Thank you participating in The Adventuress Cup and fundraising on behalf of Sound Experience! Your time and energy will help bring more deserving young people aboard Adventuress in the coming year. Below are some fundraising tips that will help you raise money for your team. Be sure to check out the easy to personalize pre-written messages that are part of the backend of your team's page as well. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jenny at jenny@soundexp.org and she'll be happy to help.
1. Express gratitude every step of the way. Whether you’re sending an initial email or sharing a Facebook post, thank your potential donors—even before they’ve made a contribution.
2. Use a variety of channels to reach different people. Social media can be great for reaching friends you don't talk to often. But for friends and family, a direct ask in an email, phone call or face-to-face chat can be more effective. In general, research shows that the more channels you use to reach people, the better.
3. Tell a story. Dry statistics rarely compel people to give. Instead, use storytelling to demonstrate the impact your cause has had on a single person’s life. Research shows that people feel more encouraged to help when presented with the story of a single individual than when told about large numbers of people affected by famine or other disasters.
4. Appeal to the donor’s personal values. When you reach out to a friend, make a connection between the cause and your friend’s interests and values. For instance, if you are raising funds for a clean energy initiative, mention your friend’s efforts to take care of the environment.
5. Ask again. Don’t expect to get results from a single ask. Instead, take advantage of social media, like Facebook and Instagram, to ask for donations several times over the course of your campaign. If you use a thermometer to show that you’re getting close to your goal, you may receive more contributions, one study shows.
6. Make it easy. Take the guesswork out of the donation process by providing friends and family with a link to a donate button. Consider the various ways that people make donations; let them know if the organization accepts gifts by credit card or from donor-advised funds.
7. Invite friends and family to get involved in ways other than donating. People love to feel connected to the organizations they support. In fact, evidence shows a strong relationship between volunteering and giving. It’s just human nature that the more involved we are with an organization or cause, the more aware we are of the need and the more likely we are to donate. Your friends and family can complete Wind in Your Sails Challenges to help boost your team's points without donating. However, challenges are only visible to registered participants, so you may have to submit their challenges for them via your page.
8. Get Strategic. Make a list of everyone you know. As part of the process, think about how much you could ask teach person to give, remembering that some can give more than others. This is not an easy task, but make sure to ask for the right amount from them!
9. Expand your circle of donors. Ask friends or relatives to circulate emails or some make social media posts on your behalf.
10. Ask, ask, ask! Every year after the Adventuress Cup people say "I wanted to give but no one asked!"