Planning a Successful Campaign from the Start

You’ve made that all important decision to start a fundraising campaign for your cause or organization, but now what? “I don’t even know where to begin!” Have no fear, we are here to help! With this Mysadaqat guide, you’ll learn the following and be a pro in no time at all:

1. Grab their attention with a clear and inviting campaign title

2. Everyone loves a good story - give your campaign a story that reels in the donors

3. Pics and clips: Never let them see you sweat, but DO show them what you’re about

4. How much is too much? Deciding how much to ask for

5. Now that you’ve got a great campaign page – share that link so people can see it

6. Gratitude is the secret of success – thanking your donors

7. The proof is in the campaign updates – show your donors what they accomplished

1. Grab their attention with a clear and inviting campaign title

The first step in planning a successful campaign is choosing a title that clearly explains your fundraising effort. Choose a fundraiser title that grabs the attention of potential donors on social media, in emails, and in videos in order to get them to follow the link and read your page.

2. Everyone loves a good story - give your campaign a story that reels in the donors

When crafting your fundraiser narrative, make sure to make it detailed and with an appeal to emotions. Ask yourself if it is something that would encourage people to donate and stand behind what you’re trying to do. Be sure to read it to your staff, friends and/or family to get their input and feedback.

Your campaign narrative should be no fewer than 400 words, and it should cover the following:

a)  Who: Who is the beneficiary(s) of your campaign? Describe the recipient(s) honestly and in as much as detail as you can.

b)  What: What is the problem that you are raising funds for – again remember that details matter, so don’t leave them out.

c)  When: When does this donation need to be delivered? Maybe you are raising funds for winter jackets or blankets for refugees, and so be sure to tell potential donors what your deadline is which will create the needed sense of urgency.

d)  Why: Explain why the beneficiary(s) is so deserving of the donors’ help and why that help is so crucial.

e)  How: How can donors help? If you’ve done a good job so far with the other elements, then by now, the donor is asking how they can help. Make sure to give them clear giving levels that allow them to pay for a specific element of the campaign ($10 donation will provide one warm blanket to a person in need, $50 will provide them a down coat to help them stay warm in the elements, etc.)

Always remember that if a potential donor is reading your narrative, they obviously care about the cause. Make sure to follow these steps carefully to help them act on that concern they have by supporting your cause!

3. Pics and clips: Never let them see you sweat, but DO show them what you’re about

As Muslims, we can and should do a better job showing our supporters what we are doing. Donors WANT TO SEE what you are all about in order to decide if you are the right person or organization for them to support. They also WANT TO SEE what their contributions will achieve, especially after the donation has been made. That is why MySadaqat so strongly encourages campaigners to add lots of photos and videos, and why we have a videos section. Please make sure that you only upload high quality media and use ONLY media that you hold the rights to, so as to avoid being flagged.

4. How much is too much? Deciding how much to ask for

As tempting as it might be, it’s best to start small and go up gradually when asking for donations. Remember that reasonable campaign goals encourage people to give as it seems feasible, whereas large funding goals might make donors feel like their donation won’t achieve much.

A lot of these issues can be minimized by having clear goals and clear giving levels. If you’re raising funds to buy 100 blankets, then donors can do the math and see you are organized. Also remember that with MySadaqat, campaigns keep all of the donations they receive, even if they don’t meet their financial goals.

5. Now that you’ve got a great campaign page – share that link so people can see it

It’s important to remember that the first few days of a campaign are often the most important and have a big impact on how successful it will be in the end. One helpful tip is to first share your campaign with your family and close friends in the beginning, as they are the ones most likely to contribute and support you. Remember that others will be more likely to donate if they see other people have already donated, hence, having a few donations before you share your campaign widely on your social media channels will give it that extra push for success.

6. Gratitude is the secret of success – thanking your donors

At MySadaqat, we know that running a successful campaign can be stressful, and we made this one a little easier for you by having our own thank you screen when people donate. But, we strongly encourage you to draft a sincere thank you letter that you should send out to all donors who agree to share their emails with you (donation page option). A well worded, genuine thank you letter is your first step in creating a lasting relationship with your donors and increases the likelihood that they will donate to future campaigns that you run.

7.The proof is in the campaign updates – show your donors what they accomplished

One of our missions at MySadaqat is to improve the state of Islamic giving. At times, Muslim organizations forget that donors have options and they do a poor job of updating them on how their donation is being used. We can do better, and we want to be part of that change by having a campaign updates page that we require campaigns to populate before they can receive 100% of the funds they collect.

An update doesn’t have to be more than uploading photos or videos with a brief description, or a brief write-up explaining any recent developments with your campaign. This can be especially important if your campaign has lost steam and people have stopped donating. It shows that you are engaged with the page and responsive, something donors like to see in any campaign. You can also use your campaign update page to thank donors and share the excitement of your beneficiary(s) and your staff at being able to meet your goals. In brief, please give regular updates.