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Build a strong social media presence. Itemize expenses. Keep records. Believe in your cause. Make donating as easy as possible. Thank each of your donors.
A strong social media presence is key for successful fundraising. Get on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other social media outlets.  Ask a social media savvy friend to help if you're not familiar with these outlets yourself. A strong Facebook fan page, as well as a Twitter presence, can be a great means to spread the word of an event to many people at once. Reach out to the right people. Blindly inviting your entire Facebook friend's list is a big no-no. You're likely to annoy people who do not live in the area or who are not interested in the cause. Stick to inviting people who you know have similar views and live near enough to attend. People are more likely to donate if they know where their money is going. Know exactly where your money will be going and be upfront with people about this. If people know that, say, $5 buys one vaccination for a child in need in a third world country they'll be motivated to give. As you'll likely have to go through some auditing process for tax purposes, keep thorough records. Keep records of who donated, how much they donated, and what the money went towards. The key to getting people to donate is genuinely believing in your cause yourself. Know as much as you can about your cause so you sincerely believe it's worth it.  If you know a lot about your cause, you're likely to feel more passionate about it. When you send out an e-mail or letter asking for donations, you'll sound more convicted. This can motivate people to donate.  People enjoy contributing to worthy causes. It makes them feel positive about themselves and involved in their community. The stronger you believe in your cause, the more others will want to help you out. The easier it is for passersby to donate to your cause, the more money you'll be likely to raise. Make it easy for potential donors to make a contribution. If you have a website set up to collect donations, ensure that it is easy to navigate. If you've set up an account at the local bank, make sure the instructions for making a deposit are clear. Low minimums for donations are more likely to make people feel like they can afford it. Each person that donates should receive a message from you or your organization, thanking them for their contribution and outlining what the money will be used for. Make the donor feel good about the money that they contributed. Thanking your donor also makes it easier to get in contact again when you run another fundraiser.  For large organizations, its expected that a thank-you message be sent out within 48 hours of the donation. For personal fundraisers, you should be working to thank people as soon as they make their donation, and again after the fundraiser is complete.