At Axe of Faith, we’d love to work with you to make your next fundraiser a success! And we have a few suggestions to help you get started.
Set goals for your event. Is your fundraiser solely about raising as much money as possible? Or are there additional goals other than monetary ones that you want to reach? For example, are you looking to promote your cause and gain publicity? Recognize volunteers and recurring donors? It’s important to have clearly defined goals as you move forward with planning your event. We can help you clearly outline your goals and identify what success looks like.
Select the right type of event. Now that you have clearly defined goals, you’ll want to select the right type of event that allows you to reach those goals. At Axe of Faith, we can structure your fundraiser in a way that helps you be successful. We’ll talk with you about who your target audience is, how your donors prefer to get involved, and exactly how competitive you want to get!
Set a date and time for your event. We’re flexible at Axe of Faith and can work with almost any day and time that would make the most sense for you, your volunteers, and your donors. When choosing your date, you’ll want to consider any holidays or any national or local events that may conflict with your event date. In addition, consider whether or not this is an event that you’d like to make into an annual occurrence. Finally, would a weekend or weekday work best for your event? We’d be happy to help you talk through the options!
Market your event for optimum success. While pinning down the details of the event are important, the real secret to success lies in getting as many people to the event as possible. Looking back at your goals can help you identify your target audience for marketing your event. Are you targeting volunteers and recurring donors? Then perhaps an email and strong social media campaign will provide the most bang for your efforts. Are you looking to promote your cause and gain publicity? Perhaps working more closely with radio stations would be an avenue you’d want to explore. We’re ready to be a part of your marketing strategy through our own webpage, email campaigns, and social media posts.
Sell tickets for your event. The next step is to figure out how you manage ticket sales and registration. As with each step, there are specific details to consider. Will you charge a flat price or offer different ticket packages? Will you offer early bird discount sales? If so, what is the cutoff date? Is there a VIP package? A family package? Additionally, where will you sell your tickets? You want to ensure that your process is easy and clearly understood. What information will you want to collect from each donor when they buy their ticket and register for the event? The questions can seem endless, but we’re here to help! When you come to us for your fundraiser, we’ll provide you with our exclusive fundraiser planning checklist and day-of event checklist.
Putting it all together on the big day. Putting all of your hard work and planning together on the day of your event can be both fun and stressful; however, you can make it less stressful with good planning and preparation. While it may be tempting to “check out” once the event is successfully underway, don’t forget to check in with attendees, taking the opportunity to thank donors and supporters. This is also an opportunity to broadcast your event on social media for those who weren’t able to make it, and encourage your guests to use a designated hashtag when posting about the event. Good communication, a clear day-of event plan, and the right venue is a recipe for a successful event!
Follow up. Your event may be over, but your work isn’t. Take the time to follow up with volunteers, donors, and participants after the event, thank them and let them know how much you appreciate them. Update your supporters on how your fundraiser impacted your cause, and whether or not you met your fundraising goal or are still accepting donations. Following up with your event and venue teams is an opportunity to identify what went well and what tweaks you’d make next time.
At Axe of Faith, we look forward to helping you plan your next fundraising event! Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your fundraiser.
