Fundraising is no simple task — and yet, the best, most effective fundraisers are usually executed with simplicity. It's an art, really. Fundraisers usually start with a flyer, which sometimes serves as the spark that ignites a full-blown campaign or perhaps a large charitable event.
What we want to focus on in this blog article is that spark. That's right, the spark being the flyer you create for your fundraiser. Whether your camp, rescue mission or homeless shelter is raising money for new mattresses, metal bunk beds, wooden bunk beds, or other essential bedding items, we want your fundraiser to be successful. So, let us begin with your fundraising flyer...
Keep it focused.
If there's one thing that's a characteristic of our culture, it is our short attention spans. Keep your flyer as simple and straightforward as possible so that people will focus in on the right information before their attention is drawn elsewhere.
Pick your pitch.
You've heard of an elevator pitch, right? Every professional needs one — and so do fundraisers. You should have a 30-second spoken pitch for your fundraiser, as well as a brief written pitch that's no more than two or three sentences. That pitch should sum up the who, what, where, when, why and how of your fundraiser.
- Who: Begin with your organization name and a brief explanation of WHO you are (if it's not obvious).
- What: Explain WHAT this fundraiser is for — such as buying new camp mattresses. It would be a good idea to include an image of the mattress or bed as well as specs and pricing.
- Where: Tell WHERE this fundraiser is taking place. Is it online, or will there be a fundraising event at a specific location?
- When: Your potential donors need to know WHEN the deadline is for donating.
- Why: Share WHY you need the items you're raising money for. (Ex. Our current mattresses have been in our cabins for more than 10 years, and most of them have rips and other damage.)
- How: Tell people HOW to donate. If you leave this piece of information out, you may as well have not even created the flyer in the first place!
Layout matters
When it comes to a flyer, looks really matter. People are more likely to scan (and hopefully read) a flyer that's nice to look at.
We get it, though. Maybe you're not a graphic designer. That's okay! There are plenty of resources you can use that require you to have little to no design skills. Canva is one of our favorites. While you can pay for a subscription to Canva and get added capabilities, there are more than enough free designs and layouts you can use with a free account.
If you're spreading the word about your fundraiser via email, MailChimp has drag-and-drop functionality that allows you to create a nice looking email without ever attending a design class or paying for a MailChimp account. Of course, upgrading your account is an option, and it will get you some additional features, but the free version works just fine for most organizations.
You can also use Canva and MailChimp together in your fundraising efforts by creating your flyer in Canva, and then uploading it to MailChimp and attaching it to the email you send out through MailChimp.
Logos add credibility
As we mentioned earlier, people are easily distracted and many do not like to read. Logos are a great way to show people who a fundraiser is for before they ever have to read a word. If someone recognizes your logo, not only are they are more likely to take interest in the fundraising materials they see, but they will also be more trusting of your cause.
Ask us for mattress or bedding specs!
We hope this article was helpful as you make plans to launch your next fundraiser. Like we mentioned earlier, we highly recommend including some product details in your fundraising flyer, such as specs and a picture of the product. If you'd like our help pulling together this information, give us a call at (800) 203-2507, or contact us online!
