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Getting the word out about the MS Challenge Walk.

 

Fundraising Tip #15: Promoting your fundraiser on the event calendar

Written by Ken on August 18, 2010 at 2:38 pm

Some folks rely solely on solicitation letters for their fundraising. Others — especially teams — complement this approach by hosting a variety of events, from dinner parties to yard sales to bowlathons. But no matter how creative the occasion and passionate its hosts, fundraisers need promotion to attract a potential donors. So what's the easiest way to promote your event?

Why, by letting us do it for you, of course!

Event calendarNo doubt you've seen many fundraisers listed on this site over the summer. The next month continues to be filled with such opportunities. A quick look at the calendar shows a baseball game in Dracut and a clambake in Denver this Saturday; a restaurant outing and a training walk on Sunday; a dinner in Portsmouth on Tuesday; a pottery-painting party next Wednesday; and a baseball game and a training walk next Sunday. Phew! Many of you are intent on those last-minute fundraisers, apparently!

It's not too late to be included on this list — just fill out this online form with your event details. This will put the event on this blog's homepage, where it'll be seen by hundreds of people and emailed to more; put it on our Facebook page, where it will show up in our hundreds of fans' news feeds; and even get it tweeted, where Boston-area event calendars might see it.

There are a few caveats: the event calendar is not well-suited for recurring events (eg, something that happens every Tuesday) or events that have no specific time or place (such as an online sale). But submit these events anyway, and we'll work with you to find ways to publicize it.

Getting others to promote your event for you is more tactful than your own blatant plugs, but it's worth doing both. If you're on Facebook, post your Challenge Blog event listing to your own Facebook profile and invite your friends to come.

May all your fundraisers be the successes they deserve!

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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Event calendar publicity

Written by Ken on November 13, 2009 at 9:36 am

The MS Challenge Blog has always had an event calendar to which any member of our community can submit a fundraising event that benefits the MS Challenge Walk. Previously, events were listed separately from these blog posts.

Based on user feedback, we are now complementing that separate listing by incorporating events into the main index. That means you'll see events posted here as soon as they are approved for publication, be it days, weeks, or months in advance. Yesterday's "All Smiles for 21+ Dance" listing was the first such event to be posted in this fashion — and it's timely, too, as the dance in question is this very weekend. (Note that the date of the event is given in the red box, not in the byline for the actual post!)

The sooner you submit your event, the sooner it'll be put in front of hundreds of potential supporters!

As always, please contact us if you have any questions about this or any other feature of the Challenge Blog.

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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Stop for a story

Written by Ken on September 2, 2009 at 1:49 pm

It's never too late to get good publicity! Since many newspapers assume their readers have short attention spans, now is the best time for pre-event coverage of next week's MS Challenge Walk.

As we suggested doing in a previous blog post, Rhonda Lake told her story, and the North Attleboro Free Press listened. The resulting article, "MS fight becomes a family affair", highlights the team effort that fighting MS and walking the walk can be.

Rhonda doesn't just tell her story; she listens, too. As the paper points out: "To keep herself going, Rhonda said she talks to other walkers, some with MS, others who walk for loved ones. 'I always stop and ask the story,' she said."

There will be hundreds of stories on Cape Cod next week, and hundreds of new friends. As you walk and talk, be sure to stop and listen, too.

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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News coverage in the Fitchburg Pride

Written by Ken on June 17, 2009 at 4:54 pm

When I encouraged you to tell your story, I promised updates with success stories. Here's our first!

Barbara Carter of the Mamas and Papas got some great coverage in her hometown's newspaper, The Fitchburg Pride. The story is titled "Strides for a cure: Local team fundraises for MS Walk" and covers the social, physical, and financial aspects of the MS Challenge Walk. It's a great piece that brings attention to the cause, the event, and Barbara's team. That's the best kind of publicity — and it's free!

To get your own story out to the media, fill out the NMSS's online form, and their public relations firm will take care of the rest.

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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MS on Mix 98.5

Written by Ken on June 3, 2009 at 2:37 pm

Earlier this year, radio station Mix 98.5 spoke with Patty Thorpe, a volunteer with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Challenge Walk steering committee member. She talks about her own diagnosis and how the Challenge Walk gave her a way to fight back. You can find the interview by scrolling down at the above page, or clicking here to go right to the MP3 recording.

Our thanks to music director Mike Mullaney for sharing Patty's experience with his listeners!

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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Tell your story!

Written by Ken on May 27, 2009 at 12:21 pm

In just a few months, Cape Cod will see 600 people walk for multiple sclerosis. What they won't see is what each walker carries with them: their reason for walking. Everyone who accepts the challenge of walking 50 miles has a story. Some people walk for their loved ones; some walk for themselves; others walk simply because someone has to. Every walker's story is one of hope, dedication, and courage — and the NMSS wants to help you tell your story.

The surest way we can defeat multiple sclerosis is by making it a personal cause; when others see the impact it has on them and their loved ones, they can't help but want to contribute to a world free from MS. That's why the NMSS is asking you to tell your story by filling out its online form. The NMSS's communications department and their public relations firm will collaborate to get your story in front of potential donors, spreading the word about our movement.

The power of effective marketing cannot be understated. I filled out the form a few years ago and got a call from my hometown's newspaper. They sent a reporter and photographer to my mom's house to interview us; here's the resulting story (opens as a PDF). It ran on the paper's front page just a week before the MS Challenge Walk and resulted in a few pledges and phone calls — several hundred dollars over the years that I otherwise would not have raised.

Not feeling particularly eloquent? Don't worry — that's the publicist's job! Just give us the details, and our public relations machine will get to work. We've already had other successes in getting your stories told, and we'll repost them here throughout the summer.

I encourage you to take the time to tell your story. It's a great way to show how proud you are of the people in your life!

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Ken, a Worcester resident, joined the MS Challenge Walk in 2005, more than a decade after his mother was diagnosed. After walking for three years and 150 miles, he switched to the support crew and now rides his bicycle along the trail, providing whatever encouragement (and snacks!) he can to the 600 walkers. He is also on the event's steering committee and is this site's webmaster.

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