Converting Your Special Event
Guests to Program Donors
Deborah Spector, President
Creative Solutions & Innovations
deborah@creative-si.com
www.creative-si.com/blog
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Your nonprofit just completed a
successful special event!
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Post-event check list
 More than 350 guests attended the special
event
 The entertainment was great
 The silent auction was a success
 The new awards program was well-received
 You had great media coverage
 You beat your financial goal!
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Now capitalize on your success!
Convert your special event
guests into program donors.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

First Step
Be sure that senior staff & board members are going in
the same direction
& are committed to converting special event guests into
program donors!
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Special Event Timeline*
*Contact deborah@creative-si.com for special event timeline template
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Action steps before event
 Update timeline & add post-event action steps:
 Post-event surveys
 Invitations to signup for e-newsletters
 Announce updates on programs & volunteer opportunities
 Send personalized thank you notes with hand-written note
from event chairs
 Update CRM database:
 Identify interests and connections
 Research Google & social media sites
 Update contact information
 Identify personal contact within organization
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Action steps before event #2
 Create event micro-site or update website
 Add electronic RSVP & payment services
 Include information about your mission & vision to auto-
responder thank you.
 Update your website and e-newsletter on what programs
your special event supports.
 Update communications plan including Social Media
 Update social media sites
 Activate online communications
 Create online press room
 Invite guests to like you on Facebook & join you on LinkedIn
 Update YouTube site
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Action steps before event #3
 Hold a brainstorming session with leadership
 Identify new guests prospects
 Share knowledge & relationships to guests
 Volunteer to serve as ambassadors at event
 Choose 5-10 guests to personally invite to event
 Be involved in developing seating chart
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

At the event
 Your board members act as hosts.
 Ambassadors interact with their ‘target’ guests and where
possible join them at their tables.
 Signage recognizes sponsors & includes mission statement.
 Printed programs and other materials describe your programs
& projects.
 Be sure all materials have contact information to a person,
e.g., development director or program director.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

After the event
 Send personalized thank you notes.
 Arrange for board chair or event chair to sign.
 Ask ambassadors to send a separate note to their invitees
on personal stationary.
 Hold a post-event meeting
 Share knowledge about guests and possible links to
programs
 Identify guests for further cultivation
 Identify ways to stay in touch with key guests
 Invite them to special lectures & other targeted programs
 Include in your annual campaign with personal invitations
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Keep the story alive
Social media initiatives should live on, extending the
life of your events. Social media makes it easier for
you to reach out to attendees, volunteers &
sponsors to keep them engaged.
 Event website:
 Your event website serves as the hub for your event and after-
event activities
 Post awards
 Post photographs and a link to download and/or purchase
 Embed YouTube presentations
 Provide easy to find links to your social media sites.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Keep the story alive #2
 Facebook
 Launch an event page & keep live after the event.
 Continue building your community by inviting people to Like
your page.
 Feature your sponsors & post their comments on their event
participation.
 Provide event recaps in photos and videos.
 Thank participants, sponsors, volunteers.
 Quote participants about their experiences.
 Post a recap e-newsletter
 After the event turn your friends into activists for your cause.
Make sure you focus on opportunities to be engaged.
 Link to YouTube presentations from the event
 Share your successes.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Keep the story alive #3
 Twitter
 Create a Twitter hashtag for your event.
 Share relevant information/content about your organization.
 Put links to your event in your tweets.
 Build engaged community before and during your event.
 Invite people to retweet information on your cause.
 Say thank you to people who retweet your post.
 Set up twitter to post tweets to your Facebook event page.
 Tweet links to event videos, & testimonials.
 Keep up your presence with meaningful information on your
cause.
 Continue to build an interested community.
 Link to YouTube presentations from the event.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Keep the story alive #4
 LinkedIn
 Create a group for your organization.
 Post information about your events in your group.
 At the same time, foster robust discussion groups and
encourage members of your group to join the discussion
 Link to YouTube presentations from the event
 Share your successes
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Be Realistic!
Analyze the reasons people came to your special
event. Stay focused on building community:
 Were guests asked by a friend? Were they part of a
corporate table?
 Realize cultivation will be more difficult unless you identify
a connection.
 Regardless, find ways to stay in touch and involve.
 Do they support your mission? Are family members
touched by the issues you address?
 Invite to on-site visits and lectures with leading authorities
in your field.
 Provide links to resources.
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031

Resources In The Spotlight
www.creative-si.com/in-the-spotlight.html
POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS -
 Communications – Getting Attention & Enhancing Your
Reputation
 Loud & Clear - Successfully Marketing Your Nonprofit
 Fundraising Without Special Events? No Way!
 The Power of Sponsorships!
 Promoting a Film Festival in 3 weeks!
 Special Events during Turbulent Times
 Role of the Board & Successful Fundraising Techniques
Creative Solutions & Innovations
| www.creative-si.com | 404.325.7031