't tell you how many donations I received from that.
5. Bring it!
A lot of my donors know I love to compete, so they jumped at the opportunity of performance-based fundraising. Mention these performance-based pledges to your donors. They'll love it.