When it comes to raising money for charity, fundraising events are a great way to generate significant revenue. They do not even need to be large to turn a big profit for your chosen cause. What’s not to like, right?
Well, here’s the catch: There’s nowhere you can look for a definition of what it takes for successful fundraising, at least not one that everyone agrees on. So you have to come up with one yourself. Moreover, for that, you need to understand these essential facts about organizing fundraisers.
Don’t worry, there’re only four of them!
1. There’s no magic wand
That does not mean you cannot pull a rabbit out of a hat and turn your event into a success.
However, if you are looking for an easy solution, a quick fix, then you might be disappointed. First and foremost, organizing fundraising events involves much planning and hard work. It is staying overtime and making sure every single detail is perfect. It is knowing exactly what your organization’s needs are and what can be done to meet them.
2. Fundraising is all about raising friends
So it is not just about raising money. The truth is that if people do not like you or of they have a miserable time attending one of your fundraisers, they will most likely not be reaching into their pockets or purses to get their checkbooks out.
It is simple: If you want to raise money, then you need to raise friends.
This is easier said than done. For possible donors to like you and your organization, they first have to know you. Don’t just talk about your cause. Show some personality. Doing so will help you build a trusty friendship with your donors.
3. Fundraising events call for some marketing skills
You are convinced that your organization is the best. Your cause is incredible. You believe in it sincerely. That is great, but if you cannot convince other people that your organization and your cause are worthy of their donations, it is useless.
The success of a fundraiser very much depends on the ability to “sell” the people working for the organization, as well as the cause they are fighting for. This is where having some marketing skills comes in handy.
4. Donors want you to sweep them off their feet
One mistake organizations often make feeling entitled to receive support for their cause. The primary key to fundraising success is earning the donors’ support. This way, they will not feel obliged to make a donation. They will want to help you.
So what makes people want to give?
Donors have to be courted, and an excellent way to do this is through your fundraisers. It is crucial to plan events that you know your donors will enjoy being a part of. They should feel important and also have a good time.
4 Great Ways to Make Your Fundraising Events More Interesting
Not all fundraisers are guaranteed to be successful. Many fail to hit the mark because of many oversights. One example we can think of is the entertainment department, which many organizers tend to leave last or ignore.
Many successful nonprofit events can attribute their accomplishment to live entertainment like dancing, singing, or a variety act.
To convince you of this idea, we decided to give 4 proven examples in which you can pique your audience’s interest at your event.
1. Add a Touch of Magic
Magic isn’t just the stuff of legends and fairy tales, it is a legitimate form of art – and a very in-demand one, as made evident by its reception both at live events and on social media.
Aside from the entertainment aspect, magic is a form of art that offers people both a feeling of wonder and mystery – giving people a sense of uncertainty with each performance.
It is due to these factors that magic feels fresh and unique for the audiences. You can have someone attend a series of live magic events, and most likely, they will still be taken by surprise by the performance.
It’s the ideal form of entertainment if you feel your fundraisers may not have the edge you want.
2. Crank the Fun up to Eleven
Combining charity with comedy doesn’t seem like an ideal fit – however, you would be surprised to know it can have very positive effects on the profitability of your event and the audience’s overall reception.
Charity comedy shows have been done many times before and have been incredibly successful. Many organizations have proven that, if done right, these types of events are guaranteed to be very impactful.
With all these factors in mind, you should consider giving a comedic spin to your fundraising events. This can be achieved by setting up a special segment of the event to include live comedy performances.
There are many ways in which you can do this, but often-times, hiring a clean stand-up comedian will do the trick.
3. Have Good Music
Music has always been an integral part of an event. However, in this case, we are not talking about just playing music in the speakers and calling it a day; we are talking about organizing a fully-fledged live music event.
Benefit concerts have been around for quite a long time, and they have been times and times again proven to be very successful.
The success of these types of fundraising events depends mostly on the music act you’re bringing on stage. You can consider hiring a band that is known for their musical proficiency, or you can go ahead and hire a band that is going for a certain gimmick.
4. Expose People to New Ideas
If you intend for your event to be a bit more formal, you will have to shift gears a bit in terms of how you will organize it. You can also add an educational spin to your event.
If your fundraising event is centered on raising awareness about a specific humanitarian cause, then it would help to have an authority on the topic to present to people why their contribution is essential.
For example, if you are organizing a charity event centered on an environmental issue that needs to be addressed, then you can bring a biologist or an environmental activist who knows the full extent of the situation and can summarize it for your audience.
Raise the Bar at Your Fundraising Events
There are many ways in which you can make your fundraisers more interesting for your guests, and the suggestions we have mentioned in this article are only a few ideas you can work with.
One thing you always need to keep in mind is that working with professionals can raise your event’s level of quality.
Hiring quality entertainment is the best way to make sure your guests will not be bored while attending your fundraising event. Also, it will seem like they are getting something in return for their, hopefully, generous donations.
We offer an excellent selection of artists, speakers, and performers capable of entertaining the donors at your next event. If you want to hire professionals to perform live at your event, then we can gladly help you. To do that, all you have to do is call us at (615) 283-0039, and we will help you with the arrangements!
