updates updates updates

A few notes about updates:
1. You should update your community to keep them engaged and keep them donating (people can definitely forget to donate, and often appreciate quick reminders).
2. Your emails don't have to be exhausting or Pulitzer-worthy, a few words and a link can often do the trick
3. You don't just have to use email to update, other examples are included below:

Here Mark Dwight uses Twitter:



An Email update from Mark Dwight:
Subject: Please help me reach my goal for homeless youth

I'm sending this to a small group of friends to ask you a small favor. As most of you know, I'm riding my bicycle to the TED conference in Long Beach-- 500 miles in 5 days, starting next Wednesday. I'm using the ride to help raise money for a homeless youth outreach program here in SF called At The Crossroads. I'm $600 shy of my $5,000 goal, and I would really appreciate a small donation. The folks at ATC are just as excited by the number of donors as they are by any amount you donate. Really, no amount is too small. If each of you kick in $20 to $50, I'll reach or exceed my goal. It's super easy. Just follow this link...

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight

Thanks!

-Mark


A quick one of mine:

Dear Friends,

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated to my Campaign!

I've passed the halfway mark to my goal and have been working VERY hard not to be sarcastic. Unfortunately for me, I am failing quite often. Fortunately for you, I have been keeping up with my apology notes here:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/rachelfletcher

It's not too late to donate for homeless youth!
Rachel

And a Facebook post:

Baby Crazy!

Octomom isn't the only person in the news for having baby fever. It's taking over the folks at I Think I Can, too! Take a look at our Campaigners who are focusing on their babies (or babies on the way) for ITIC!

Kevin McCracken-- Kevin's campaign is to turn off his cell phone when he gets home from work and take his adorable daughter, Kaitlin for walks.

Camille Dungy and Ray Black-- These two veteran Campaigners are taking bets on the stats of their still-incubating kiddie!

Megan Ameduri-- Megan is saving up the big bucks in anticipation of the arrival of her little bundle of joy!

Ivan Alomar-- OK, so Ivan's daughter, Niah, isn't a baby--but their weekend bike-riding Campaign is adorable!

Next Meet and Greet

(click on image to enlarge)

fabulous

Lady Gaga supports homeless youth, too!

Have you received your I Think I Can t-shirt yet?

Sizes available:
S
M
L
XL
2XL

It's free, it's stylish, so call your Campaign Coordinator today!

Using Snail Mail

Though I Think I Can is largely web-based, lots of Campaigners use print materials to spread the word to friends and family. This works best for people who are less web-savvy, or not on email at all.

Here's how this can work:

1. We send you a Word document template
2. You fill it out and send it back
3. We make you PERSONALIZED return address labels, attach postage, and print out the materials
4. You address the envelopes and drop them in a mailbox

Easy as pie!

Talk to your Campaign Coordinator for more information!

Community Service Campaigns!

Helping others to help homeless youth. Now that's an idea we can get behind! Here are the fine people at I Think I Can who are doing community service campaigns:

Edgar Tamayo is hosting benefits for ATC at Pot de Pho
Sigma Omicron Pi is making sandwiches for ATC's clients
Paul Boyer is also giving out food to homeless individuals
Evelyn Kuo is volunteering 5 hours a week
Lisa Socolow is volunteering one hour for every $100 she raises
Rebecca Weill is doing something service-related every day in February
Bonnie Puckett is having her friends volunteer and donate as her birthday present!
Angelo Santiago is growing his hair out to donate to charity
Jen Blackman is giving away her clothes, her time, and her blood

Use your social networks

Facebook is a wonderful tool for promoting your Campaign. We wouldn't call it a substitute for sending out emails to your list or reaching out in a more personal way to your community, but it allows you to expand your reach and give friendly, unobtrusive reminders about your campaign. Plus, as we've found in the past, it's always surprising to see who donates after seeing a post on Facebook. Long lost middle school friends...ex-boyfriends' sisters...your mom's accountant... Give it a shot and see who bites!

1) Create a Group for your campaign
This is the best option if you are a big Facebook user, and are willing to put a little time into it. You can simply hit ‘Message All Members’ on the group homepage and Facebook will allow you to write and send a message to everyone on the group’s list. We recommend keeping your messages short and sweet because we’ve found that Facebook users are pretty text averse. Try posting your full update to the blog of your campaign page simply link to the post you’ve written in your Facebook message instead..

For example:
Hey Loyal ITIC supporters!
It’s been a great week for my campaign. I went to the gym three times, and stayed away from my poison, dark chocolate! Please check out my site and sponsor my efforts: www.atthecrossroads.org/campaign/joeshmo. -Joe”

2) Post Status Updates about your campaign
This is a good option for people who don’t have enough time to create a group or write lengthy updates. This will not reach your whole FB community, but can be an effective way to get a couple of quick donations from people you might not have expected. You can do this on a daily basis and it won’t annoy anyone, unlike a daily email. Tell people about your campaign, let them know if you just did something related to achieving your goal, or let them know how much you have to go before reaching your fundraising goal. Make sure to attach the link to your campaign page with your status update. You can also just post the link, without any update.

3) Make your campaign an Event
This is a great option if your campaign is a one-day endeavor, or if your campaign has some kind of gathering involved. You can still send messages to your friends and family, and keep the event to the length of your campaign (ie: if you plan on starting February 1st and ending March 31st, you make those the start and end times for the event). However, if people write on the wall of the event page, it will not show up in News Feed or on your Profile page. But, you can still send a message to all the ‘Attending’ members.

4) Send messages to your friend network about your participation
Since sending messages through Facebook basically works like sending an email, you should limit how often you are sending these. Keep them personal and individualized, but also short and sweet (the short and sweet part basically because you can’t really format the messages you send through Facebook like you can a regular email).

Our ATC Athletes

This week we are highlighting the multitude of runners who are hitting the streets/tracks/steps/trails for I Think I Can! These runners are a diverse bunch, from rookies on treadmills to expert ultra-marathonners. Check them out:


Adam Hunter is running the Napa Valley marathon

Jennifer Yip is running on her treadmill three times a week

Megan McCarthy is running 2010 miles in 2010

Rebecca Knoll is running up and down the infamous Lyon Street steps

Risa Malecki is training for Bay 2 Breakers

Alyse Clayman is running the Boston Marathon

Ian Stewart is running Bay 2 Breakers

Jennifer Bethel is running a half-marathon in Santa Cruz

Jason Thompson is running a 100-mile marathon

Naomi is running the Oakland half marathon

David Stassen is running 150 miles in March

Using the 'Update' section of your Campaign page

The 'Update' section of your Campaign page functions just like a blog. It's a place where you can write about what you've been doing and keep your donors and potential donors updated on your progress. You can also link to videos, upload pictures, and your friends can comment on your posts.

Be funny, be honest, be transparent. Your readers will appreciate the time you put into it. Bayliss and Drew have done an awesome job at it, click on their names to go to their pages.

**If you've been updating your community via email, linking to these updates is the perfect way to keep your emails short and sweet. Just say something like "It's been an awesome week in my campaign, click here to read more about it..."

Here's an example (click on image to enlarge):

Update Emails!

So you've set up your Campaign page, sent an initial email to your donors, and now you're wondering what the next step in our Campaign will be. The answer? Update emails!

Update emails to your community serve a few purposes:
1. They show the people who have donated to your Campaign that you're actually making progress!
2. They keep you accountable to the people who have donated
3. They allow your friends and family to stay updated on how well you're doing
4. You can continue to ask for donations and support
5. Your friends and family can, in response, continue to make fun of you, support you, etc.

We have a couple of examples on the website here, and here's a short one I whipped up in about 5 minutes:


Subject: Official I Think I Can Campaign UPDATE!

Dear Faithful Campaign Supporters-

It’s been a great week for ITIC-ing! I went to the gym three times this week, made a new workout playlist. Just so you know, I have an extended version of this post, plus pictures, at my campaign page (link to campaign)

Other great news is that I also got Andrea and Tim to do campaigns along with me! We’re going to be sweatin’ it together! Check out their campaign pages (link to your friends pages, if they have them).

Another tidbit I’ve learned this week: The steam room is my best friend.

And here are my most recent stats:
Donations: 45
Total raised: $750

Thanks for everything, and if you’ve been saving up for that extra special time to donate to my campaign, I think this is it!
Rachel Fletcher

Green Campaigns

So this week we're highlighting participants whose Campaigns focus on improving the environment and their habits.

Abigail Nathanson

Nova Hammerquist


And, if this is the kind of Campaign that's calling your name, here are a few other ideas from last year:

Kurt stopped using plastic

Christine stopped driving to work

Get Your Friends On Board!

Top 5 reasons you should get people you know to sign up:
1. You’ll keep each other motivated and accountable
2. They’ll help make it fun
3. A little friendly competition never hurts
4. The money you raise to help homeless youth will be multiplied
5. You feed us, we will feed you! When you find others to participate, you nourish ATC, helping make sure that it continues to grow and be healthy. Well, we’re returning the favor. If you get new people to sign up, start a campaign, and raise at least a couple hundred bucks (no exact minimum; it just needs to be a real effort), prizes await!

The Prizes:
-Get 1 new person to participate and win a gift basket from the Ferry Building Farmers Market that includes, Italian-spiced Sea Salt, Sweet 16 Peach Conserve, and Applewood Smoked or Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds
-Get 3 new people to participate and receive a $50 gift card to a grocery store of your choice.
- Get 5 or more new people to participate and win a $100 gift certificate to a restaurant of your choice.

***All of the above items have been donated, or are being paid for with special designated donations that allow us to bring you these gifts without taking money away from our work with homeless youth.***

Keep track of the people you get to sign up and let a Campaign Coordinator know. The only catch is that your people actually have to PARTICIPATE--like making a web page and getting donations!