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5 Things You Should Never Do at Your Fundraising Event

Brooke Battle
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Brooke Battle

Categories: Event Tips

I’ve been to a lot of fundraising events (but to be honest, who hasn't?). My favorite kind is a well-executed event, because it sends a signal to donors about your nonprofit brand. Your fundraising event is a revenue opportunity, but it is also one of the few times donors get to see your work in action. Events are important and deserve your resources and attention. However, going to all of these events also brings to light a lot of mistakes. 

Here are 5 things to never do at your fundraising event:

Ignore the importance of social media. More than anything else at your organization, your events are the most likely to gain social media traction. Effective use of social media (1) demonstrates to donors that you are positioned to be effective, (2) creates an opportunity for you to generate awareness for your cause/organization and (3) expands your influence outside of the audience of followers you already have.

Repeat the same program every year. Live a little - change the program! Seriously, you’ve used the same program for years and your guests notice. Think of ways to punch up the program and show that you are creative, willing to adjust and, most importantly, creating an event that your guests want to continue to attend. The last thing you want your guest to think is “I won’t miss anything.”  

Rely on envelopes for donations. Ok, I’m officially shouting at you. Your guests (especially those below 45) do not have a checkbook on hand nor are they willing to write down their credit card information.  Additionally, it’s virtually impossible for you to follow PCI standards and maintain your compliance collecting information in this way. It is imperative that you include a credit card payment mechanism at your events (not just a link to your non, mobile-optimized website). Don’t worry about the fees -- you are missing out on donations that will far outpace the processing fees. 

Understaff your event. As a staff member of the nonprofit, you should not be running around in a panic or overwhelmed.  We think being overwhelmed (especially as women) is a signal that we are working hard or important to the event. It isn’t. You are important and, in fact, so important that you need to demonstrate that you can pull off an amazing event without blinking. This means additional staff, well-trained volunteers or an event planner.  

Assume your guests are there for the mission. It's easy to think that your guests are attending because they care deeply about your cause, but it's likely a good amount are there just because they friends asked them to tag along. Make sure your mission is well explained throughout the entire program and give every single guest the opportunity to donate at multiple points throughout. You should never assume that everyone in the room will not donate AND you should never assume that anyone will donate without being asked. It's a fundraiser, I promise they know it's coming. Ask. 

Bonus: Shunning Technology.  You know I had to bring this up: do not be afraid to use technology. Like social media, ALL humans know that technology is a part of our lives and certainly should be a part of your nonprofit organization.  Utilizing technology is less risky than you think and there are several good companies that will work to ensure your success. If you are not tech comfortable, it is worth finding someone (an event planner) who is. The use of technology in your fundraising will pay off and you get to DO MORE GOOD!