Event Marketing

Great Article: “Check Your Mindset to Market Your Way Out of the Recession”

Posted on June 5, 2009. Filed under: Cause Marketing, Event Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, fundraising events, Fundraising Resources, Marc-Portugal | Tags: Cause Marketing, Fundraising 2.0, Marc, Marc-Portugal, Portugal |

From the APF web site, written this past February by Elaine Fogel: president and CMO of Solutions Marketing & Consulting LLC in Scottsdale, Arizona.

http://www.afpnet.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?content_item_id=24814&folder_id=914

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Event Attendance: Expect “High Fives” from Everyone

Posted on June 3, 2009. Filed under: Brandraising, Cause Marketing, Event Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, fundraising events | Tags: Cause Marketing, Charity Events, Charity Social Media, Event Marketing, friendlist, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, Marc, Marc-Portugal, Portugal |

Here’s an equation for you:

Take the number of associate board officers, management staff, support staff, and core volunteers that make up your nonprofit organization, and multiply that number by FIVE.

The result of this simple math exercise is the minimum number of people you should expect to show up at ANY given event – presuming the event content, offer, messaging, promotion, etc. is on-point and in place to connect with target attendees.

Respectfully, anyone who can’t get five people to show up for a fundraiser may (A) need to seek professional guidance in how to promote an event or (B) may want to rethink the true nature of their commitment to the cause itself.

More support for your organization is likely necessary and (yet) elusive. Effective relationship building and well-attended events are critical to advancing goals for more recruitment and donations. In a world where any event “advocate” can use a minimum of TEN FREE MEDIUMS to promote the event – expectations should be at least as high as ever – in spite of the recession – if not higher.

What are the ten free mediums to promote a fundraising event?

Facebook Profiles – post on your “wall”, temporarily change your primary photo to the organization’s logo, etc.
Facebook Event Postings – create unique event listings.
Facebook Groups – find groups whose genre itself and/or whose members correlate with your cause.
Twitter posts – a great way to “storyboard” the event planning progress in real time.
LinkedIn messaging and invitations – a great way to (also) engage in networking, job hunting, etc.
E-mails to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc. from Outlook or web-base accounts.
Text messages to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc.
TALK to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc. – during meals, business, working out, etc.
Post the event on local media web sites that offer free posting/listing services for fundraising events.
Blog about the event in upcoming entries and provide links to the event’s online RSVP page.

If these exercises are completed earnestly – you will high FIVE each other after the event when you realize how much more money was raised.

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Introducing CauseMP.com

Posted on May 29, 2009. Filed under: Brandraising, Cause Marketing, Event Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, fundraising events, Marc-Portugal | Tags: Brandraising, Cause Marketing, Charity Events, Event Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, Marc, Marc-Portugal, Portugal |

Cause Marketing Partners help businesses increase traffic, revenue, and good will by establishing event marketing partnerships with matching nonprofit organizations. The events themselves are hosted at the business location.

The event marketing partnerships are specifically designed for both groups to share resources and collaborate on promotional efforts to drive as much traffic and revenue to the event as possible, and to generate as much publicity, participation, and attendee donations as possible for the partner nonprofit organization.

CMP services also include helping individual volunteers and participants with existing fundraising commitments – such as runners looking to host an event to raise money for a walk-a-thon.

CMP is becoming the central source in the Chicago area for developing relationships with nonprofit organizations that are actively looking for event opportunities to cultivate awareness, volunteers and donors. CMP leverages relationships with dozens of Chicagoland businesses and nonprofits, as well as twelve years of event planning experience, to create programs uniquely suited to each organization’s needs.

As a component of overall event planning services, CMP offers a complimentary brand assessment of participating businesses. This assessment is used to help identify potential partners and ensuing promotional best practices for the charity events as well as for future marketing endeavors.

Additional benefits to nonprofit organizations include:

Negotiation of event amenities and services
Guidance in event marketing best practices
Exposure to promotional resources of business partners
Cultivation of volunteers, donors and sponsors for other events and programs

If your business is interested in collaborating with a matching nonprofit organization to help generate exposure, traffic, revenues, and good will – CMP will then help initiate the event planning and event marketing processes.

Please e-mail marc@causemp.com to begin discussing how CMP may be able to increase traffic and revenues for your business while expanding good will for your brand.

Coming Soon: The official CMP web site and blog!

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Why More Events and Why Friendraising: “Build Circles Of Support The Old-Fashioned Way”

Posted on May 26, 2009. Filed under: Cause Marketing, Event Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Friendraising, Fundraising, Fundraising 2.0, Marc-Portugal |

Great article from The NonProfit Times: “Build Circles Of Support The Old-Fashioned Way” by Heather Burton.

Excerpts:

“We tend to get caught up in trying to implement the next new whiz-bang, quick-win fundraising tactic. In doing that, we neglect old-fashioned relationship-building with those in our community. It’s imperative to take the time to get out from behind our computer, and in front of business owners, service groups, and like-minded individuals who might be able to help keep our organizations strong, and our missions moving forward.”

“Businesses provide much-needed resources to the nonprofit sector in terms of volunteers, monetary support, pro-bono services, and in-kind donations. Business networking organizations, such as Business Networking International (BNI) or your local Chamber of Commerce, can help you tap into your area’s local businesses, resulting in increased awareness for your cause, and the development of key relationships with local business influencers in your community.”

It’s essential to developing a true partnership that helps both the business and your organization. When approaching possible new business partners, find out what they need to do to “move the needle” and foster inter-organizational trust by developing a two-way street for communication. Demonstrate how their involvement in your organization will help them accomplish one of their goals, like reaching new customers.”

Another logical, compelling case for live experiences that drive cultivation of funds, volunteers and more.

Marc Portugal

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