Charity starts at (staying) home
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PHOTO CREDIT: MARTIN BOND, A CAMBRIDGE DIARY
Raising awareness and funds is an ongoing challenge for charities, no matter how good the cause. Add to that everything that’s happened since March 2020, and we’re sure that if you work within the charity sector, you are either banging your head against the monitor, weeping silently onto your keyboard, or looking at that inviting bottle of wine and considering pouring yourself a nice big mugful.
And we don’t blame you.
Every single one of us has struggled to make our lives and work fit into a very weirdly shaped year but, looking at the positives, people are proving that adapting is possible and can provide more reach for your charity than you’ve ever dreamed of.
And the positives don’t stop there. Virtual fundraisers can be easier to organise (just make sure you have the right infrastructure in place), be cost-efficient, and with a little creativity, can make more of an impact than a ‘live’ event.
Join us as we dive into how your charity can thrive during its next big drive ...
Using your surroundings to create brand awareness
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Let there be light
Bringing a dash of colour to landmarks within your city will play on the local pride aspect and have people liking, sharing, and commenting on your content almost instantly. From simple brand colours to using projections to add animations or words - you can create striking photos and videos that people will want to share. It’s worth investing in a good photographer too for the added FOMO effect!
Live streaming
If you have something worth watching (and even if you don’t) setting up a camera and letting it run can have dramatic effects. Think about animal shelters setting up live cams or the farm that made £50,000 from having their goats join Zoom meetings. If people get addicted to Love Island and TOWIE, who knows how addicted they’ll find an unscripted chance of chaos!
Army of one
Simple maths should prove that the more people participate in a charity event, the more money it should raise, so it’s no surprise the temporary banning of events such as Race for Life, Moonwalk, and the London to Brighton Cycle has severely affected this. With reports of almost a £100m loss in 2020 due to many events being cancelled, charities started to play on the idea that there can be an ‘I’ in team.
Bad spelling aside, think of breaking down these larger events to ‘do it alone but do it together’ type challenges. Whether it’s everyone joining in with a daily exercise over a set amount of time or running a marathon on the same date, you’ll be creating a sense of comradery. And your imagination doesn’t have to stop there. Think about how Captain Sir Tom Moore, raised an astonishing amount of money by walking in his garden, or the golfers pledging to walk 4miles a day (the average distance of an 18hole course) carrying their golf bags for Mind.
Taking advantage of lockdown rules and regulations can help too, from suggesting charitable treks and walking challenges or even a Window Wanderland that can be done as a household or bubble.
Anything can work, so to get social media buzzing, and those donations coming, get creative, and get out there!
Stay at home, stay online
Probably the most popular charity events at this point are ones that involve online participation. During the first lockdown, everyone journeyed on a steep learning curve, transitioning their ideas into a virtual setting. With the dust now settled, we're starting to see what works and what may not quite fit the format - and can use that knowledge to our advantage.
However, that doesn’t mean all the ideas have been used, and again, creativity is going to be champion here, but if you’re after simple ideas, the following translate well into the format:
Quizzes
Bingo (music)
Comedy (improv for interaction)
Cook-alongs (bake-offs, follow-at-home)
Wine/gin/rum tasting
Watch parties
Escape rooms
Murder mysteries
Taskmaster
Overall, simple ideas that don’t take too much to participate in can be much more effective than grandiose statements in gathering attention. If you have the right idea, a great call to action, and people’s imaginations buy into the concept - even after a discordant year, the fun can be found in fundraising again.
Still seems like a lot of work? We’re available to consult on the perfect event for your charity, how it can run smoothly, and how to maximise the reach through powerful and effective marketing.