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Fundraising is a complex endeavour requiring more than a simple call for donations. To engage fundraisers, you need to provide multifaceted motivations that resonate with their personal values and desires.
A well-structured communication plan is essential to ensure your message reaches and resonates with potential fundraisers, guiding them from initial interest to active participation.
This guide will help you understand why people choose to fundraise, what barriers they face, and how to create a comprehensive communication plan to support them.
Your supporters can have several motivations to fundraise. The common theme is that unlike a donation that can come from a pure altruistic motivation (it often does not), fundraising is almost always grounded in egoistic motivations. Here, we will touch on key motivations so that you can work with these when communicating to recruit fundraisers.
The strongest motivation for fundraising is the desire to build an identity around your cause. As fundraising is a public activity, it will influence the surroundings' view of the person fundraising. The key is to communicate not only how your supporters identify themselves but also how they want the world to see them.
Fundraising should be enjoyable. Different people have varying definitions of fun; some may find joy in running marathons, while others might prefer knitting. Tailoring your fundraising activities to suit your target group’s idea of fun can significantly boost participation.
The involvement of friends and family is a powerful motivator. However, this can be challenging to leverage without a physical event. Creating virtual or hybrid events can help tap into this social aspect.
While caring about the cause is a significant motivator, it doesn't automatically translate to a willingness to fundraise. Highlighting how their efforts can make a tangible difference can bridge this gap.
Your ambassadors love your organisation but need specific occasions to act. Providing opportunities and reasons for them to engage is still essential, though. If they love you, they will be more inclined to fundraise for you.
You are essentially selling an identity or an activity. For more on this, read: "How to ask your supporters to fundraise for you."
Even if an individual is motivated, hesitations might arise that prevent them from acting on their desire to raise money. Handling hesitations must be a key part of your communication plan. Here are some common hesitations for fundraising:
Creating a comprehensive suite of communication assets can address the barriers and motivate your fundraisers effectively.
Your P2P fundraising page should cover:
Real-life examples can inspire potential fundraisers. Showcase stories from those who have successfully fundraised for your cause.
Provide detailed case studies, such as this example from Min Stora Dag, to illustrate successful fundraising campaigns.
Choose your examples carefully. The stories you highlight should visualise identities that you believe your supporters strive for. If the identity of your key supporter demographic strives to be a successful working mum who balances family life and work with ease, then find this as your case study.
Utilise engaging videos that highlight different fundraising stories and experiences. Videos are a more nuanced medium that allows you to convey your selling points in more subtle ways. A great example to consider is the Hjärnfonden campaign.
Developing a communication plan involves several critical steps. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you create an effective communication plan for P2P fundraising:
Determine the most effective channels to reach your audience. Consider where your target fundraisers spend their time and how they prefer to receive information. Common channels include:
Evaluate the resources and manpower available to maintain consistent communication. Consider:
Team size: How many people can contribute to the communication efforts?
Skills: What skills do your team members have? (e.g., content creation, graphic design, video production)
Time commitment: How much time can each team member dedicate to the communication plan?
Identify which communication assets you already have and which need to be developed. Assets may include:
Content: Blog posts, articles, social media posts
Visuals: Images, infographics, videos
Tools: Email marketing software, social media management tools
Establish a realistic frequency for your communications to keep potential fundraisers engaged without overwhelming them. Consider:
Daily: Quick updates, social media posts
Weekly: Newsletters, blog posts
Monthly: In-depth articles, case studies, testimonials
Develop a content calendar to plan and schedule your communications. This helps ensure consistency and allows you to coordinate across different channels. Include:
Dates: When each piece of content will be published
Topics: The focus of each piece of content
Channels: Where each piece of content will be shared
Ensure your messages are clear, compelling, and tailored to your audience. Focus on:
Storytelling: Share personal stories and experiences to create an emotional connection.
Targeting supporters motivaition: Use the above section on fundraiser motivaitions to write messages for your supporters.
Clarity: Keep messages straightforward and easy to understand.
Call to action: Encourage fundraisers to take specific actions, such as signing up, sharing, or donating.
Regularly review the effectiveness of your communication plan and make adjustments as needed. Consider:
Analytics: Track engagement metrics (e.g., open rates, click-through rates, social media interactions)
Feedback: Collect feedback from your audience and team members.
Flexibility: Be prepared to adjust your plan based on what is working and what isn't.
We have here tried coming up with three examples of communication plans for different P2P fundraising events.
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