7 Tough Mudder Fundraising Tips

You’re about to put your body through possibly the toughest challenge ever. You’ll wake up the day after bruised, sore and broken. People will be asking, “what the hell were you thinking!” But you can rest easy knowing you have brightened up someone else’s day, knowing youv'e done your bit for charity. If you are taking on a Tough Mudder for charity, here are our 7 fundraising tips to get you started.

1. Plan, plan and plan again

You’ve clicked on the entry button, you’re committed! Next step, fundraising. Our best tip is to plan your way to your target. Get the calculator out and work out how much you need to raise each month, week, and even day to achieve your goal figure. A target of 2k in four months sounds like tough going, but break it down and it’s not a massive amount each week, much more achievable. Planning is as beneficial for your sanity as it is for achieving your target.  

2. It’s all in the detail…

Don’t just say you’re raising money for charity, be explicit! The truth is, you’re running close to the distance of a half marathon, through which you’re likely to lose your leg hair in sprints through fiery pits, temporarily lose your clear sight thanks to the Cry Baby, get hit with 10,000 volts of electricity while running through mud, and all this while being dunked in ice cold muddy water at regular intervals. If that doesn’t get them giving then you're dealing with some cold S.O.Bs!

3. Have a trim

It’s the day of your Tough Mudder, people are walking round with their fresh new mohawks courtesy of the event stylists. Why not be one step ahead and make some money for your charity in the process. Get sponsored to shave your head. It’s a pretty drastic thing to do so people are usually up for paying to see it happen. Obviously the more hair that needs to go the better, but it’s something everyone can do to kick start their fundraising. Make sure you do it in public too. Getting pledges is half the battle but if you take your time with the shaving, the result, some extra coin that you hadn’t planned!

4. Match giving

You want to set a target of three grand, but you just don’t think you can get there. If that’s the case have a word with your employer about match giving. It can be one of the easiest ways to give your Tough Mudder fundraising a huge boost without a lot of extra effort on your behalf. Basically if an employer agrees to match giving they are agreeing to matching the total amount you raise on your own, meaning that 3k target suddenly turns into 1.5k sounding much more achievable right?

Not all employers do it, but highlight that for every penny they donate to your cause, is deducted from their corporation tax. Everyone’s a winner.   

5. Sponsored challenges

It’s true what they say, the old ones are the best (minus the Tough Mudder obstacles of course). Getting a mate or some strangers to sponsor you for doing something you’re not the best at is a sure fire way to rake in some funds. Whether it’s keeping a football in the air, or bathing yourself in a bathtub of baked beans, anyone can give it a go. If you aren’t exactly talented then try the good old sponsored silence - for some this might be the biggest challenge of all.

6. Get online

Ever tried scratching your nose with your hands tied behind your back? Well fundraising without using the web is a bit like that - possible, but a real pain in the ass when you are trying to achieve your goal as quickly as possible. There’s loads of ways to use the web to help you increase your fundraising. Social media is great, you can call in that favour from a friend overseas with just a few clicks, and publicise your Tough Mudder fundraising challenge to a huge audience. It’s also brought an end to those tea stained bits of paper with people’s names and phone numbers scribbled all over it. Now there’s a host of free sites that can help you raise cash quickly while keeping all the details and money safe and sound, while keeping your desk free from clutter.

7. Ask the experts

If you’re struggling to raise the funds for your chosen charity, then don’t be too proud to ask for help. Charities are used to dealing with fundraisers, and they are more than happy to help, after all you Mudders are their boots on the ground. Sponsorship forms, collection tins, or fundraising packs to get you started, it’s guaranteed your chosen charity can help you out!