Event Fundraising Blog

We've all been guilty of it at some point: in soliciting participation and fundraising for our event, we rely on a single communications approach, casting as wide a net as we can, seeking to win “everyone” to our cause. Deep down, we know the truth: this one-size-fits-all approach may be simple to execute, but it wastes marketing dollars, misses opportunities, and generally results in poor alignment between what an organization needs and the kinds of support it gets.

Lately, the news has been flooded with instances of malfunctioning planes and emergency landings. Just last week, a Southwest plane lost part of its roof mid-flight. Instances such as these often leave passengers extremely frightened.

Delays also seem to be at an all time high. While they pale in comparison to emergency landings, delays leave customers disgruntled.

In either case, communication goes a long way.

Recently I was reminded of this as a passenger on a plane that was prepared for an emergency crash landing. I travel a lot, and I’ve never heard a noise so unusual upon take off – I knew there was something wrong.

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.

Last year, participants in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure fundraising event sent more than 3 million fundraising emails.  View the on-demand webinar below to learn how Komen for the Cure segments and targets more than 2,100 unique emails to these participants to encourage them to fundraise.  You will also learn how the 3-Day for the Cure integrates other marketing channels into the event’s overall communications strategy, and see examples of what types of calls-to-action have the highest and lowest response rates.

Event 360 is pleased to have partnered with Network for Good and Sea Change Strategies to sponsor a new eBook, Homer Simpson for Nonprofits: The Truth about How People Really Think and What It Means for Promoting Your Cause.