In this day and age, it can be hard to get people to part with their money. If you’re a retailer, it’s different because people are paying for something that’s often tangible. Rather, when it comes to fundraising, donors can’t touch or even see what their money is doing towards. It’s often a cause or maybe it’s research. Times are hard especially when you hear everyone saying we’re due for a recession soon. Even so, there are still ways for you to take 2019 by the horns and raise some money.
Life is always easier when working with a fundraising consultancy group like Group IFC, but it definitely helps to know about what you might be discussing. Before you fully dive into planning your fundraising initiatives for 2019, here are some trends to get the conversation rolling.
Follow the Data and Technology
This tip only works if you’ve had fundraisers before. Copy what works and lose what doesn’t. For the initiatives that work and for those that don’t, try tweaking them for a more successful activation.
Prioritize Donors
The amazing thing about donors is that they are willing to help and fund a project or organization with nothing in return. Not only should you be prioritizing these donors, but you should also do things to show your appreciation. No one is telling you to the ball without a budget, but an intimate dinner to thank them is a good way to go. Donor retention is one of the most important trends. When the trends change every year, if you’re dealing with the same generous people, you know that you’ll be covered in some way.
Don’t Be Social Media Obsessed
In the world of marketing, SMM (Social Media Marketing) has revolutionized the industry. Millions of people are on the platform everyday which makes it seem like the perfect place to broadcast your fundraising initiatives. While tons of businesses and organizations are solely focusing on social media, don’t let this become your only messaging for fundraising. If you haven’t noticed, companies like Apple are trying to minimize the amount of “screen time” users have and this might be taking away from the viewers you thought to have before. Instead of focusing all your energy on social media, be sure to diversify your methods.
Focus on Video Content
You might come across those who like novels but for the most part, a lot of people don’t like to read. Instead of trying to entice people into your fundraising methods with paragraphs, capture them with a video. They’ll sooner spend 1 minute watching a video than one minute reading a post.
Getting other people to give you their money is never easy. It can be harder for some when they don’t have the right methods to make it happen. Sometimes it’s hard to do it on your own which makes hiring a consultancy group crucial for most businesses and organizations. Having conversations with companies like Group IFC makes the process infinitely easier, but make sure you stay up on the trends as well! With a mix of knowledge and help, you’ll be on your way to collecting dollar bills.
Kim Marks 
Nicola Holder