Plan ahead
The first phase of researching and planning needs time. You have to organise the staff of the NGO, assign tasks, monitor the research, process acquired data, and summarise important information to write proposals, informational material for dissemination, and to prepare your public speeches. You need months to organise a campaign like this because the results will depend upon how well you have planned. Do take your time and don’t rush!
Be enthusiastic and creative
Remember that a campaign is about approaching people; whether they are potential donors, public authorities, politicians, celebrities, members of the community, or individuals, what is important is for you to create relationships. As such, you should use your creativity to attract their attention and you should always be enthusiastic; you are the first who believes and supports your NGO: make everybody aware of the potential your organisation has!
Be clear and flexible
Be Flexible in Your Planning
A successful campaign is able to send a clear message to the audience. There must be a clear idea that you want to pursue and you should be able to tailor your approach according to the recipient of the communication. As such, you should find ways to propose your ideas to your neighbours, your political representatives, and members of international agencies consistently. Be aware that a certain level of flexibility is important to solve unexpected problems or to take advantage of situations you have not considered. The secret is to be always attentive to what happens around you.
Keep an eye on the cost of the campaign itself
Fundraising campaigns are not for free. Be realistic. If you have little funding, be more creative and find ways to organise events without spending money (look for a venue you can hire for free, ask friends to bake cakes, or consider having a sponsor such as a local café or a restaurant for catering public meetings). Remember that your staff must be paid and you cannot sacrifice their salaries to invest in grand campaigns. Sometimes to work on a little budget produces more interesting results!
