What are the advantages of online event fundraising?

Two key advantages of online events fundraising relate to audience reach and participant motivation. Various analyses indicate that participants who use online tools ask twice as many people to contribute as paper-only participants. In addition, events participants who create personal pages online are more likely to receive motivating messages from organizations asking people to pledge than those using traditional means. The result is greater solicitation and an increase in overall pledge and contribution activity.

What are online fundraising best practices for walks, runs and other team fundraising events?

While there are many elements that result in a successful online fundraising event, training and planning are two critical keys to success. It is essential to ensure all staff that will be interfacing with event participants and donors are well trained and can troubleshoot incoming questions. In addition, planning is essential for all phases of the event: pre, during and post. Some examples include:

• Set online fundraising goals, determine target launch date, design and set up email communication plan.
• Well thought-out correspondence and interactions with online fundraisers.
• Timely and accurate answers to questions from participants.
• Year round communication with donors and participants.
  

Remember, the goal of this Web site is to help people register and donate money, so start by including your mission statement and explaining where the money goes. Making your site clear and consise with registration and donation buttons easy to find, will allow the user a much better experience. In addition, testing the site in its “preview” stage prior to activating it will help to further eleviate any errors. Lastly, only use option you are familiar with and that make sense for your event.

What are some commonly made mistakes, and how can I avoid them?

1. Loosing focus - your event fundraising Web site could possibly be a donor or participant's first impression of your event and organization. Set time aside and complete a few test registrations and donations prior to releasing the site to the public. This extra effort will ensure your site is user friendly and error free.
2. Overcomplicated Web sites - only confuse the donor or participant, so remember to keep it simple and only enable features that make sense for your event and provide added value.
3. Loosing focus – don't forget, the main purpose of your Kintera thon is to recruit participants and raise money. Sure it's a great venue to share information about your organization, but the primary message of the site should be fundraising focused.
4. Lack of staff involvement - Getting your site up is just one piece of the online fundraising equation. If you have done a great job creating excitement and talking about the benefits of online fundraising, participants should be customizing their personal pages with their personal text and photo. Use these pages as an opportunity to learn more about certain individuals and begin to build a relationship.

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