8 Ways to Boost Nonprofit Fundraising on Social Media

October 6, 2016

This may be something your group has never tried in the past – outreach on social media. Almost everyone these days has Facebook or some form of social media profile, and that is good news for your organization. If you are a business person yourself you know the benefits of marketing and advertising on social media platforms already, so why not parallel those to your fundraising program!

You have the ability to engage a huge audience and get more traction and awareness to your groups mission. Just like going door to door in your neighborhood, now you can go door to door with the whole US! Here are our 8 ways to boost (or start if you don’t already) fundraising initiatives on social media.

  • 1. Think of Your Approach – It is one thing to just post a flyer and hope someone sees it. It is another thing to think ahead and plan so MORE people see it. Think of the who, what, where, when, how why. What are your goals? This will act like your GPS to your final goal/destination
  • 2. Different Posts for Different Platforms – Instagram is photo based, Twitter is a sentence or two, and Facebook is a hybrid of the two. Remember this when posting – people go to each site for different reasons so give them what they want to see!
  • 3. Stay in the Mix – Just like my GPS example in #1, social media is like a highway, you send something out people will hopefully send something back the other way, make sure you are there to answer any questions and engage potential customers – just like an in-person event
  • 4. Experiment in the beginning (if needed) – If you are an avid social media user you may already have the answer to this one. When are your friends, and your friends friends online? Find the best time to post flyers, images, or info so you have the best opportunity for it to be seen.
  • 5. Urgency is Key – Social media is based on real time info, people turn to sites such as Twitter or Facebook to see what is happening RIGHT NOW. Again, give them what they want! Tell them this sale is only going on for ‘x’ amount of days, and “there are only 2 days left to order!” When you can provide real times and dates people will see the urgency and make a move.
  • 6. Thank You – Our moms always told us to say our please and thank you’s – let’s not loose site of that. If someone purchases 1 or 100 products from you give them a shout out, let them know you appreciate it and are thankful. More people will see your appreciation and know you really care and need the funds for your group, and that you aren’t just forgetting about them after a transaction is made.
  • 7. Call to Action! – One of the most important pieces you could learn from this list – include a call to action. A call to action can be as simple as asking to purchase the wreath and providing a link, or it can be an engagement factor such as sharing the post to help spread the word on your fundraiser. More people that see your post or take action, the more sales it will generate.
  • 8. Networking – This goes hand in hand with #7. Your organization has leader, volunteers, members, kids, past customers etc – use everyone to help increase your fundraising efforts. Have everyone share your social media outreach, provide a testimonial, encourage them to help outreach themselves and promote the fundraiser. The more “boots on the ground” the more opportunities your group has to increase sales and surpass goals.

Social media can be a powerful tool to use for your fundraiser, if you have never used it, you could see a huge profitable increase from previous years. If you have tried it but never been very effective, this list could give you the boost you need and set your organization apart from the rest.

We have published a sister blog to this one entitled: Top 5 outreach examples to boost fundraiser! So keep tuning in!

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