Properly Planning a Perfectly Proportionate... Fundraiser

So I've babbled on and on about hosting all sorts of events. But what I've never done is tell you the best way to go about planning. Here's the skinny:

Your event should never cost more than 10% of what you think you can fundraise.
Read this twice: YOUR EVENT SHOULD NEVER COST MORE THAN 10% OF WHAT YOU THINK YOU CAN FUNDRAISE. If you plan to spend £100, then you should shoot to raise £1,000. Even if your not concerned about what you spend, you'll find yourself rather disappointed if that £500 you spent on salmon cakes only equaled £100 in donations.

Have a list of guests. Invite them. Invite them again. Call and remind them to come.
Send invites. Email them. Call them. To have a good event you just need a bit of persistence. Don't harass, plan. Let people know a month or two out, then send an invite, then call or email to see if they are coming (if they haven't said yes or no.) Sometimes contacting them will bring a donation or two more even if they can't attend but want to support you.

Stay away from the drippy or messy foods.
Really, you need to be focusing on your guests not scrubbing the carpet. Ideas are:

• Cheese + Crackers + Fruit
• Pre-Packaged, Pre-Cooked items you can pop on a nice plate or in a stove
• Self-Contained themes like: Pasta Party, Pizza, Taco Bowls, or and evening of Desserts

This may not apply in dinner party situations but to reduce your clean-up, it may do best as a course. Speaking of which:

Get paper, plastic, or rent your dishes (there are places that will take them back dirty - really).
Again, focus on your guests not the mess. You can find high-end things that can hit the recycle bin without you crying over them. Alternatively, there are party stores that will provide all sorts of pretty things at a reasonable rental cost. Or you can ditch the plates altogether and get yourself some nice serving items.

Have a donation bowl, tin, or something right where they walk in.
This is for your charity, and you should be proud of it. Wandering around after people have had a few glasses of wine for money may work against you, so just have people "check-in" and drop their donation right at the door. (PS - See if your charity will send along balloons, stickers, or little give-aways like badges or pens. It makes it look a bit more professional.)

Be sure that you gather everyone to thank them and give a donation pitch.
They've come for you and your cause. Make sure you take a moment to stand up and tell them how much it means for them to be supporting you and your charity.

Have fun.
This isn't supposed to be stressful. So pick and plan an event that you can handle and enjoy!

How you representing?

So if you want to think of fundraising from a purely business perspective you should think in two terms:

1. Donations.
2. Exposure.

For those England fundraising types, you've probably gotten packets that give you several very good ways to do #1. Many of them will also give you #2, except you may stand there and think, "Why on EARTH do I need to do something to expose this charity?"

Simple. Because exposure brings awareness and awareness brings more awareness and ... more donations.

"But..." you reply, "this is a well known charity. This shouldn't be hard to raise money for."

That's where you are wrong.

When you commit to fundraising it is always good to commit to some level of exposure as well. A business wouldn't open a shop without a sign. A dentist wouldn't set up practice and then not tell anyone where they are. That is why you'll see charities with commercials, posters, and cheerleaders at the race.

People need to know the charity exists in order to support (or seek support) from it. You probably wouldn't have known about your charity without a personal experience, a friend who got help from it, a campaign on television or in the news that touched you, or even an advertisement seeking runners. Exposure is important and as vital as any donations you get.

So...

1. Wear your t-shirt or running jersey whenever you can. I wear my t-shirt for the National Autistic Society on Friday, and my jersey on my long runs.
2. Carry a few informational pamphlets and your collection tin wherever you go. It will remind you to talk about your charity and maybe get you some support.
3. Let local media outlets know what you are doing. Many radio stations and charities have Twitter accounts and don't mind retweeting people looking for donations. News groups will sometimes do profile pieces on people doing charity work of all kinds.
   
4. Blog. (Um, duh.) Tweet. (Double duh.) and Fan your group on Facebook. (TRIPLE duh.) Heck, add a support ribbon to your avatar.

There a many great ways to show support for your charity and help elevate awareness. My best feeling has come not from the donations (though it feels spectacular) but from a woman who saw me running in my jersey during a practice run. As I jogged by she caught my eye and said, "Thank you."

It's just a reminder that despite my own goal, there is a bigger cause out there.

Big monies asking.

So now that VMGiving is passing me around to super great people who are working for their charities, I thought now and again I'll post some of my old fundraising tips up for people to use.

I'll jump into it: It is HARD to ask for big money.

It is easy to break it down, and so that is what people do. But to hit (and exceed - nothing like good excess for fundraising) you have to go out, be humble, and ask for some dough.

A few blogs back I talked about making up a Fundraising Pool. This is where you look through everyone you know, list them, and think about what area of donation they fall into. If you are lucky and you have a few successful friends they would fall into your category called Major Donors. These are people you ask with utmost care, ones that you should take the time to tailor your ask to.

Time to think.

Are they a person who will give so long as you ask?
Many good friends and business colleagues are like this. If you approach, be passionate and honest, they will often back you up. All you have to do is approach, open your mouth, and try. If you are nervous find someone willing to play act with you so you don't feel as if you are jumping straight into cold water.

Are they someone you'd like to do something for?
If you find yourself stuck on straight asking, why not think of an event to center around your friend or friends? Hold an exclusive dinner where you cook a big feast, or uncork some special wine for a night and ask a suggested donation amount. Sometimes it loosens you up a bit and makes it easier to ask for bigger bucks.

Are they someone who can help promote your cause?
Sometimes it is more than money, these people can be the bringers of smaller donations that really add up. Business owners may put a collection tin out front and make a big deal out of your efforts. Others might join in to sponsor your running shirt, giving advertising dollars to a worthy cause. Still more may help you with smaller events like raffles and bake sales.

Remember: Don't be afraid. Be creative, flexible, and confident.