Fundraising Event Management: 5 Key Software Considerations
Planning a fundraising event can be stressful. There are a lot of variables your team needs to manage to advertise the event, keep guests engaged, and follow through effectively. However, you don’t have to go it alone.
Fundraising event software can provide the support you need to plan and execute your event from start to finish. In this guide, we’ll explore how software can help you manage the following event processes:
Fundraising events don’t just have to be for raising revenue. When executed successfully, they can raise awareness for your cause and cultivate meaningful relationships with your supporters.
Whatever your event goals may be, the right software can support you every step of the way. Let’s jump in to see how!
Marketing and communication
To successfully promote your event, you must ensure you’re reaching the right audience. For example, a school might rely on school newsletters and a handful of email announcements to inform its community about an upcoming auction.
On the other hand, a larger nonprofit may need a more complex marketing strategy that leverages multiple channels in addition to email streams. Regardless of your intended audience, the right software solution can get you started with the following features:
- Customizable event pages. Create an informative and inspiring online event page that tells your audience when and where your event is and how they can register. Choose a software solution that makes the event page setup easy with customizable templates.
- Social media integration. Make your event information shareable by posting it on social media. The right software makes this easy with social media integration that seamlessly transfers event details to Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms.
- Online invitations. Sending personalized online invitations is a great way to spread the word with a meaningful message. Choose a software solution that enables you to segment your recipient list and brand your invitations to your organization.
If you’re unsure of which marketing channels you should employ, review your previous event data for guidance. For instance, if you find that last year’s fundraiser saw a record number of attendees, you can repurpose the marketing strategies that led to your success.
Registration and check-in
Event registration is an essential aspect of guest management. If your process is unreliable, it could cause undue frustration and disorganization. To keep your event running smoothly, it’s helpful to have user-friendly software that can streamline the following check-in tasks:
- Online registration. Make it easy for guests to register via your campaign page. Ensure the page enables secure payment processing and flexible ticket packages.
- Advance online check-in. Enable guests to check in before the event begins with advanced online check-in software, so guests don’t have to show their tickets.
- Guest list management. The right software tools can help you easily distinguish between potential guests and guests with tickets to keep tabs on your final head count.
- Mobile ticket scanning. Eliminate long lines at the start of your event with mobile ticket-scanning software features. This way, your team can expedite check-in.
Your guests aren’t the only people involved in your event that software can benefit. Choose a software solution that can enhance your sponsorship management with customizable packages. This way, you can acknowledge your generous sponsors with additional tickets or merchandise packages.
Fundraising
If you want to hit your fundraising goals, consider diversifying your revenue streams. Software can help you do this by giving you access to a variety of reliable fundraising techniques beyond ticket sales alone, including:
- Recurring donations. Often, a fundraising event will act as an attendee’s first introduction to your cause. Allow them to continue their support using recurring donation features that enable them to give on a monthly or annual basis.
- Text-to-give. For exciting live events, such as fundraising concerts or charity auctions, text-to-give is a quick and easy way for guests to lean into the charitable atmosphere and offer extra financial support. Choose a software platform that uses QR codes for simple access.
- Peer-to-peer and crowdfunding options. Ahead of the event, you can use either peer-to-peer fundraising or crowdfunding pages to educate supporters and grow your revenue. Then, once the event is live, you can thank your key participants.
For each of these fundraising choices, choose a secure credit card processing software to keep your guest’s personal information safe. It’s best to also choose one that accepts multiple payment forms including all credit card types, online checks, and Google Pay so all attendees can easily give when prompted.
Engagement
Guests want to leave your event thinking about their positive experiences. You can create these fun or engaging moments by using software gamification features. Gamification is a technique that incorporates game-like elements, such as points, challenges, or competition, into an event format to encourage guest participation.
As an example, SchoolAuction.net’s silent auction guide suggests using these software strategies to bolster auction event excitement:
- Use text notifications to build suspense. Bidders can automatically receive outbid notifications from their phones with mobile bidding software. This way, guests can keep an eye on their favorite items before someone else swoops them up.
- Add countdown clocks to encourage last-minute bids. Silent auctions do not have the same tempo as live auctions. To keep bidders engaged, you can use countdown clocks. Then, guests can manage their time and peruse items accordingly.
Other gamification features include leaderboards, points, or badges that incentivize guests. For instance, if an auction bidder wins a record number of items, you could recognize them with a badge.
Gamification is especially helpful for hybrid and virtual events. If you plan on running a fundraising event in this format, choose software with readily available support to walk you through how to make the most of each feature.
Follow-up
Once your fundraising event comes to a close, there will still be a few to-do’s left on your plate. At the top of the list is most likely expressing appreciation for your supporters. Software can lend a helping hand with automated thank-you emails based on your previously entered guest list segments.
You can tailor these emails to feature information about guests’ involvement with your cause, including how much money the event raised collectively and what your organization will be able to accomplish as a result. Then, end the message with a chance for supporters to opt in to additional communications from your organization such as your monthly newsletter.
From there, you can update your donor data based on any new supporters you’ve gained from the event. Continuing this habit will ensure that your donor base is refreshed following every fundraising event.
You can take the stress out of fundraising events with reliable software. As you narrow down your picks, remember to choose one that suits both your event format and goals. From there, you can request demos and compare providers to find the best solution for you.
