It Isn’t Over Until It’s Over
By Debbie Cline
It’s the day after the big charity event and you are high fiving yourself. Attendance was great, money was raised and everyone had a great time. Congrats may be in order, but if you haven’t prepped correctly and completed follow up you’ll miss the mark.
The experience of a charity event for a guest starts as soon as they are first aware of the event and it doesn’t end the day or night of the event. What you do before, during and after your charity event has a huge impact on the success of the event this year and in the future.
Prepare for follow up before the event
- Create a website or landing page
- Create a hashtag
- Allow virtual donations and bidding on auction items
- Ensure email marketing campaigns are in place leading up to the event and for immediate follow up and ongoing engagement
- Take lots of notes
- Take quality pics and get permission to use (photo booth are also great to encourage social sharing)
- Assume this will be an annual event and plan accordingly. Have a date set (it can always change) and encourage sign up.
After the event
- Write a post-event report (internal post-mortem) and share within 48 hours of event
- Share the success quickly – sponsors and donors like to know they made a difference
- Search hashtags to find additional info and photos from the event
- Thank you notes to sponsors and volunteers
- Press Release with stats – attendance was 25% higher, raised 10% more money, etc.
- Employee email touting results and thanking for efforts
Prepare for follow up before the event
- Create a website or landing page
- Create a hashtag
- Allow virtual donations and bidding on auction items
- Ensure email marketing campaigns are in place leading up to the event and for immediate follow up and ongoing engagement
- Take lots of notes
- Take quality pics and get permission to use (photo booth are also great to encourage social sharing)
- Assume this will be an annual event and plan accordingly. Have a date set (it can always change) and encourage sign up.
After the event
- Write a post-event report (internal post-mortem) and share within 48 hours of event
- Share the success quickly – sponsors and donors like to know they made a difference
- Search hashtags to find additional info and photos from the event
- Thank you notes to sponsors and volunteers
- Press Release with stats – attendance was 25% higher, raised 10% more money, etc.
- Employee email touting results and thanking for efforts
Philanthropy is an important part of a company culture. Employees and customers alike have positive feelings when a part of something that makes a difference, whether a charitable fundraising campaign or event.
We love working with our own philanthropy partners and supporting our clients’ charities and events. We’ve been lucky enough to support the fun Pawject Runway event for the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), create “Dating Profiles” for adoptable pets at the Loudoun County Animal Shelter, raise funds for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to save orphaned elephants in Africa and sponsor and participate in Ropin’ Rascals among other efforts.
Debbie is co-founder, chief of customer success at Buzzy Rocket and yellow lab lover. From LA to London, she is well known as an expert in creating that certain elusive magic that drives explosive growth at the intersection of companies, customers and mobile. She has proven strategic vision, and isn’t afraid to get in the trenches. In fact, she’s been doing this at companies big and small for 25+ years. Her background includes executive level positions at both public companies and startups where she has proven over and over again that her passion, drive and results oriented perspective get it done. She is tenacious, loves the game changer and loves to win.
Debbie is co-founder, chief of customer success at Buzzy Rocket and yellow lab lover. From LA to London, she is well known as an expert in creating that certain elusive magic that drives explosive growth at the intersection of companies, customers and mobile. She has proven strategic vision, and isn’t afraid to get in the trenches. In fact, she’s been doing this at companies big and small for 25+ years. Her background includes executive level positions at both public companies and startups where she has proven over and over again that her passion, drive and results oriented perspective get it done. She is tenacious, loves the game changer and loves to win.
Like to be in the know?
Sign up below and receive our weekly Lowdown filled with startup news, startup marketing tips and more.