May: Empowered Events- Our Pro Tips
How Empowered Builds Effective Events
The Empowered Team just completed our spring event season and is already gearing up for the fall season ahead. Every event is unique, ranging in number of attendees, budget, and fundraising goals. Empowered creates a customized event plan to best fit the needs of each client and ensure they achieve their goals.
As we reflect on May, and look to our summer and fall events, we want to share some of our "pro tips" for planning and creating engaging events.
We believe in the powers of connection and storytelling. It is our mission to ensure each event illustrates the organization’s impact and expresses their needs in order for the organization to grow, reach their financial goals, and continue making a difference.
Looking to revamp your event program? Connect with us!
EMPOWERED Pro Tips
💡Always Tell a Story.
Think creatively and share your organization’s mission and impact throughout the event. These two examples show how you can engage your guests in the magic of your organization and its mission:
•At the TEACH 30th Anniversary Gala, we designed recipe cards that were integrated in the centerpieces. Each diverse recipe was provided by a TEACH student and highlighted some of the 64 countries represented in the TEACH community. Guests were able to take home these cards as an added bonus.
•The Nora Project placed a mini branded magnetic white board and marker at each seat for their guests. These boards were part of the program’s immersive classroom experience which prompted the question, “What do you need to thrive?"
(Empowered Pro Tips, Continued)
💡Your Program Should Have Impact.
Keep your speaking program short while packing the creative punch! During your fund-a-need, share a short story and include 1-2 images in your presentation. Help your donors visualize your impact, your recipients, and where their dollars are going! Don’t forget that your emcee and auctioneer are essential to reading the room, bringing the excitement, and helping you achieve your organization’s financial goals.
💡Make Time for Fun!
Your event should be fun and enjoyable. Whether it’s a prolonged cocktail hour, a photo booth, a break from speaking during the entrée service or a creative, interactive dessert buffet, provide necessary time for activities or socialization!
Ideas include:
•Specialty drinks 🍹
•Casual seating 🪑
•Customized dessert 🧁
💡Raise money and remember to steward donors afterwards!
Remember your event is part of your annual campaign not a stand alone. Your event donors and sponsors are also your campaign donors. Don’t forget to have an ongoing annual stewardship strategy for your event sponsors, donors, and guests. Empowered recommends 4-7 touchpoints BEFORE your next ask!
Touchpoint examples:
•Acknowledge promptly and sincerely by having handwritten thank you cards ready to send in the mail post-event.
•Send a newsletter to donors with program updates and final fundraising numbers!
💡Include your Board Members and Volunteers.
Give your board and key volunteers roles during the non-speaking parts of your program. These roles focus on cultivating your event audience and making sure everybody feels the love!
•Have them welcome guests and/or guide them to the registration table.
•Identify tables where key sponsors are sitting and have a board member visit each table.
•Provide board members with a list of top donors and ask them to visit with them during cocktail hour and thank them for their generosity.
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