Adding updates to your fundraising page is a crucial part of your fundraising campaign. It’s an easy and effective way to keep your fundraising page fresh.

Why update?

There are many great reasons to add occasional updates to your page. Here’s a short list of examples…

1. Updates are automatically emailed to everyone who has already donated to NEADS through your page. This means that when you add an update you are reaching out to those donors and keeping them informed about your progress. You’re also showing them that they are a part of your fundraising team, which they most certainly are. Updates are a wonderful way to recognize the contributions that donors have made in support of NEADS, and in support you as an individual.
2. Updates encourage repeat donations! It’s very common for us to see repeat donations come in right after a client adds an update to their page. And the beauty is that the client didn’t even have to directly ask for donations.
3. Updates keep your page interesting and timely. If no updates are added to your page, then the content on it will eventually become quite old. Updates give you a chance to continue your story, instead of just writing the initial story and then allowing it to sit there for the entire 2 years of your fundraising campaign.
4. Updates are perfect for celebrating milestones. Many clients set incremental goals through out their campaigns. This not only breaks up the $8,000 goal into smaller, more reachable segments, but it also provides numerous chances to announce successes. Sharing your successes with donors via updates is a wonderful thing!
5. The more content your page has, the more likely it is that I will be able to direct donors to it. Donors often ask me to suggest clients to support. Having an appealing fundraising page that gives donors insight into who you are and why you are fundraising for NEADS, is an important aspect in my decision about who to suggest.

 

Updates can be…

Photos – Pictures are a fabulous addition to your fundraising page. Donors enjoy seeing pictures of NEADS Service and Assistance Dogs, so sharing photos of your dog is always a good idea. If you’re not matched yet you can add photos of yourself which will help to personalize your page. Photos that show an aspect of your life that gives you difficulty, and that a Service Dog will be able to help you with, are ideal. For example, one client posted a picture of an item that he had dropped on the floor and couldn’t safely retrieve. Once he was matched with a Service Dog, he posted pictures showing his dog getting items off the floor for him.

Videos – Show your dog in action! Make a video of your dog completing a task. If you haven’t been matched yet you can use videos that NEADS has posted to our Facebook page or to our Youtube channel. Your fundraising page makes it easy to link to many different platforms.

Thank you messages – An occasional update that simply thanks donors is always nice.

We did it!  – hit incremental goal ($2k, $4k, $6k and finally $8k)

I’m matched! – Once you complete training with your Service or Assistance Dog, you’ll want to add an update to make the announcement. Post pictures, videos, and anything else you’d like to share with donors about life with your new dog.

Updates should be added to your page on a regular basis.  As a general rule, aim for one every other month.  If you need help figuring out what content to include in an update, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m happy to brainstorm with you.