Seven Steps to Mastering your GoFundMe Campaign

Remember parties?  

Seems like a distant memory right?  But at one time parties did actually exist, and when they did I would people would ask me what I do for a living. And when I answered “I’m a professional fundraiser” the conversation nearly always turned to crowdfunding:  Kickstarter. GoFundMe. IndieGoGo. These platforms have democratized fundraising in ways never before possible.  They’re intuitive, easy to use, but man is it a crowded space! 

Fortunately, I had the thrilling chance to serve as an informal advisor in the early days of GiveCorps, prior to their acquisition by The Network for Good.

So when the party conversation turns to crowdfunding, my answer is always the same, and in the spirit of sharing (And in the absence of parties), welcome to Seven Steps to Mastering your GoFundMe Campaign:

Somebody is about to ask about Crowdfunding...

1. Do not be afraid!

The feeling in the pit of your stomach? Clammy hands? Maybe some lightheaded-ness?  Yeah, that’s your brain’s lambic system shifting into overdrive.  But don’t panic!  Your cause, project, honorarium, or program is worthy of support.  Also, take it from a 20-year major gifts fundraiser: I feel the same way anytime I’m asking for a gift.  Same stomach pit.  Same self-doubt.  Same worry that I’m asking too soon, for too much, for the wrong project.  But steel yourself to the fear and do as Yoda says, “Try not, do. Or do not. There is no try.” Overcome this fear, and you’re more than on your way.

2. Be specific about what you are asking for.

OK, so this could be a whole blogpost of it’s own.  But in the spirit of sharing, know this: You’re in a crowded market. And the most generic fundraising campaigns, especially on crowdfunding platforms, will lose steam quickly.  My advice is to be clear and to the point, and hit these 5 basic elements: 

• WHO YOU ARE; and 
• WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH; and
• HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED; and
• BY WHEN; and
• HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT?

Exhibit A:

“The Friends of Adams Street are raising $50,000 to add playground lighting, handicapped access ramps and equipment, plus an emergency defibrillator, as well as repair broken benches, at the Adams Street Playground;” and

“When complete, this will create a safe, open, well lit environment for generations of visitors to The Adams Street Playground, offering peace of mind to parents, grandparents, and caregivers across the city.”

”With your help we can reach our goal by January 1, 2021;” and

“And when we do, all donors will be invited to a public ribbon cutting ceremony and community picnic to celebrate!” 

See?  You immediately give donors a sense for what their donations will support, why it’s important, when you will end your effort, and how you’ll thank them.  Easy peasy, right? 

Well, yes and no.  You have a clear message and goal, you’ve talked about who this will impact, and you’ve put your heart and soul on the line.  Now, the work begins.

3. Get your Social Media On!

Share your Campaign on as many platforms as possible: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok. Share share share, then ask your friends to share.  Tag your posts with appropriate hashtags, use an SEO platform like AHREFs to drive traffic to your campaign, read blogs about driving traffic to social media posts...or better yet: Find a friend who knows how to do this!  Their advice will help you reach a larger audience than you ever imagined.

4. Use Video to tell your story. And use it Again.  And Again....

 You know how they say that a picture is worth a thousand words? Video’s worth a million.  And with 4G’s prevalence and the forthcoming 5G revolution, video will be the fundraiser’s preferred storytelling medium forevermore.  But it can be tricky: So be concise, script your videos, look your best, and keep them short (under 3 minutes per post).  Those 5 bullets I shared earlier - use video to talk about these.  

That Park Playground campaign example I used? Maybe show images of the lighting you plan to install, or the decorative fencing.  Interview people who will be impacted by the Campaign.  Better yet, walk the park at night.  That image will show the “why” you’re doing what you’re doing. Again, a million words can’t describe that feeling of being in a poorly lit playground.  

But video can, so use it!

5. Post frequent Updates

It’s tempting when fundraising to only focus on the initial pitch deck and report “sales”.  But progress towards your goal is equally important.  Using the playground example above, post an update to your Campaign about a recent visit to the Park, or a meeting with a lighting contractor, or (if you have a committee) a recent meeting of your fundraising committee. Let friends/donors into your process.  Opacity does not inspire confidence.  If you’re hitting bumps in the road, talk about those.  Be vulnerable and ask your network for advice...and follow up.  Nothing derails a fundraising campaign more than Poor follow up. 

6. Tell your friends and family

It’s tempting to hope and pray that your GoFundMe Campaign will be found, funded, and finished.  If it were only that easy! There are billions of search terms and combinations of terms out there driving internet traffic hither and yon, and away from the most important crowdfunding project in the world (YOURS!).  

This is where your Campaign needs some analog help.  Once your Campaign is live on GoFundMe, share it with your friends and family.  Invite them to talk with you about why that project matters to you.  Ask them if they would share it with their networks.  If you’re lucky, you have a social media savvy relative or two that’ll add some fuel to your Campaign fire.  But even if you don’t, telling those closest to you what you’re doing and why will represent a meaningful (albeit analog!) step in this journey.  

Which brings me to my final bit of advice:

7. Be Yourself.

If I had a single piece of fundraising wisdom to offer, it would be this: Just Be You. Talk about why your project is important to you, your family, your kids, your community.  Tell the stories you tell your friends, be vulnerable, kind, and enthusiastic.  This authenticity is the single most important attribute for a fundraiser.  You can be slick, rehearsed, and perfectly scripted, but in the end: 

Your authenticity will carry the day.