Chrissy Davis approached me and asked if she could write a guest post for me, based upon fundraising podcasts. As someone who has recently been on some podcasts, I think it’s a very good way to feature your organization. Let’s hear from Chrissy why…
If you’re passionate about your cause and you’d like to raise funds for it, it is very noble and points to a truly good person. Fundraising can, however, be very difficult as many individuals feel uncomfortable directly asking others for donations.
That’s where fundraising podcasts come into play. They are being used more often as a way to connect with potential donors and to complement social media platforms, website activity, and real-life efforts.
Did you know that approximately 42 million Americans listen to podcasts on a weekly basis which equates to a huge number of potential donors for your fundraising cause?
While the mere thought of creating a podcast may render you weak with fear, it is actually a lot easier than you can imagine. If you follow a few simple guidelines, you too can be the proud creator of a podcast that will boost your fundraising efforts significantly.
Produce audio that is of a high quality
It is important to remember that a podcast is a medium that revolves around audio, making it pivotal to produce high-quality recordings at all times. Investing in recording equipment will go a long way in helping you obtain a sound that will impress your listeners and that you can be proud of.
A decent microphone and headset are an absolute necessity as it can save you a lot of time and frustration when the time comes to edit your recordings. While your budget will be the ultimate decider of what mic you opt for, a mid-range condenser will suffice if you want to render a clear, warm sound. If you want a high-end mic it’s important to remember that they often rely on an external power source and a first-rate interface to work.
You might want to consider buying a pop filter along with your mic, as it will eliminate the distracting popping sounds that occur when saying words starting with a ‘p’ as well as those with an ‘s’ or ‘t’ in them. You will also need a good computer and a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for the physical recording and editing of your podcast. There is a range of superb products available on the market that will allow you to render audio of only the highest quality.
Make use of online donation tools
The sole purpose of creating a fundraising podcast is to obtain awareness, goodwill and ultimately donations. The easier it is for your listeners to donate towards your cause, the more likely it becomes that they will, in fact, donate. While cash donations are still very popular, it is not always practical, especially if you are appealing to a vast geographical base.
Online giving sites, ACH or Direct debit and even text donations are all viable methods that can be employed to raise funds and can easily be mentioned in your podcasts. PayPal is also making it increasingly easy to donate money online.
Donors don’t need a PayPal account but payments can be made from anywhere in the world. When your podcast is linked to your social media accounts as well as your website it becomes increasingly easy to offer a variety of payment options to donors which will better your chances of reaching your fundraising targets.
Getting your podcast heard
The biggest decision you will have to make is to decide whether your podcast will be streamed live or to send it out via an RSS feed for iTunes and other podcatchers (or both). You can employ one of two ways through which to host your podcast.
Standard web hosting and a custom domain (such as those supplied by WordPress, Hostgator, Podpress etc) is the cheaper of the two options and although it will suffice, you will have to have some decent podcasting knowledge to ensure that your podcasts reach your target market without any glitches.
Alternatively, you can invest in dedicated podcast hosting such as that provided by Podbean and Libsyn and let the professionals take care of things for you.
Creating a fundraising podcast may seem like a lot of hard work, and in theory it is, but it will be well worth the time and effort when your donations start rolling in.
As long as your podcast is of a good technical quality and you present your cause in a professional yet passionate manner, you will appeal to the ears and hearts of your listeners and your fundraising efforts will enjoy the boost it so rightly deserves.
