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Everyone wants to create a unique event, something that no one has ever experienced before. There is always that thought ‘been there, done that’. We need to find new ideas and new ways to impress our attendees. It is important for those making the event, for those attending and for those sponsoring it. The truth is the devil is in the details. It is often the tiny details and tweaking that you do that can completely alter the picture and change the experience.
Introducing some of the creative ideas below will help you in this endeavor. Especially difficult are fundraising events where perhaps, expectations are higher. Afterall, you are asking for people’s money so you need to impress your audience. It is not just a matter of surprising your guests with a Springbok casino bonus, although this is nice. You need to get your guests interested in your cause which oftentimes is not an easy task. Here, below are some strategies, followed by some ideas, particularly useful for fundraising events.
Employ storytelling
Storytelling can really draw your audience in and enables them to connect to your cause on an emotional level. The story can make it easier for people to empathize and want to donate to your cause. If people feel a connection to the person telling the story or to the story itself, they are more likely to want to make a contribution. Having a story to tell, and share at a fundraising event will increase the likelihood of charitable donations.
- Make sure you allow time during the event to explain clearly what their contribution is going to and how it will make a difference.
- Using photographs, videos and artwork are also good ways to tell a story.
- It can be very impactful to show evidence of where donations have gone and how they have been used positively. This is very gratifying for donors and can encourage them to continue donating to the cause. You should never overlook the opportunity of showing your audience what their donations are achieving.
Pay attention to your donor
People love to feel important and particularly if they are a top-notch donor. It is important to make each person feel special and to feel that they are the most important person at the event. This way you will be providing excellent customer service. A person who is made to feel special, a VIP, will be more likely to want to donate to your cause. They will feel important and will feel that their donation is appreciated and valued.
- Referring to your guests by name, and acknowledging how much their generosity is appreciated will not go unnoticed and will leave a good impression.
- It is useful to include VIP names on the invitation to an event. This will often encourage others who recognize them to want to attend.
- By including your VIPs on event boards, this may also prove to be an incentive to attend as people are interested to know how the event turns out. This can also strengthen the relationship between them and the cause in question.
Keep in touch
With social media and all the digital devices available today it is very easy to keep connected. You can monitor the event while it is taking place and weigh up how the event is going. You can see if your guests are sharing details of the event and the cause via their network. The internet is a focal point for many fundraising events and causes.
Everyday you will see another person trying to raise awareness and funds for something that is dear to them. It behooves you to be socially connected and have your cause out there and visible to as many people as possible. This will increase your chances of gaining more money for your cause.
- You can keep in touch with people via hashtags and apps while the event is taking place.
- It is useful to get feedback from those who attended the event as to how they experienced the event.
- Having a live social wall going on during the event can be beneficial to post messages and donations and create further interest for the cause.
Ideas for Fundraising events:
Run a silent auction
Running a silent auction during an event can be a really good way of raising funds without having to go to all the trouble of actually organizing a real one. The items are listed on forms which are distributed and people are able to make offers next to the item being auctioned. The highest offer gets the item. You can make the auction more interesting by offering not only specific items but the possibility to bid on an experience or perhaps winning a coaching session, depending who the attendees are.
Finding a sponsor for donations achieved
An excellent way to raise funds is by funding someone, or a company, willing to match the figure raised at your event. This can actually encourage people to contribute more if they know that what they give will be actually be doubled. Another possibility, if finding one sponsor is not possible, is to get some of those donating to double their donation if some particular goal or criterion is met.
Digital fundraising
Not to forget those people who are able and willing to donate but are not physically present at your event. It is possible to have those people make a contribution digitally via a fundraising page on your social media event. This means can also be used before, during and even after the event has taken place and increases the possibility of accessing fundraising possibilities.
New style donation boxes
The old donation box has had a makeover. It is not necessary to put cash or checks into the box. Kiosks are the latest trend and they take contactless or it is possible to donate with a credit card.
The ever- popular Raffles
Everybody loves a raffle. They are fun and great when the budget is not large. It is always possible to get individuals and companies to donate the prizes and then only the tickets need to be paid for.
Keynote speakers
It is becoming more important when organizing events to invite keynote speakers that are relatable to the audience at the event and also to offer a broad perspective. It is critical when putting together a list of speakers for your fundraising event, that you choose wisely and ensure that the keynote speaker or speakers align with the range and multiplicity of the attendees and their communities.
Also having keynote speakers who are actually affected by the cause you are fundraising for can be very motivational. People will often be moved to make donations if they come face to face with those that the fundraising event is aiming to help.
Gaming
Games and sports activities are very popular for fundraising events. People will often be willing to pay to play games if they are actually participating. These can be organized fairly simply or can be on a large scale, depending on the budget and the event and attendees.
Bazaar like fundraiser
These work very well for fundraising events. People get to participate by bringing along things to sell including cakes and household items. It means that attendees are working towards a good cause and also enjoying a really lovely social event at the same time.
