May 22, 2024: Communication Tips for Champion Campaigns – Swell Fundraising

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Who?

The best fundraising champions have some common characteristics:

Ideally, you want to recruit a group of 5-10 well-networked individuals who are positive, determined, and passionate about your cause. They should also know different people/travel in different social or professional networks. You don't want all of your champions asking the same 10 to 20 people to donate to your cause.

Communication Tips

Throughout your campaign, you'll be coaching your champions. Your communication strategies has 5 goals:

Equip your champions and educate them about your organization
- Provide example social media posts and emails.
- Teach them how to set a goal and how to use that goal in their messaging.
- Help them create FOMO (social proof).
- Teach them how to make the ask.
- What is your mission?
- Who do you help?
- How can they refer a client to you?
- How can they refer volunteers to you?
Create a Positive Experience- Remember if you're having fun, they will too!
- Set up internal communication tools like group texts or emails
- Connect participants with common interests
- Provide ongoing help to participants
- Provide email/post examples often, not just at the beginning of the campaign
- Coach them on social media best practices
- Provide them with a list of previous donors they're connected to
- Help participants generate their own "who to ask list"
- Acknowledge, congratulate, and thank those who are excelling
- Follow up with those who are showing no progress to find out how you can help them
Reward Participants through Communication
- Profile champions on your social media channels
- List and thank champions in your organization-wide email blasts and/or annual reports
- Publicly celebrate successful days
  - Send an email highlighting champion success
  - Thank your donors/champions in personal messages
Reach Fundraising Goals and Build Awareness- Send your champions regular updates about your progress.
- Send updates to champions about goals met or progress including specific info like an increase in the number of donors, increase in clicks to your site, number of calls, etc
- Leverage in kind PR and free local TV to support your champion efforts
- Use the fundraising display in your office, kickoff, or campaign wrap-up meetings.
- Use your QR codes
Build Momentum for Next Year
- What worked this year?
- What didn't work?
- What can you do even better next year?
- What can you do to ensure you have good champions who want to participate in your campaign next year?