8 Things to Consider When Promoting Your Fundraiser

What do you need to consider when promoting your fundraiser?

Raising money isn't easy to do. It requires a multi-front effort that gets the word out and communicates your cause in a way that energizes others to support it. Promotion and communication are accomplished through print, advertising channels, and boots on the ground. Below are a few things you should keep in mind when spreading the word about your fundraiser:

1. Print, Print, Print

Print posters. Print apparel. Print signage of all kind. When you go to print, keep design in mind. In fact, design is what drives success for printed collateral of any kind. Chances are, your event or fundraiser isn't the only one in town. Your print collateral will be fighting for attention alongside other posters, t-shirts, and flyers promoting other things. That's where design comes in: great design makes your print collateral stand out. It wins the fight for attention and sets your event apart.

2. Distribute

After you have stellar print materials in hand, it's time to distribute them to high-traffic areas around town. Wherever people are, that's where your promotional materials should be. That requires a boots-on-the-ground approach and it's important to move quickly - the more time your materials spend in front of people, the higher the chance that those people get involved.

3. Create a Facebook Event

It's no secret that people spend a lot of time on Facebook. Take advantage of that audience and create a Facebook Event that you can invite your friends to. If you make the event public, everyone can see it and you'll cast a wider net into the community. Make sure to include all of the important details and clearly spell out how people can get involved and the steps they need to take to donate or contribute.

4. Write a Blog

Write a blog about your event. Not only does that give you more real estate to expound upon your fundraiser's purpose, but it gives you another piece to distribute - digitally. Cultivate a strong voice for your blog post and make sure that the reason you're raising money shines through. A well-written post can gain traction quickly and tell your story effectively.

5. Share Your Blog

Share your post on Facebook, tweet it out, and ask your friends to do the same. Distribution is important and blogs can catch fire without notice. It takes almost zero investment to share something organically on social media and with a stroke of luck, it could pay off enormously.

6. Wear Your T-Shirt

Did you print t-shirts that perfectly capture your cause and your event? If not, return to the top of this list and start over. If you did, great! It's time to wear that shirt and wear it everywhere. Again, as long as the design is strong, your t-shirt will get noticed and it will go a long way towards promoting your event. Make sure that you print enough t-shirts so that you can sell some as part of your fundraising effort.

7. Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads require a small investment, for a big-time payoff. You can even 'boost' your event page and target your Facebook Ads to an audience of your choosing. It's worth setting aside a small budget for Facebook Ads, because of the potential payoff. As long as the ad you create has the same striking design and strong messaging, you'll reach new people.

8. Tell the Press

While it's not guaranteed to get prime placement, writing a press release and sending it to your local newspaper, radio station, and TV station is a smart move. You never know who your cause will speak to and getting the local press involved is a great way to reach a large audience quickly. Because fundraisers are often locally-driven, it's important to make sure that local news outlets have all the details they need to help you get the word out.