Any corporation that shuns orchestrating a company-wide fundraiser misses out on a uniquely eye-opening exercise in bonding over a greater good. Several “greater goods,” as a matter of fact.
Think about it. What better practical lesson could more profoundly teach the merits of effective interdepartmental communication fixated on a single positive objective? What greater teacher than one underscored by altruism and an air of committed humanitarianism associated with your brand? No rising tide raises all ships quite so high as earnest charity, both your company’s and those of the surrounding community that feed its prosperity.
Honestly, though, can you name the last thing worthwhile to you that came your way easily? No matter how noble your intentions, to fail to plan is still to plan to fail. For your corporate charity fundraiser to contribute the greatest aid possible to a worthy cause, you and your co-workers at every level must commit themselves wholly to decisions that foster both the most attractive and enjoyable atmosphere and smoothest execution you can manage.
The Basics
Once you establish the cause you want to lend your support, embrace your limitations. A gala soiree that breaks the bank running wildly over-budget doesn’t actually benefit anyone. Cementing your plans early will afford plenty of time to work around any shortcomings with do-it-yourself work ethic and shrewd budgeting, but accept that there will be some things you just can’t swing.
Along the way, question everything. Who is your target audience? What type of event and attractions within your budget will max out your drawing power? What are your venue options? Underestimate your means and work beneath them to ensure as few out-of-control catastrophic surprises as possible.
Make Giving Painless
Employing a mobile fundraising platform to gather donations serves two worthwhile benefits: yes, it takes away the “I don’t have any cash handy” excuse for passing up a chance to contribute, but there’s something about making giving as convenient as possible that promotes a certain enthusiasm about showing the goodness of their hearts.
A well-rounded app will also simplify tracking your goal with live progress “thermometers” and allow for on-the-fly adjustments to event keywords your donors will use to pay their contributions at your optimized landing pages. When you need action to offset a change in plans or account for movement toward your goal, you can adapt on the fly from any mobile device or desktop. Just like that, you’re back on track.
Getting There Is Half The Fun
If you would wager only a handful of your staff cop out of attending your fundraiser citing transportation issues of some kind or another, then we congratulate you on your optimism. The extra mile to hire a reliable, reputable car service, like You2RDU, makes it just that much more reasonable to attend. Of course, it also shoots down a first-choice excuse across the board.
Beyond your specific budget, a ballpark estimate of your realistic turnout should inform your arrangements. It may cost a bit more, but making attendance as convenient as possible can make a world of difference in your event’s success. Give some thought to the merits of chartering a “party bus” or at least a handful of larger SUVs if you anticipate a big crowd. There is especially no understating the appreciation your attendees will express if hiring a car service provides designated drivers.
Seize The Moment (And Everything In It)
When it comes to promoting, managing, and finally executing your event, make the most of every promotional resource and channel at your disposal to save precious money and time. Focusing your communication, invitations, and marketing efforts through online portals will support your offline awareness while dramatically expanding your reach at a low cost. Once you spread the word via email, entice supporters to rally their social networks behind your cause by sharing your posted content promoting it. Even if you sell fewer additional tickets than you had hoped, you gain priceless exposure that stands to expand your overall backers and deepen their connections to your corporation itself.
When your fundraiser culminates, recognize the opportunity to address a captive audience. Every donor who attends should be approached as a valuable connection in the making worthy of some personal face time. What better time to solicit some immediate, candid feedback and some passionate testimonials from supporters? Don’t pass up juicy kind words to thread into your website and marketing materials going forward. The most opportunistic organizers also make the most of these occasions to get attendees enthusiastically involved with your organization, be it through just subscribing to an email list and newsletter or joining future volunteer initiatives.
Any business charity event helps the business and their employees pay it forward and help others around them. It brings people together in a spirit of giving, and helps unite a business and a team. Use the tips and ideas discussed above to help make the planning of your next charity event go more smoothly.