Focus On: Special Events: Well, Isn't That Special?

As in every other aspect of fundraising, the Internet is opening new doors in the arena of special events. Here, Allison Van Diest, product marketing manager for South Carolina-based fundraising software provider Blackbaud, answers some questions about the Internet and special-events fundraising.

FundRaising Success: How is the Internet changing special-events fundraising?
Allison Van Diest: The Internet provides the combined power to market events both actively and passively. First, e-mail gives a nonprofit the option to actively target prospects with specific messages and push them directly to the organization’s Web site or online “event community.” Second, a nonprofit’s Web site can serve as a passive vehicle, soliciting donations or event participation on the supporter’s own time and terms.

With the Internet, nonprofits are able to reach groups of people more quickly and less expensively. Nonprofits will certainly have more success if they can reach a more diversified audience, beyond just their members with e-mail addresses on record. With the use of the Internet, nonprofits gain cross-marketing potential for things like online donations. This gives them the ability to receive support from constituents who may not attend or participate in the event itself. Furthermore, with the convenience of Web sites, constituents can view information on events on their own schedules and not when the organization tells them to.

E-mail communication creates immediacy and action because of the ability to use “donate now” or “sign up now” buttons that direct constituents to their Web site for actions. Also, with e-mail, event information is more readily shared between households. In the world of printed invitations, it was not as easy for invited guests to share invitations with others. The Internet makes this very easy. In fact, events can be promoted in a viral fashion with team fundraising — ‘sponsor me’ or ‘tell a friend’ functionality.

Overall, the Internet provides more ways for organizations to make the marketing of an event an information exchange rather than one-way distribution of event details. And the more information on donor preferences and interests nonprofits can collect, the better off they are on all initiatives.

FS: What type of technology is out there to help organization make their event more successful?
AVD: For event marketing and registration, online content management tools allow nonprofits to virally market their events and collect information on donors on the Internet. This information can be automatically passed to an offline fundraising management database. When organizations extend their fundraising activities to Web, they give constituents another opportunity to sign up and register, buy tickets for themselves or for other people. In addition, with increasing use of e-mail communication, nonprofits can direct their constituents to their Web site with a single click.

For event management, whether you are hosting an auction, golf tournament, banquet or homecoming, there are tools available to help organizations plan, organize and implement every stage of their events. Nonprofits can use this kind of technology to help manage seating capacities, build out seating charts, print name tags and place cards, and track attendance and dinner preferences. Other technological features allow organizations to painlessly make changes at the last minute — rearrange and name tables, move a guest to a new seat or table, and easily add to a group. They can also store lodging and travel information for each participant.

Attendees are the backbone to a successful event. Allowing technology that easily shows if the attendees are paid and if they have a special status of which they need to be recognized will help streamline the check-in process.

For event analysis, reporting tools help nonprofits monitor costs of the event verses how much money was raised. Organizations will need to be able to share their financial results with their board members and other key stakeholders. Ask: Did you break-even? Did you raise critical funds? Did you reach your goals? Without this information, nonprofits won’t be able to benchmark their results for future events.

FS: From a technology standpoint, what are the main things an organization needs to know/have to make its events successful?
AVD: First and foremost — regardless of their technological infrastructure — organizations need to be able to measure event results against initial goals. Therefore, they need to first start with a goal in mind, which will allow them to get a big picture view of what they are trying to accomplish. For instance, is the goal to create awareness about the organization and get more community involvement? If so, a nonprofit might only plan to use marketing dollars to fund the event or try to generate enough ticket sales to break even. However, if the goal is to raise a certain dollar amount for the annual fund, success would be measured differently. Technology can help nonprofits measure success in either scenario.

Organizations also need to make sure they are integrating constituent information across all offices. For example, a membership office might have 3x5 cards with detailed information about its members. Whereas, a development office might use software to store contact information and market events via e-mail communication. If the two offices don’t speak to one another, an organization won’t be able to effectively tailor its messages. Building close relationships with stakeholders won’t yield a result if information about the relationship cannot be transferred to other members within the organization. Having a holistic view of everyone the nonprofit connects with will help avoid embarrassing foul-ups. Technology helps nonprofits recognize and communicate with each constituent appropriately. You don’t want to ask your board members to buy a ticket to an event. Instead, you want to see if they would like to purchase tables for members of their company to attend and bring spouses.

Just as every nonprofit needs a plan of action for traditional special-events fundraising, they also need plans for online activities. Organizations must understand that online marketing is very different from other forms of traditional marketing — there must be a firm commitment to using this vehicle and making sure a good job is done soliciting event participation and donations via the Web. With an up-front understanding of each target and each vehicle, nonprofits will be able to establish a plan to get them there.

For example, suppose you are holding a “fun run” to raise money for a hospital to build a new children’s wing. With research, the organization finds it is more likely to attract a younger audience with this event. Therefore, they offer supporters who sign up to attend or participate in a fundraising event an individual Web page on their site. Acting as an individual supporter on behalf of the organization, the constituent then e-mails family and friends and directs them to their Web page where they can either sign up also to participate or support their friend or family member by donating. Using online vehicles, nonprofits have enabled their own constituents to market the event for them, saving the organization both time and money.

FS: Again from a technology point of view, what are ways to ensure a flop?
AVD: If nonprofits begin event planning with incorrect information on potential attendees, it’s going to be tough to reach them effectively. Organizations need to be equipped with the most up-to-date information, which can be easily managed in donor databases. This can help them decide who the right people are to invite to the event.

• Fail to understand why you’re holding the event. Before you begin marketing an event, you need to have a plan of action. Know your immediate and long-term goals so you will be able to benchmark your progress and results.

• Fail to manage the details. The success of any event is always in the details. If you do not carefully track the high-volume of event-related information in your technology solution, you are bound to make mistakes in your onsite execution. Little things — like knowing the correct spelling of guests’ names and who should and should not sit next to whom — can make or break an event. * Fail to market your event appropriately. With a single, complete view of each member, donor, supporter, patron, activist, etc., you will find your constituents may fall under multiple categories. They may also respond differently to each marketing vehicle. Extending your marketing to the Web will help you reach a younger and diversified audience. Organizations that don’t tap into this valuable resource will miss out on event participation, ultimately minimizing the chance to reach their full fundraising potential.

• Lose sight of costs. During a time when the Senate Finance Committee is considering potential legislation to further regulate the charitable sector, organizations need to be able to report on all of their expenses. Are you sticking to your budget? Do you know how many donations you received? Organizations that fail to track the amount raised at each event are less likely to be able to prove that they stewarded their donations appropriately afterwards.

• Fail to keep internal people updated on the event. Managing your progress with event tracking tools found in donor management systems will allow you to easily update everyone within your organization on the progress of the event.

FS: The event is over ... now what?
AVD: Thinking back to your original goals, determine what worked with your event. Was the event a success? How much did you earn? Should you do it again? It will be important to know aspects of the event that did and did not work so that you can compile a list of lessons learned. For tracking purposes within your database, you need to know who participated and how much they gave. Designate a specific campaign and fund that will automatically appear on your gift records. You may need to link multiple gifts to a single event — registration fees, gift-in-kind donations and sponsoring pledges.

When planning future events, it will be important to have information on each stakeholder and all costs associated with your last event. To do this, you will want to monitor the success of your events with reports and summaries. These reports provide you with essential information, including number of participants, the number of attendees, total expenses, total income, net income, etc. Use these reports, from seating and table assignments to income and expense reports, to organize and analyze your special events.

Above all else, don’t forget to leverage the power and speed of the Internet to keep your constituents connected once the event is over. An event is a part of an ongoing chain of activities designed to build awareness and get people interested in doing more. Allow this tool to help you prospect, cultivate and steward new and existing constituents. This is where most nonprofits fail miserably. It is really important to understand how your constituents want to be managed. Organizations that continue to build relationships with their donors know how to effectively communicate with them, whether it be on the Web or though traditional fundraising vehicles. The best way to keep all of your information up-to-date is through a fundraising solution that allows you integrate constituent information from both online and offline resources.