Heart Attack

High Blood Pressure

What you can do

Fortunately there is a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. A healthy lifestyle is the key to preventing it. Strive for the following:

Helping the cause

Gift from the Heart Foundation and Big Hearts to Little Hearts have been using FirstGiving to fundraise for their perspective nonprofits. These two organizations have dedicated themselves to helping alleviate heart disease illness in youth. Either by helping bring sick European children to the United States for care (Gift from the Heart Foundation) or helping to raise money for child cardiac treatment (Big Hearts to Little Hearts), you can see how heart disease can be.

Everyone needs to do their part in helping others. Be it starting important conversations, raising awareness, or fundraising for the causes we care about most, we all have our part. Here’s to a healthier heart and a better world.

Photo Courtesy Eva Blue 2010

Why “check-in?”

“Checking-in” notifies an individual’s social network of his/her physical location by publishing it to their online profiles. For a nonprofit that hold events, this is an opportunity for their supporters to promote the event on their behalf. Supporters who “check-in” can take pictures, leave comments, and interact with others which can really add to the overall experience/promotional awareness of the cause. To do this, simply search for the event using your smartphone and Facebook application. Once you have located it, simply push on the “check-in” icon and you should be good to go.

Ask for post event donations

One of the beauties of event “check-ins” is the live awareness it creates. This helps create a sense of urgency for the community. After the event has passed, take advantage of this and message those who have donated to your fundraising page once more and ask them for post event donations. Maybe this could be a good time to find new donors to your personal fundraising page too. It never hurts to ask!

Oftentimes nonprofits will try to get their supporters to “check-in” by offering to give away free merchandise to individuals who do. Find out if the nonprofit you are fundraising for has a similar promotion in place. Could be a cool way to get free stuff and to help out!

Learn more about location based marketing

Photo Courtesy MissTurner 2009

A Facebook event is an opportunity to invite your nonprofit’s Facebook Fans to either a physical event or an ongoing campaign. It’s a powerful way to pull individuals into a specific cause and engage your supporters.

Creating your event

If you have a Facebook Fan page for your organization, you can create an event by clicking on the events tab underneath your profile picture. You will be prompted to create a new event by filling out the event’s name, date, time, location, and details.

Extra attention should be given to the “details” tab. Here is where your nonprofit should fill in all of the event’s remaining information. Please try to keep the details as simple as possible though. Consider adding the following information to maximize effectiveness:

• Event Registration details
• Fundraising goals
• A link to your FirstGiving event page
• Nonprofit story
• Fundraising incentives
• Other details

Share your event

Once you create your event, you’ll be ready to invite your fans to participate. To do this, simply share your newly created event on your nonprofit’s Facebook fan page wall.  You’ll have the option of filtering the post by location and language. If you’re a larger nonprofit, this can come in handy when doing regional events. Create your event between 2 and 4 months prior and feel free to post your event several times leading up to physical date to give your supporters enough time to respond.

Make your event open to everyone

Let your event extend beyond your network by letting your supporters invite their own friends and family. Unlike a Facebook fan page, your supporters can personally invite others in their network. This is also a great way to prompt those invited to create their own fundraising teams. The more the merrier! 

Offer “check-in” incentives

“Checking-in” is easy to do with a smartphone. To do this, your attendees can search for your event on their Facebook application. Having an array of incentives for your attendees to “check in” can milk engagement. Following SCVNGR’s “challenges” model and offer sweeter deals to supporters who go above and beyond the simple “check-in.”

As an example, for those who “check-in” and upload a picture, consider putting them in a difference incentive category than those who simply “check-in.” Do the same for supporters who tag the event or your nonprofit in their Facebook status as well. Not all “check-ins” are created equal, segment and cultivate the most influential supporters and be sure to sweeten the deal for them.  Consider giving away free t-shirts to the first 25 individuals who “check-in” and “donate” their Facebook statuses to the event/cause. Maybe hand away free water bottles for those who simply just “check-in” alone? Try your best to leverage those incentives and see how support engagement changes!

Learn how team incentives can help increase donations

Photo Courtesy rockinfree 2010 

As the Boston Marathon draws closer, we thought we’d make it a point to discuss the incredible fundraising opportunities an event like this has to offer. With this unofficial series, we will be shedding a little light on fundraising for this marathon up until the big day.

When making fundraising goals, one has to understand the typical donation environment; what’s realistic, what’s not, and what to expect. Our previous study on the 2010 Boston Marathon shows that the average donations per fundraising page range between $25 – $75, and $100 – $150, while the average donation is $75. You can see here the further breakdown in the donation amounts:

With the most popular donation range falling between $25 – $75, most Boston Marathon fundraisers will be receiving donations below $75. However, this does not undermine the importance of the donations over $100. These larger contributions are vital in meeting your fundraising minimums. And don’t forget about those larger, individual sum donations as well! One $500 donation can make up for ten smaller ones. See what works best for you and your network and don’t hesitate to ask for more.

Learn more about fundraising for the Boston Marathon: Download our official Boston Marathon Fundraiser guide for more details.

Optimal user experience

In the past we had multiple screens to finagle. We’ve brought everything to one, concise screen for simplicity’s sake. With a new progress bar, registrants know how far along they are in the signing up process.

There’s a new multiple sign up option

New registrants now have the ability to sign up other registrants on their behalf. This feature is perfect for creating teams!

The ability to create a fundraising page while registering

We have now baked the page creation process into the event registration. Though your supporters have the ability to opt out of it, we find it helpful to get it out of the way while we have you. We’ve seen too many cases of individuals unfortunately forgetting to fill in their page information. Why not encourage your supporters to do it now?

Let your supporters be their first donation

During the sign up process, new registrants now have the option of being the first to donate to their own fundraising page goal. Donors are more likely to make a donation to a page that has already raised some money, so starting out with lets say a $100 donation can inspire others to give. It also shows that the fundraiser is truly dedicated to their own efforts.

Give your supporters a registration discount code

Providing a discount registration code can be a good way to incentivize participation. Though this may not be applicable in all scenarios, the option is now available. Consider giving it a try and see how it affects the number of registrants you receive.

Watch this video tutorial if you’d like a more in depth walk through of the new online event registration tool.

In the celebrity blogging community, Geno Carter has quite the positive reputation. With the juicy gossip and the contacts, Geno leverages his network for the good of the community. For his 2nd annual Geno’s World fundraiser for The Carroll Center, he’s been engaging his supporters with all sorts of incentives. One of them included a 10 minute Skype conversation with the talented Bianca Kajlich. The “Rules of Engagement” star had generously donated her time to this worthy cause. Feeling lucky? Donate yourself and see what you can “win” too!

As you can see in Geno’s Case, incentives go a long way when it comes to community engagement. He’s already raised $8,779! How can you, as a fundraiser or a nonprofit organization, use incentives to your fundraising advantage?

Download our Webinar: Motivate Your Fundraisers to Higher Goals with Incentive Marketing Programs

Know what blood type you are

There’s a spectrum of blood types out there and it is important to know which kind you are. Though everyone should consider donating blood, those of us with certain blood types should think of doing so more often. Individuals with “O” type blood, specifically “O – ” are considered the “universal donors.” These individuals are in higher demand and should donate more often.

Learn about the many ways you can donate

Donations are not limited to blood. Often times hospitals are in need of platelets, plasma, and marrow. For those who don’t fear the needle, try giving in more ways than you’re used to. As a side note, if you plan on donating plasma, AB+ are the universal donors.

Find out where you can donate

It’s important to know when and where you can donate blood. Often times public institutions like schools, churches, and community centers will have blood drives every season. In more populated areas, blood centers are always available for walk-ins. Either search online for the nearest blood donation opportunity or find the nearest blood bank to you.

With that  being said, you seem like the generous type :)  Ever think of doing some grassroots fundraising? Learn how you can do some good by just being you! Download: Make the most of your Grassroots Fundraising

Photo Courtesy Kenny Holston 2011

Direct supporters to your social media communities

Make sure your organization has its own unique social media presence. This helps develop the brand and brings all the conversation surrounding your event and nonprofit together nicely. It makes promoting fundraising events easier when everything is localized to one online destination. See how Humane Society of Tampa Bay leverages this strategy and have successfully aggregated conversation around their nonprofit on social media. 

Create official mobile check-in locations

Many popular mobile applications like Facebook and Foursquare have “check-in” features to help organizations capitalize on the power of mobile technology. “Checking-in” is an opportunity for individuals to let their social networks become aware of their physical actions, attendance, and location. Any fundraising event has the potential to leverage this technology.

Before the physical event, be sure to have a listed, official location that your supporters can “check-in” to. Once an individual “checks-in” to your event, his/her perspective social network will be made aware of the actions. This is extra promotion and awareness the day of the event.

However, be sure to incentivize them to “check-in.” How does a free t-shirt for the first 5 “check-ins” sound? With your supporters’ news feeds promoting their attendance, this promotional push will come in handy when you ask for post event donations. With a bunch of popular “check-in” options, here are just a few of the more popular platforms.

• Foursquare
• Facebook
• SCVNGR
• Gowalla

If you’re new to this topic or just looking for a little more information download our Location Based Marketing webinar.

Use organized Twitter #hashtags

Twitter is a powerful tool for engaging supporters and raising awareness for your cause. If you haven’t created a Twitter account already, we recommend you do. Need a little convincing? Understandable. Read our Twitter white paper to learn more.

Help organize Twitter conversation around your nonprofit by letting your supporters know of an “official” Twitter hashtag.  An “official” hashtag is simply a previously agreed upon tag that everyone uses to discuss an event. There should a new hashtag for each unique event.

As a theoretical example, let’s say your organization is hosting a “Bake-Off” for your favorite foster care organization. During the event’s promotion you would promote #NPOBakeOff and tweet something like…

Met our half way goal for our foster care “Bake-Off.” Help the cause! fundraisingpage.com #NPOBakeOff

Now all conversation revolving around this specific event can be cataloged by the #NPOBakeOff hashtag.

There are tons of online tools for your nonprofit to take advantage of. As another free tool, check out our “Donate Now” button. This application not only helps create a sense of community but also let’s you take donations right from your Facebook Page. See how the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship takes advantage of it and receives donations right on their Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of Siomuzzz 2008

Over the course of the week we have been discussing how to best share your fundraising page online. Here is a brief recap of this week’s series.

The 5 “Don’t”s of sharing your fundraising page on Twitter 

• Make sure your Twitter followers have a clear idea of what you are trying to do in a single tweet. Being vague or hard to understand will not help your fundraising goals.
• Use hashtags as a way to add your tweets to a larger, cataloged Twitter conversation.
• Ask your Twitter followers to RT (retweet) your tweets for exponential exposure.
• With the incredible pace of Twitter, it’s okay to tweet more than once. In fact, it’s encouraged.
• Don’t forget to always include a link to your fundraising page.

Read the full post

Share your fundraising page on Facebook

• Share your fundraising page on Facebook Walls, Pages, and Groups.
• Create a Facebook event and invite all your friends to donate.
• Be personable and encourage others to share your message.

Read the full post

Share your fundraising page via email

• Utilize FirstGiving’s Email Tool to import and organize your email contacts.
• Create some engaging email text. Though we offer templates, consider them “guidelines.” Adding a personal touch connects your network to your cause.
• Ask your contacts to share your fundraising page with their network of friends and family.

Read the full post

Use video to your online fundraising advantage

• Don’t be afraid of your computer’s built in webcam. Use it to create a quick and easy video. Videos are fun way to share your story. Give it an honest try.
• Post it online through a video hosting site like YouTube and add it to your fundraising page.
• Worry more about the message, not the production.
• Share, share, share!

Read the full post

Use these tools to share you fundraising page and expand your network of supporters. Don’t have a fundraising page? Create your own fundraising page for free!

Photo Courtesy by Alberto G. 2006

The 4th post in our weeklong “Sharing your fundraising page” series discusses how using a simple, webcam video can communicate your cause to your network in a fun and different way.

Experiment with your computer’s webcam

Most computers these days come with their own built-in webcams. This is a powerful tool that you may already have experience with. Shoot a quick video of yourself explaining the story behind your fundraising campaign. Why are you fundraising? How do you plan to do it? Adding an interesting, human story behind your efforts can create a strong personal connection with your network of supporters. The tools are there, why not use them?

Upload your video online

Once you are happy with your video message, it’s time to post it online. Use any of the video hosting sites (YouTube, Vimeo, Vume etc.) available to upload the video. Then you can upload your YouTube videos to your fundraising page. Either way, make sure your video message can be shared easily.

Here are a couple great examples of fundraising pages with videos:

Ben Kaminow’s Page

The Rachel Carrick Tornado Relief Fund

Speak from the heart

Webcam video is nothing too fancy. For your fundraising purposes, this may not be important. Ultimately this is just another digital tool to drive traffic to your online fundraising page. Make it personal and be sure to speak from the heart. Individuals are more likely to share something that is relatable than a generic, uninspired body of text.

Strategically share the video

There’s a smart way to share your video online. Use the same strategies we’ve mentioned earlier in the week but apply them to the video itself. Share your video on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, in emails, and of course on your fundraising page!

Already have a video for your cause? Upload it to your fundraising page today and share it with your network!

Photo Courtesy by phylevn