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?

1. Facebook Profiles – post on your “wall”, temporarily change your primary photo to the organization’s logo, etc.
2. Facebook Event Postings – create unique event listings.
3. Facebook Groups – find groups whose genre itself and/or whose members correlate with your cause.
4. Twitter posts – a great way to “storyboard” the event planning progress in real time.
5. LinkedIn messaging and invitations – a great way to (also) engage in networking, job hunting, etc.
6. E-mails to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc. from Outlook or web-base accounts.
7. Text messages to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc.
8. TALK to friends, family, coworkers, vendors, etc. – during meals, business, working out, etc.
9. Post the event on local media web sites that offer free posting/listing services for fundraising events.
10. 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.