Keen to get fundraising but don't know where to start? Here's a few of our top tips to help you kick start your efforts!
BE AMBITIOUS
Setting a fundraising goal gives you something specific to work towards. The more ambitious you are, the more motivated you’ll be to reach it! Give your supporters an idea of how the money might be used to help them decide how much they’d like to donate.
Set a precedent by making the first donation yourself, then ask your nearest and dearest to contribute - your friends and family are usually the most generous. If you find yourself getting close to your target, push yourself even harder and raise it!
IT'S WHO YOU KNOW
Start thinking about everyone you know and put together lists of groups you’d like to target. Go beyond friends and family to incorporate co-workers, gym buddies, neighbours, local businesses, sports clubs…anyone you can think of!
Once you’ve got your lists together, think about how to approach them. Social media is a great way to get your message out there. Post the link to your fundraising page on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and encourage people to share it on their own profiles.
Update your email signature with a link to your fundraising page, and get your employer involved by asking them to match your donation. Treat your colleagues to a bake sale to raise money and awareness of your chosen charity, and ask local businesses that you have a relationship with for a donation. Remember to let everyone know that donations over $2 are tax deductible.
TEAM EFFORT
Forming a team will not only bolster your fundraising efforts, it can also inspire and motivate you in the lead up to the event, and on the day itself.
Once you’ve got your team together you can hold fun events such as a trivia night or BARBECURE to help raise even more money. Email the local press and let them know what you’re up to, and set goals for each team member to make sure you keep the momentum going. Consider a prize for the person who raises the most money - everyone loves a bit of friendly competition!
Don’t forget to let us know about your team so we can send you each a Cure Cancer singlet or T-shirt.
GET PERSONAL
Passion is contagious, so let everyone know why you chose to fundraise for Cure Cancer and try to include personal messages whenever you’re promoting your efforts. Send out a friendly email to let people know what you're up to - if you like, you can use this template:
Hey (NAME),
Just wanted to let you that I’ll be taking part in (EVENT NAME) on (EVENT DATE) to raise money for Cure Cancer .
Cure Cancer are a not for profit organisation that exclusively supports early career cancer researchers who have bright, innovative ideas, working across all areas of research and all cancer types. They identify, assess and fund the research which they believe has the best possible chance of finding a cure. You can check out their website at www.curecancer.com.au. I’ve decided to raise money for them because (SHARE YOUR STORY).
I would really appreciate any support you can offer to help me achieve my fundraising goal of (SHARE YOUR $ GOAL). If you’re able to donate, you can do so via my fundraising page (SHARE LINK TO FUNDRAISING PAGE).
Together, I believe we can make this the last generation to die from cancer.
Thanks for your support!
(NAME)
Make sure you make the most of your online fundraising page by personalising it with a bio and photos. Show off your Cure Cancer singlet or t-shirt and share your story – people are much more likely to donate to personalised pages.
Update your Twitter and Instagram bios to include your fundraising story, and create an event or group on Facebook so you can keep your friends updated on your progress with pictures and videos. If you’re using Twitter or Instagram, choose hashtags that are relevant so that your posts are easily discoverable, and make sure you tag @curecancerau. It’s also worth linking your social media accounts, so that content can easily be shared across all your channels.
Make sure you update your page regularly with progress reports, and let us know what you’re up to – we love to hear your stories!
PERSISTENCE PAYS
If someone mentioned they were keen to donate but haven’t, there’s no harm in following up with a quick call or email. Setting up weekly emails or social media updates to let your supporters know how your efforts are going can be a useful reminder to donate.
Don’t forget, you can keep on fundraising once your event finishes. Contacting everyone you approached to let them know how the event went might prompt some last-minute donations.
A LITTLE THANKS GOES A LONG WAY
Saying thanks is simple but incredibly powerful. Make sure you thank everyone who supported you by updating your fundraising page, sending emails, writing personal notes and thanking people in person.
Good luck!
