Fundraising isn’t easy, but promotional marketing can make it much more successful. Here’s how to make it happen.
Incorporate Mystery
What makes a party or event amazing as opposed to just “OK?” Mystery. When people know exactly what will happen when they show up, there’s not much reason to attend. If they’re not interested in the itinerary, or if you let the cat out of the bag, there’s no “wow” factor. They don’t need to go.
If you incorporate mystery, by only giving away some of the event, then you’ll attract more people. That’s because most people are attracted to mystery and they like an element of the unknown.
Now, you don’t want to leave people completely in the dark. You do want to tell them a little bit about what you’re doing.
So, for example, if you’re hosting a community event, you might mention that there will be music and a local band. But, you could also advertise a special celebrity guest. Who is it? People will have to show up to find out who it is.
Another idea is to hold a contest for a mystery item. This can work well if the event is themed, or if people can reasonably guess what the gift might be. For example, if you’re hosting a community event supporting clean drinking water, the promotional product or prize might be a commercial-grade water filtration system for the entire house. That’s an amazing gift and it makes sense given the event.
Choose a Spectacular Venue
Make sure your venue is top-notch. This is where a lot of events fail. If you’re not hosting your event in a hotel, or somewhere that’s more upscale, you’re going to see a decrease in attendance if the event is a high-profile charitable event, or if the attendees are high net worth individuals.
For example, if you’re raising money for breast cancer research, or any cancer research really, you’ll want to hold the event in a nice hotel or in an upscale venue. It will attract the upper class. You could even incorporate an auction-style charity where you give away expensive gifts or no gifts but instead a plaque signifying the person’s contribution.
If you’re hosting an event to save the rainforests, you might want to consider having your event in a state park or a protected area.
If you’re holding an event that’s styled as a “race for ________” or “walk for _________”, choose a scenic route so that people can feel like they’re doing good while also having an amazing experience while doing it.
The winner of the event gets a promotional product.
Make Your Promotional Product Relevant
Making promotional products relevant is also important. For example, a charity that’s game-themed might have custom playing cards as the promotional gift.
A charity ball that is catering to high net worth individuals might want to give away crystal toasting glasses or jewelry or something else as the promotional gift.
Teresa Baker is a stalwart supporter of public service and has held a number of pivotal roles supporting the community. She enjoys writing about her experiences online. You can find her thoughts and advice through a number of articles that she has already written for other sites.
