43 Ways to Turn Your Supporters Into Fundraising Superstars

Turning your everyday supporters into fundraising superstars isn't easy. It requires the right combination of fundraising expertise, engaged staff members and savvy technology. When done well, supporters can raise significant amounts of money and bring new donors to your organization. So how can you help supporters become fundraising superstars? Here are 43 tips, organized by topic and ordered from easiest to hardest to implement, for turning supporters into fundraising superstars.

Teach them to fundraise and provide samples

1. Encourage them to use their social networks. Fundraisers who use social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can increase fundraising results by up to 40 percent.

2. Try making fundraising a game by offering rewards for levels achieved, e.g., a $50 gift card for $5,000 raised.

3. Encourage them to start a team of fundraisers. Not only do teams raise more money for your organization, but they also add camaraderie and competition to fundraising.

4. Hold contests. After the initial excitement wears off, your fundraisers may need motivation. Create contests that reward fundraising activity. For example, the highest fundraiser in September receives four movie passes.

5. Provide samples of everything. Don't let your fundraisers get stuck on something you can easily provide. Supply sample fundraising e-mails, Facebook posts, tweets, phone scripts, thank-you notes, approved logos, etc.

6. Provide fundraising success stories. Tell them how to raise money, challenges they will likely face and the impact their donations will have on your mission.

7. Provide fundraising tips so they know how to get started. Not every method of fundraising is for everyone. Provide numerous ideas, but emphasize the most efficient methods.

8. Tell them how to approach their business contacts. Contacting a vendor or customer is different from asking their neighbors for support.

9. But, let them know your key corporate relationships. You probably already receive support from many local companies so avoid embarrassment and disappointment by disclosing who already generously supports your cause.

10. Offer tips for approaching the media. Your fundraisers may be fearless in promoting your cause, but when approaching the media, they may need help. Offer tips and advice on how to receive coverage of their efforts.

11. Explain which types of fundraising events are most efficient. Recommend focusing on events that raise the most money for the least amount of work.

12. Hold fundraising lunches/seminars/receptions to teach them how to fundraise. While success stories may provide ideas, these sessions let fundraisers "ask the experts" and get any questions they may have answered.

13. Create an online community for your fundraisers to interact and share their ideas. Provide a way for them to collaborate and share great tips or advice.

Connect them to your cause

14. Allow your fundraisers to raise restricted money. They may have been moved by one aspect of your cause and will want to fundraise for it.

15. Invite your top fundraisers to join your volunteer committee. This makes fundraisers feel closer to your organization and responsible for its success. It also injects some new enthusiasm and ideas into your committees.

16. Offer a tour of your hospital/school/office to further connect them to your cause. Meeting the people who are helped and seeing the places that are impacted by their efforts gives your fundraisers extra motivation.

17. Keep them updated on how donations will be used. Tell them the outcomes of their hard work.

18. Celebrate their accomplishments annually with a thank-you party, dinner or reception. It's an extra opportunity to say thank you, connect them to your mission and encourage future participation.

Treat fundraisers like VIPs

19. When someone creates a fundraising page, call to say thank you and answer any questions. Let him or her know you are there to help.

20. Check in occasionally. At some point, most fundraisers will feel discouraged, intimidated or confused about fundraising. Offer your expertise and your encouragement.

21. Ask them what you can do better. Your fundraisers likely could use additional support or resources at some point. Learn what else would help, and provide this for future fundraisers.

22. Implement their good ideas. It helps them take ownership of the program and feel responsible for its success. If you don't implement an idea, explain to them why you did not.

23. Find out what motivates your fundraisers. They are likely fundraising because of your cause, to be part of a team or receive an incentive. Find out what motivates them, and tailor communications accordingly.

24. Celebrate their milestones. Your fundraisers will likely be really excited when they reach their goals. Capitalize on this opportunity to thank them.

25. Respond quickly to fundraiser questions and complaints. Problems and slow response times lead to frustrated fundraisers, which may cause them to stop fundraising altogether until they hear back from you.

26. Offer your fundraisers any "extras" you have. Call your top fundraisers first, and offer them any extra tickets to a game or the extra seats at your gala.

27. Arrange meet-and-greets with celebrities at events. Regardless of whether you introduce them to a professional athlete or a radio station DJ, give your fundraisers the VIP treatment whenever possible.

Highlight fundraisers online and create user-friendly forms

28. Make it easy to find a fundraiser's page on your website. The more clicks and searching a visitor has to do on a website, the less likely he or she will donate.

29. Make donation forms concise and compelling. Help your fundraisers by creating donation forms that are concise, compelling and easy to complete.

30. Spotlight a new fundraiser on your website each month. It provides recognition and encourages others to start fundraising.

31. Ensure the registration form is concise and easy to complete. This makes it simple for anyone to get started and prevents frustration during the initial steps.

32. List top fundraisers on your website. Recognition and competition are two powerful motivators that may inspire some fundraisers to send out another batch of e-mails.

Help them follow personal fundraising page best practices

33. Give supporters the ability to set up fundraising pages for any occasion. Maybe they want people to donate on their behalf instead of having them buy presents for their birthdays. Whatever the cause, make it simple for them to get started and flexible enough to support their efforts.

34. Add a great default photo to fundraising pages. According to the Blackbaud and the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Consumer Survey, only 45 percent of fundraisers personalize their fundraising pages. Your photo may inspire others to donate.

35. Make your default "my story" compelling on fundraising pages. Not all fundraisers change the "my story" area. Your story may inspire others to donate.

36. Add page-sharing tools to the fundraising page. Free tools like AddThis allow the page to easily be shared via e-mail and social media.

37. Let them create a friendly URLs for their pages. It is much easier for fundraisers to tell potential supporters to visit specific pages instead of your homepage.

38. List the names and amounts of each donor on fundraising pages. Peer pressure has a funny way of inspiring larger gifts. Show gift names and amounts on a donor wall, like North Shore Medical Center's Cancer Walk/Run.

39. Allow them to change their goals at any time. Once they reach their goals, it's less compelling for friends to support them.

40. Allow them to import e-mail contacts into their fundraising dashboards. Once imported, fundraisers can keep track of which contacts have donated, not opened the e-mail, forwarded the e-mail, etc.

41. Allow fundraising pages to be shared on Facebook and Twitter from their fundraising dashboards. Every extra click you eliminate saves your fundraisers time.

42. Allow fundraisers to upload either photos or videos to their pages. A video can tell a more powerful story than a photo.

43. Create short education videos for every step of the way. Show them how to register, set up a page, import contacts, e-mail family and friends, and other important fundraising activities.

Mike Snusz is a senior consultant at Blackbaud. Reach him on Twitter at @mikesnusz