Charity event planning can be a lot of pressure. You are trying to raise money for a worthy cause while making sure guests have an amazing time. After all, you want them to continue supporting your cause in the future. While there are many steps that go into planning a successful charity event, here are some tips to steer you in the right direction.
Planning
As with any event, coming up with a detailed plan, establishing a reasonable timeline, and setting goals are the first steps in throwing a successful charity event. With so many moving parts, you need to make sure everyone is on the same page at all times. Figure out dates and times, decide who your target audience is, get budgeting allocated, and communicate, communicate, communicate!
Venue
Deciding on a venue is usually one of the first steps in charity event planning. Try to choose a venue that is centrally located to where your nonprofit operates. You want to make it easy for your major supporters to attend. Visit the potential venue in person to make sure it will have the space to accommodate your guests and give off an inviting atmosphere.
Layout
Layout is also a crucial feature that is often not given enough thought. Make sure there is enough room for wait staff and guest to maneuver between tables. The tables should also be arranged in a way that all guests have view of the stage. If people cannot see what is going on they are more likely to not pay attention. This leads to guests talking over your speakers and auctioneer and in turn, leads to less money being raised.
Entertainment
Fun, upbeat entertainment has the power to put people in a giving mood. While having a band sets a great tone for the event, having an additional form of charity event entertainment will take it to the next level. There are even ways to incorporate the entertainment into your live auction to raise more money for your cause. Using Speed Painter Tim Decker to wow your crowd with a fast paced performance right before the auction will get them in the bidding mood and auctioning his works of art will bring in additional funds!
Auctions
Have a varied assortment of live auction items. People tend to get too caught up in the “theme” of the event during the charity event planning phase and end up only auctioning off items in that one category. This leads to a boring experience since you are not piquing the various interests in the room. Also, avoid only including local experiences in your auction. Odds are, your guests have already seen it or done it and you won’t get top dollar out it.
Auctioneer
Hiring a professional auctioneer is something that will pay off in a big way. An auctioneer will get the most money out of your crowd for each item. While using an MC or board member saves money short term, you are missing out on the great potential an auctioneer is trained to get out of your guests. Also, stay away from electronic bidding. It takes away the excitement from an auction and doesn’t raise nearly as much.
Sound System
Most people assume any old microphone and speaker will do, however many auctions have been ruined with a screechy sound system. If the sound quality is terrible, all your fundraising efforts will have been wasted. When people cannot hear the auctioneer and item descriptions, bidding will suffer. Not to mention guests will lose interest and begin talking over your MC and honorees.
Decor
While there are no set ways to decorate for an charity event, one key tip involves centerpieces. Centerpieces have the power to transform a room. However, one thing people don’t consider is centerpiece size. Be careful not to choose anything that is “over sized”. When guests cannot see over or around the centerpiece to the stage, you will create a sense of detachment. After all, if someone cannot see what is going on, do you really expect them to pay attention?
Marketing
Advertising and promoting your charity event are a must. Take advantage of social media to market to your supporters. There are also many free or low cost online opportunities available specifically for nonprofits.
Day of
Make sure you rent out the venue with plenty of time for setup included. Nothing is worse than rushing around right up until the doors open. Be sure to have people onsite to direct and advise vendors and entertainment.
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Planning a charity event is a lot of work. Follow the above charity event planning tips and you will be well on your way to a successful event!
Having a varied assortment of items is key to having a successful live auction.
