In a previous post, we shared power ideas for hosting the right fundraiser -- 21 Actionable Online Fundraising Ideas for Schools and Sports Teams. Another post highlighted how marketing is essential to rally a crowd -- 6 Marketing Tips for School & Team Fundraising. In this post, we discuss how context can be the deciding factor that moves your fundraising from failure to runaway success.

Asking for donations is hard, but necessary. When you ask, whether it’s at a snack bar or through a crowdfunding campaign, maximize your efforts by using the Power of Context. 

Applying Context to your fundraiser is time well-spent, because a little understanding can substantially grow your ability to tip the scales in your favor. 

“The Power of Context...says that behavior is a function of social context….what really matters is little things.” – Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

So what do I mean by Context?

Context isn't just putting things into perspective; it's also including subconscious cues that donors act on, drawing personal connections that donors care about, and timing your message to take advantage of herd mentality. Using context harnesses the understanding that humans make decisions not only on surface facts, but also emotional cues and visual drivers. Tapping into those emotions is paramount to success. 

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‍Example: Snack Bar Context

Quid Pro Quo is Latin for “This for That.” A Snack Bar type fundraiser is the epitome of quid pro quo fundraising. When running this type of fundraiser, remember that your goal is to raise the most money with the least effort. With a few simple changes, you’ll enhance your profits immediately. The suggestions that follow apply to any "This for That" event – a restaurant night, a pancake feed, an auction event, a 10K race – so combine them in any way possible.‍

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Include Signage

A sign with a clear reminder that the snack bar is raising money for a team, club, or school is planting the seed that the customer is actually buying not ONLY to stave off their hunger, but also to help out a worthy cause. It lets the customer feel less guilt when they want to buy that extra brownie or candy bar. Let their subconscious mind do the work: “Hmm…I don’t really need a brownie, but hey, it’s for the kids.”

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‍Provide a Tip Jar

Along with signage, don’t forget to include a fundraising tip jar. Make sure it clearly states that the funds are going to the booster club, team, or school; more importantly, include messaging on how the money will be spent. Capturing extra funds at the point of sale is common in industry. Magazines, candy, and gum are impulse buys…and that’s why you see them at every cash register. Make sure your snack bar includes options for donors to give impulsively!

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‍Suggest an Upsell

"Do you want fries with that?" McDonalds is a master of the upsell. Copy what works. Ask your visitors if they’d like a Coke with their hot dog…chips, candy, or whatever is appropriate. Sometimes a small nudge is all it takes.

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Put a Face to the Give

Whenever you can, add a face to the ask. Donors are much more generous when they understand who is directly benefiting from their donation. I see event posters all the time that are missing an opportunity to add personal context. Some event posters never even state the beneficiary by name, let alone add a photo of the team or a player. A simple addition of a photo and color change of some text adds context for subconscious triggers.  

This may seem like a small change, but the truth is, it can be a tipping point that creates a landslide of results. In 1965, a social psychologist named Howard Leventhal held an experiment on a student health pamphlet promoting a tetanus shot. Various content messaging changes were made to the pamphlets (using fear vs. information), but these showed no change in response rates. However, the simple inclusion of a map and health center office hours created a massive difference. The response rate went from 3% to 28%. That's a dramatic 900% increase! If you’re wondering if the map was necessary for location purposes, it wasn't. The results suggest that most of the subjects already knew the location of the health center. The difference lay in the visual image of the map and reminders of when the center was open.

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Contextualize Your Goal

Thermometer progress bars are everywhere in fundraising, because they contextualize the goal of campaigns. For large fundraisers, the thermometer should not be shown too early. A finish line that is too far away can actually create donor hesitation. Consider waiting until you have raised 30-50% of your goal before introducing the thermometer. However, once you use it, post it everywhere. Signs, posters, and emails create a visual herd mentality that can nudge donors who are on the fence. 

In conjunction with the thermometer, inform donors exactly how the funds will be used. If a team needs a new van, then raise exactly the amount needed for the purchase of that van. Include photos of the van. Break donations down into fun parts -- $250 buys a wheel, $50 pays for a tank of gas, etc. This type of contextualization helps donors see their funds making a tangible difference.

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“If content is king, then context is God.” – Gary Vaynerchuk‍

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Crowdfunding Context

For a crowdfunding page or any sort of pure donation ask, context becomes MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. All the above suggestions still apply, but additional measures need to be included. The following suggestions are ones that can be applied to crowdfunding, ask letters, and a-thons style fundraisers.

Put a Face to the Give, v2

A generic face is the only thing possible with static posters and flyers. But when you run a team or school crowdfunding campaign, some platforms support individual context options. For example, with a FanAngel campaign like the one above, each player or student can include a personal photo, their name, a custom ask letter, and an individual fundraising goal. These context points are shown in emails and on the fundraising page via custom URLs, bringing a level of PERSONAL CONTEXT that vastly improves fundraising efforts.

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Goal Contextualization, v2

Individual goals and progress bars are powerful motivators. As mentioned earlier, a goal that seems insurmountable can create donor hesitation. However, if you can break down the goal into smaller chunks, then you can sidestep this hesitation from the start. With FanAngel’s Contextualized Crowdfunding, each player or member has their OWN progress bar. This can make a big difference to their personal donor network.

Consider a donor who is asked to give to a campaign with a $10,000 goal. If the team has only raised $2,000, then the remaining $8,000 seems very far away. This particular donor's gift of $25 seems like a drop in the bucket and sends a subconscious message that it won’t be missed.  However, if each athlete or student has a $150 goal, which is clearly displayed to their donors, suddenly the same $25 has real merit. The team/school goal no longer matters. The donor is contributing substantially and helping their athlete/student reach a personal goal.

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Social Proof

The concept of Social Proof comes in many forms: testimonials, endorsements, Facebook shares, number of donors, progress bars, and more. Anything to let the donor know they will be part of the crowd IF they partake. Here are some ways to create social proof for your fundraiser:

• Post any larger donation on Twitter and Facebook. Alternatively, post weekly to credit all donations from that week. Include this in any weekly email blasts, like a principal's or athletic director's newsletter.
• Post progress bar updates. The progress bar/thermometer is a form of social proof, so make sure it’s getting seen. Post socially and via email when it hits 50%, 70%, 90%, and of course, 100%. 
• Make sure your campaign page clearly displays donor names, number of donors, and your progress bar. If the site supports pop-up corner announcements of recent activity, use these toast messages to your advantage.
• Post photos of all events – show lots of photos with volunteers, both students and parents. Time is money! Showing volunteers putting in hours gives visual proof that their effort is worth it.
• Tag constantly! Every volunteer, every athlete, and every business that can be tagged in a photo, should be. 

The concept of Social Proof can't be overstated. Companies use this tactic constantly to sell their products. You should too!

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Seeding

Priming (or salting) the tip jar is a common practice for any barista, bartender, or street performer. This same approach should be applied to your online fundraising efforts. Remember the suggestion to hold back on publishing a thermometer until 30% of funds are raised? This delay tactic also applies to the online world of fundraising. A typical practice is to “pre-announce” the campaign to a special group of donors/parents that you are very certain will donate. Next,  spiral out the invitations to the next likely group, and so forth. This slow cycle of asking can increase the participation of each group of donors.

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Context as Reciprocation

In his book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Gary Vaynerchuk espouses the virtues of giving to your customers/donors many, many more times than you ask for their money. In Vaynerchuk vernacular, the Jabs are little selfless gifts you repeatedly give before you finally make an ask. 

Some examples of Jabs:

• All the items in the Social Proof section
• Publish news about the team, like scores, stats, and previews.
• Publish news about players who have done something special – won an award, received a scholarship, etc.
• Post player and coach interviews.
• Do free giveaways, like sideline passes or game balls. 
• Post photos and news of any fundraising results, such as photos of the construction of the new dugout, the arrival of the new uniforms, and more. 

Social Proof and Reciprocation Jabs effectively grease the wheels of your fundraising efforts. So when you do ask for that next donation, you are met with the least amount of friction.

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Summary

Using Context to its fullest extent can do wonders for any fundraising effort. Use these ideas as a guidepost and/or create your own. Please post any of your own ideas in the comments section or to our Facebook Group. ANY additional monies raised mean less additional work in the future – and more time to play!