Online communications tips for event fundraisers

Author: Jeff Shuck on 29 September 2010 | 0 Comments

Tags: communications

In many cases, the difference between events with high attendance and events with high fundraising is the frequency and the quality of the communication participants receive prior to the event. One of the single-most effective strategies that event marketers and fundraisers can utilize to turn your awareness events into fundraising events is to develop a communication plan that combines a well-articulated ask and segmented content in a powerful, cohesive effort.

Good constituent relationship management (CRM) systems typically provide a participant center with profiles and email tools. These tools are the primary way most participants request support from their friends and neighbors online, as well as serving as a platform that fosters a sense of mission for the participant, and creates a true partnership between your organization and your event supporters. 

Make it easy for participants to use their email tools. Provide training, either through video or in-person clinics, to participants for setting up their profile and contact list. Offer suggested message templates with well crafted subject lines and thoughtful suggested message content. Also, offer several versions of each template that contain language specific to the reason the constituent is participating in the event.  Using a cancer event as an example — have an initial donation request template for the person who has cancer, another for the person who has a family member with cancer, and another for the person who has survived cancer.

Take advantage of all the content customization your Participant Center allows.  For example, consider customizing content by:

• Market (if your event takes place in multiple cities)
• Participant type (i.e., volunteer vs. walker)
• Team affiliation (if you have a teams program)
• Fundraising balance
• New versus past participant
• Fundraising activation (i.e., have they sent emails yet?)

On the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, these levels of customized communication are paying off in terms of deeper participant engagement.  For example,

• Participants are actively fundraising and promoting the event on Twitter through the 3-Day Tweeps.
• Participants are actively blogging about their training and fundraising success stories.  This includes Cat's 3-Day Adventure blog:

Lastly, as an organization, set measurable goals for participant email communication so the plan can be analyzed and tweaked from year-to-year to yield the best results. The more ‘asks’ each participant makes of donors, the more fundraising growth the organization can experience. There should be numerous email tools housed in a participant center to aid participants in making the ask of their donors, and many nonprofits find success in actively encouraging their participants, through coaching emails, to utilize these tools and reach out to donors. Providing participants with email templates and a communications calendar are widely used and successful practices.

In these tough economic times, acquisition costs can be very high especially with the pressure to communicate across so many channels. Email, as a cost effective format, is a very viable option. Whether through traditional email, social media or use of voicemail blasts, varying message mediums may help to keep communication with donors relevant, effective, and cost-efficient.