OK, so I assume you’re reading this because you want to raise lots of money for your fundraising event. But you’re probably not exactly sure how to go about doing it. Well, if you already signed up to get a personal fundraising page, you’re off to a great start.

But I’d be lying to you if I told you that you can simply create a personal fundraising page, sit back and watch the money start pouring in. The reality is that creating your personal fundraising page is only half the battle.

The other half of the battle is convincing people to actually open their wallets for you. Luckily, this isn’t as hard as it sounds. If you can remember the three Ps to successful fundraising (Personalization Promotion and Persistence) you’ll do fine. Better yet, say the three Ps out loud, sing them in the shower, make them your mantra. Personalization. Promotion. Persistence…Personalization. Promotion. Persistence. I promise, if you follow these three rules, you’ll be a fundraising rock star in no time.

This is kind of a long blog post, so I’ve broken it down into three parts. Part I starts with the first P of successful fundraising — Personalization.

Part 1: Personalization

Creating a great fundraising page is the first step towards fundraising rock-stardomness. A great page demonstrates to potential donors that you are passionate about what you are doing and willing to put in the time and energy necessary to raise money for your cause.

A great fundraising page should include:

• Your Story – It is helpful to start off with a compelling story. People should know why you are raising money for your charity or cause. Give as much detail as possible. If there is a specific event in your life that inspired you to fundraise, let the world know about it. If the charity or cause you’re raising money for holds a special place in your heart, share this with others. People are much more likely to support you if you can demonstrate that the cause or issue you are raising money for is something that has significant meaning to you.

• A Description of Your Organization – If you are fundraising on behalf of a non-profit organization you should provide a description of the important work the organization does. You can usually find most of this information on the organization’s website. If you can’t find the information you need on the website, don’t hesitate to call the organization on the phone. Non-profits are generally more than happy to help and often have fundraising professionals who can even provide you with some great tips.

• A Description of How Donations Will Be Used – Another thing to remember is that people are more generous when they know exactly what their dollars are going towards. For example, if you are fundraising for a low-income elementary school, people are more likely to donate if you let them know that their $25 donation will buy a new soccer ball for the P.E. class or that their $100 donation will buy school uniforms for four students. You can usually find out this information by calling up the non-profit or organization for which you are fundraising.

• Photos – People like photos. So add lots, especially if they are heartwarming or funny. For example, if you’re raising money for an orphanage in South America where you worked as a volunteer last summer, upload some pics of you with the little munchkins from the orphanage. If you’re training for an event like a marathon or a triathlon make sure to let potential donors know how hard you’re working by uploading some photos of you in all your gear sweatin’ it out. Of course, bonus points are always awarded if you’re wearing spandex in any of your pics.

• Video –Adding a video to your personal fundraising page can be a great way to connect with donors. If you’ve got a good sense of humor, a funny video can be very effective. If humor is not your shtick, a video that is heartwarming or inspirational works equally well. Remember that the video doesn’t have to be fancy in order to be effective. So if you’re not exactly Steven Spielberg, don’t sweat it. Simply standing in front of the camera and telling people why you are raising money can be very compelling. In the end, whatever you end up doing, remember it’s best to keep it short (1-3 min) and to the point.

OK, that’s it for step one. Be creative and have fun with your page! Just remember, the more personal you can make it, the better.

Click here to continue on to Step Two: Promote