[Foundation-l] Fundraising Community Appeal

[Megan Hernandez]

Quick reminder that the appeal from the community could use some help.  A
couple people have started so far. That's really great - thanks for helping
out.

Please take a couple minutes and share some thoughts.  Send it around to
anyone who might be interested.

Thanks!

Megan

On Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 10:54 PM, Megan Hernandez
<mhernandez at wikimedia.org>wrote:

> Hello Wikimedia contributors,
>
> The fundraising team has been testing new messages over the past couple of
> months and we're happy to report we've found some new voices that will allow
> us to move away from our dependence on Jimmy to appeal to readers for
> donations. This year we want the fundraiser to rely as much as possible on
> voices of many different members of our community. So far, we've only tested
> messages from individuals, but we'd like to test a group appeal from the
> community. *That's where you come in!* Please help out by editing this
> page together.<http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2011/communityappeal>
>
> Here are a few *successful appeal principles* we've found in our most
> effective appeals:
>
>    - *Authenticity*: We need to tell stories from amazing passionate
>    Wikipedians in their own real words about why they are passionate about
>    Wikipedia and what is great about Wikipedia.
>    - *Beauty*: Wikipedia is an amazing, beautiful thing run by volunteers
>    doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.
>    - *Story*: Clarify people's understanding of Wikipedia and that it
>    needs them to keep the story going.
>    - *Free and ad free*: People love that it's free to use, free to be
>    used in any way, and ad free.
>    - *Importance*: We're #5 and everyone uses us!
>    - *Efficiency*: Compared to the other top sites, we run on a shoestring
>    budget.
>    - *Strong, quick start*: It must have a catchy first line.
>    - *Ask*: tell people where the money goes, be specific and concrete.
>
>
> *Examples* of the most effective appeals - so far :
>
>    - Trusty Jimmy <http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/L11_0209_Jimmy/en>
>    - Brandon Appeal<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/L11_BR2_Junetest_1/en/US>
>    - Maryana Appeal<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/L11_3009_Maryana_1/en/US>
>    - Wikipedia editor Alan Sohn<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/L11_0209_Alan-a/en>
>    - Steven Walling appeal<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/L11_JMvSW_Julytest_SW/en/US>
>
>
> Please help come up with some ideas and drafts here:
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fundraising_2011/communityappeal
>
> Really looking forward to seeing what we come up with!
>
> Megan
>
>
> --
>
> Megan Hernandez
>
> Head of Annual Fundraiser
> Wikimedia Foundation
>
>


-- 

Megan Hernandez

Head of Annual Fundraiser
Wikimedia Foundation