With much of the world taking the advice from leading health and government officials right now, many businesses are practicing social distancing and asking employees, if possible, to work from home.
The last little while hasn’t been easy because of COVID-19, but a lot of people are discovering new work routines and are settling into at-home rituals. Perhaps the idea of that corporate fundraising gala planned for 2021 seems impossibly far away, but the reality is, the time will fly by. The event will materialize sooner than you think, so start planning accordingly!
A corporate fundraising event is an excellent opportunity for your company to engage in social responsibility. Corporate fundraising initiatives have been around for decades, and they continue to allow businesses to give back to the community.
Let’s take a look at these fundraising event tips to help you get inspired.
Outline a Clear Purpose
Before tackling anything else, you must decide what the exact purpose of the event is. Is it solely a fundraising event, or do you have also have publicity goals in mind for your company? Many fundraisers have more than one goal. Figure out the details for your event so you can narrow down the goals that you’re trying to achieve.
Always remember to communicate with your team members. That way, you’ll always be on the same page.
Plan a Marketing Strategy
Just as if it were a new product, your event needs to be aggressively marketed to your target audience (and more). You must convince your supporters that the fundraiser is worthy of their time and money.
To get the word out there, devise an ad campaign as well as email and direct mail marketing campaigns. Reach out to clients and other businesses or individuals that you’ve worked with within the past.
On the night of the event, ask employees and catering staff to wear branded clothing with your logo. Find the best silk screen clothing at Prints Canada — a company that gives you the option to put your design on t-shirts, polo shirts, and more. This way, people will associate your name with the charitable event throughout the night. You can market your business in addition to raising awareness and money for a good cause.
Budget
Your budget is the backbone of your event. It should contain a complete listing of all the expenses required for the occasion. It takes a long time to plan a budget, so be sure to consider the following:
- Staff
- Staff clothing
- Invitations
- Space rental
- Catering
- Transportation
- Entertainment
- Utilities
- Security
- Insurance
- And anything else required to make your night a success
Take your fundraising goal into consideration when planning the budget and raise that amount above and beyond all expenses. It’s also a good idea to leave a little extra room in your budget to cover any unforeseen costs.
Regardless of the scope of the event, the best tip is to always leave ample time to plan. Everything feels at a standstill right now, but you never know what’s going to happen in the future.
If you communicate clearly with your teammates about your purpose, budget, and marketing plan, your event will run smoothly and successfully. You’ll be so happy with the outcome of the night, you’ll forget all about any stress you may have once felt!
