planning your way to fundraising success
DESCRIPTION
Lisa Morressey's presentation from The Non-Profit Toolbox's October 22, 2009 event on effect event planning for fundraising.TRANSCRIPT
Planning Your Way to Fundraising Success
Lisa MorrisseyLIDO Consulting Group
October 22, 2009
Why You Need a Plan
“A goal without a plan is just a wish”
Antoine de Saint Exupery (1900 - 1944)
Why You Need a Plan
Ensures that each of your actions are focused on reaching your goals.
Allows you to be more efficient and effective with your time and resources.
Organizes thoughts/ideas and resources needed for success.
Annual Fundraising Plan
Fundraising Calendar Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Annual Meeting and Donor
Recognition Event
Applications for Govt.
Programs/Grant
Submissions
Recruit Major Gift
Committee Members
Identify & Cultivate Major
Gift Prospects
Fundraising & Awareness
Event Meetings
Identify & Cultivate Key
Sponsors
Major Gifts Solicited
Annual Fundraising Event
Direct Mail and On-line
Campaign
Goals
A successful plan begins with measurable goals:
Sample Goals for Fundraising Event:
1. Raise $______________.
2. Add ____ new, solid contacts to our database –including name, position, address, telephone number, and email address.
3. Increase awareness of our new service/project among South Shore business owners.
Resources
Make a list of your organization‟s resources and fundraising strengths:
People – their connections, talents, and resources.
◦ Including: employees, volunteers, and Board of Directors
Available, „free‟ or low-cost venues
Equipment
Miscellaneous supplies
Money – out of pocket expenses, including necessary supplies/services that are not available for „free‟.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Make a list of what has worked well, what has not, and your organization‟s overall fundraising strengths and weaknesses:
Ex.Strengths: Weaknesses:1) Organizing and utilizing 1) Securing major sponsors.
committed volunteer force.
2) Obtaining donations of services 2) Promotion/marketing.
and items.
3) Smart, committed staff and BOD. 3) Not all members of BOD actively support fundraising initiatives.
What Type of Event Will Bring the Greatest Success
Next Steps:
◦ Brainstorm the types of events that would allow you to most effectively and successfully reach your goals.
Be creative and have some fun!
◦ Choose the event that best fits with our goals, resources and strengths and weaknesses.
Planning the Event
Once the type of event has been determined:
1) Set the date(s),
2) Secure any necessary venues,
3) Sign all vendor contracts – after your attorney has
reviewed them,
4) Make a list of all needs and action items,
5) Prepare a schedule of meeting dates and action item deadlines.
Your Event’s Marketing Plan
You are now ready to create a Marketing and Promotion plan for your event:
Once again you must begin with your measurable goals:
1. Raise $______________.
◦ How much of this is raised via sponsors?
◦ How much is raised via individual donors?
◦ How much is each member of our BOD responsible for raising?
Securing Event Sponsors
Make a list of potential sponsors and sponsor types that fit well with your organization/project and your target market.
◦ Ex. Since our sample target market is South Shore business owners, what businesses might be interested in partnering with you on this event?
Engaging Your Sponsors
Be sponsor-centric
◦ Educate your prospective sponsors about your organization and what their sponsorship funds will support
◦ Create a sponsorship menu
Make certain you are providing your sponsors with benefits that are important to them.
If you are not certain about the value of certain benefits, ask.
Provide sponsorship opportunities for a variety of risk levels.
Individual Donors
Participation fee
Opportunities to give during event
Give without attending/participating
Donate via providing goods and/or services
Individual Donors
Make certain:
◦ You ask
◦ You make it easy to give (on-line, via mail, via credit card, over the phone, cash)
◦ You make the experience the best possible for all participants and donors!
Remember Your Event Goals
Goal:
2. Add _____new, solid contacts to our database – including name, position, address, telephone number, and email address.
◦ Every contact/touch needs to include a process for collecting this data.
When they register – on-line, over the phone, via the snail mail or email
When they check in
When they send in their donation
Internal communications and execution are key here!
Target Market
Goal:
3. Increase awareness of our new service/project among
South Shore business owners.
• Target market – all marketing and promotional efforts
and dollars spent should have target market(s) in
mind.
• Examples:
• Attend Chamber and business networking events,
• Obtain contacts from BOD,
• Run ads/press releases in business section of
newspapers and magazines,
• Provide current business owner connections
w/marketing materials that they can share
PR and Promotional Strategy
◦ Your organization‟s web presence:
Website – video, interactive, photos, subscribe and donate buttons (Google Checkout, PayPal)
Blog – your organization‟s, guest blogging
Social Media/Networking opportunities – Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook (FaceBook Causes), YouTube, other on-line networking mediums.
Submit news releases to on-line providers –including and most importantly to news sources
More Promotional Opportunities
◦ Calendar section of:
local newspapers
associations
Websites w/ calendar posting options
◦ News releases – pre-event, 1 month through to two weeks prior, and post event.
◦ Email „blasts‟ – encourage and make it easy for recipients to share with others/pass it along.
◦ Networking groups and associations, chambers of commerce, etc.
◦ Don‟t forget to snail mail - 6, 3 and 2 months prior to your event.
Communication Is Key
Create flyers and copy that look good, are informative and can be easily reproduced and shared electronically.
Internal communications – make sure all know about it, understand, can speak to it and can help you to create a buzz!
Marketing Opportunities During the Event
Educate attendees, supporters, donors and sponsors
◦ Presentation/information available during event
◦ Do not assume they already know all of the wonderful things you are doing
◦ Help them to feel good about giving your organization their support, time and/or money!
Post Event Marketing
Follow-up Communications - Thank you notes/emails/ads/news releases, etc. should include:
A sincere thank you.
Sponsor and major benefactor recognition.
Amount of funds raised.
Where the funds raised will go/who or what it will support and/or make possible.
Post Event Marketing
Event Videos, Photographs, Quotes, and News Coverage:
◦ Website
◦ Blog
◦ YouTube
◦ News sources – newspapers, radio, television
◦ Follow-up emails/e-newsletters
◦ Etc!
Post Event Marketing
Keep the buzz going long after your event is over:
Schedule emails, e-newsletters, mailings and other communications:
3, 6 and 9 months out
Keep all supporters informed in order that your organization may stay top of mind
Continue to enhance and update your web presence
Ready, Set, GO Fundraise!
“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what
they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”
Anthony Robbins
Thank you and HappyFundraising!
Lisa Morrissey
LIDO Consulting Group
www.lidocg.com
Email: [email protected]
781-974-8968
Follow me on Twitter: @LIDOcg