“Put the ‘Fun’ Back Into Fundraising”

(Editor’s Note: This is the text of an email received from Ravi Singh, the CEO of ElectionMail, which bills itself as being able to do just what the headline says.

Singh also offers information in the email about the average online donor. They are 55 years of age, contribute $60, make 1.87 donations annually and contributions are 100 days apart. Singh and ElectionMail’s advice follow:)

Has fundraising become a hassle?

Is collecting donations a tooth-pulling process for your campaign?

Don’t make raising money for your campaign any harder than it has to be!

Follow these five easy steps to fundraise for your campaign painlessly and effectively:

1. Know your audience. Use your on-hand resources to gather basic demographic information. Include a brief pop-up poll, or a more extended survey to identify key issues your voters will support.  Once you know who you want to target, the direction of your campaign becomes much easier.

2. Set a goal. Estimate how much money you’re looking to raise throughout the campaign and set goals to raise a specific amount by certain dates. Be sure to use all facets of Get Out the Vote efforts. Build and update your email lists and phone lists to reach the maximum amount of voters as possible.

3. Chart your progress. Measure how much you’re making and how fast. Add a money bomb widget to your contribution page to illustrate your progress in real time. This will leverage your network to build and show momentum.

4. Make your site attractive and user friendly. Your site should be visually appealing and it should put a face to your name. Users should be able to navigate through your site easily. If your contribution page is too hard to find, you may lose your donor. Place it in the upper right area of your website for easy access!

5. Follow up. Build relationships. After you receive a donation, send a personalized ‘thank you’ email to your donor. Creating a human connection will make you personable and memorable, putting you ahead of your opponent.

Keep these steps in mind when you’re on the campaign trail to help make your fundraising process stress free!

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