Angling In On Fundraiser Marketing

Fundraiser marketing can present unique challenges because fundraisers are everywhere, particularly during the months school is in session. The most important aspect of fundraiser marketing is getting the word out; but the most successful fundraisers (regardless of the organization type or group size) are those that set themselves apart from the rest of the fundraising crowd.

One way to make an impact is to put a spin on your fundraiser, and market that angle. That little extra spin can turn a regular fundraiser of moderate interest into a fun event that people want to be a part of in whatever way they can.

Almost any fundraiser can be spun with an angle. For example, a pizza fundraiser for a volunteer fire department in Michigan was turned into a community affair by having the firefighters actually bake, serve, and deliver the pizzas. An additional fire-safety spin was put on the event when a local Ace Hardware store donated smoke detectors to be given to the first 200 customers. The success of the event netted more than $1800 for the department.

This is just one way forward-thinking organizers made more of an otherwise regular fundraising event. There are plenty of other ways fundraisers have taken advantage of marketing angles. Some fundraising marketing angles that have grown in popularity, and proven to increase the bottom line of fundraisers include:

• Faculty vs. student sporting events
• Fashion shows with community models
• Fun takes on old themes like casino nights, or a day at the races with turtles
• Events that let students and/or community members 'stick it to' administrators and authority figures; events like the age-old dunking booth, pie throwing, shaved heads, and so on…
• On the more serious side, fundraisers with dual beneficiaries, such as partnering with charitable organizations, or providing education and awareness for participants (for example, bike races being coupled with bicycle safety campaigns, or carnivals coupled with child safety initiatives

This is an article created by the FundraisingIP.com Editorial Team. For more fundraising ideas and fundraiser help, go to our article directory at FundraisingIP.com/articles.