Targeting With Fundraising Precision
2:42 AM
Fundraising activities are just like any other business. If you are not reaching the right target market, you won't be able to reach your financial goals. And just like any other business endeavor, this can end up costing you money rather than increasing it. It is imperative that you use the appropriate fundraising strategies to optimize your return on investment.
Fundraisings strategies should be set up to support your overall goals and any budgetary constraints. You should always know what your resources are and work within them. If you can manage that, your campaign will lead to eventual success.
Most of the time, the target audience should be fairly obvious. If you are looking for the funds to support a trip for the high school band, then you're okay just working with the neighborhood families. If, on the other hand, you do a lot of work for charitable organizations and are just about to implement a huge new program to help the homeless, you're going to have to aim a little higher.
But fundraising strategies are about more than picking your audience. You must decide on activities that will appeal to your audience, yet remain appropriate and related to the task at hand. Fancy dinners, for example, will certainly appeal to financially secure individuals, but if it is a cause they disagree with, they won't have any reason to show up.
There are some simple questions you can ask to start developing your strategies. First, ask yourself how you will create an awareness of the need. Many people with the resources to help with your fundraising may not know about the need or who is collecting money for it. You need to get the word out as soon as possible.
The next question is how you can implement those strategies. Many attempts to raise funds have died an early death because too much time is spent talking about it and not getting to work. Settle on your plan and get to work recruiting and managing your volunteers and developing the resources that will help you achieve your financial goals.
You should also be ready to reward your volunteers or contributors in a way they will really appreciate. This should be part of your fundraising strategies from the very beginning. You may be raising funds to help the homeless or the high school band, but you will find that everyone has a tendency to ask: what's in it for me.
Fundraising strategies don't have to be complex; they simply have to be targeted correctly. When you understand your audience and develop the activities they can relate to, your efforts will be quickly rewarded.
Fundraisings strategies should be set up to support your overall goals and any budgetary constraints. You should always know what your resources are and work within them. If you can manage that, your campaign will lead to eventual success.
Most of the time, the target audience should be fairly obvious. If you are looking for the funds to support a trip for the high school band, then you're okay just working with the neighborhood families. If, on the other hand, you do a lot of work for charitable organizations and are just about to implement a huge new program to help the homeless, you're going to have to aim a little higher.
But fundraising strategies are about more than picking your audience. You must decide on activities that will appeal to your audience, yet remain appropriate and related to the task at hand. Fancy dinners, for example, will certainly appeal to financially secure individuals, but if it is a cause they disagree with, they won't have any reason to show up.
There are some simple questions you can ask to start developing your strategies. First, ask yourself how you will create an awareness of the need. Many people with the resources to help with your fundraising may not know about the need or who is collecting money for it. You need to get the word out as soon as possible.
The next question is how you can implement those strategies. Many attempts to raise funds have died an early death because too much time is spent talking about it and not getting to work. Settle on your plan and get to work recruiting and managing your volunteers and developing the resources that will help you achieve your financial goals.
You should also be ready to reward your volunteers or contributors in a way they will really appreciate. This should be part of your fundraising strategies from the very beginning. You may be raising funds to help the homeless or the high school band, but you will find that everyone has a tendency to ask: what's in it for me.
Fundraising strategies don't have to be complex; they simply have to be targeted correctly. When you understand your audience and develop the activities they can relate to, your efforts will be quickly rewarded.
About the Author:
Carmen Martinella is a professional writer and speaker about fundraising companies and fundraising programs.
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