There are so many fundraising events out there. How can we stand out from the crowd?

Judy’s Response:

There are many ways to stand out from the crowd. Today, sponsors and guests alike are looking for cutting edge or custom events, not cookie cutter replicas. If everyone is producing the exact same style of event you limit the number of people who will want to attend, as well as corporate sponsorship contributions. Companies will not necessarily be drawn to support the same type of event over and over again because they are looking for exactly the same thing you are – a means to set themselves apart from their competition.

Cause marketing is a very big part of how companies are doing that today. They want their names attached to causes that are attracting both media attention and their potential target market, as well as events that are a fit for their corporate brand image. Cause marketing for businesses – large and small – is a very effective marketing and sales tool and you need to keep that top of mind when you are designing your fundraising events and looking to maximize sponsorship dollars.

It is important to recognize that your organization, your sponsors, and your guests each want to receive the highest return on the investment of time, money and energy they are spending. And just as you do, each has their own set of event objectives. If your proposed event is strategically designed to meet and exceed each of their expectations and meet their individual objectives, you will end up with both guests and sponsors lining up to take part in your next one. One organization’s fundraising event was so successfully executed in terms of delivery and meeting the needs of all attending that new sponsors were asking how they could be a part of next year’s event while they were taking part at this year’s.

You will stand out by partnering with creative minds. That includes your committee members, corporate sponsors and your suppliers, who may or may not be contributing their goods and services. And you have to begin strategically thinking, designing and planning events with the mindset of being a business, not a nonprofit organization. Sometimes the two are seemingly at odds, but you are in the business of raising awareness, of raising funds, and so much more. Market yourself as a business solution that can help corporations in a myriad of ways reach their company goals while helping you reach yours. If you don’t adopt this way of thinking you will end up approaching your sponsors, donors and guests with your hand out – and there are many causes in need of support and many soliciting the exact same companies and people you are – instead of from a position of strength that is achieved by creating an event that will help them (and you!) meet objectives.

For example, if you were to stage a theme event called Diamonds and Denim and your target guest audience was an affluent society crowd you would be presenting a jewelry company or a diamond company with a business opportunity to showcase their product and introduce their company to their desired market. However, the event would need to be designed to deliver that caliber of guests and let your sponsor’s product shine in as many ways as possible (e.g. a fashion show incorporating their product, or selling raffle tickets for a chance to win diamond earrings donated by your sponsor).

Coming to a sponsor with a plan in hand to help them reach their sales market, create their own brand awareness, create public goodwill by supporting cause marketing etc. and showing them how they will be featured in your promotional event marketing is entirely different than sending out a form letter requesting their support. To design an event that stands out you must first be able to see your event from all perspectives, not just your own organization’s, in order to help you sell it (tickets, concepts to sponsors etc.) and develop an understanding of each of their objectives. Remember, these objectives can be many things; they are not necessarily limited to financial returns.

You also want to create events that are building blocks – each one stands on its own but becomes a part of a solid foundation on which to grow. In order to do that and to create an event that will stand out, you have to take the time to research your event history and be aware of what your competition has done and will be doing. You always want to be designing forward and not going backward. Each event that you do raises the bar for the next one and design strategy must be employed and not left to chance.

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Judy Allen is the author several bestselling books about event planning: Event Planning, The Business of Event Planning, Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette, Marketing Your Event Planning Business, and Time Management for Event Planners. For paid professional event planning consulting – event design, site selection critique, venue and supplier contract review, budget analysis, strategic planning, event logistical and timing requirements, and on-site orchestration – contact Judy directly at Judy Allen Productions.

Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.