It’s time to tell people about your event. You are excited, your team is excited. The sponsored dinner is to die for and the auction items are out of this world. You even have, quite possibly, the most clever hashtag your team has ever come up with. What are the best ways to spread this excitement? How can you best communicate to your donors? Let us look at our Top Three Bliss Actions you can take to spread the news about your event.
Extra Extra! Read All About It!
Social media is the new front page and everyone is looking to be the top story… Here we are trying to communicate to as many people as possible, and as quickly as possible. Your social media posts should be quick, informative and easy to digest. Quotes from those who you have helped, or are helping can create a sense of urgency and combining that quote with a face will create real impact with your viewers. Posting on each site or platform should happen at least three times a week. Some fun things to feature include: before and after of rehabilitated lands, quotes from those helped or helpers, easy to understand graphics or the always helpful celebrity bump. Don’t forget to make a Save-the-date post as soon as you’ve confirmed the date so that your supporters can get your event on their calendar.
Stay Awhile and Listen
Although harnessing the power of social media is the new hotness, communicating directly with those that support you is a tried and true method that continues to yield results. To start off, everyone that has given to your organization in the past should receive an email that addresses them by name. Recognize your donors, thank them, and most importantly show them how they are effecting change. As we’ve seen time and time again, people are more than willing to rally each other to a good cause. The next step is physical letters. We at Bliss have developed a few ways to ensure that letters are read and kept, and our clients have seen success and fun with our methods! Then there are direct messages, phone calls or even having coffee! This is work that should be done by your board (who have all committed to the gala, of course!) with the major donors and sponsors for your event. Use this time with them as a resource as well, donors want to be problem solvers. Use that drive!
Being Part of the Solution
To round all this communication out, make sure your message is one of being part of the solution. Connect the gifts received with real world action: your donors aren’t just giving money, they are impacting lives! If your donors are giving their time, show it to others and they will follow. The biggest mistake that I have seen made over and over is praising the amount raised over the amount that you have managed to change. Celebrate people coming together to solve something no singular person could take on. This should be done after the event as well in the form of thank you cards. Give your donors an update on what their money has done. Remind them of the good that they do.
Bliss Bonus tip: Be sure to take lots of pictures and get people to tag, repost, share and hashtag the event. The next year, when planning starts, do a regular throwback Thursday tagging someone new each week reminding them of the fun had at your event. Encourage sharing and include a small mention of the next event.
