Having
an event is one thing, but crafting your event to suit your audience is one of
the big keys to a successful fundraising event. Having an event that engages
your crowd, pulls them into the program and excites them to give doesn’t happen
if you don’t take them into account during your planning. This can become
especially true with long-standing events at organizations whose donor bases
may have shifted some over time.
It’s a
good idea to look at your crowd and ask, “What will engage them?”
Mt.
Hood Kiwanis Camp asked this question and this year’s Great Gatsby events were
the result. Previously, they had one nighttime event that tried to accomplish
everything for a widening support base. And in doing so, they were hitting a
fundraising ceiling and felt unable to take their event to the next level.
This
year they took a good look at the history of guests at their event and found
that it started to filter into a couple of different camps. One group really
loves a big silent auction, blackout board, lower ticket prices and to be done
at a decent hour. The other group was willing to spend more on a ticket and
generally moved away from the silent auction toward a more robust live auction.
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| Great Gatsby Brunch |
So
they split their event into two. The morning champagne brunch event offered a
wine toss and blackout board as activities during the larger silent auction
with a variety of price points and two closures. The crowd then moved into a
buffet brunch. The live auction during this program featured all of the Kiwanis
Club baskets that are put together every year as a friendly competition and
fundraiser. It allowed the organization to celebrate the Clubs that have been a
wealth of support and volunteer resource for the camp for decades, and for
those baskets to raise more than they have in a silent auction setting. Different
incentives were offered at different levels of the special appeal to galvanize
giving. There was even an auction of the floral centerpieces so that by the end
of the brunch they were all cleared to make room for the evening’s décor.
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| Brunch Decor |
Then,
with this successful event under their belt, MHKC flipped the venue and
prepared for their nighttime program. The Gala featured a smaller silent
auction with specific wine featured to appeal to the interests of this
different crowd. Instead of a blackout board, they sold wild card raffle
tickets at a higher price point allowing the winner to pick a live auction item
off the auction block.
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| Gala Decor |
They
then moved the guests into the dining room where a seated dinner after the sun
had gone down lent to a more Gala-like air. The live auction was specifically
procured to be all trips and travel to match the spending interest of the
crowd. There was time at the end of the program where the band played and
guests were able to continue socializing into the night.
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| Great Gatsby Gala |
They
were able to achieve this onsite with the use of as many elements as they could
between the two events. The theme connected the two to allow for décor elements
to be in place for both. They used the same videos for each appeal, but changed
the speaker. They used two different bands to create different feels. They
changed linen color and centerpieces. Registration stayed the same and reset
for the second event.
By
taking a look at how their audience was splitting, they were able to meet them
where they wanted to be met and as a result they were able to break through the
fundraising ceiling they had not been able to previously. Creating an event and
hoping it works for your audience will never raise as much as if you design
your event for your audience. Your donor base changes over time and if your
events aren’t changing to match, you’re missing a big opportunity.
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