When it\u2019s mid-August and your event series starts in two months (or less!) it can be easy to throw up your hands when it comes to trying to boost your fundraising results and say, \u201cMaybe next year!\u201d But if you\u2019re below your goals, or at goal and want to stretch, there are still things you can do to maximize your event\u2019s performance in a limited time that don\u2019t require reimagining your entire strategy or outreach plans.<\/p>\n
Your staff is pulled in a lot of different directions in the final weeks or months before your event, so it\u2019s important to put their focus where they can make the greatest impact. There are a lot of common pitfalls that nonprofits succumb to when time gets tight. Here\u2019s how you can spot them and avoid them.<\/p>\n
Pitfall 1: Chasing registration numbers at the expense of revenue.<\/strong> When registration numbers are looking low, many organizations put their attention solely on getting more people signed up. They discount registration fees, start paying for ads, or widen their marketing circle beyond their core audience. But the later someone registers for your event, the less time you have to build a relationship and cultivate a fundraiser. And the looser their connection to your cause, the less likely they will attempt to fundraise at all.<\/p>\n These week-of registrants will end up just being numbers and may not contribute to your fundraising culture or develop into a longer-term supporter. Now if your organization\u2019s priority is for the event to be a vehicle for awareness and visibility in the community, a marketing event for your brand, focusing on late recruitment may fit in with that strategy. But if you want a true peer-to-peer fundraising event that adds to your nonprofit\u2019s development portfolio, instead of focusing on building your participant numbers in these final weeks, focus on activating those who are already registered.<\/p>\n Pitfall 2: Trying to get everyone off $0<\/strong>. While the percentage of your participants who activate as fundraisers is an important metric, it\u2019s not always the most important one to focus your time and energy on, especially in these crucial final weeks. Here at Event 360, our fundraising strategists know: It\u2019s easier to get someone doing something to do more than it is to motivate someone doing nothing to do anything. Your zero balance participants may make up the bulk of your roster, but the largest segment isn\u2019t the same as the best opportunity.<\/p>\n For this zero balance group, use channels that don\u2019t take staff time, such as broadcast emails and text messages rather than focusing on personal outreach. Instead, use your staff\u2019s precious personal outreach time to connect with the participants who are already in motion.<\/p>\n Pitfall 3: Assuming activated participants don\u2019t need to be nudged<\/strong>. It can be tempting to let your best fundraisers be self-sufficient in these final weeks because they\u2019ve already activated and you assume they\u2019ve maxed out their capacity. However, this audience can actually be the most fertile ground when it comes to boosting your event\u2019s fundraising overall.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s who you can focus on for additional touchpoints:<\/p>\n And finally, if you allow for post-event fundraising (and you should!) remind all participants that they can continue collecting donations. When the event is over, after thanking them for participating in the event and everything they\u2019ve done so far, encourage them to share their experience, including photos and impact, via email, text and social media, with a post-event fundraising ask.<\/p>\n\n