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For any association looking to build up their non-dues revenue base, fundraising is the tried and true solution to the problem. There are so many ways to bring your fundraising efforts in to the digital era. Let's take a look!
For any association looking to build up their non-dues revenue base, fundraising is the tried and true solution to the problem.
That’s right, associations and nonprofits alike look to fundraising to help fill in the revenue gaps where member dues fall short. It’s a great way to increase your revenue flow without raising membership fees and running the risk of disappointing current members. And with the power of technology now at everyone’s disposal, fundraising has become that much easier.
Fundraising efforts are no longer limited to in person events and formal affairs- which is great for any association looking to increase fundraising income without pulling out all of the stops every single time.
But if you want to make sure your association is doing everything it can to raise the non-dues revenue bar, you need to make sure you know all of your online fundraising options and opportunities.
Technology has completely changed the way fundraising events and efforts work. So, if your association can stay on top of these new changes and use them to your advantage, you can see an increase in fundraising revenue.
Let’s look at a few solutions and options you can adopt into your online fundraising strategy to let tech tools increase your overall funds.
Just because technology and online fundraising are stealing the show does not mean your association should ditch all efforts on fundraising events. After all, if it isn’t broken, why should you fix it?
However, there are some ways to incorporate technology into your event, making the process that much smoother.
Let’s start with the beginning stages of your event- specifically registration. Did you know you can actually take your registration online? That’s right, online registration and electronic check-in can give members a quick and easy way to touch base with your association before your events.
You can set up online registration right on your association’s website. This way, members and event attendees know exactly how to find it. It also gives them the chance to be on your website- hopefully sparking interest and creating more online engagement (talk about a win-win!)
During the event, you can promote social media sharing and interaction to get the word out about your fundraising efforts.
Social media has the power to reach a wider audience, which could help bring in even more donations to your fundraiser. It also allows you to make your event more interactive, something that can intrigue and engage event attendees.
You can encourage attendees to post about the event on social channels and interact with the media they share. With the right event content out on social media, you can widen your target audience, hopefully bringing in more attendees to your next fundraising event.
Looking for other ways to take your fundraising event and add in a tech twist? Streaming your event online can give audiences the chance to engage, interact, and participate.
Using streaming tools like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, or any other streaming platform, you can allow members who could not attend your event to join in on the fun. And even better- you can give them a reason to donate to your association.
By using an online donation site like GoFundMe, Kickstarter, or a custom donation site of your association’s choice, you can share the link with your stream viewers, hopefully convincing them to send in a donation to your cause.
Consider leaving your association’s donation link within the caption of your livestream video. Or, you can continually remind your listeners to visit the site to donate throughout the stream (give them easy directions and prompts to make their lives simpler).
You also want to be sure to share your livestream link on all of your association’s social media platforms.
Create a shareable link to your livestream and post it for your social media audiences to see. Encourage them to join in on the stream, or share with interested friends. This is a great way to grow your stream audience- and hopefully grow your donations in the process.
With online streaming, your fundraising event will get the attention it deserves.
But what if your association’s supporters are looking for a way to donate on a mobile device? We’ve got you covered.
Did you know that donations on mobile websites have grown over 200% year over year? It’s true- and if your association wants to capitalize on that. By creating mobile-friendly donation options, your association can access funds from mobile users looking to make a change, increasing your overall fundraising amount.
But what sort of options are out there for mobile donations? Let’s go over a few.
Donation apps and mobile tools are a great way to start. One tool your association can consider using is known as HelpBridge. HelpBridge is an app that prompts users to donate to a cause of choice via text. It also allows for other features, such as the option to browse volunteer opportunities during crisis situations.
Another app that gets your audience active and off their feet is Charity Miles.
Charity Miles allows users to earn money for a charity while they exercise. That’s right, you can walk, run, or bike your way to more profit if your association is able to be accessed on the app. The app allows you to promote a healthier lifestyle to members while also giving them a way to easily raise money (and without hurting their own wallets!).
With a variety of mobile tools out there to be used, there’s no way your association should miss out on any non-dues revenue from mobile users.
With email marketing being a powerful tool for associations already, your association should never count out a good email campaign to raise awareness and collect donations.
Create an enticing email campaign highlighting your fundraising efforts. You can discuss the work you’ve already accomplished, what the donations are helping to fix, and where you’re looking to take your fundraiser in the future. And always, always, always be sure to include a link to donate online. Let email recipients be apart of your success!
You can create a campaign that reminds and updates members each month and send it out. This way, you keep in contact with recipients without overloading their inbox.
It’s also not a bad idea to set up email automation for your donation site.
Why is this important? Well, when someone donates to your association, you don’t want them to feel like their money was just taken with no return. Even though it is a donation, you always want to let your donators know how thankful you are for their support.
Set up a thank you email to get sent out after every donation. This will save your association time while still showing appreciation to those that donate, keeping everyone content.
Don’t let these valuable tech tools pass by when planning out your online fundraising strategy. Take hold of these opportunities and see how your non-dues revenue can progress from here.
