Unique Fundraising Ideas and Tools Fundraising Myths Debunked! Myth #1: People only give if they like the cause. No, the reality is that people give because you are doing the asking. Seriously, you start with family and friends because they are the most likely to give to you, primarily because it’s you, and you believe in the cause. Tip: They’re even more willing to give if you ask them to match or exceed your own personal donation—see how this works. Myth #2: I can’t fundraise because I don’t know anyone with MS. Yes, you can. All it takes is believing in the cause. Besides, you do know someone with MS: Me! Myth #3: I don’t have time to fundraise. If you have five minutes to watch a video of a dog howling the Star Spangled Banner, you have time to fundraise. Just five minutes a day will yield results. It’s as quick as sending one of our pre-written fundraising emails. See our other fundraising tools below to get started. Myth #4: Everyone else fundraises, so I don’t have to. Actually, about 30% of the people do 100% of the fundraising. You read that right—a relatively tiny number of people are doing ALL of the fundraising. We know motorcyclists can do better than that. Fundraising Tools and Advice How to Ask for a Donation No magic tricks or song and dance required. Just follow these steps and you’ll be saying, “Thanks for that donation!” in no time. Asking Made Simple: 5 Steps to Get You Started 1. What are you raising money for? Example: “I’m fundraising for the National MS Society because it supports people living with MS living in our community. It also funds research to stop MS.” 2. Explain why it’s important. Examples: “While no cause has been identified, MS is thought to affect more than 2.1 million people worldwide.” “At present, there’s no cure for multiple sclerosis, but more effective therapies are on the way.” If you have a personal connection to the cause, mention it. 3. Ask your donor to take action. Example: “Will you make a $50 donation in support of the National MS Society?” Stop talking and let your donor answer. Match this: an easy way to fundraise quickly Now that you know how to ask for a donation, you can get started with this matching challenge to raise funds quickly: Make a personal donation (whatever amount you’re comfortable with) and ask potential donors to match it. Why this works: People are encouraged to donate because you have made the commitment to donate and it is you who is doing the asking. Give it a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how well it works. Sample Messages Sample fundraising message This year Im participating in the MS5000, a motorcycle challenge in support of a world free of multiple sclerosis (MS). While I will have fun riding as many miles as I can for 50 days, raising funds for the National MS Society is serious business. Your donation will be hard at work helping people in need and moving us closer to a world free of MS. 100% of funds raised by the MS5000 riders benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I support the National MS Society because it funds cutting-edge research and provides programs and services that help people living with MS move their lives forward. [Enter personal story here.] Will you make a donation in support of the National MS Society? Click here to donate: (Insert your personal page URL here) Thank you for your support. I will keep you posted on my fundraising progress. [YOUR NAME] Thanking donors – sample message Thank you so much for your donation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in support of the MS5000. Your donation supports vital programs and services to people in our community living with MS and cutting-edge MS research. While we will have fun while riding as many miles as we can over 50 days, raising funds for the National MS Society is serious business. Your donation will be hard at work helping people in need and moving us closer to a world free of MS. Thank you. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] Follow up – sample message Just a quick note to follow up on my earlier email about donating to the National MS Society in support of the MS5000. There’s still time to help out, and I need your support. If you have a moment and would like to donate to the National MS Society in support of the MS5000, click on this link: (Insert your link here) Thanks again and I’ll keep you posted on my MuckFest MS experience. [YOUR NAME]
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 23:44:22 +0000
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