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Creativity, good business sense, and an understanding of people are at the heart of all good fundraising ideas. Charities rely on a combination of tried and trusted fundraising methods and some innovative ideas that help grow new income streams.
Essential Ideas
Some ideas that help charities fundraise are well established and arguably underpin all other fundraising activities, no matter how sophisticated or advanced. Despite the growing dominance of digital communications, it is still true that ‘people give to people’. The most effective approach in fundraising is often a face to face ask.
Simplicity of the ask is also important. Prospective donors need to be asked in a clear manner and given an easy way in which to respond. Add too many options and they will walk away, throw the direct mail letter in the bin, or simply delete the email.
Asking the right person at the right time is also a key element of successful fundraising activities. For this reason many charities work hard to understand their donors and what makes them choose to give. In this way they try to find more similar prospective donors and further hone their messages to existing supporters.
It is cheaper to retain a donor than it is to recruit a new one. This truism is at the heart of a fundraising manager’s job in deciding which ideas to stick with and which new ideas to test. Charities should also be prepared to generate ideas that keep donors loyal to the charity, rather than focus on how to secure new donors.
Similarly, securing a regular donation is far more effective than securing one-off gifts. For this reason charities promote direct debits as a method of giving, together with payroll giving, and in some cases membership. All these ideas ensure that an initial fundraising ask generates an ongoing stream of income, helping the charity to budget ahead.
For more information on how your charity can benefit from fundraising creative ideas, please call 0845 094 8033 or go to www.thebestoffundraising.co.uk
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