Just two weeks in and Maggie Nash – one of our amazing ambassadors – is only a few hundred dollars away from her $3000 fundraising target. We’re blown away! And she’s done it with an incredibly simple but clever idea.
If you’ve signed on for Do It In A Dress and are now looking at your shiny new school dress wondering ‘am I really up for this?’ – you’re going to love meeting Maggie Nash!
Maggie is surging towards her fundraising target with a campaign that’s an awesome example of how easy fundraising can be when you get a few essentials right. We’re not saying she’s not working hard. She is! But she’s getting epic results and that means she doing it right.
Sometimes first-time fundraisers come up with what seems like an awesome idea – then they struggle to get people on board. It’s not because the idea itself is no good, but because it’s the wrong idea for their crew.
So Maggie took a fundraising chestnut – the raffle – and tweaked it so it was just the kind of thing her friends would love .
She’s put the ticket buying process online and, super-importantly, got rid of the boring, generic stuff you normally see in hampers – replacing it with a bunch of gorgeous products that any one of her friends would love to win. AND she’s working her social networks to let everyone know.
Simple – but perfect! And judging by the support she’s getting, her friends think so too.
We asked Maggie to share a few of her secrets to help inspire anyone who might be wondering how to get started.
One Girl: You’ve already supported One Girl’s ‘I Don’t Want A Present’ campaign and now you’re an Ambassador for Do It In A Dress. What got you so motivated to support One Girl in the first place?
Maggie: “‘I Don’t Want A Present’ was one of the best things I’ve ever done. My goal was to send one girl to school ($300), but I ended up raising just under $1,000, which was enough to send 3 girls to school! I was blown away by the generosity of my friends and family and by how little effort it took to make such a massive difference.”
“I later saw an advertisement to become a One Girl Ambassador and was instantly intrigued. I was certainly at a point in my life where I was looking for something beyond the 9-5 grind – a way to make a difference on something I’m passionate about. The ‘I Don’t Want A Present’ campaign really gave me a sense of how incredible the possibilities are.”
OG: Why is supporting girls’ education so important to you?
“I’m a feminist. I believe there is a need for change in our world and education is one of the most important foundations for change and a better life for women everywhere. For girls it can be the difference of being married as a child and being able to make their own money. Education should not be a luxury, it should be accessible to all. Having access to education myself is something I don’t appreciate enough, but it’s something I can give back to those who don’t have it.”
OG: Tell us about the campaign you’ve organised. How did you come up with the idea and resource all the products?
“I started planning this campaign as soon as I got my Ambassador acceptance email! I emailed so many local Aussie businesses asking for support, sponsorship and donations. I’ve had an overwhelming response from all sponsors and am so glad to show their support for the cause.”
OG: You’re racing towards your fundraising target. What are you finding is really working for you?
“Making Do It In A Dress a priority. It’s been the top of my list everyday. I’m always thinking of ways I can get donations from people or businesses. Also hyping everyone up on my socials and keeping people up to date on how many girls we’ve educated so far!”
“And persistence. Sometimes it’s not the fact that people don’t want to donate, but the fact that you’ve caught them at a bad time or they’ve forgotten. So just reminding them or following up if they’ve liked a post about the campaign but not donated. You’ll be surprised by people’s generosity!”
OG: What are your top tips for others just beginning their fundraising journey?
“The fact that you’re even starting means you’ve got the heart to make your goal!
Be sure that everyone in your life knows you’re doing this. Bring it up in conversations, give people updates on your progress, make them excited and want to be involved. If someone says they’d like to donate but not today/this week – offer to remind them at pay day! And stay positive! Fundraising can be hard, but it is definitely rewarding. Hang tight and you’ll feel it.”
If this is your first Do It In A Dress campaign and you’re feeling a bit unsure what to do next – take inspiration from Maggie and jump straight into it. Better still, grab a friend and do it together. Getting started can be the hardest bit – but you’ll be amazed how quickly your confidence kicks in. And after that there’ll be no stopping you!!
