Adding a photo to your fundraising account will help people feel connected to you as they can put a face behind your story. Research shows that profiles with pictures or videos raise 14% more per photo and video. It’s the perfect excuse to take a selfie, you could even try to go for the sporty look.

Why is this cause so important to you? You know the reason you're doing it but others don’t. You need to share your story as people are more likely to donate to a cause they know means something to the person raising the funds. This is a good opportunity to use video and take people through your reason behind doing the run.

3. Shoot for a target

If you set a target on your fundraising account it helps your supporters see the big picture. They will feel like they're a part of your journey as they’ve managed to put a dent in your target with the funds they are donating. Pages with a target raise 46% more than those that don’t. Why not set your target high? Aim high and tell the world!

4. Don't be afraid to share

An easy way to bring more eyes to your fundraising account is to share it across any social media platforms you are on. Facebook and Instagram are great ways to get the word out that you are looking to raise funds. You could add the link to your fundraising account to your bio and use the story feature on both apps to keep your followers and friends up to date with your progress and how you are preparing week by week. Whatsapp and Twitter are also great tools to reach new people with your story and to let them know why you are raising money.

5. Add a video or livestream 

You can add a video as your profile photo on your fundraising account so it could be the perfect opportunity to tell your story of why you want to raise funds. All that has to be done is add a YouTube link to your account. This also gives you the chance to livestream directly on your fundraising account, you can keep those who have donated up to date with how you are preparing for the run.

6. Don’t forget about email 

Let's not forget about friends or family that aren’t on any type of social media. You could always reach out to them through email. Email is a great way to tell your story and also to include a link directly to your fundraising account.

7. Connect fitness apps

Connecting to your fitness apps means you have something to show for all the hard work and training you have done. It also makes it more real to your audience as they can see how much the cause means to you by the work you're putting in. Strava and Fitbit are great apps for keeping track of your progress and they also allow you to share your daily progress with your supporters.

8. Update your page 

Keep your account up to date so your supporters know the effort you are putting in to reach your target. They will enjoy watching you hit your goals and it will also motivate you as they’ll likely comment on each update posted. Updating your page regularly will also give you the opportunity to look back at how far you’ve come.

9. Encourage others

Why not get your friends involved too? It’s always more fun when you have a friend to experience the journey with. You will motivate and encourage each other throughout the way without even realizing it! 

10. Say thanks!

When the hard work has been done and you’ve run the 5k or 10k in October, say thanks to those who supported you throughout your journey. 20% of donations come in after the event has ended so make sure you check in with your followers and let them know how you got on. Haven’t signed up yet? It’s not too late!