5 Strategies to Help Hit Your Fundraising Targets in 2021

It’s no longer enough to use tired, old fundraising strategies and outdated techniques to promote your next big event. In 2022, we have more access to new guests and potential donors than ever before, but this comes with its own set of challenges. How can you keep up with the everchanging fundraising landscape?

Below, we share five strategies that you can use in 2022 to make sure your next fundraising event is a success.

1. Personalisation is Key

In a year where many people have been isolated, adopting a personalised outreach and communications strategy will be vital in retaining regular donors and building affinity for your cause from one-off or new donors. According to Accenture, 44% of donors are willing to give 10% more if their messaging was more individualised (instead of the automated messages that sometimes get sent en masse to donor lists). This means it is truly imperative to reach out directly to a donor as you may be missing out on potential fundraising opportunities simply because you haven’t been personal in your communications.

With that said, personalisation can come in many forms, but a few ways to make your communications more personal include:

• Segmenting your audiences based on interests and tailor communications accordingly.
• Chatbot implementation through Facebook’s Messenger platform.
• Personalised digital messaging and phone calls that demonstrate that you share their values.
• Schedule Zoom or FaceTime meetings.
• Simple thank you notes.

So secret’s out: more personalised communications will engage donors better and raise more money for your cause!

2. Get Comfortable With Virtual Events

The pandemic has obviously accelerated the adoption of virtual events as part of an overall fundraising event calendar. As the events industry begins to reemerge, it’s fair to say that virtual events won’t be going anywhere.

Non-profits will have to adopt a hybrid strategy that includes hosting both in-person and virtual events for their fundraising initiatives. This should be seen as a positive for many non-profits as virtual events are significantly less expensive and have the potential to reach people who aren’t able to make the event in person, meaning they have the potential to be truly international.

To learn more about hosting an amazing virtual event, check out our recently published guide!

3. Think Positive

Happier donors are more likely to give and be engaged in your cause. While this may seem obvious, it couldn’t be more important to donors after enduring a particularly tough year in 2020, and is continuing for a lot of people into 2022. Infusing positivity into your communications means putting the donor-first with direct outreach that will ensure that they know they’re being listened to.

A positive communications strategy shouldn’t just be about donor outreach, but should also be embodied in your day-to-day marketing strategy. Perhaps you could think about featuring a donor story on your social media channels or regular reminders of the importance of your cause, there are numerous ways to inject positivity into your direct donor communications.

One last thing to note is that while positivity is important, it is crucial that you strike the right tone in your communications so that you do not come across as tone-deaf to what is happening in the world. If you are able to get the balance right, you’ll be able to connect with them through difficult times as well as be an uplifting presence in their day (and inboxes).

4. Embrace Digital

It’s likely that many of your fundraising efforts this year have involved increased investment in digital resources. With the amount and frequency of digital donations increasing over time, embracing digital donors should be a priority moving forward as part of your fundraising strategy.

The benefits of embracing digital tools include:

• Allowing donors to see the direct impact of their donations through the utilization and sharing of data.
• Making donating as easy as possible.
• Allowing donors to donate from the comfort of their own home.
• Creates more flexible payment options.

5. Gen Z is Here

So you may have got the hang of appealing to the millennial donor, but as more Gen Z’s enter the workforce, this new wave of donors must become part of your fundraising strategy from 2021 and beyond.

Gen Z is renowned as the most socially-conscious generation so far, which is good news for non-profits trying to do some social good! To reach this particular cohort, it’s important to be communicating on platforms where you’ll typically find them. That means engaging with platforms like Snapchat and TikTok in addition to your other social media channels, as well as  ensuring that your content is mobile-friendly.

Gen Z provides immense revenue opportunities for those who engage with them earlier rather than later. Some other considerations to think about when attempting to reach this new audience include:

• Embracing Peer-to-Peer fundraising.
• Text-to-give donation opportunities.
• Unique volunteering experiences.
• Branded merchandise.

Hoping to run a fundraising event?

Humanitix can help you list your next event, we're also 40% more cost-effective for fundraisers and non-for-profits. In as little as two minutes you can make your event live, delight your guests, and change lives through supporting education projects. Have more questions? Feel free to speak with a human at Humanitix!