Starting any project means having a general idea of where you want to get to. Naturally, when it comes to fundraising you simply want to raise as much money as possible. Nevertheless, you can still work out what’s a realistic target based on the number of potential people you can target. Once you know that, make sure you make that target with these easy success tips for the best shoe fundraiser.
5 Tips for Hosting a Successful Shoe Fundraiser
Like any project, a successful shoe fundraiser needs a bit of planning before you dive in. Clearly, it’s always easier doing these events with a team. You’re also more likely to achieve more with more hands on deck. So, gather the troops and then go through these 5 tips to make the best shoe fundraiser you can:
1- Register with a nonprofit organization
There are a few different nonprofit groups that you can work with who come to pick up your collected shoes. Essentially, you can assume you’ll get a dollar per pound of shoes which is about 2 pairs of shoes. They then give your old shoes to micro entrepreneurs in emerging countries such as Africa and South America.
Once you’ve registered, you can get some support from your nonprofit organization such as ideas to improve your shoe fundraiser. Moreover, you can organize a time and place for them to pick up your collected shoes once you’ve completed your shoe fundraiser.
2- Social Media Promotion
These days, any event that’s worth going to is on social media. This is the same for any successful shoe fundraiser. Therefore, make sure you create a fun events page with your team as admin members so that you can all send it to your networks. The more you then ask your friends to share then the more likely you’ll get some word-of-mouth momentum.
It’s worth noting that photos and videos make more impact on social media. This is because images appeal to our emotions and help us feel more connected to whatever is being shown. In this case, you can engage with your community such that they care about your cause and want to support you. Although, don’t worry if you’re not the most technical person. This is because there are so many free apps available these days such that you can make online videos in minutes.
3- Local Company Sponsorship
If you’re doing a shoe fundraiser then there’s a good chance that it’s for a good cause that your community will be interested in. Perhaps it’s for your school or local sports club? Whatever it is, see if local companies are interested in sponsoring you. This could mean posting about the event in their shop or restaurant as well as on their website. What about giving you vouchers for your top donors? This can be a fun way to create a bit of competition to get even more shoes.
Local newspapers are also normally hugely supportive of community causes. Perhaps they can build a story about your cause and your shoe fundraiser? Pitch the idea to them such that they’re seen to support the local community by providing you a promotion boost. At the end of the day, it helps their marketing too.
4- Clear Details
This might sound obvious but you can never communicate too much about an event. Make sure the details of the actual day are clear. Also, make sure you include anything that people need to know in the run up to the shoe fundraiser. For example, you’re more likely to collect a greater amount of old shoes if you have lots of collection boxes spread out in your area. Naturally, these boxes need to be visible and that the details of their location are clearly stated on your social media page and any posters around town.
5- Share Micro Entrepreneur Stories
It’s sometimes a good idea to ask your nonprofit organization if you can share any stories about some of the businesses they support in emerging countries. These micro entrepreneurs can be hugely inspiring. Those images also help people see just how much they’re supporting people not just locally but across the world. It’s a very powerful story and it will allow you to reach that many more people.
Final Thoughts on Hosting a Successful Shoe Fundraiser
Fundraising isn’t always easy so make sure you get some friends to support you. By creating a team though, you’ll also have great fun putting this project together. Then, leverage all the tools at your disposal including social media, online video apps and of course, whatever you can get from local company sponsors. This can also enable you to create even more stories to support your promotion efforts. After all, successful fundraising is all about getting the right story to appeal to people’s emotions so that they support your shoe fundraiser.
