Using Video to Help Your Team Fundraise

Fundraising: it’s never fun, it’s always time consuming, and it rarely gives you the funds you need. Selling cookie dough, wrapping paper or magazine subscriptions doesn’t cut it. Why? Because it doesn’t connect with your donors.

At Hudl, we’ve worked with thousands of teams to help them improve their skills with video. When our teams began creating amazing highlight reels, we realized video could be a powerful fundraising tool as well. Video gives you a quick and easy way to engage donors with a relevant message. Say goodbye to those giant candy bars they never eat. Now, it’s just a matter of watching and choosing to donate.

Here’s how to achieve your fundraising goals with this season’s video:

• Get social. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or a team website, make your mission public. More people viewing means more donations for your team.
• Show off your team. Use video highlights from any season — past or present — to showcase your team’s successes.
• Personalize your message. Are you raising money for new equipment to improve safety? Is your team a national tournament qualifier that can’t afford to attend? Do you have talented players in need of a scholarship? Whatever the goal, get specific! Donors are much more likely to relate if the message is personal.
• Ask small. An ultimate goal of $500 may seem steep, but think of it as 50 people donating $10. Even better is 10 people donating $50 — it’s the average amount donated through Hudl, where teams have raised almost $1 million this year!

Have you used video to fundraise before? Tell us in the comments below. We’d love to hear about your successes. Good luck this season!

Allie Davison is a Business Development Representative for Team Sports for Hudl, a software company that helps coaches and teams improve their game and reach their fundraising goals through the use of technology.