If you have arrived on this page, you may need help finding your donors before setting up your first crowdfunding campaign.
Where can I find my donors?
1. Reach out to family and friends first.
The first people who donate to your campaign are very important.
The public tends to support campaigns if they can see that a number of people have already teamed up behind the cause.
Just as no one wants to be the first person on the dancefloor, a campaign with donors is more inviting, creates a sense of community, shows the campaign is active and is more likely to reach its target.
People who don’t know you personally, also trust campaigns more readily if they can see your loved ones have vouched for your cause, by means of donating or through affectionate comments.
Based on our research, if family or friends are the ones who contribute to a campaign first, we have found that they are likely to raise 220% more funds.
2. Reach out to your wider network
Once you have gotten support from loved ones, it’s time to reach out to more people you know.
Let your extended family, neighbours, co-workers, social groups, church, school or university friends and local community know about your campaign.
With the initial support you would have received, your wider network acts as an amplifier of sorts, spreading your campaign to more people and building on your first donations.
3. Social Media
Campaigns with initial support that are shared on social media, tend to raise 5 times more funds.
When introducing your campaign on social media, it is best to include a friendly photo, a video talking about your fundraiser, and a short description that lets readers know exactly what your need is and how funds could positively impact you or your beneficiary.
4. Reach out to your local radio station, newspaper or influencers
If your campaign has started raising funds, you have shared it on social media, then it is a great idea to reach out to your local media houses, to see if they would like to write about your story or share it on the airways.
Think about the media publications you are familiar with, visit the contact us section on their website, and send a message to introduce yourself and your cause.
Do you have any questions?
The BackaBuddy team is here to help guide you throughout your crowdfunding journey.
We understand that raising funds for a cause can be difficult and sometimes intimidating, which is why our team has put together our best advice for a successful crowdfunding campaign.
If you have any questions throughout your journey, please reach out to us, and we will be happy to guide you.
Your first donations and getting started:
Send your campaign to family and friends first with a short, personal message via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or email.
Here’s why:
Campaigns with initial support from loved ones creates trust in your campaign, and can help you raise 220% more funds.
Instant messages are also typically read within the first 3 seconds, which increases your chances of getting support for your cause in the beginning phase.
For sharing templates and advice on getting started, click here.
Avoid sharing your campaign to a wide audience with no funds raised.
Here’s why:
Just like no one wants to be the first person on the dancefloor, donors in the wider community usually wait until a campaign has a few contributions before lending their support – especially if they don’t know you personally.
Raise more funds
Fine tune your campaign message: Your campaign message should be simple, short, but emotive. The person reading it should know exactly who you are, where you are from, what your funding needs are and the impact donations will have on your life. Read more.
Tell your story with a short video: Create a 1-2 minute video with your cell phone that introduces yourself and your cause. This video can be loaded to your campaign via a YouTube link, if you don’t have an account, send us the clip and we will upload it for you! Read more.
FACT: Campaigns with videos tend to raise about 4 times more funds.
Reach out to a wider audience on social media: Sharing your campaign on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagramand beyond will allow more people to see and share your campaign. We recommend waiting until you have at least 3 or 4 donations before sharing your campaign on social platforms.
FACT: Social Media can increase your campaign’s likelihood of success by 5 times
Haven’t received any funds yet? Try this:
Reach out to more people in your network: Have you contacted your extended family, neighbours, co-workers, social groups to support your cause? Have you shared your campaign on social media or contacted your local newspaper or radio station?
Interact with the online community: Depending on which social media platform you are most familiar with, share your campaign to different groups and forums in your area or that relate to your cause.
Share campaign updates: Post about your campaign more often on social media, through sharing updates, thanking your donors and sharing your fundraising milestones. You can also ask your BackaBuddy campaign manager to send an update to your donors.
If you missed our introduction to crowdfunding and still need to create a campaign, please click through to this guide.
In this article, we will discuss the first steps in your crowdfunding campaign after you have signed-up. We will guide you through receiving your first donations, how to find your network and touch on the power of social media in fundraising online.
Getting started – Your First donation
Just like no one likes to be the first person on the dance floor, the members of the public typically support causes once they have a few initial donations from the beneficiaries family and friends .
We have also found through data research that campaigns with initial support from family and friends also tend to raise 220% more funds than those who don’t.
This is because your first donors, in a way, vet your campaign. They let others know that you are a trusted person, and that your campaign is for a reasonable request because they know you or have interacted with you at some point in your life.
How to communicate with close family and friends:
Accompany your BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign link with a short personalized message to introduce your fundraiser. We recommend sending a Whatsapp, Facebook message, email or SMS to close family and friends, extended family, neighbours, co-workers, social groups or sportsclub to get started.
See this example of a message you could send:
“Hi Monique, I hope you are well!
I have created a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to feed 100 families in Pietermaritzburg who are unable to provide for their families during the lockdown.
We have so far raised R 15 000 towards our fundraising target! Funds raisedwill be used to purchase digital food vouchers for those in need.
Please support us by making a small donation on BackaBuddy.
If you’re unable to contribute, please be so kind as to share our campaign with your friends and loved ones.
Did you know? 98% of WhatsApp messages are both opened and read within the first 3 seconds. – Hoodsuite .
Now that you have shared your campaign with those closest to you, such as your friends and family and hopefully, if you were able to, donated to your own campaign, it’s time to reach out to your wider network.
Finding your network
You will find in your crowdfunding journey, that most of your donors will be people you know. This is because your friends and family know you well, they know your character, your lifestyle and they have a personal connection with you in some way.
This is not to say that the public can’t be generous in their support of worthy causes.
Who makes up your network?
Close family and friends.
Extended family, neighbours, co-workers, social groups, sportsclub
Social media followers and friends (Facebook/Whatsapp/Twitter/Instagram/YouTube/Pinterest/LinkedIn/Snapchat).
School/University friends
Your local community, church and the wider public.
Local Media (Local paper, radio stations, pubic forums)
Sharing your crowdfunding campaign on Social Media
Crowdfunding campaigns are 5 times more likely to succeed if shared on social media. Take a look at our social media guides to reach your wider network:
Every week the BackaBuddy team showcases a few campaigns to share on social media. When posting about your campaign, please mention us:
@BackaBuddy on Twitter and Instagram
@BackaBuddySA on Facebook
Snapscan
Lastly, ask your campaign manager to create a Snapscan code for your campaign for an additional donation option.
BackaBuddy has partnered with Snapscan to generate unique snapscan QR codes for each crowdfunding campaign on the platform. Once scanned, donors will be able to donate to your campaign easily via the unique code. These are also great to add to your campaign, print on posters or share on social media.
Create a crowdfunding campaign
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R390 Million.
Raise funds for an individual or cause.
Register your non-profit organisation.
Create a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for a non-profit organisation.
Crowdfunding campaigns centered around a creative concept tend to capture the attention of potential donors and typically raise more funds.
In this article, we will show you how to make use of various fundraising opportunities throughout the year and even how to raise funds to support a cause on your birthday!
Coming up with a creative concept
Whether you are raising funds for a person or to support a charity, crowdfunding allows individuals the freedom to come up with their own creative ideas to relay their message and promote their cause.
Take a look at these creative BackaBuddy campaigns that went the extra mile
In 2018, Andrew Patterson pledged to climb Table mountain every day for a year with his 365 Ubuntuclimbs campaign to raise funds forHabitat for Humanity, One Life for Kids and The Sunflower Fund. By sharing daily video updates on his social media and inviting members of the public to join him on his hikes, Andrew managed to raise over R380 000 on BackaBuddy.
Andrew Patterson
In 2018, founder of Rise18, Zanele Hlatshwayo from Soweto, participated in 18 marathons, totaling over 648km to continue The South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s national suicide toll-free hotline in honor of her late father who took his own life due to depression. Read more.
Zanele Hlatshwayo
In 2017, American intern, Joseph Payne, supporting the DOCKDA Rural Development Agency, climbed Devil’s Peak, Table Mountain, and Lion’s Head with his campaign to purchase bicycles for disadvantaged students in the Northern Cape who walk the same distance to school every day.
In 2019, Leilani Kuter from Roodepoort, pledged to walk 27km per day, for 27 days, covering a distance of 729km, 27 years after the rape ordeal that changed her life.
Wearing yellow, the colour her attacker wore, Leilani broke her silence to empower sexual assault and gender-based violence survivors and free them from the stigma it carries. In sharing her very personal story, Leilani was able to crowdfund over R250 000 to purchase rape kits and comfort packs for those in need.
Her bravery also caught the attention of the national media and opened up a dialogue around the ‘taboo topic’. Read more.
To raise funds for Emil Erasmus’ cancer treatment, Zane Groenewald from Pietermaritzburg, pledged to shave his hair live on Facebook when he reached his crowdfunding campaign target of R5000. Through many small donations from close family and friends, Zane exceeded his initial target.
In 2020, Ross Hindle took on the Iron Man 70.3 with his campaign to raise funds for his friend, Prince Chikezie, to complete his medical degree
Prince Chikezie
Byron Leggett and 5 of his closest friends took on the Comrades Marathon to raise funds to purchase a highly specialized eye tracker to allow Isabella Beck, a young girl diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy to access her communication system through her eye movements. Read more
Byron Leggett, Bryan Hellon, Teran Peyper, JP van Zittert, Greg Kilfoil and Craig Pike with Isabella Beck before the Comrades.
Supporting a cause on your Birthday
In lieu of gifts, it’s becoming a popular trend for individuals to crowdfund for various causes on their birthday.
Founder of Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Org Trust (ARRO), Juanita Aitkenhead created a crowdfunding campaign to raise R4800 for her organisation on her 48th birthday. Highlighting the importance and positive impact of donations in a short, emotive video, Juanita came very close to reaching her fundraising goal.
Important fundraising days to remember
Mandela Day – 18th July
Every year on International Mandela Day (18th of July), we celebrate not only the birth of Tata Madiba but his 67-year commitment to social justice and servant leadership.
By volunteering 67 minutes of our time, we are encouraged to act in kindness, amplify the voices of those that often go unheard, serve our local communities, churches, and charitable organizations or offer kind donations to support causes in need of support.
Taking on the mammoth task of rescuing and maintaining the Shongweni Resource Reserve, Greg Vogt and Sara Agostini paddled 67 km on Mandela day with their crowdfunding campaign which raised over R63 000. Read more.
Greg Vogt and Sara Agostini
Giving Tuesday – 1st December
On 1 December 2019, following the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday & Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season when many individuals focus on their holiday & end-of-year giving.
Harnessing the power of social media & collaboration, #GivingTuesdaySA encourages individuals and non-profits alike to reach out to their communities, with the aim of creating meaningful social change and spreading goodwill.
During the festive season, there is a noticeable increase in giving as individuals and non-profits look to spread Christmas joy. Whether you would like to raise funds to purchase gifts for disadvantaged children or host Christmas parties for the elderly, consider creating a crowdfunding campaign during the holidays.
In December 2019, Porky’s People, created a campaign to purchase gifts to the value of R200 to give the children of Thandi House, a registered non-profit children’s home a warm and memorable Christmas. Read more.
Instagram: Porky’s People
Choosing your crowdfunding campaign name
An important part of establishing your crowdfunding concept is what you decided to call your campaign.
Your campaign name should be no longer than 5 words – think of it as a title of a book. Consider the most important elements of your story, the beneficiary, and the positive impact you will create.
A catchy title could be the difference between individuals scrolling past your post or clicking through to make a donation. Remember, your campaign name is your first impression, avoid generic statements and make it memorable!
Take a look at these BackaBuddy campaign names that caught our attention:
BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up crowdfunding campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various other causes in South Africa.
Using instant messaging apps such as Whatsapp, Facebook messenger and WeChat is a great way to launch your crowdfunding campaign to your immediate network, share positive updates, thank donors, and promote your campaign in a creative way.
In this guide, we will discuss the power of Whatsapp Marketing and walk you through some practical tips that you can use to promote your cause.
Why use WhatsApp to promote your crowdfunding campaign?
90% of internet users in South Africans are active users of WhatsApp, according to a report by Hoodsuite.
98% of WhatsApp messages are both opened and read according to Dynmark. Hoodsuite also reports that Whatsapp messages are opened within the first 3 seconds.
Over 450 million Whatsapp users make use of WhatsApp stories, surpassing even Snapchat, a report by Business Of Apps finds.
84% of online sharing now takes place through instant messaging according to RadiumOne.
Constructing your message
When putting together a WhatsApp message, make sure to keep your message short (no longer than 80 characters), personal and informative.
Remember to introduce your campaign in a friendly way to attract donors, make sure to summarize what you’re crowdfunding for and mention the positive impact donations will have on your beneficiary.
Don’t forget to include your BackaBuddy link at the end of your message, so potential donors will be able to make a contribution. It is also a good idea to ask your contacts to share your campaign with 5-10 of their contacts to help you reach a wider audience.
An example,
Hi Monique, I hope you are well!
I have created a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to feed 100 families in Pietermaritzburg who are unable to provide for their families during the lockdown.
We have so far raised R 15 000 towards our fundraising target! Funds raisedwill be used to purchase digital food vouchers for those in need.
Please support us by making a small donation on BackaBuddy. If you’re unable to contribute, please be so kind as to share our campaign with your friends and loved ones. https://www.backabuddy.co.za/feeding-pietermaritzburg
Remember to add a Photo or Video to accompany your message.
Support your message with media
As they say, a picture says a thousand words. Support your introductory message with a few hi-quality images that illustrate what your campaign is about. Sharing videos or voice notes is also a great way to engage and share more information about your campaign!
Practical ways to use WhatsApp to share your crowdfunding campaign
Forward a message
Create a short message to introduce your campaign and forward your campaign privately to 5 friends at the same time.
Here’s how:
In an individual or group chat, tap and hold the message you want to forward, then tap Forward.
To forward multiple messages, you can select additional messages after you select the first message.
Tap Forward.
Search for or select the individual or group chats you want to forward the messages to.
Tap Forward.
Create a broadcast list
Create a broadcast list to share your campaign as mass message to an unlimited number of contacts. Once the list as been created, you will be able to revisit it to share more messages with the same group of people.
Search for or select the contacts you want to add.
Tap the check mark .
Create a group
Create a group chat to share your campaign with your WhatsApp contacts. Smaller groups are recommended, but if you have a big network, you are able to add up to 256 contacts in a single group.
Use WhatsApp groups to send campaign updates and motivate your immediate network to promote your campaign and find new potential donors.
When you have created a group, all participants will be able to interact with each other and will be notified of incoming messages.
Search for or select contacts to add to the group. Then tap the green arrow.
Enter a group subject. This will be the name of the group that all participants will see.
Optionally, add a group icon by tapping the Camera icon.
Tap the green check mark when you’re finished.
Create a WhatsApp Story/Status
WhatsApp Stories are a great way to share updates, engage with your close network of supporters and ensure your campaign maintains momentum throughout your crowdfunding journey.
Here’s How:
Tap Status.
Tap:
Camera or My Status to take a photo, record a video or GIF or choose an existing photo, video or GIF from your gallery. Remember to include a caption to introduce your campaign. Tap send .
After you have posted a photo in your status, the next steps is to share your BackaBuddy link using the Text icon.
Tap on to write a short message about your campaign and copy to your BackaBuddy link for donations. Tap send .
This will allow your contacts to click from your status onto your BackaBuddy campaign to make a donation.
We hope you enjoyed our tips for WhatsApp Marketing! While WhatsApp is a great tool to use to reach a wider audience, it should not be used in isolation.
Click Below for more tips on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy:
With the number of Facebook users in South Africa to reach over 19.8 million by 2023, according to Statista, there is ample opportunity for your crowdfunding campaign to reach a wide network of supporters on the social network.
In this guide, we will discuss the power of Facebook Marketing and walk you through some practical tips that you can use to promote your cause.
Why use Facebook to promote your crowdfunding campaign?
According to Hoodsuite.
82% of internet users in South Africans are active users of Facebook and 57% also use Facebook Messenger
Recent statistics have revealed that Facebook users spend an average of about 40 minutes daily on Facebook.
How to post on Facebook
To share a post on Facebook:
From the top of your News Feed, click What’s on your mind, [Name]?
Write a short message to introduce your crowdfunding campaign (following the guidelines below) and remember to include your BackaBuddy Link.
Once you have created your post. Share it your Facebook Story
On the post you have just created, Click Share
Select Share to Your Story Now.
When to post on Facebook
When it comes to posting on Facebook, research shows Thursday and Friday to be the best days. Here’s what we found:
According to World Wide Worx, the best time to post on Facebook in South Africa to maximise the number of people who see it, is on a Thursday between 09:00 and 10:00.
Hubspot determined Thursdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. are the best times to post.
Please note: You can post your campaign on any day, see what works the best for you! We recommend sharing your campaign at least 2/3 times a week across your social media platforms for the best possible result.
Writing your campaign post
The purpose of posting your campaign on Facebook is to reach as many people on your friends list as possible, as well as other Facebook users who might not know you.
Before posting on Facebook, consider these key factors:
1. Keep your message short and specific
According Express Writers, Facebook posts with 40-80 Characters result in 86% more interaction (likes, comments, shares, link clicks).
2. Provide enough information
Make sure your post answers these questions:
Whoare you raising funds for? (name, age, location)
Why are they in need of funds? (what has lead you to crowdfunding?)
What will funds raised be used for? (in a tangible way mention how funds will be used, for example “We are raising funds to purchase 100 pairs of shoes for 50 children”
When will funds be needed? (ie. is there a sense of urgency or is your campaign time-sensitive?)
Where can people make a donation? (Include the call to action: Please support my crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, by making a donation here: [copy and paste BackaBuddy Link)]
Take a look at these examples:
You can use this template as a guideline:
Hi everyone,
I have created a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to raise funds [to/for].
We are hoping to raise [fundraising target] by [time period] that will allow us to [positive impact].
Please be so kind as to support our crowdfunding campaign by making a donation here: [BackaBuddy link]
If you are unable to donate, please share our campaign with your friends and family.
Instead of posting your BackaBuddy link by itself, upload your message with a positive, yet emotive photo or video.
Photo:
According to Post Planner, posts with photos receive 84% more link clicks, this means more Facebook users will click onto your BackaBuddy campaign if you have great visual content.
Where possible include hi-quality images that tell a positive story, avoid shocking or graphic content, as this might discourage Facebook users engaging with your content. You can load a single image, or add a series of images that tell your story.
Video:
It is in your best interest to share your post with a short, informative and emotive video that’s between 1-3 minutes long. While a strong image will make your followers take notice, a video will increase your engagement by 7 times and your campaign has an opportunity to raise 4 times more funds.
Make use of these Facebook tools to promote your crowdfunding campaign
Facebook Messenger
Posting a status update about your campaign will help you reach friends and friends of friends on Facebook, but when engaging with close friends and family on Facebook, it is always better to send a short/personal message directly via Facebook Messenger.
According to RadiumOne, 84% of online sharing now takes place through instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook messenger and WeChat, this is because messages are both opened and read, typically within the first 3 seconds.
To send a direct message on Facebook on a computer:
Click in the top right of the screen.
Click to start a new message.
Start typing a name into the To field. Names of friends will appear in a dropdown.
Select the person or people you want to message.
Type your message, then press enter or to send.
You can also click Message at the top of someone’s profile to message them.
Facebook Stories
Facebook stories are a great way to create awareness about your campaign, share updates and ensure your campaign maintains momentum.
Stories are typically about 20 seconds long and stay on your profile for only 24 hours, but it is an effective way to encourage Facebook users to engage with your cause and send you direct messages.
To share a story on Facebook:
Click + Add to Story at the top of your News Feed..
Click Photo/Video to add a photo or video from your computer.
Next to Your Story, you can click the audience selector (example: Public or Friends) to choose who can see your story.
Click Post.
Facebook groups
Once you have managed to interact with your close networks via posting status updates, posting stories and sending direct messages via Facebook messenger, it is time to have a look at Facebook groups in your area that are relevant to your cause.
Joining groups with a higher following, will help you reach a wider audience of potential supporters.
By seeing your posts, users will be able to share your campaign, donate via your BackaBuddy link, interact with you via the comments section or directly via Facebook messenger..
This new feature from Facebook is quickly gaining popularity. Now instead of simply sharing a video on Facebook, you can invite friends to watch videos with you in real-time.
This is a great opportunity to engage with potential donors as you are able to comment and interact with your audience.
Don’t forget to include your BackaBuddy campaign link in the comments section for anyone who would like to support your cause.
Facebook Live
According to Vimeo, 78% of online audiences watched a live video on Facebook in 2018.
Live videos are great for sharing quick updates, conducting short interviews or answering questions your audience might have relating to your campaign. Facebook recommends that live videos should be at least 10 minutes long.
Your followers will be notified when you’re broadcasting live on Facebook, so it is a great way to create awareness around your crowdfunding campaign.
Remember to include your BackaBuddy campaign link in the description as your video will still be available to watch after the live stream has ended.
To go live on Facebook:
Click What’s on your mind, [Name]? at the top of your News Feed.
Click then click Live Video.
Write a short description of your campaign and include your BackaBuddy link for donations.
Click Go Live in the bottom left.
We hope you enjoyed our tips for Facebook Marketing! While Facebook is a great tool to use to reach a wider audience, it should not be used in isolation.
Click Below for more tips on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy:
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