Providing a memorable event experience for your guests is incredibly important. It’s about having a good time of course, but it’s also about making a lasting impact on attendees that keeps them coming back and supporting the cause. Give them an unforgettable experience and maybe next time they’ll bring extra friends or increase their donation amount leading to an even better event outcome.
In this guide, we’ll cover five easy strategies to help you host events that your guests will love. By implementing them, you will ensure you’re not only raising money for today, but also building a community of supporters who will stick around for the long-term. Let’s get started!
Plan ahead
You can’t underestimate the importance of planning ahead. Not only are there things to book in advance (venue, catering, auctioneer, etc.), but the more time you have to plan, the more flexibility you have if something doesn’t work out and you need to pivot to a Plan B.
Planning ahead also helps your nonprofit anticipate attendee needs and measure event success. Here are some To-Do’s to guide your efforts:
- Determine your event goals. Discuss with your nonprofit board what you’d like the outcomes of your fundraising event to be. Perhaps you’d like to retain your supportive donor base or provide more opportunities for existing donors to engage.
- Solidify your budget. Planning will ensure your team makes informed financial decisions that keep you within your budget while setting you up for fundraising success. Having a firm grip on your budget allows your nonprofit to allocate resources effectively and create a valuable guest experience without compromising your financial health.
- Discuss the event timeline and content. Map out each phase of your event from initial planning meetings to post-event follow-up. For example, set a deadline for procuring all your auction items. Think about what specific content will engage your attendees—it could be a guest speaker on a relevant topic, an artistic performance, or a multimedia presentation.
Keep in mind that the seasonality of your fundraising event may impact attendee outcomes. By aligning your event with a season that complements its theme and your guests’ preferences, you can maximize attendance.
Provide engaging promotional content
Effective promotional content is key to drawing people in and garnering interest in your event. Think beyond simply announcing your event, and consider how you can communicate the purpose and impact of your event, as well as how each guest can make a difference by attending.
Depending on your event audience and goals, 360MatchPro suggests trying out these promotional strategies:
- Email facilitates personalized messages, which can be very effective at creating an emotional connection and compelling the reader to take action, whether it’s buying a ticket to your event, volunteering, or making an online donation.
- SMS updates offer an immediate way to engage potential guests. Text messages don’t run the risk of getting buried in a busy email inbox, and they make it easy for the receiver to take quick action from the palm of their hand.
- Social media opens the door to a broader audience. Have someone on your team create a few eye-catching graphics and be sure to post them on all the various social media platforms to increase visibility and encourage sharing.
Mixing up your promotional strategies is crucial for your nonprofit’s event to reach a large, diverse audience and maximize engagement. Think beyond basic text and image promotional content too; multimedia platform options like videos can create an engaging promotional buzz and set attendee expectations.
Create a compelling event schedule
Creating a captivating schedule is vital since it serves as the foundation of your event, guiding your guests through the experience and letting them know how the event will flow. The right event schedule will build anticipation and keep attendees interested the whole day or night. For example, an engaging silent auction event day schedule could be as follows:
- 5-6 PM: Guest Registration and Formal Welcome
- 6-7 PM: Silent Auction Preview and Browsing
- 7:45-8:30 PM: Dinner and Live Entertainment
- 8:30-10 PM: Silent Auction Bidding
- 10-10:30 PM: Checkout
A well-planned schedule not only sets guest expectations, but also ensures there is a balance between entertainment, information, and bidding. This strategic approach will enhance your guests’ experience and keep their engagement high throughout the event.
Simplify donation opportunities
There are two rules for fundraising events — make the donation process as easy as possible and provide multiple opportunities. Ensuring the donation process is simple removes any barriers that might discourage potential donors from contributing, whether they’re giving online, via cell phone, or in person.
SchoolAuction.net lists key examples of ways you can maximize your fundraising in an online auction setting:
- Online raffles offer a game of chance, which brings some added fun and excitement to the traditional auction format. Raffle tickets also typically have a lower cost than bidding on live and silent auction items, so they can widen the pool of participants.
- Merchandise sales can enhance your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts by offering supporters tangible items that show their contribution to the cause. This strategy not only generates increased revenue, but also doubles as a free marketing tool as your supporters wear and use the items in their day-to-day lives.
- Crowdfunding pages are equipped with social media and email-sharing capabilities, which you can use to reach more supporters. They also tap into people’s desire for community since not only can supporters donate, but they can also leave comments and see the fundraising goal’s progress in real time.
The right software features can assist you with even more opportunities such as recurring donations or mobile bidding options. By making the donation process straightforward and offering a variety of ways to contribute, nonprofits can increase their fundraising potential.
Express gratitude and follow up
Expressing gratitude toward your donors and supporters is foundational in setting the tone for future participation. Your event may be over once the attendees leave, but engagement with them should continue. It’s important to conclude their experience by expressing gratitude.
Here are a few ways you can meaningfully follow-up:
- A hand-written donor thank you note adds a personal touch and shows the donor you genuinely appreciate their support since you took the time to sit down and write out your message.
- A personalized thank you video gives you the ability to send an emotional and engaging message. This can help bring the impact of their contributions to life and solidify them in a memorable way.
- A personalized gift can serve as a tangible reminder of your nonprofit’s mission and how your supporter helped. A gift can help supporters feel appreciated and emotionally connected to your cause, which in turn makes them a bigger advocate for it.
When supporters feel appreciated for their contributions, whether monetary or volunteer hours, they’re more likely to develop a lasting connection with your organization. By nurturing this relationship, you create a community of dedicated supporters who will continue contributing to your organization’s growth and success.
For nonprofits, an unforgettable event experience is key to keeping supporters engaged and willing to contribute. By creating a solid plan, a balanced event schedule, and meaningful engagement opportunities, you provide attendees with more than just an event—you offer them an experience that highlights the impact of their support and lays the groundwork for long-term contributions.
