Meet with representatives from the benefiting nonprofit to get a better understanding of their mission, values, and purpose. Yet again, social media to the nonprofit marketing rescue. Find and check a charity using Candid's GuideStar. They know how to harness the power of social media before, after and during an event to increase their events online visibility to get more attendees and sponsors and to increase public awareness about their cause. If used properly, email messages can be your most invaluable tool for event promotion. But a significant portion of nonprofits also throw: This variety of formats makes sense when you break down why nonprofits create events in the first place. Not surprisingly, 32% of them also host galas and fundraisers. Those events are inherently social, so your marketing strategy should also be. . The link to register can be found here [insert link].. Finally, give print materials to supporters and ask them to share with their networkyoull be surprised by home many of them are glad to have the chance to help out in another way. How to Promote a Nonprofit Event Assuming your event is public and open to all, let all of your regular channels know about your upcoming event, such as your website, email list, social media accounts and blog. Across all of your promotions, its helpful to have a central place to send attendees on your website. Lets plan together in the comments. Look up 501(c)(3) status, search 990s, create nonprofit organizations lists, and verify nonprofit information. Diagram events, wow attendees, and win clients with free planning tools. Our marketing plan is running smoothly, and everything is in place for the big day. No one signed up after your first email? Facebook notifies people of local events coming up in their area. You can even implement fancy advertising techniques like A/B testing different ads our budget optimization algorithm will shift your ad spend to the one performing best.But wait, theres more! $109,000 a year. But exactly. Promote fun event activities, new speaker additions, event swag, or behind-the-scenes footage of your rehearsal to build one last burst of energy for the big day. Then, you can give the duos a fun perk (like matching t-shirts!). Ask employees, partners, volunteers, and other stakeholders to share on their personal pages as well. Creative Productions specializes in integrated marketing and promotions that drive sales, engagement, and retention to deliver exceptional ROI. Youll also want to think of a brief phrase that encompasses the event and explains what it is and why it matters. If your event allows people to attend in groups or teams, consider launching a peer-to-peer element of it. Its crucial to express gratitude post-event: sending personalized eCards, free of charge, to donors, sponsors, and volunteers not only acknowledges their invaluable contributions but also fosters strong relationships. In fact, its just getting started! After confirming accepted payment methods and testing the sites functionality, announce the launch of ticket sales. Event Fundraising Events Strategy/Planning Most nonprofits rely on a few fundraising events a year to bring in much-needed donations and to raise awareness for their cause. All these considerations should impact your branding choices. YouTube Nonprofit Program: Access exclusive resources, features and programs designed to maximize your organizations impact on YouTube. All social channel handles appear on all marketing content. Tools like Asana work with Outlook, Gmail, and other email providers, allowing users to seamlessly add emails from their inbox to a shared event account. Use an event ticketing app to speed up check-in and prevent crowding at the event entrance. The further your campaign goes, the higher your return. It's easy to fall behind on the agency blog trust me, I know! Now, you couldtechnicallyuse the same marketing techniques for each event type and honestly, the foundational elements of your event marketing strategy should probably be similar across the board. Jeff Porter, Founder & CEO of Handbid, has spent 18 years in the nonprofit industry. To provide planners and organizers additional guidance, we compiled a brief list of helpful best practices to follow in your nonprofit event planning journey, including: 1. But social media is very crowded, and everyone is trying to get eyeballs on their event. Use a title that is catchy but clear and sometimes blunt is better! Working with a stellar event planning team can help speed up the process, ensuring everything gets done in time. Take the time to research your local community calendars, submit them according to their guidelines and deadlines and get your event included in as many as possible. Or send an email invite for a local event to people that dont live in the same state or country. The goal was to improve the guest experience, reduce administration and increase revenue. This low-cost marketing channel helps you expand your reach to as many supporters as possible. Depending on what type of event you're hosting, you can include information like the event logistics, schedule, sponsors, fundraising purpose, and goals. Use event project management software to streamline communications, track planning to-dos, highlight upcoming deadlines, and enable remote collaboration with team members. Will you have name badges, cards, or lanyards to help attendees identify one another? So how do you make sure that you get the biggest impact from your printed event marketing? With Eventbrite Boosts Instagram Growth Playbook, you can find new followers on Instagram for just pennies per follower, even if your next event is months out. Its time to stop donating your time to too many tools. If your first send was a flop, dont be afraid to try again. Dont be afraid to ask, Which parts of the fundraiser are most important to you?. The blog is a great way to keep your event top of mind for supporters. Confirm the final agenda and discuss any outstanding last-minute issues that need attention. The nine-fold increase in P2P donations demonstrates how sharing personal stories and experiences can impact non-profit fundraising efforts. Collect bids from multiple vendors for each required service, such as bartenders, caterers, DJs, live music, and other entertainment. Here are nonprofit events top line items: This year, 59% of nonprofit event creators expect their budget to hover around the same figure. Get more insights into the events industry at large in the full 2019 Pulse Report. Get to the point quicklymost people skim emails or read them on the go, so direct communication is key. We have double-checked advertising content (print/radio/on-air/email) for the right date, time, and messaging. Together DNL OmniMedia has worked with over 100 organizations to assist them with accomplishing their online goals. Event marketing is a highly valuable strategy for all kinds of businesses, from technology and education to non-profit, medicine, and retail. Thats why we love introducing ambassador fundraising to re-energize events! Think through the content youll need on your site ahead of time, using actions (like purchasing tickets or inquiring about sponsorship) as a guideline. Google awards nonprofits with $10,000 in credits to create and host free advertising campaigns through its search engines Google Ad Grant program. Just remember: Your ALL-IN-ONE Event Management Platform! Once we have some history with an organization, we will entertain a request at a higher value. Consider bringing posters to local businesses, especially ones that are popular meeting places. Outline how to live stream event coverage for those unable to make it. Is it large or intimate? We have easy access to all of our donor and attendee contact information. Immediately, ideas and panic start flooding your brain in equal measure. A Complete Crash Course, Fearless Book Leadership Lessons at the Crossroads, Marketing in Advance of the Event: Create the Marketing Plan, Marketing During the Event: The Big Day is Finally Here, Marketing After the Event: Your Job Isnt Done Yet, The 2022 Giving Experience Study: Evolving Donor Expectations, Success Story: Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum: How OneCause Fundraising Platform Enabled Event Flexibility, OneCause G2 Crowd Leader in Fundraising Software, Success Story: Central Christian School: Creating a Seamless Event Experience with OneCause. Use the hashtag to share some of the funniest outtakes during the event and encourage guests to share their own! Full-time + 1. Reiterate the event date, location, and time. From folks who follow you on Facebook to folks who look like the folks who follow you on Facebook, reaching the right audiences is a snap with Boost. Perhaps you want to strengthen inroads with the community you serve? Dont worrythere are ways to do this cheaply and effectively. You can feel good about assistance, updates, security & more. But remember, this also helps the sponsor. Use something all the time that we didnt mention here? In addition to raising funds and motivating donations, nonprofits host events to: If your primary goal is community awareness, but your events are all exclusive galas, you may be missing an opportunity to, Whatever type of event your nonprofit hosts, make sure its a success. Most respondents work at smaller nonprofits (49% 2-24 employees, 20% 25-250 employees). Will alcohol be served at the event? With Eventbrite Boost, developing an event promotion strategy for your nonprofit has never been easier. Create and schedule social media marketing posts to go live automatically across multiple platforms. Ideally, theyd be able to register for the event directly on your event page. If your event layout requires equipment or furniture outside of what the venue provides, request quotes from event rental companies nearby. Marketing your nonprofit event can seem overwhelming. You have to make sure guests know about the fundraiser and come in the door ready to donate! When creating your marketing strategy, consider diversifying the channels youre promoting on and prioritizing the right ones to drive event attendance. Its important that you dont just blanket every email address you can find with a generic event promotional email. Promote opportunities and recruit and retain more volunteers. Its important to think through the brand of your event. Track industry and event trends to evolve event operations and venue. Here are our top tips: Nailing down your messaging will help save you time, keep your marketing consistent, and make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Volunteer Management Word of mouth! Invite local media outlets, such as city and local press, to attend the event or join a social media Livestream. Featuring a well-known individual at the event can also draw attention to your event and spread the word even further. Encourage previous event attendees to participate in your marketing and fundraising efforts, as they can significantly impact bottom-line donations. We empower creators of events of all shapes and sizes from music festivals, experiential yoga, political rallies to gaming competitions by providing them the tools and resources they need to seamlessly plan, promote, and produce live experiences around the world. We appreciate your monthly donations toward our child advocacy fund. Moreover, sponsors have a profound stake in the success of your event; increased attendance translates to enhanced visibility for the sponsoring companies. Include hidden event costs like guest count attrition, conference calls, credit card fees, and venue amenity expenses. By diversifying the channels you market on, tailoring your messaging to your specific platform, and staying consistent, youll be driving event registrations in no time! In other instances, you can have your team reach out to specific supporters and ask for their help finding more sponsors or guestsmany businesses use fundraisers as an opportunity to give their employees or clients a nice perk. Sponsors play a crucial role in your event, whether they donate money or venue space, catering services, merchandise, or the like. However, each event has a different audience, run time, and activities. doesnt have to involve soulless ad copy. We have ample signage and content promoting our upcoming events. If youre planning an event that requires finding a venue, hiring vendors, and juggling many moving parts, start the planning process 4-6 months in advance. Check to see if local newspapers, television stations, or even radio stations would be interested in covering the live event or promoting it after the fact for their audience. In the same way you prefer a certain type of cereal or car brand, marketing can help people recognize your nonprofit and form an emotional bond with it. Fundraising events bring in big time donations and can have a huge impact on furthering an organizations mission, but they can also consume resources. Dont forget about other forms of print marketing either; promote the event with flyers, stickers, postcards, and decals. The days and weeks immediately following an event present a huge opportunity for additional fundraising and further donor engagement. From online community awareness campaigns to out-of-the-box nonprofit event planning ideas, thoughtful preparation can help increase the success of fundraising activities. Nonprofit events are typically much larger and more formal than other fundraisers, such as bake sales or . It will allow your supporters to share with the people they know and expand your reach exponentially. Patty has over twenty-five years of client, agency, and non-profit marketing experience working with organizations of all sizes and industries. Here are the trends and benchmarks you need to know to shape your own fundraising efforts. You can plan a fantastic nonprofit event, but that effort is moot if no one shows up. Our social media team posted all pictures and videos from the event online, and weve tagged attendees whenever possible. Before you start planning the details of your event, such as when and where it will take place, define your event goals and objectives. If your event allows people to attend in groups or teams, consider launching a peer-to-peer element of it. You might want to rethink spending money on display ads if theyre not highly effective for your events. Popular social media marketing channels include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn. Event Marketing for Nonprofits. Google has various materials to help you learn the basics. Learning how to promote a nonprofit event correctly is key to getting people in the seats without irritating your supporters. In doing so, your organization's following grows and donations increase. Once you have your landing page, use contextual links or more designed-out calls to action (if your website has that functionality) to drive visitors to the event landing page from other pages on your website and encourage more registrations. Follow these 5 tips and best practices for boosting the impact of your nonprofit event marketing: Offer and market comprehensive registration tools Create intuitive email marketing engagement But, as the days count down and the event draws closer, your registration numbers arent hitting the mark. planning a stellar event. Event marketing email content tips. 24 Must-Read Event Manager Blogs for Industry Insights, Food & Beverage Trends & Stats for Event Planners in 2023, How to Make an Event Program Quickly (Free Template), How Events Enable Compelling Storytelling in Business. to help you learn the basics. Another helpful step is to simply google events in (your city). Many of these websites that aggregate events will allow nonprofits to post for free. 38% host 2-5 events per year, and 21% host more than 25 events per year. When sending out mailings, segment your audience by past interest and giving level to narrow your list. In doing so, your organizations following grows and donations increase. Additionally, plan out the timing of your print materials, especially when you mail them. Youll also want to time these keeping any other emails that you need to send in mind so that they dont go out all at once. Yes, celebrate, take your shoes off and soak in all youve accomplished. Work it in (and let us know in the comments). Connect ticket sales to the main event page using an online ticketing or fundraising platform, but confirm which payment methods the site accepts before launching ticket sales. With Boost, you can build Facebook ads in a matter of minutes, right from Eventbrite. Heres an easy guide to market your nonprofit event effectively and generate the interest and attendance to make a difference. 70% of households with an annual income higher than $100,000 hold newspaper readers, so if youre on the hunt for major donors, consider advertising in local newspapers. Never put all your marketing eggs in one basket, or rely on last years success: your marketing strategy needs a diverse approach that takes advantage of free or nearly free tools that help bring attention to your cause while creating an event that your supporters want to attend. The Ultimate List of 50 Nonprofit Marketing Ideas - Nonprofit Megaphone The Ultimate List of 50 Nonprofit Marketing Ideas Are you a nonprofit looking for creative ways to thrive and grow but feel limited by a small budget? The best way to market your event? You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Quickly gather information from visitors with custom online forms. A good rule of thumb for larger and more formal events is 3-4 months beforehand, while less formal events can be publicized a month or two before. to help you strategize your marketing.Example: If the majority of benefit-goers picked up their passes as soon as you started advertising them, your sales curve will prompt you to run ads at pre-sale for future events. Think through colors that complement, not clash, and check that it looks like something your supporters would recognize. We posted the results of our fundraiser on our website, social pages, and anywhere audiences can engage with our organization. Determine event goals and objectives. It shouldnt be the only thing youre posting about during this time period, but rather peppered into your typical schedule. And be specific! Home NonProfit Event Marketing: Tips and Strategies. Once you are familiar with the best ways to promote a nonprofit event for free, you can implement your very own marketing strategy and get started. Event Marketing for Nonprofits. After the event, pull the data that you can for each of the promotional pieces you used to make notes and observations for things you may want to do differently. Lets face it every event has a lifecycle. Read. If you dont have photos from previous events, try searching for something relevant through a few photo site like Unsplash. Event themes >> How to create exciting nonprofit event themes: 4 steps by Laura Wertkin; Invitation lists >> How to build an event invitation list that delivers: 5 steps by Christina Hasley; Event promotion >> How to promote a nonprofit event: answer these questions by Sherry Calder Never put all your marketing eggs in one basket, or rely on last years success: your marketing strategy needs a diverse approach that takes advantage of free or nearly free tools that help bring attention to your cause while creating an event that your supporters want to attend. As part of the 2019 Eventbrite Pulse Report, we surveyed 500+ nonprofits about how they use events to fundraise. You can easily set up an account on MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, or Constant Contact to send mass emails to your subscribers. Our media contacts are well-briefed and know what to expect during the event. Various free fundraising sites, like GiveButter, accept multiple payment methods, making them convenient for planners and attendees. Developing a loyal following on Instagram helps you stay in touch with your attendees and connect with new supporters. If you want to sell tickets through our site, youll just have to pay some processing fees. Although it may feel like everything happens online nowadays, print marketing is still a vital component of nonprofit event success. How much money are you hoping to raise at this event? Act as a event producer and strategist to support internal (Ford) events as needed. If you want to sell tickets through our site, youll just have to pay some processing fees. There are places you can advertise for free! , we surveyed 500+ nonprofits about how they use events to fundraise. This gesture of appreciation keeps your organization at the forefront of their minds, fostering continued support for future events. Set goals for your event marketing strategy Before you can start promoting your event, you need to determine what the purpose of your strategy is. We have a list of people who have RSVPd to the next event and are suppressing them from all promotions. Create an event-specific landing page where you can direct potential attendees to register and purchase event tickets. Use the event as an opportunity to build relationships with community leaders, journalists, and potential donors. Check out these blog post ideas centered around event promotion and recaps. Want to pull off the strategy for each of the channels listed above? Google. You know what you did last yearand your goals for the year to come. Maybe, but its worth it for a few reasons: The goal isnt to share the same message/graphics/images/videos/etc. In fact, even digital natives (think millennials). It should not only build awareness, but anticipation. The only digital marketing platform built specifically for event creators, Boost makes it simple to send emails, sell tickets, run ads, and more right from your Eventbrite account. Lets discuss a few of those now. 4. Its time to build your nonprofits fundraising plan for 2019. Event day arrives and your marketing plan has worked like a charm. Make the Most of Event Marketing for Your Nonprofit BEST PRACTICES GUIDE | EVENT MARKETING As a nonprofit organization, you may have limited resources for setting up and putting on an event that benefits your members or donors and your organization. Are you trying to increase visibility for your cause? Theres a reason why businesses count Instagram followers as one of their key performance metrics.