By Kari Ann Kiel, Event Marketing Consultant, DoJiggy

Let's begin by asking a question: "Why do donors choose to give money to one worthy cause over another?"

Some donors have a solid relationship with an organization where they choose to donate funds year after year. But many donors – specifically new prospects – need a compelling reason why they should choose to give to one cause over another.

First and foremost, they need to be asked!

As silly as it sounds, people like to receive a personal invitation. When that request comes from someone they personally know, the invitation is even more effective. A request from an individual opens up the opportunity for them to share a personal story.  This helps sets one fundraiser apart from another.

Personalization provides an opportunity to make an emotional appeal – a connection from a potential donor to the individual, and hence to the cause. This becomes the "hook" that reels the fish in.

Provide Participants with Personalization Tools

Whether you're hosting a walk-a-thon, charity auction, or soliciting online donations for an annual fund drive, the success of your fundraising campaign lies in the success of each of the individual participants. Therefore, it's important to make sure your participants have the tools they need to succeed. Provide online tools that allow them to engage with their peers by explaining why they personally chose to get involved. Creating an emotional connection to the "cause" is an effective way to gain support from family and friends.

With today’s technology, personalization can be taken to a whole new level

Implementing online fundraising software tools should allow participants to create their own personalized fundraising webpage, a place for them to tell their stories. Many donors choose to contribute based on their support of an individual over a cause. Participants typically reach out to family, friends, and close associates who they personally know to request donations. These prospects will likely do what they can to help their "friend" accomplish his or her goals.

In addition, choosing to make a donation is often a spontaneous decision, and if not acted on immediately, it may be forgotten. Fundraising websites need to provide an easy way for donors to contribute by simply clicking through to a website where an immediate, safe donation can be processed.

Not only does a personalized website give participants a platform to share their story, upload photos, and process secure, online donations, it also helps them easily manage their fundraiser. Each participant should be able to set a personal fundraising goal and then track donations to monitor progress. They also need to be able manage communications to donors through personalized email thank you letters.

Participant pages may feature rotating quotes from supporters to create a feeling of community and shared sense of purpose. They may have the ability to post links on their webpage to further inform about the cause. If interested, supporters can learn more about the community they'll be serving, watch videos posted on YouTube, link to relevant articles, or visit a personal blog where participants may document their experiences and share photo albums of their journey. These days, each personal pledge page has to have social networking widgets giving participants easy-to-use tools to spread the word and promote their fundraiser.

Guidelines to help Participants Personalize their Fundraising Webpage:

• Provide an explanation about the cause for the fundraiser, who will benefit from the funds raised, and the reason YOU are participating!
• Upload a personal photo. Show them your smiling face!
• Include a mission statement. Why are you doing this?
• What are your personal goals? How much are you hoping to raise?
• Include a Fundraising Thermometer that shows your fundraising goal and current progress, so potential donors can visually see how close you are to reaching your goals.
• Make Donating Easy! Include quick instructions that direct people to the "Make a Pledge" link at the bottom of the page where they can enter their donation and credit card information.
• Provide Contact Information. If people have questions and want to contact you, where do they reach you?
• Social Networking Links: links to Facebook, Twitter, etc. for your supporters to help spread the word!
• Communicate throughout the process. Don't just send a personal invitation to make a donation, but be sure to keep supporters updated on your progress, and don't forget to send personalize Thank You letters as well.

Case Study: Operation Groundswell

Operation Groundswell is a non-profit organization that offers backpacking-style group volunteer programs to the developing world. Their "backpacking with a purpose" program strives to cultivate consciousness while providing real services that directly benefit the communities they work with around the globe. Fundraising is mandatory for all who wish to participate in the program.

In 2010, 75 volunteers participated. Each was required to raise a minimum of $1,000. These expectations were exceeded with participants raising 110% of the goal. The summer 2011 program included 115 participants who also exceeded goals, raising a total of $125,000!

Not every participant is raising funds for the same project. Instead, each participant chooses a destination from eight different locations, including Africa, India, the Middle East, and South America. Therefore, personaized fundraising pages are essential, allowing each participant to explain why they choose to travel to this specific destination in support of a cause, while easily collecting online donations. The fundraising websites also give participants the tools they need to reach more donor prospects than they could have through traditional fundraising efforts.

"Personal fundraising websites allow participants to collect donations from peers all around the world, quickly and efficiently."

Muneeb Chaudhary, Fundraising Coordinator, Operation Groundswell

In addition to the personal touch provided with the customizable fundraising pages, the ease of using the system also allows participants to be creative with their fundraising efforts. Events from rock concerts to themed dinner parties were held in an effort to raise funds, all the while raising consciousness about the programs in the destination country.

Operation Groundswell not only provides the tools and guidance to empower individual participants, but the organization does a great job facilitating peer-to-peer awareness of "backpacking with a purpose". Through quarterly newsletters, hosting frequent alumni events, and keeping frequent with social networking posts, the organization strives to keep supporters informed of their fundraising programs, progress, and success.

"Technology is changing the world faster than we can perceive. I have been to rural villages with no running water or electricity where people have access to cell phones," explains David Berkal, Executive Director at Operation Groundswell. "In a world transforming at a rate of speed that seems unfathomable, it is inspiring to see the tools of technology being used to facilitate a positive impact and spread consciousness exponentially."

Kari has more than twelve years experience developing and executing strategic event marketing plans. She has managed community fundraising events and sponsorships for non-profits, and has consulted various companies to help them extend their reach and improve results through integrating targeted online marketing campaigns.