No More Bad Events- featuring Queen Bee Fundraising

You may have a bad event if: guests aren't paying attention, complain about long lines and waits, guests leave early, don't raise enough money, trouble selling tickets next year.

Let's talk about successful events!

Transcript

1. No More Bad Events featuring A.J. Steinberg, CFRE, of Queen Bee Fundraising
2. 50K Auctions & event fundraisers Over $500 Million raised using Auctria
3. About me… A.J. Steinberg, CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising • I’ve been a nonprofit event producer for over 20 years in the Los Angeles, California area • I have worked on over 100 events and helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars through events • In 2015 I started Queen Bee Fundraising to share professional event planning strategies with organizations of all sizes
5. You may have had a bad event if… • Guests aren’t paying attention • Guests complain loudly about long lines and waits • Guests leave early • You don’t fundraise enough to meet your target goal • Your board is embarrassed and upset • YOU HAVE TROUBLE SELLING TICKETS NEXT YEAR
6. Now let’s talk about successful events!
7. Successful events maximize opportunities • to raise funds • to market your organization • to build relationships with sponsors • to bring in new supporters • to strengthen relationships with existing supporters
8. Elements of A Successful Event 1. Goal Setting 2. Engaging Your Board 3. Active Committees 4. Event Sponsorships 5. Marketing Your Event 6. Guest Engagement Strategies 7. Post-Event Protocols
10. The Five Goals of Nonprofit Events 1. Fundraising 2. Organizational Awareness 3. Spotlight Your Programs 4. Call to Action 5. Appreciation
12. Reasons for a disengaged board • They have bad experiences with past events • They don’t feel affinity for the event • They don’t have confidence in this event • They are already burned out and tuned out
13. Strategies for winning them over • Let them air their complaints and discuss fixes • Involve them in the initial planning process • Share your goals, game plan, and enthusiasm • Let them know this will be easy • Give them confidence they will be proud
15. Each committee member is… • A bundle of assets for your event • A marketing machine for your event • A donor who is ripe for stewardship
16. Your committee should work as a team • They should know the goals and game plan • They should feel they are an important player • They should feel appreciated • It is up to you to lead them
18. Sponsorship dollars are MARKETING dollars • The marketing budget has more money in it • Marketing teams are looking for R.O.I. • You need to think like a marketing pro • Don’t undersell your event!!!!
19. Assess what you have of value for sponsors • Fiscal relationships with you or board members • Goodwill in the community • An opportunity for their employees to volunteer • New clients and customers
20. Create professional quality sponsor materials • These set you apart from other sponsorship requests • These show you understand marketing • These give confidence in event
21. This is a typical sponsorship offering
23. Proper sponsor stewardship is important • Ensure you follow through on promises • Keep in touch during the lead up to an event • Send follow up “thank you” emails and photos • Send a tribute book from the event • Ask them immediately to sponsor again next year
25. Marketing has several goals • Awareness of your event • Awareness of your organization • Awareness of your programs • Promotion of your sponsors • Ticket sales
26. Marketing is multi-faceted • Traditional methods like posters & banners • Targeted email blasts • Building FOMO with social media • Coverage on local radio, TV, and papers • Word of mouth
27. BONUS TIP! Secrets to selling out tickets • Choose a “golden goose” honoree • Recruit an amazing volunteer committee • Keep your board enthused and engaged • Build a better event!
29. “The occasionally “remarkable moment” shouldn’t be left to chance! They should be planned for, invested in.” Chip Heath, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Moments Have Extraordinary Impact
30. Remarkable moments • Are what guests remember • Connect on an emotional level • Transform our thoughts It is up to us to create these remarkable moments
31. How you welcome them matters • Create community at the start • Train your check-in team to welcome guests • Your board and staff are goodwill ambassadors • During a meal, go table to table thanking them
32. How you treat them matters • Ensure there are no overly long lines at check in • Ensure there are no overly long lines at the bar • Have enough valets to avoid long lines • Oversee seating & meal issues that arise • Thank them with every interaction
33. How you craft your stage program matters • Donor-centric language • Script your emcee and auctioneer • Use videos for intros and nervous honorees • Respect your guests’ time • Put time and thought into your Ask
34. This is when you turn guests into donors • Have a strategic plan in place before event ✓1 to 2 days after event ✓1 week after the event ✓4 – 6 weeks after the event • Do as much as possible before the event
35. Ways to thank guests • Phone calls for large donors • Mailed letter of thanks • Email blasts • Social media posts • Make thank you videos
36. Ways to thank sponsors • Phone calls after event to thank them • Mailed letters with photos of logos • Send copies of the tribute book • Social media and email blasts thanking them • Thank them in person at their place of business • Ask them to sponsor again immediately after event
37. Now go out there and create amazing events!
38. A.J. Steinberg, CFRE Queen Bee Fundraising www.QueenBeeFundraising.com AJ@QueenBeeFundraising.com Training Workshops (In Person and Virtual) • Step-by-Step Nonprofit Events • Successful Nonprofit Sponsorships • How to Recruit and Manage Successful Committees • Surviving the Generational Shift
39. Resources Resource Links for today’s webinar Auctria Sponsor Catalog User Guide Queen Bee Fundraising Sponsorship Deck Samples Non Profit Training Educating and empowering those with purpose
40. Stay in touch @auctria hello@auctria.com FB Group: Auction Team Talk @queenbeefundraising aj@queenbeefundraising.com @QueenBeeMalibu