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"More than Just a Party: Using Events to Expand Your Donor Base"

January 26, 2012 – Program Summary

WID kicked off the 2012 Brown Bag Lunch series with a Special Events panel discussion. The speakers were Elizabeth Cartland, Director of Annual Giving and Philanthropy Officer at the Peabody Essex Museum;  Melanie Damsker, Senior Development Officer, Major Gifts at Combined Jewish Philanthropies; and Quentin Derryberry III, Director of Alumni Networks at Boston University. The panelists shared steps and ideas to leverage the investment in money and time from staff and volunteers to produce events that engage current and potential donors in organizational missions. Participants were fundraising professionals and events planners from over 70 organizations in the greater Boston area.

Strategies fall into three phases of the event planning process: Before, during and after (b.d.a.):

BEFORE

Make sure events are impactful and effective – Recognize that people have to be selective with their time and be sure to provide them with an opportunity to gain knowledge, connections, and opportunities. Surprise and delight the target audience with something new. The best ideas often come from the planning/host committee members, i.e. your target audience.

Get the right people in the room – To reach specific targeted prospects and determine invitation lists, map out the relationships that exist between constituents¹ and create a strategy to reach said prospects: board, host committee, staff, volunteers, and prospects/donors.

Ensure that table captains or hosts are "used" effectively – Encourage fundraisers and event planners to work together to create written job descriptions for host committee members detailing roles and responsibilities. Create collection of resource materials for committee members and include talking points about the organization, targeted guest lists, pertinent event logistics, contact information of fellow committee members and key staff. For a personal touch, consider writing notes to event guests from staff and/or key volunteers on places where guests are sure to see, e.g. the back of a name tag expressing sentiment on attendance, etc.

Charge the 'right' amount - Whether planning an event for 15 or 500 guests, start with the fundraising goal to determine the ticket price. Ticket prices vary by region. Query a group of event planning professionals via Dianne Butt² who manages a crowd-sourced nonprofit event calendar for Boston area events planners where ticket prices are openly shared. It was suggested to adopt a 'no free lunch' policy as you're setting ticket prices and decide the criteria for subsidizing or providing complimentary tickets.

DURING

Capture guests' information and enter it promptly – Names and contact information for all guests should be requested prior to event, to the extent possible. Panelists suggested holding a raffle drawn from business cards in order to capture complete information or capture information by holding a door prize raffle where guests need to complete a contact info card. Update database as soon as possible with all information from business cards, name tags, and sign-up sheets, particularly noting who hosted each guest.

Ask for money - The best time to solicit guests at an event is after you've pulled the heart strings, so be sure to shine the spotlight with a video or speech by someone who embodies the work of your organization prior to the  moment of solicitation. Give donors multiple opportunities to contribute – whether through pledge cards on tables, at the registration desk, or as part of event follow up.

AFTER

Plan your post-event follow up as carefully as the event itself - The personal touch really sets your organization apart. Suggestions to provide this type of feedback included sending hand-written notes with pictures from the event, or personal phone calls made by members of the host committee. Prompt acknowledgement is critical. Social media works especially well after events. Consider your post-event strategy prior to the event.

Measure success - It is critical to evaluate events to identify what worked and what needs improvement for next time. Plan a meeting (ideally within one week after the event) to discuss. A plus/delta chart lets you capture and communicate lessons learned and take action in the short term (30-45 days) and long term.

WE'RE LISTENING

Thanks to all who responded to the Zoomerang survey! Future special events programs will be tailored to address issues facing small and mid-sized development organizations.