If the idea of raising funds for your next donation campaign sounds daunting, consider using video conferencing and productivity-focused add-on features like a virtual whiteboard to turn your thoughts into reality. When organizing a successful fundraiser, everyone experiences a moment of “can I pull this off?” Yes, you can, and these are the tools you need to lay the groundwork for a successful campaign.
From the beginning, the process requires crystal clear communication, trustworthy delegation, and the manpower to get it all done on a timeline for as little cost as possible! A successful campaign, no matter how big or small, needs time, volunteers, a committee, branding and lots of upbeat energy! To help all of these moving parts run like a well-oiled machine, read on for a few tips when starting out on your next donation campaign:
Establish Your Goal
Chances are, you’ve got a few hands ready to be put to work. Facilitate better communication by holding meetings using video conferencing technology to create a meeting rhythm. This is especially accommodating when you’re trying to get your ideas off the ground. What’s the monetary goal of the campaign? How long will it be running? Who are you targeting? What sponsors will you be using? A video conferencing meeting gives key members a more personal, real-time look at who they will be working with to reach the end goal while forging a bond of trust and connection from beginning to end.
Work Backwards From It
Once the end goal has some shape to it, literally reverse engineering from your goal to today, will enable everyone to see how the abstract can be made concrete. Using the free screen sharing feature while video conferencing enables one participant to lead the discussion by pulling up documents and visuals. This helps everyone else to see what the presenter is talking about.
A fundraising campaign is designed to build momentum over weeks and months, therefore discussing results, metrics, predictions, and other material are made easier and engaging using a tool that showcases pie charts, colorful graphs, memes (it’s fun once in a while!) and even a presentation – all in real-time.
Select Committee Members Discerningly
Once the objectives have been solidified, gathering a group of skilled people to form a committee will really drive your campaign into full gear. Next meeting, try a virtual whiteboard add-on when deciding who would be a good fit where. You can draw out names, symbols, and diagrams (that anyone can add to) to help communicate your thoughts and ideas. Want to draw up a mind map or flowchart? Brainstorm roles and positions? It’s easy with a virtual whiteboard.
Look For Volunteers
Another advantage of video conferencing and conference calls is for the recruitment of volunteers. You can ask potential recruits to call in for a screening and see if they’re a good fit. It’s as simple as a quick call for a few minutes! After onboarding, use video conferencing to hold committee calls to decide how to delegate the workload amongst volunteers; hold meetings with them for training or offer to set up a sync to address any of their questions and concerns. Volunteers are the backbone of a targeted donation campaign, and thanks to their hard work and dedication, you can be in multiple places at once (almost)!
Acknowledge There Are Only 24 Hours In A Day
Time is of the essence, especially when you have a big team, low budget, and an ever-encroaching timeline! Swap out long emails threads, text messaging and driving across town for in-person meetings when you can use video conferencing to save you from the pile-up of text messages and emails, and of course, gas money! Say what you need to say in an online meeting – at zero cost and with lots of time saved for more pressing issues.
Brand Your Campaign – Give It Personality
Have some creative ideas to share with the team? Use a virtual whiteboard add-on to help you express the logo or layout of the event space. Draw out how you want it to look and what color you see it in. Don’t like it? Erase and start again! Drag and drop images found online onto the virtual whiteboard add-on to create a mood board or to show and tell what you want the website to look like. Hit the save button and open it later so you don’t forget what brilliant ideas came up during the discussion!
Decide On Fundraising Events
Campaign and fundraising meetings via video conferencing can work to align everyone faster when it comes to deciding on logistics like times, dates, locations, the frequency and season of the proposed events. Consider the time saved when you have a daily, weekly or bi-weekly check-in to follow up, and where everyone has visibility. Even if a member can’t make the meeting, simply hit record and send the link for them to look at later.
Whichever way you choose to manage the logistics of your donation campaign, with FreeConference.com, you’ve got technology at your fingertips that will bring your vision to life and bring you to your goals faster.
Along with free conference calls, free screen sharing, free conferencing, dedicated international dial-in numbers and the virtual whiteboard add-on, your team can come together as a unified front to tackle a cause that’s close to the heart or help a charity gain momentum.
