Event Planning 101 For Fundraisers
However, successful fundraising events take a lot of planning, and if your nonprofit doesn’t prepare with ample time and tools, you risk problems from the very beginning. Though the use of software solutions and tools aren’t necessary, it reduces the risk of human error. For example, many make the mistake of manually collecting event tickets which can let important guest information fall through the cracks.
Most organizations invest in event planning software to help them collect and store event data without the risk of data silos. Whether it’s the attendees’ financial information or whether you’re effectively sending out emails to your guests, tools and software systems can surely lighten the load for any fundraising team.
As a modern fundraiser, you likely already depend on some sort of event tool to help you manage the planning. However, it’s a good idea to consistently reflect on how your processes can be better and more efficient. In this guide, you’ll be reviewing the fundraising event planning basics, broken down through these main points:
- Finding the best fundraising event idea.
- Reaching your supporters to find guests.
- Providing easy ways to register for the event.
- Figuring out how to improve for next time.
1. Finding the best fundraising event idea.
Ultimately, the type of fundraising event you host typically determines whether guests attend. You shouldn’t be planning an event that won’t interest anyone because then no one wants to attend or participate.
Many organizations host successful fundraising events, and while you might think mimicking them will garner you the same results, that is likely not the case. Larger organizations based on current events with a more time-sensitive need will probably benefit from a quick fundraising event like a text-to-give campaign. However, smaller organizations with large youth support might do better with a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.
To determine the fundraising event that is best suited for your mission and will pique your donors’ interests, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions and get a better sense of the context of your event or campaign. Here are some questions you can start with:
2. Reaching your supporters to find guests.
Once your event idea is in motion, you have to figure out the best way to attract guests. This is done by developing a wide-reaching and comprehensive marketing plan.
Your event registration software should include some sort of marketing tool that helps you communicate with constituents. This way, you can reach your supporters to find guests.
A good start is to contact past attendees and donors to gain initial interest in your event. With your event registration tool, browse your event and donation data to get a sense of those who might want to attend your event. To really get these first potential guests excited, send a discount ticket code or “early bird registration” invite! The right tool lets you segment email recipients so you send this guest perk to only those who qualify.
After this step is done, remember to post your event listing on your various social media platforms and in your email newsletter to attract even more guests! Once people start to register, you can then leverage your communications tool to better reach them.
Look for these two features in your event planning tools:
3. Providing easy ways to register for the event.
It’s not uncommon for someone to really want to go to an event, but instead end up not even registering. This is known as shopping cart abandonment- when a person goes through most of the work to purchase something but decides to back out. This can be due to various reasons, but often it’s because the process is too long and the forms are unnecessarily complicated.
Your event registration software should be making the process as smooth and seamless for the user, ensuring that at no point they change their mind. And if they do, it’s definitely not due to the registration form.
How can you prevent shopping cart abandonment? Look at your event registration tool and consider if it has all the abilities and features needed to maximize your success.
4. Figuring out how to improve for next time.
Consider investing in a comprehensive event registration software solution that stores your important data in the cloud. This way, you and your fundraising staff can refer to event data whenever they need it. With your event data in secure cloud servers, the information can also update in real-time. This means you can review event data and even see its progress during the event.
With your data in a safe and accessible place, you can further your event registration tool to get a better understanding of your event. Look into event registration software with dynamic filtering. This way, you can search through event data easily, even using multiple filters to examine conditions independently. Compare and contrast outcomes to understand your data more.
Your event registration software should also compile customizable reports for you. This gives you and your team a concrete document to refer to when analyzing your various processes and numbers. Customize the metrics that are most important to you and get a better sense of which areas need improvement.
Event planning takes a lot of work, especially if you’re planning a fundraising event. You need to prioritize your guests and anticipate their needs, helping to develop a strong relationship that could lead to a donation. Make sure you review this guide before you start planning.
Originally published at https://www.accelevents.com on March 11, 2020.
