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| Image Credit: @kattyukawa |
In fundraising circles, "the petition" is the moment someone is asked to make a donation. The request is normally made at three main points throughout the crowdfunding process.
How to ask for donations? The first request is made to your closest circle of friends and members of your family (or group). It's done once you've published your campaign, but before you share it and spread it widely. This is an important step in the process because people are more willing to donate when they see that others have already donated, and the people most likely to donate are among your inner circle.
The second request occurs when you share the campaign with everyone and everywhere, on social media, in person, at events, etc. But in a few weeks or even days, your campaign may grind to a halt. Don't worry, it's part of the process.
The third request is made when you ask your friends, colleagues, and others you know again to make a donation one last time.
Each of these moments requires a specific approach and language. We've put together some tips to help you ask for donations in different situations.
Our tips on how to ask for donations
1. Remember to tell your story
Not everyone you ask to donate knows your story. Whether you're making contact by email or in person, remember to tell your story, and tell it well. If your story is longer than usual and includes a lot of details, in the first request, try to be more concise and simplify it (think of the idea of the "elevator speech"). Encourage potential donors to visit your GoFundMe fundraiser page to learn the whole story, and to be part of it with their donation.
2. Adapt your message at the right time
The best way to receive a positive response, and a donation, is to appeal to people's individual interests, taking into account each one's personality. If you know that a donor will respond better to a caring and carefree email, choose bright and informal wording. For another donor who responds better to a more formal message, choose the style that best suits them.
And if you're raising money for a charity, remember to emphasize the advantages of deducting taxes when making a donation to your cause.
3. Explain what will happen if donations are not made
Darren Binder, a founder of City Dogs Rescue, says it's important to convey a sense of urgency when sharing a campaign. Without that urgency, potential donors may decide to wait for another time to donate, so you would have to reapply to make a donation after a while. Explain what will happen if your crowdfunding campaign is not successful, and you will see how donations go up quickly. Keep in mind that even negative consequences can be approached in a positive way. Public radio stations do it too, saying things like, "If you value it..." or "If you want to continue enjoying all these advantages...".
If you want to know how to ask for donations and make it work, follow their example by maintaining the urgency of the cause with a positive vision.
4. Keep a positive attitude and trust donations to arrive
If you already know how to ask for donations but the money is slow to arrive, don't be discouraged when people reject you at first. Remember that people have different priorities in their economy and with the movement of their cash. You never know when people are going to support you, so you need to stand firm in your endeavor and persevere.
5. Create a good relationship and strengthen it
Is your cause going to help a permanent need or is it a specific situation? If it is a permanent need, you have to approach the donation as the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the donor. Whether it's short-term or long-term, donors should feel like they're part of your campaign and part of a living story. Stay in touch: send communications and say thank you. There's nothing worse than donors only hearing from you when you go asking them for donations.
Mistakes to avoid when asking for donations
When you ask someone to donate, you may get nervous or seem too demanding. Don't worry, even the most experienced fundraising people get nervous occasionally. Soliciting donations can be a simple task if you have a list of what to do and if you practice your approach.
Here are some of the mistakes people make when asking for donations, and how to avoid them.
1. Not knowing well the cause for which you ask for the donation, or being imprecise
To know how to ask for donations it is important to have defined objectives when you start requesting them.
Are you raising money to pay medical bills? If so, make a list of expenses you need help with. It is normal that you are so absorbed thinking about how you are going to request donations that you forget to clearly communicate the cause for which you are requesting them. Make sure you're clear about what the goals are. Display them at the top of the fundraising page, and in the letters, you send to solicit donations.
2. Being overly formal
While you can ask organizations to donate to your fundraiser, most potential donors are going to be people who probably know you (or your beneficiary) personally. So you don't need to be too formal. In fact, it can even backfire, because it creates some distance and makes people feel uncomfortable.
If you want to ask for donations, be kind, natural, and humane: donors will respond in the same way.
3. Not knowing the person you're asking for the donation
When you ask for donations, don't just focus on the need. Think about the person you're asking for it and what their circumstances and needs might be. For example, when addressing a potential donor, ask yourself the following question:
Why is this person caring about my cause? There's a reason you've contacted him or her. Remember this reason, and let it know when you contact a potential donor.
What is this person's relationship with the beneficiary? Perhaps they were childhood friends or neighbors. It is appropriate to bring up this relationship when asking for donations to establish more intimate and personal communication, and this will help you increase your chances of success.
Why might I have reservations when it comes to donating? When thinking about how to ask for donations, keep in mind the reasons why someone wouldn't want to donate, and try to address them, if possible. For example, many people worry about not being able to afford to make a large enough donation so that they can contribute to the cause.
4. Being afraid of being rejected
Not everyone you donate to will give it to you; That is perfectly understandable. This doesn't mean you haven't done a good job raising funds, or that the people you've asked for it are bad people. Sometimes people are thinking about their things. With this in mind, you can keep track of people who didn't donate the first time you contacted them.
5. Be false
Something fundamental when it comes to understanding how to ask for donations is that you must use all the tools you have available, words, photos, videos, prizes, and theme parties to raise funds; the possibilities are endless. By bringing personality and vitality to your campaign, you can totally change the results of your campaign.
6. Being too vague
This error can apply to almost every aspect of your campaign, from description to donation requests. People get a barrage of information. Imprecision doesn't catch anyone's attention, specificity does. Clearly explain why you are fundraising, what the current situation is, and what the expected results are.
You should also be specified in the expense list. Some campaigns break down each of the expenses, not only the large bills, as in the case of surgical intervention, but also the money that has been spent on gasoline to go to the doctor, etc. Potential donors greatly appreciate transparency.
Now that you know how to ask for donations, get the ones you need
If you feel unsure about how to ask for donations, above all, remember that people love to help other people, it is something innate. When you ask for donations, you're simply capitalizing on a very human impulse. If you make it something enjoyable, you will be able to raise a lot of money for your cause.