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Staying in contact and building relationships cements readership and
opens up paths for funding. Use this list to advertise upcoming events
that will potentially convert to high funding for your group, such as,
“See us at the Chicagoland Pet expo in Schaumberg…booth
number…. Meet dogs available for adoption…..check out our new line
of merchandise…”
Maybe your group is planning its annual picnic or reunion. Your goal
is to build life-long relationships with your adopters. Life-long
relationships = life-long support.
You can create a rewarding group of moral and financial support.
With little effort, you could be stringing hearts together to help your
cause by finding those who can donate supplies, time, or money. You
may find those who will support you in times of crisis.
Times of crisis are when urgent messages come in fast. Some
examples are: you have just received a Heartworm Positive dog, a cat
needs major leg surgery, a horse needs expensive medication, or
your shelter just raided a puppy mill taking in 50-100 animals.
YIKES! Crises come in fast and need money fast. Time to start typing
your heart out! Start by going for the heart strings and telling your
readers what has happened, using descriptive details, active verbs
and present tense. If you need money, say so. If you need a new
washer and dryer because of all the animals, say so. If you need an
expensive device from the vet’s office, say so. People love stories
and drama, so bring aboard a great story teller to bring it to life.
Then, forward it to be proofed and find out if they needed a Kleenex
box after reading it. Conclude your story detailing the expenses:
Vet visits: $200.00
Medications: $200.00
Surgery: $1,500.00
Follow up Physical Therapy: $ 900.00
Grand Total: $2,800.00
Follow this with a “Call to Action” statement: “We really need your
support to help poor Fluffy please send your check to…” Direct them
to your web site for updates on this pet’s story.
Begin by creating an e-group , through Yahoo, for example. Either
name it something like “Support (your groups name or initials here)
@yahoogroups.com” or “friendsbcaa@yahoogroups.com.” Next,
invite past adopters and new adopters to join. You may want to add a
line to your adoption contract which could look something like this:
“Would you like to join our BCAA Friends list of past adopters?
_____ Yes ____No. We share training tips, happily ever after stories,
photos, and BCAA updates.”
The third step ties in communication and marketing. Send emails in
small handfuls (2-3) and ask them to forward them to anyone who
may be interested. Include that in a P.S. message like:
P.S. If you know anyone who may be interested in joining us at our
annual picnic please feel free to forward off this message.
One type of email is to notify the adopter of upcoming events, like
“Mark your calendars…,” followed with monthly reminders, and one a
few days prior to the event. Also, informational emails on training
issues, dog health facts, or tidbits on dog food are often invaluable to
new and seasoned dog owners. Finally, let them in on the true cause
of your group, crises, followed with the website address so they can
investigate the story behind the plea. The few minutes you spend on
an e-mail could potentially bring in a substantial sum of funding for
your group.
Most importantly, always remember “Thank you” notes. Assign this
task to a volunteer. Follow up “Thank you” cards is key to crisis
fundraising. A simple gesture can seal the bond with you and your
supporter, and most importantly, it will guarantee successful crisis
fundraising for the future.
When doing crises fundraising, advertise on your website by adding a
graphic of a thermometer, dog bone, or paw print on the front page
to show readers progress and success. The meter will demonstrate
the amount of money coming in for the specific crisis. Then, add a link
under the headline that will direct your reader to the pet’s story,
including work efforts, trials, and the many expenses. Most
importantly, add a Paypal account to your website. This will make
monetary support convenient and safe.
Send out weekly updates. Readers want to be updated about a crisis,
and they want feedback. They want to see that they are helping.
After Katrina, I read a website that sent out daily updates, which I
lived for. I couldn’t wait to log on everyday to discover the latest
news. The writer moved me with her use of poignant detail and
description.
Remind the reader that though the amounts seem high, small
donations go a long way. An example of this will help persuade the
reader.
Keep in mind…
Your list is a careful balance between offering information and
receiving support. Many readers welcome training advice, such as
emails on house training, digging, or children herding. If they are not
interested, there may be a friend to whom they can forward the
email. However, be careful not to inundate your readers with junk or
crises pleas. After all, you want subscribers for the long haul.
opens up paths for funding. Use this list to advertise upcoming events
that will potentially convert to high funding for your group, such as,
“See us at the Chicagoland Pet expo in Schaumberg…booth
number…. Meet dogs available for adoption…..check out our new line
of merchandise…”
Maybe your group is planning its annual picnic or reunion. Your goal
is to build life-long relationships with your adopters. Life-long
relationships = life-long support.
You can create a rewarding group of moral and financial support.
With little effort, you could be stringing hearts together to help your
cause by finding those who can donate supplies, time, or money. You
may find those who will support you in times of crisis.
Times of crisis are when urgent messages come in fast. Some
examples are: you have just received a Heartworm Positive dog, a cat
needs major leg surgery, a horse needs expensive medication, or
your shelter just raided a puppy mill taking in 50-100 animals.
YIKES! Crises come in fast and need money fast. Time to start typing
your heart out! Start by going for the heart strings and telling your
readers what has happened, using descriptive details, active verbs
and present tense. If you need money, say so. If you need a new
washer and dryer because of all the animals, say so. If you need an
expensive device from the vet’s office, say so. People love stories
and drama, so bring aboard a great story teller to bring it to life.
Then, forward it to be proofed and find out if they needed a Kleenex
box after reading it. Conclude your story detailing the expenses:
Vet visits: $200.00
Medications: $200.00
Surgery: $1,500.00
Follow up Physical Therapy: $ 900.00
Grand Total: $2,800.00
Follow this with a “Call to Action” statement: “We really need your
support to help poor Fluffy please send your check to…” Direct them
to your web site for updates on this pet’s story.
Begin by creating an e-group , through Yahoo, for example. Either
name it something like “Support (your groups name or initials here)
@yahoogroups.com” or “friendsbcaa@yahoogroups.com.” Next,
invite past adopters and new adopters to join. You may want to add a
line to your adoption contract which could look something like this:
“Would you like to join our BCAA Friends list of past adopters?
_____ Yes ____No. We share training tips, happily ever after stories,
photos, and BCAA updates.”
The third step ties in communication and marketing. Send emails in
small handfuls (2-3) and ask them to forward them to anyone who
may be interested. Include that in a P.S. message like:
P.S. If you know anyone who may be interested in joining us at our
annual picnic please feel free to forward off this message.
One type of email is to notify the adopter of upcoming events, like
“Mark your calendars…,” followed with monthly reminders, and one a
few days prior to the event. Also, informational emails on training
issues, dog health facts, or tidbits on dog food are often invaluable to
new and seasoned dog owners. Finally, let them in on the true cause
of your group, crises, followed with the website address so they can
investigate the story behind the plea. The few minutes you spend on
an e-mail could potentially bring in a substantial sum of funding for
your group.
Most importantly, always remember “Thank you” notes. Assign this
task to a volunteer. Follow up “Thank you” cards is key to crisis
fundraising. A simple gesture can seal the bond with you and your
supporter, and most importantly, it will guarantee successful crisis
fundraising for the future.
When doing crises fundraising, advertise on your website by adding a
graphic of a thermometer, dog bone, or paw print on the front page
to show readers progress and success. The meter will demonstrate
the amount of money coming in for the specific crisis. Then, add a link
under the headline that will direct your reader to the pet’s story,
including work efforts, trials, and the many expenses. Most
importantly, add a Paypal account to your website. This will make
monetary support convenient and safe.
Send out weekly updates. Readers want to be updated about a crisis,
and they want feedback. They want to see that they are helping.
After Katrina, I read a website that sent out daily updates, which I
lived for. I couldn’t wait to log on everyday to discover the latest
news. The writer moved me with her use of poignant detail and
description.
Remind the reader that though the amounts seem high, small
donations go a long way. An example of this will help persuade the
reader.
Keep in mind…
Your list is a careful balance between offering information and
receiving support. Many readers welcome training advice, such as
emails on house training, digging, or children herding. If they are not
interested, there may be a friend to whom they can forward the
email. However, be careful not to inundate your readers with junk or
crises pleas. After all, you want subscribers for the long haul.
