Live fundraising events are great ways to create excitement around your cause and meet your supporters in person. Whether you are selling cookies or having a full blown gala, incorporating social media and online fundraising to your live event will drive attendance and additional donations.
Below are ideas to bring your live event online at every stage of the process:
BEFORE THE EVENT:
Facebook:
- Create a Facebook Page for the event and add the Mightycause Facebook Widget on the page. This will give invitees the opportunity to contribute, even if they can’t attend the actual event.
- Encourage your audience to share the event on their own Facebook pages.
- Create a hashtag for the event, such as #Movember or #Rock4EPACS. Use this tag to promote the event, provide updates and announcements, and also to live tweet while at the event.
Vine
- Create a few videos on Vine to get your guest list excited about attending
- The video could relate to the event or the cause itself
Blog
- Use your blog as a platform to post causes for your event, or as a landing page to send people to for more event information.
- This will drive more traffic to your blog where supporters can find additional information on the
- As the planning process is coming together, snap photos of items attendees can expect to see
- Auction Items
- Sample menu from the caterer
- Images of the event venue
- If it is a fundraiser, such as a bake sale, post images of the delicious items you will be baking! Who doesn’t get excited about cookies? Or if you’re having a garage sale, Istagram photos of some of your top items
Mightycause Fundraising Page
- Use your Mightycause page as a place to send invitees that cannot make the event but still want to support the cause.
DURING THE EVENT:
Facebook:
- Have volunteers and guests check into the event using their Facebook mobile apps.
- Post pictures, video and updates while the event is taking place.
Twitter:
- Using the # you created for pre-event promotion, live tweet while at the fundraiser and share some of the exciting things taking place, such as auction items going for a high bid.
Instagram:
- Share images of the event while it is taking place.
Mightycause Fundraising Page:
- Incorporate technology into your event. I recently attended a fundraiser for the East Palo Alto Charter School. During the event, students (chaperoned by adults), walked around with iPads and gave presentations to event attendees. On the iPad was a two slide presentation on EPACS, followed by a page to easily make an online donation. This idea was brilliant! Attendees felt connected to the cause through meeting the well-spoken, polite students and it provided an additional way to give on-the-spot, in the moment.
POST EVENT:
On all avenues of social media, be sure to send a big thank you to supporters and attendees. Share the success of your event with your audience, including numbers on how many attended and how much the event raised. Post images and keep included that # to continue the buzz around the event. Do a final push on social to remind those who couldn’t attend that they can still support the cause through making an online donation
Do you have any ideas for incorporating social to a live event? We’d love to hear from you!