Hey Fundraising Fans! Today we wanted to talk you through how to stay positive while fundraising.
We know this is easier said than done.
Even so, it’s an issue that comes up time and time again with ICS fundraisers.
This could be down to simply having a crisis of confidence, struggling with inspiration or even holding fundraising activities that aren’t as successful as you expect. We know that it can be really demoralising when you’re doubting yourself, and we’re here to support you, so here are some handy hints.
“What if my event doesn’t work out how I expect?”
This is a really common concern. What if your event gets cancelled last minute, or just doesn’t raise as much as you’d thought it would?
Well, there are two ways to address this. The first is pre-emptively – make sure that you’re taking on enough activities right from the start, so even if some don’t raise as much as you expect, you’ll have some back up ideas.
Fundraising can be unpredictable, so don’t rely on donations coming in until they’re actually on your JustGiving page!
The second way you might need to address this is if it’s already happened – how do you cheer yourself up after you’ve put loads of effort into an event that hasn’t worked? And where do you go from there?
- Remind yourself it hasn’t been for nothing. Think of the skills you’ve gained in organising it, or the awareness raised. You might have learned that this particular event wasn’t the best way to fundraise, and that’s progress too!
- You’ve shown us at ICS that you’re working hard to achieve your target, and that’s really important, as we need to see that demonstration of your commitment to the programme.
- ICS is all about learning and developing – well, this is an absolutely perfect opportunity for you to push yourself and learn new skills and ways of coping!
- Remember that we don’t expect you to raise all of your funds from one activity alone – a lot of professional fundraisers would struggle to do this!
If one idea hasn’t worked out well, re-assess your Fundraising Plan and add some extra ideas. If you’re not sure how much you’ll need to do, just ask your Fundraising Support Officer.
Don’t bury your head in the sand
My my, that sand looks so appealing, doesn’t it? We’ve all done it, thinking to ourselves, “I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
It’s an understandable response, but your fundraising is just as important as your vaccinations, so please don’t put it to the back of your mind for too long. We know full well that this is easier said than done, but if you can make even the smallest step towards progress, you’ll be on your way.
The fact of the matter is, you need to fundraise before you go on placement, and the sooner you get in touch with us then the easier it is for us to support you, which leads on nicely to …
Talk to your FSO
Yes, really! A lot of us have done ICS, so we know from personal experience how tricky the fundraising can be – it’s meant to be a challenge, but it’s not one you have to face alone, so please talk to us.
Volunteers go through all sorts of difficulties before their placement, whether it’s personal problems or struggling with ICS worries. Believe it or not, we can be very understanding, and sometimes all you really need is to chat to someone who can tell you “you’re doing great!”
If you need more practical support, we’ve got you covered – we hear new ideas every day, so it really is impossible to run out of fundraising activities to do.
All you need to do is call, text or email us to let us know that you’re struggling, and then we can talk about the best new ideas for you to take on. Yes, the fundraising is your responsibility, but you’re not on your own!
