Let me break the ice, I know raising funds through GoFundMe seems complicated for you right now. I feel you, man, since fundraising is not just asking for help; it’s a lot more.
You’re asking people to step up, and say that they care.
And, you never planned to do this. You never imagined you might have to be vulnerable.
It’s one of the reasons I made you a video going through a simple GoFundMe Fundraising Plan.
Every step of your GoFundMe campaign requires courage and strategy. You also need community support and creative efforts.
Read every word of this article, and later on, I’ll share with you my free GoFundMe course, which will speed up the process of getting funds.
1. Break through your unease.
Launching a fundraising campaign can be intimidating. This is because it often involves exposing a personal need to the public.
It’s perfectly normal to be nervous about how others will perceive your request for help. Yet, you have to overcome this unease to get donations on GoFundMe. Hang in there!
Believe in your cause and understand that every change begins with courage. Doing so can open the door to potential support and allow you to make more money.
2. Study different campaigns and learn what to emulate and avoid.
Before starting your campaign, research successful fundraising efforts, especially those similar to yours. This preparation sets you up to get donations on GoFundMe and yield your desired results.
Understand what elements of the campaigns worked. Check their narrative style, visual content, engagement strategies, timing, and donor behavior and preferences.
Using the derived insights, you can craft a more targeted approach to make more money. Notably, many engage in charitable giving, so use the data you gather to your advantage.
Furthermore, study failed campaigns. Look for common pitfalls, such as vague goals, infrequent updates, or inadequate engagement with donors. Knowing what to avoid can prevent critical errors in your campaign.
FYI, I have a book titled “Secret GoFundMe Fundraising Tricks.” I interviewed over 20 successful GoFundMe organizers to create this book. With this guide, you’ll learn how to run your GoFundMe campaign.
- The book prepares you for your campaign launch.
- It helps you get donations on GoFundMe.
- It teaches you about getting media coverage.
Note: You have to categorize where the funds will go and what your starting goal (amount) is. So reflect on which best describes your goal. See the images below:
3. Know your audience.
Identify who will support your cause to raise more on GoFundMe. Your audience can be your friends, family, community members, or interest-based groups.
Tailor your campaign’s message to meet their interests and values. Knowing your audience improves the relevance and impact of your message and helps you make money on GoFundMe.
Specifically, consider your potential donors’ demographics, cultural backgrounds, and economic situations. Are they into online giving? If so, you’re in for a GoFundMe success.
To make the success more certain, you can take the GoFundMe course I created. You’ll learn the best fundraising tips and have access to useful resources.
4. Focus on the reasons.
People connect with stories, so connect with them through your own stories to get more donations. Ensure your campaign clearly explains why you’re raising money.
Explain the context and the significance of your need. To make more money, you can outline your personal experiences or the impact of your campaign on others.
Describe what its effects are and why they matter. If you do this effectively, you’ll make money on GoFundMe.
Also, you could include what injustice it fights against. People donate when they know they are solving higher-order needs like empowerment, making an impact, and causing a change.
5. Use correct wording.
Personalizing your appeal can get more donations and create a big difference.
Use “you” to directly address potential donors. Make them feel personally connected and important to your campaign’s success.
At the same time, you can also use active verbs to propel action. Words like support, enable, achieve, and build can motivate people. These words suggest positive and impactful outcomes.
Your wording can either be bashed or get more donations.
6. Detail your personal expenses.
Transparency builds trust. When people trust you, you’ll raise more on GoFundMe. Provide a clear breakdown of how you will use the funds.
Listing specific expenses helps donors see precisely where their money goes. This increases their confidence in your campaign and motivates them to contribute.
For more information, you can check out my book “Crowdfunding Personal Expenses.”
7. Create a sense of urgency.
Highlight specific deadlines or important dates related to your cause. This trick can spur potential donors into action, particularly when they feel time is limited to make a meaningful impact.
You can encourage people to donate to a campaign to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday, anniversary, or holiday. This is a meaningful alternative to traditional gifts and can boost your campaign during typically high-spirited times.
8. Create a compelling video.
You can communicate your message effectively through a compelling video. Through this video, you can form an emotional bond with the viewers; thus, you can make more money.
Plus, it gives a face to the campaign. It allows you to express your sincerity and your campaign’s importance. This can be more persuasive than written content.
9. Appeal to different types of donors.
Diversify your outreach efforts to include various types of donors and get nonprofit donations. You can reach out from small-time contributors to major philanthropists.
Each type of donor can contribute differently, allowing you to make more money. Tap into multiple types to maximize your fundraising potential.
To give you an idea, here’s what the donation page looks like:
10. Offer incentives.
Offer incentives to get donations on GoFundMe. You can give simple thank-you notes, merchandise, or special acknowledgments. This can make donors feel valued and more inclined to provide support.
11. Promote your GoFundMe campaign consistently.
To succeed in fundraising, you must ensure your campaign is visible. Share your campaign widely and repeatedly across multiple platforms.
Consider partnering with influencers, local celebrities, industry leaders, or local businesses, as they already have established audiences.
In addition, your partners can sponsor your campaign, match donations, or allow you to hold events at their locations.
Moreover, consistently sharing your fundraiser link keeps your campaign in the public eye. Regular updates can engage the audience, remind those who might have missed earlier posts, and convince the undecided audience.
12. Request assistance from your personal network.
Your personal network is a powerful tool for expanding your campaign’s reach. Ask your family and friends to share your GoFundMe link.
Their endorsement can lend credibility to your cause. It also helps you reach people outside your circle.
Also, encourage them to share personal testimonials about why they support your campaign. Their statements can strengthen the authenticity of your needs and raise more cash on GoFundMe.
13. Leverage your unique talents.
If you have a specific skill, use it to appeal to donors. You can create a piece of music, art, or a workshop explaining your campaign. Through this creativity, you can attract a wider audience and get donations on GoFundMe.
14. Use email marketing.
Craft targeted and personalized email campaigns to reach out to your contacts. Emails convey the seriousness of your request and give detailed updates about your campaign’s progress.
15. Put your fundraiser link in other locations.
Think creatively about where you can promote your fundraiser to encourage people to donate. You can consider unusual but strategic placements to make money on GoFundMe.
It can be in local cafes, libraries, or community bulletin boards (provided you have permission). This can capture the attention of diverse groups.
You can also use your garden, vehicle, and other properties to increase exposure. Instead of the actual link, you can generate a QR code.
16. Reach out to people with the same interests.
Identify online communities and forums that align with your cause. Members of these groups are more likely to have a vested interest in your campaign.
They can spread the word further within their networks, helping you to make money on GoFundMe.
17. Engage actively.
Show your commitment to the cause by participating in related events or festivals or creating your own.
Organize small, local events like a lemonade stand, bake sale, or charity run. These events provide a fun way for the community to engage with your cause and contribute financially.
This raises awareness and demonstrates your dedication. It can also attract media attention and get donations on GoFundMe.
18. Customize your outreach efforts.
When reaching out directly, personalize your messages, especially to potential major donors.
Reference any personal connections, mutual interests, or specific reasons why their contribution would be particularly impactful. This can increase the chances of receiving a positive response.
To get to know more about new methods of outreach and marketing for your fundraising, my free GoFundMe course can be your secret weapon.
19. Compose original and attention-grabbing shoutouts.
Keep your campaign engaging by crafting creative updates using different media forms, such as videos, photos, graphics, and heartfelt messages. This can sustain donors’ attention and make them share your content.
As a result, you’ll get seen and make money on GoFundMe.
Show potential donors that others are already supporting your campaign.
Sharing testimonials, donor counts, and social media interactions can build trust. If trust has been established, you’ll raise more on GoFundMe.
You can also consider raising funds through another person. As the fundraisers vouch for your credibility, you’ll serve as the beneficiary of this campaign, which is a form of social proof.
21. Document your progress.
Maintain a blog or vlog to document your progress. Regular posts about your activities, the impact of donations, and personal stories can build a following.
Over the long term, people will become more invested in your campaign, and you’ll consistently make money on GoFundMe.
For example, if your campaign is raising money for medical expenses, you can enumerate the medications, treatments, or hospital bills the donations have settled.
22. Assess your campaign’s performance.
Check what’s working and what’s not. Use analytics tools to track your campaign’s reach and engagement. Based on these insights, adapt your strategy and tools to increase donations.
For instance, if you notice that video updates generate more engagements and get donations on GoFundMe, increase the frequency of videos in your communications.
The following image shows the progress of an actual GoFundMe fundraising campaign:
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more fundraising tips, tricks, and strategies, I highly recommend you take my free GoFundMe course.
23. Stay in touch.
Even after the campaign ends, keep in touch with your donors. Update them on the ongoing impact of their contributions and inform them about your future initiatives.
Maintaining your relationship with them results in continued support. In the future, you can make money on GoFundMe through your support systems, including these current donors.
24. Trigger emotions.
Share touching moments to create an emotional connection with your audience and raise more on GoFundMe.
At the start, elaborate on how a particular misfortune or lack affects you. And at the end, describe how their donations have changed your life.
Make them feel good about their generosity. Express your gratitude and tell them how their help means the world to you.
After all, people’s empathy fuels your campaigns. If they feel your distress, they feel that they need to step up and be your hero. Eventually, you will get more donations.
Note that for the donors, giving charity donations improves their self-worth.
For Your Reference: Go FundMe Pricing
Key Takeaways
Maybe the thought of misfortune and the need to raise money makes you feel under the weather. But by using the tricks to get more GoFundMe donations, you can meet your financial goals and change your world.
Consider taking my specialized FREE GoFundMe course to further enhance your skills. By always keeping your cool and pursuing your goal, you could make your own kind of plot twist.
To amplify your learning curve, my book “Secret GoFundMe Fundraising Tricks” has your back. Be inspired by the stories of more than 20 successful fundraisers and become one of them someday!
However, if you want other sources of money in addition to fundraising, I created the video “7 Legitimate Ways to Make Money Online in 2024.” In this video, you can tap into the booming opportunities to tick your financial goal off your checklist.
Yet, we know that you know your learning style. Feel free to take the free course, read my book, consider other sources, or do all of them.
Finally, CrowdCrux wants to give you a high five for investing time in education. All the best!
