How to Fundraise for a Peer-to-peer Campaign in 6 Steps

Looking to fundraise for a peer-to-peer campaign to support one of your favourite causes? Your involvement will make a huge difference for the charity, because peer-to-peer campaigns are important for fundraising.

50% of organization’s revenue comes from fundraising when they incorporate peer-to-peer campaigns, compared to only 30% of revenue stemming from fundraising in charities not using peer-to-peer.

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Here are 6 essentials steps to a successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign

Step 1: Create your peer-to-peer campaign

The first step is to choose a peer-to-peer fundraising platform. With Zeffy, you can easily create your own peer-to-peer campaign. Go to the main campaign page and click on “Fundraise.” Then, choose to either create a team, join an existing team or fundraise as an individual.

Creating a team is good choice for a group of people fundraising together. This could be with coworkers, family, classmates, sports team members and others. You can then join the team and make your own page.

When creating your campaign, you will have to decide on your fundraising goal. Look at the original campaign’s goal and then think about how much of an impact you want to make. Take into account how many of your friends and family will donate and how much you will be donating yourself. Make sure your goal is realistic. If you don’t think you can achieve your goal, you won’t be motivated during your campaign. Make the goal within reach, but still a bit of a challenge. You want that feeling of accomplishment when your thermometer reaches the top! And don’t worry, you can always edit it later on.

Congrats! You have officially created your campaign. Now it’s time to personalize it. Once it’s created, you will receive a confirmation email, with a link to make your Zeffy account. On your account you will be able to customize your campaign page with a personal message, image and colour. This is an important step, because by personalizing your campaign, you demonstrate how important the cause is to you, which will compel your friends and family to donate.

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Step 2: Write your story

This part might be a bit trickier if you are not as comfortable with writing, but don’t worry, we have the tips to make it easier. First off, the charity you are supporting will have provided a message for their general campaign. It is important you incorporate it into your own messaging. It will explain exactly what the goals of the campaign are and what the donation will actually be going towards. Part of your work is already done!

Next, you need to explain why you chose to raise money for the cause. Use these questions to guide you:

• When did you start supporting this cause?
• How have you been involved with it?
• In what ways does its vision and mission affect you personally?
• What would it mean to you if your friends and family supported the cause?
• Why did you chose your goal?

Our tip: Find the charity’s vision and mission on their website and read it carefully. The vision is what they are working to attain, as in once it is achieved they can close their organization. Their mission is how they are going to get there. Incorporate the two into your story!

Take time to answer each question in a few sentences. Then, put the sentences together and remove any redundancies. Make sure the text flows and is compelling. Have a close friend, who you want to convince to support your campaign, read it and give their comments. You will know your story is good if they are persuaded to donate!

Incorporate your personal text into the campaign’s original message. Remove any redundancies. Make sure it flows and that the goal of the campaign is still clear. And there you have it – a thoughtful personal message that will touch your loved ones and compel them to give!

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Step 3: Donate to your own campaign

There’s nothing complicated about this step. Before you ask others to donate, make sure you do so yourself. You are a leader, and here you can lead by example! The positive effects of this step are clear; those who donate to their own campaign raise about 10 times more than fundraisers that don’t.

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Step 4: Share your peer-to-peer campaign

Now it’s time to get the word out to the whole world – or at least your whole world. Send a personalized message to all your friends and loved ones (using your story!). Let them know how much it would mean if they donated. Don’t be afraid to share with people that aren’t in your inner circle. It is for a great cause, so don’t worry about annoying anyone. If your messages are positive and confident, people will be willing to give. And of course, don’t forget to include the link for your campaign!

Share your campaign on all your social media platforms. Be sure to use parts of your personal story in every one. Adapt each post to the style of the platform. For example, you can make your post longer on Facebook than on Twitter. Or, edit your Instagram image to add text that makes the goal of your post obvious (you can do this easily using Canva, a free tool). Use the social media widgets on your campaign form to share it quickly!

Incorporate pictures of yourself in your posts that are related to the cause. They could include you volunteering at the organization or interacting with the beneficiaries of the organization’s programming.

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Step 5: Share again!

Next, you’ll have to start the last step over again. Keep sharing your campaign on your platforms and sending it individually to your friends.

Check back in with those who said they would donate but haven’t yet by sending them a friendly reminder. Repost when the campaign is halfway over or when there is only a week or a day left.

Don’t be afraid of posting too much. Your friends may forget about your campaign. They will appreciate being reminded. Also, those close to you will want to support you and maybe get involved themselves. Your campaign may be so compelling that you convince some to start their own!

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Step 6: Celebrate your campaign's progress

Whether you make it halfway to your goal or reach it, be sure to celebrate! Congratulate and thank those that support your campaign when you reach milestones in it.

Post when you make it halfway to your goal. Post again when the campaign finishes, thanking all your supporters and mention the impact your campaign will have on the organization. For example, “We raised $100, which will provide 500 meals to children in need. Thank you for making this possible!”

Don’t forget to personally thank each of your donors. Like you did with sharing, send them each an individual message, email or give them a call. It will mean a lot and set the stage for your next campaign.