Visual media can offer a powerful way to share narratives, engage, and draw attention to your cause. Video, GIFs, and digital images and graphics are awesome ways to communicate with people visually. And they have an unmistakable impact on marketing and fundraising campaigns.
When designing a visual communication plan, there’s another well-loved tool you shouldn’t overlook – the classic fundraising poster! Fundraising posters can combine several types of visual media and their benefits. They’re a great way to grab attention, spread awareness, and more for your fundraiser.
So here are our top eight tips for designing impactful and effective fundraising posters.
What should your fundraiser poster say? Well, you should view your poster as an elevator pitch for your fundraising event. You want to include all important details about the fundraiser, giving the viewer everything they need to know about how to attend or contribute. You also want to make it easy for people to take action after seeing your poster.
Vital information you should add to the poster includes:
Your poster should not just aim to inform. It should also seek to compel the audience and persuade them to support your cause. Use strong and emotive language that ignites interest, feeling, and curiosity for your headline. Keep your messaging simple yet inviting, pulling the reader to “support a worthy cause”.
Also, consider asking a bold question for the viewer to think about or ponder. Phrasing your messaging as a question can be more engaging for readers of your poster. For example, rather than telling people to support your cause, you can ask, “Want to help a good cause?”
This can capture their attention, motivate them to want to find out more or keep them thinking about your poster.
Visual design and composition are just as important as the information included in your poster. An effective poster relies on strong visuals that attract viewers.
Rather than using too many pictures (like a collage), use a bold image with eye-grabbing colors that match your NPO’s branding. Having one main image ensures your poster draws attention but isn’t cluttered and confusing.
Another visual choice you have to make is font. What kind of typography should you choose for your poster?
What often works is to stick to a style similar to your logo or branding. Find something that aligns with your brand personality and tone for cohesive branding.
The typography you opt for should also be bold and legible. Ensure that people can get the core message of your poster from a distance. You can achieve this by using a simple but bold font in a color that stands out from the background of the poster.
It’s essential to give viewers a clear direction for where they should go after seeing your poster. Perhaps, you want them to buy a ticket to your fundraiser. Or, you might ask them to donate to your fundraiser. Give them a clear call to action and a method of enacting it.
QR codes and website links are a great and convenient way to continue the engagement started by your poster. People can scan the code immediately and land directly on your fundraising ticket link or your donation page. You can also use the QR code to take people to a page where they can find out more information about the fundraiser and your cause.
Use Canva’s free QR Code Generator to make your code and add it to your design.
Think carefully about the different elements of your fundraising poster and how they look alongside each other. What grabs the viewer's attention? How can you make the most important bits stand out? Use size and color to create visual contrast and highlight key details like the fundraising aim, CTA, and a link or QR code.
To contrast using size, use a bigger and bolder font at a central point in your poster for your main heading and CTA. Use a smaller font for less vital details. You can also use a pop of color to make your main message or important details stand out against the background.
Contrast is a fantastic way to highlight the key aspects of your poster.
If you use a platform like Canva to design your poster, there are many fun digital effects you can add to your poster. You don’t just have to think about your poster as a static physical tool, you can also create dynamic and moving digital posters. For example, a digital version might have a moving image or effects on the font.
You can put up physical versions of the poster while sharing the digital version on your online platforms like social media. This is another great way to plan cohesive marketing for your fundraising campaign.
In the end, a clean, simple design will have more impact than cluttered posters. Sure, you want to include as much information as possible but you don’t want to overwhelm viewers. Opt for simple but bold images, fonts, and messaging. Aim to get the point across at a single glance and give your audience clear, concise communication.
Fundraising posters are an important part of a successful marketing strategy. They are a timeless technique for raising awareness, bringing attention to your fundraiser, and increasing donations. Master this fundraising promo skill for amazing benefits.