Phase One: “The Soft Launch”

The first phase is the “soft launch” where you focus on recruiting solid and dependable fundraisers. They can help kick off the campaign and generate the momentum needed for success. In this phase your focus should be more on quality vs quantity of participants. Investing time in a few key potential fundraisers within these groups will have a massive reward. In fact, there are probably a few names and faces within each of these groups that will instantly come to your mind as you read.

Volunteers: Volunteers at your organization are some of your biggest advocates. A lot of volunteers have been personally impacted by your mission and will go above and beyond for your organization.

Loyal Donors: Recurring donors have already supported your organization and believe in your mission. A great way for them to get even more involved is for them to participate in your peer-to-peer campaign This is also an opportunity for them to potentially raise more funds than they are capable of giving.

Board Members: Ultimately, the biggest advocates for your organization are your board members. A board member typically has a wide professional network and knows how to leverage it, which is why board members are frequently the most successful fundraisers on a peer-to-peer campaign.

Those who benefit from your services: Anyone who has personally benefited from your organization’s services are the perfect fundraisers. They know firsthand how life-changing your organization can be. As a result, they are typically more willing to spread the word about the campaign to their friends and family.

Last years’ participants: On average, returning participants raise 1.5 - 3x more than first-time participants. You can take a look at more steps to retaining fundraisers year-to-year here.

How to make the ask

So you have identified the all-star members within your organization. How do you take the next step and officially make the ask? With early stage recruiting, it’s best to personally reach out to these individuals. This might look like a quick phone call or email to describe the importance of the campaign, their importance to the organization, and your confidence in their ability to be the leaders of your campaign. Wrap-up the outreach by sharing the next steps for them to create their fundraiser page and let them know that they have 100% of your support.

Phase Two: “The Public Launch”

Once your campaign has a promising group of fundraisers who have actively started receiving donations, it’s time for more general recruitment. This type of recruitment can be less personal but still intentional. A great place to start is by outlining a clear and compelling message that articulates why participants should consider fundraising for your organization through this event. Whether it be a short video, infographics, or an image with a story, the content should emphasize how fundraising dollars empowers your organization to fulfill its mission.

Below are a few different approaches you can take to share your campaign:

Email: An email is the best and fastest way to share your campaign with anyone who has a connection to your organization. Take a look at your database and identify any past donors, volunteers and newsletter recipients. Share the compelling content, the information about the campaign, and steps they can take to get started fundraising.

Social Media: Social channels allow for interactions with advocates/active followers. Your organization has the ability to create unique posts and content about the event. Take note on if any specific styles of posts have a lot of engagement or are followed by a few new fundraisers.

Website Marketing: Anyone who visits your website has an interest in your organization. However, they may not have the ability to donate. Actively start promoting the campaign a few weeks prior to the official start date. One successful tactic is scheduling a pop-up directly on your website promoting the campaign when someone opens your website.

Any other marketing channel: Every organization is different. If there is another channel that might be helpful for you to get the word out about the campaign then use it. A monthly newsletter, a blog, a youtube channel, etc. Any outlet can help educate your supporters about your organization’s campaign.

At the center of every successful peer-to-peer campaign are motivated fundraisers. Remember, these fundraisers might be closer than you think. Try using these tips to help your campaign reach new heights.