How to fundraise on Twitter in 7 steps

By on

How to Fundraise on Twitter | Sassy in Sequins
By my rationale that doing something once and succeeding makes me an expert, I’m offering you my step-by-step brilliantly executed plan: How to Fundraise on Twitter


1. Pick a Worthy Cause

You can’t fundraise without a cause. Well, technically you could, if you’re a scam artist or just don’t want to work, but keep your honeymoon fundraising off Twitter. No one wants to fund your bike trip down a volcano. I’m talking legit 501(c)(3) organization fundraising for worthy causes. My cause was the MS Challenge Walk–a 50 mile, 3 day walk to raise money for the MS Society. 


2. Have an Epiphany

In my last post I mentioned that I met my goal for the MS Challenge Walk at the 11th hour. I was about $300 from my goal and was desperate to meet it by the time the walk started. Having already tapped into my family and friends for donations and realizing that neither group was going to pay me to stop begging, I had an epiphany. I could use another source: Twitter. 


3. Listen for the angels

You just had an epiphany–they should be singing.


4. Come up with a plan

I’ve seen the how the power of social media can shame people into giving strangers money for good causes (á la Ice Bucket Challenge) and we all know that humans are naturally curious, so I put the two together in my goofy awkward way to solicit the remaining donations from Twitter. 
how to fundraise on instagram

I had asked for donations on Twitter previously in my fundraising efforts, but this time was different. I needed something that would make people want to donate to a stranger. I had to be creative! So I tapped into curiosity and offered the unknown “weird things” as a reward for a donation.

The result? My Twitter followers, likely thinking that they would receive some naked selfie, obliged.

*Warning: Unfiltered selfies ahead*

5. Execute the plan

I had one person re-tweet my request for donations and within minutes the first donation came rolling in. It was from my friend Josh and I set myself up to do my first “weird” thing to thank him. Due to both self respect and lack of resources in a hotel room, I did the first second thing that came to mind–I dressed myself up like a puppy!

Probably not the best idea considering I subsequently had to wipe my eyeliner-drawn nose and whiskers off of my face but Puppy Emily was well received. Josh and I exchanged some “terRUFFic”puns and I was one step closer to my goal. Woohoo!

6. Keep it up

Donations from Twitter continued to come in little by little. Having used the most adorable idea first, I resorted to doing yoga poses and cramming myself into small spaces wearing the MS Buff that we had gotten as swag. 
My creativity was constrained by the fact that I was in a hotel room with my teammates who were in their pajamas wanting to go to bed before our early morning wakeup for the Walk the next day. So I stuck to doing strange things around the hotel room for the rest of the generous donations. 
In less than an hour I had met my fundraising goal, thanks to my awesome followers and a Twitter stranger who donated the remaining $157 to get me there. 

7. Say thank you

While my followers didn’t receive the topless pictures of me riding a donkey they had likely envisioned, their curiosity and philanthropy helped me exceed my fundraising expectations by the next morning. I had successfully met and exceeded by fundraising goal for the MS Challenge Walk thanks to the help of curious strangers.
And that’s my guide for fundraising on Twitter!

MS Challenge Walk: recap of 3 days and 50 miles

By on

September 3rd through the 5th was the MS Challenge Walk on Cape Cod. I posted earlier about my foolproof training plan. Despite being a self-described expert, I was nervous in the days leading up to the walk–50 miles is no joke! 

The walk was from Friday to Sunday and the weather for the last two days was forecasted to be rainy. Naturally, I freaked out and on Wednesday night I ran around town spending $100 on a poncho, extra socks, and enough body glide to cover a sumo wrestling team. 
We were starting early on Friday morning so The Bean Team (i.e. me, Kate, Captain Jodi, and her sister-in-law) headed down to Cape Cod on Thursday evening. We prepped for the walk with a carb-loading dinner at the ever-fancy Olive Garden. Something I deeply regretted the next day… but anyway. I had almost reached my fundraising goal and was determined to meet it that night. In a last ditch effort I turned to Twitter and did some crazy stuff–but I’ll leave that for another post on how to fundraise like a lunatic.

DAY ONE

On Friday morning we woke up at what felt like the butt crack of dawn and got dressed. The rest of the Bean Team–Jodi’s sister-in-law, cousin and cousin’s sister, assembled at the starting area. There were Opening Ceremonies from the MS Society of Greater New England and some calisthenics to get the blood moving. It was a hot day and we were sweating before the walk even started. 
MS Challenge Walk Cape Cod
We walked from Hyannis through the town of Dennis. The view and excited chatter helped time pass.

It was hot but there were rest stops every 2-4 miles with plenty of water, Gatorade, and snacks. The crew was amazing and supportive, cheering us all on.  I was so impressed with the amount of thought and planning that went into this event. We wanted for nothing, except for someone to carry us.
After 11 miles we stopped for lunch and continued the walk along the Cape Cod Rail Trail to Brewster. The shade from the trees was a welcome relief to our sweaty bodies and swollen fingers.
Upon reaching Brewster, we were greeted with cheers and ice baths and massages. We ended the night gorging on dinner and watching a slide show of pictures that had been taken during the day. 

DAY 2

The next morning we somehow found ourselves up and ready to go at 7am. This was no doubt assisted by a truck driving through the camp blasting music and honking its horn at 5:45am. It was “orange day” as orange is the color of MS, so we donned our orange and pink shirts and the orange MS buffs that we got when we checked in and headed out for the walk.

By the middle of the second day, we were tired and blistered–oh so blistered! I resorted to eating candy, something I rarely do, but it served as a distraction from my sneakers, which were quickly filling up with fluid from popping blisters. At some point I started running because my hip flexors were revolting and it was the only way to give the muscles a break. I never would have thought that I would prefer running to walking, but after 35 miles, you get desperate. I like to think that if the devil himself stopped by offering piggy back rides that I would have declined, but truthfully, I’d probably sell my soul if there was a foot rub thrown in.
The second day wrapped up with stories about MS research from leading physicians in the field and a beautiful candlelit ceremony where we honored the people we were walking for, the ones with MS. We saw, through a progressive lighting ceremony, how everyone at the walk had been impacted by this horrible disease–patients, spouses, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles/cousins, and friends. We were all there for someone. Had my body had any more salt to lose I would have broken down crying so I resorted to a group hug as we swayed to a sappy Josh Groban song.
Great, I’m crying listening to it now.  My badass persona is officially blown.


DAY 3

We met Day 3 with elation–surprising considering that out of the 6 of six, not one could walk without looking like she had a large stick up her butt. We had 10 miles to go! We were going to do it and cross the Finish Line together! Woohoo! We even had the energy to do a jumping picture, which I realized that I’m insanely good at. Why I haven’t been doing these my entire life I have no idea, but have vowed to rectify that immediately.

Our motivation somehow lasted and kept us in a good mood for all 10 miles. Come to think of it, we were in good moods for the entirety of the Walk. It was an amazing experience to walk 50 miles with 5 other women, 3 of whom I had just met. We supported each other through the muscle cramps and blisters. We sang together to the Backstreet Boys Pandora station until our iPhones died. And we walked in silent admiration as we passed other walkers persevering through the effects of their MS assisted by walking sticks, canes, and wheelchairs. 

We did it together. 3 days, 50 miles,  closer to a cure.

How (not) to Train for a Charity Walk

By on

This weekend I did my first training walk for the MS Challenge Walk. Considering the walk is in less than a month and I will be walking 20, 20, and 10 miles over 3 days, it’s pretty safe to say that completing one training walk makes me an expert.

Naturally, I’ve compiled a “how to” guide for training walks because there’s nothing as effective as last minute strategizing for a trial of physical endurance.*

1. Find Your Motivation
Aside from the fact that I’d rather not be carted off in an ambulance during the MS Challenge Walk, my main motivation for completing a training walk on Saturday was free food. Shake Shack was giving out free burgers to the first 100 people in line on Saturday–the perfect motivation for walking almost 7 miles round trip to Harvard Square.

Shake Shack Free Burger
2. Dress the part

Fake it til you make it, right? You might not be an all star athlete, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t dress like one. Break out your best gear and what you’ll be wearing on the walk day.

Athleta Chatarunga Yoga Pants

3. Reward Yourself

That aforementioned free cheeseburger was not only free but came after a 3 mile walk and it was A-FREAKING-AMAZING! It didn’t hurt that the calories I consumed were burned off by the miles I walked.

Shake Shack Meister Burger

4. Tell people to DONATE
The most important thing about a charity walk is actually raising money for charity. I’m doing this walk in honor of my friend Jodi, who has MS. She’s a badass and will be walking 50 miles with me despite having a horrible disease that’s messing with her immune system. That’s reason enough to cough up some money.

DONATE NOW
* Disclaimer: This is humor, not an actual training plan. Please train with a fitness professional and consult your doctor before engaging in physical activity. 

Boston Bloggers Event Recap

By on

Boston Blogger Highball Lounge Happy Hour

Only a week late but better late than pregnant, right?
Last week was the Boston Bloggers event at Highball Lounge.  Jodi and I were doing a raffle for our MS Challenge walk that we’re doing with Kate.  The event was super fun and featured awesome cocktails thanks to the killer bartenders and a super fun photo booth by The Danger Booth that I should have taken better advantage of.  You know how I love pics of myself.

I had a blast meeting some new blogger friends as well as seeing old ones.  Jodi, Kate, and I made about $130 each that went directly to our fundraiser to fight MS and some very lucky bloggers got to take home fun prizes.

Thanks Boston Bloggers for a great event!

Boston Blogger Happy Hour–MS Fundraiser

By on
Today I’m going to the Boston Blogger spring happy hour!  Every few months the Boston Bloggers, a great group of people, get together at a local bar for drinks and socializing.  Today the happy hour is at Highball Lounge, a vintage inspired cocktail lounge with killer tator tots and board games.  
Since it’s going to be an awesome event, Jodi, Kate, and I will be hosting a raffle (well, Jodi and I will be there and Kate will be there in spirit, as she’s busy being fabulous somewhere warm) for some awesome prizes with the money going to our MS Challenge Walk in September where we will be walking 50 miles to help cure MS.  
The list of raffle items includes:
— 10 classes and socks from Pure Barre Boston 
— Keurig Coffee Brewer and gift card
— 10 rides at Flywheel Boston
— 5 rides at SoulCycle and a LOFT gift card
— 4 meals from Just Add Cooking, gift card for Eat.Say.Love and gift card from Blue Mercury
— Cleanse from Nourish Your Soul and a 1-hour massage at Massage Envy
— 1 class for 2 at the Paint Bar, 5 person experience at Skyzone Boston and gift card from Urban Grape
— Blog design by 3 eleven, adorable wooden sign by Theresa and gift card to Eva Maria Typography
Tickets are cash only so bring your dolla dolla bills y’all!
5 for $5
12 for $10
30 for $20
We can’t wait to see you there!