Event Planning, Marketing and Fundraising Through Events

Event Planning

Start with the idea and a simple plan. This is what you present to the people who will help you implement the idea.

  • Idea and simple plan (what, when, how, cost). Make sure to check the community calendar to make sure there’s no overlap with another event
  • Present to the people who will help to implement (include time commitment, role, and what’s in it for them). This is usually your board and/or volunteer team

Prepare to “give back” in a way that’s meaningful to the individuals helping you. It is important to know what this is before you ever ask anyone to do something for you.

Events are most-successful when the person leading the charge is not bogged down in the details. The “leader” becomes the person managing relationships and conducting follow up amongst the team.

Marketing An Event

  • Reserve marquees & sign space
  • Add to Community Calendars
  • Create social media posts and ask people to help by sharing (peer to peer)
  • Determine where you want to distribute advertisements (poster, banners, fliers) to determine quantity
  • Design and print marketing materials at least one month in advance and distribute (Have a catchy title and KNOW why people want to attend – make sure they understand WHY!! Make it personal)
  • Personal invitations to key stakeholders at least three weeks out (call is best) explaining the benefit to them for coming to your event. This could be a marketing initiative for them. They may get recognized. Your team can come up with a “script” and sit down to make calls together. This makes it fun
  • Keep a running list of people coming and provide a follow up message or call a few days before the event

Fundraising Through Events

  • Get to know the people attending your event
  • Have a volunteer with you, assisting with keeping track of the people you (leader) speak with. Write down suggested follow up, which is meaningful to an individual
  • Collect contact information from people who attend, a drawing can help if there’s no registration process
  • Develop a cultivation plan for deepening relationships with the people you meet (Thank you mailed, follow up email with something of interest for them, invitation to join organization’s Facebook page. These are all a good start!)
  • At your event, have information about the NEXT event/activity people can attend. It’s important to always have something coming up to invite people to. This can be a collaboration with another organization if you want. Think about who you’d like to partner with

Follow up is ongoing once a person becomes a donor.

Schedule a call or send an email to iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org