Tip #3 - Let's spread the word....

Thank you again for deciding to raise funds online for the 17th Annual Support-A-Walk on October 2, 2011! Your contributions enable us to help women with breast and ovarian cancer and their families, through our unique model of free, confidential programs that are created and provided by fellow survivors.

It's never too early to start fundraising! Your donations are put to use as soon as we receive them to sustain our programs all year long. To support your efforts, here are some tips about spreading the word:

Use your own email account: Such as Outlook, AOL, Gmail, etc. Email everyone in your address book. Write a note about why you're fundraising. "Copy & paste" the URL or page address of your Firstgiving page. (It's at the TOP of your page, and looks like this: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/YourPageName.) Your friends and family can click the link, see your page and donate. Don't know what to say? Click here for some ideas.

Send emails through Firstgiving: Firstgiving has an easy email tool:

1. Sign in to your account and click edit.
2. Then click the green "Email your page" button.
3. Add up to 50 email addresses, separated by commas. If you used Firstgiving last year, your donors' email addresses are already in your "Firstgiving address book."
4. Make sure you personalize the standard message in the "message" box - explain to your contacts why you're fundraising for Support Connection.
5. Click "Send." Firstgiving will send the emails for you. You'll also receive a confirmation email for your records.

When your family, friends, and coworkers receive the email, it will come from support@firstgiving.com and depending on their email system, it may or may not have your name in the FROM.

Share on social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. You'll find easy buttons for these on your Firstgiving account page as well. For more Facebook tips, click here.

Your email signature: Add your fundraising page address under your name in your email signature along with a message (e.g. "I'm raising funds for breast and ovarian cancer support - please donate!") Your message is now in every email you send. One fundraiser last year exceeded her goal with this simple step!

Did you donate yet? Don't forget to donate to your own page!