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This past weekend, I had the pleasure of working in support of a cycling event for a nonprofit client.   This was my first peer-to-peer client and event in about two years. By sheer coincidence, my recent work has included traditional fundraising campaigns, board development projects and leadership coaching.  It was exciting to step back into the world of peer-to-peer and endurance events, a combination with a special place in my heart due to my passion for running, cycling and of course, fundraising for great causes.

Sometimes stepping away can bring fresh perspectives.   In these brief six weeks I was able to experience one of my favorite parts of peer-to-peer: coaching participants in fundraising.  And with the event just around the corner, I had the chance to witness the magic of riders seeing the finish line; from first-time century riders to veterans.  The opportunity to see first-hand their sense of accomplishment and impact is one of the true privileges of serving in this field. I came away thinking about some of the principles that have stayed the same as well as a few where a shift in thinking could make a positive difference:

• Make It Personal...And Keep It Personal - As staff (or consultants) we often remind our participants to make it personal - in other words tell potential donors their story and why the cause matters to them.  I continue to believe this is the most compelling case a volunteer fundraiser can make. This approach is magnified tenfold when you pick up a phone as opposed to just email. It’s our  job as fundraising staff to model this behaviour as well. The most encouraging thing we can do is go beyond the automated marketing we have at our fingertips and Personalize, Personalize, Personalize.  Take the time to personalize your emails - or better yet actually call your participants to cheer them on.  
• Put the Challenge Back in Challenge - Remember way back when donors would actually “sponsor” you for each mile you walked or ran?  A sign-up sheet and pen or pencil were often involved as well. The somewhat sad part of the efficiency of the peer to peer models is that too often we lose that exciting and inspiring challenge mentality that actually gave birth to today’s approach.  It’s given way to cutting edge strategies that enable participants to hit their fundraising goals before they even take a training ride or run their first mile. While I do utilize plenty of fundraising tools and strategies - there are all kinds of good reasons for doing so - it is worth revisiting the joys of having our participants connect the physical challenge with fundraising.  Sometimes it’s fun (and successful) to go old school….
• The End is the Beginning - Your participant’s arrival at the finish line is truly the beginning of planning for next year’s event.  While putting a computer with a Survey Monkey in front of your riders (runners, walkers) while they’re getting their first beer or bagel is probably a bit much, having a light, caring and inquiring conversation is just what the doctor ordered.  The event is fresh in their mind. Chances are they’re a mix of fatigued, grateful and just plain happy and eager to share. This is the moment you can start to build from.