This blog post is by CharityHowTo Expert AJ Steinberg
Many organizations spend an enormous amount of time and resources on nonprofit events, only to have them fall short of their goals. They may try changing venues and changing themes, but still, the events fail to meet expectations.
What these organizations should be changing instead is their own mindsets and figuring out how to fix their events’ psychology!
As a 20-year veteran nonprofit event planner, I deeply understand the psychology of fundraising through nonprofit events and how the choices we make during the event planning process will impact, positively or negatively, a guest’s experience and an event’s bottom line.
Whether you are aware of it or not, all events and gatherings play upon certain basic human needs:
Belonging: Since the time of cavemen, humans have felt the need for community. This need centers on gaining acceptance, attention, and support from members of a group as well as providing the same attention to other members.
By creating a welcoming environment at your nonprofit event, and offering opportunities for generosity in a public setting, you create a warm sense of community. Your event’s social hour or cocktail time is geared toward building a sense of community and belonging.
Self-esteem: Self-esteem refers to a person’s overall sense of value or worth, and it is often a measure of how much we feel other’s appreciate or like us. Making all guests at your nonprofit event (not just VIPs and sponsors!) feel their attendance is appreciated will go far in boosting each guest’s self-esteem.
Likewise, the opportunity to raise a paddle with other guests in the room witnessing their generosity elevates self-esteem as well.
Being a part of something bigger than oneself: The need for purpose is one of the defining characteristics of human beings. This craving leads people to step up and join others in working towards a higher goal.
A paddle raise offers the “community” of guests a chance to band together, make a pledge, and raise substantial funds for a meaningful cause.
Nonprofit events are unique gatherings with aims that go well beyond simply having an enjoyable time.
These goals include fundraising, community outreach, and guest appreciation. Nonprofit events also pull at emotional triggers, which can evoke both good and bad feelings in attendees. These triggers include:
Valued vs. less than: Guests can feel important and appreciated, or they can feel that other attendees received attention and benefits while they were overlooked. If you’re struggling to make your donors feel valued, here’s a good resource that breaks down how to say thanks.
Engaged and interested vs. disengaged: Nonprofit event guests can feel entertained and informed, or they can feel bored and emotionally/mentally check out, or even physically leave early.
Respect for a well-done job vs. it was a waste of time: Guests are impressed by the quality of your nonprofit event’s elements and stage programming, or they can feel disgruntled that event was poorly executed and a waste of their time.
Compelled to give vs. annoyed at being asked: Guests can feel compelled to give in direct response to being mentally and emotionally engaged, or they can feel overly pressured to donate to an organization to which they have formed no bonds.
Desire for more involvement vs. feeling negative about an organization: Nonprofit event guests can feel a bond with your organization and plan to keep the relationship growing, or they can feel antipathy towards your organization and have no desire to ever hear from you again.
The choices made when planning nonprofit events heavily impact guests’ emotional triggers. Understanding these triggers will help you create an event at which guests’ emotions lean in your favor.
I am going to show you how to use psychology to create a community bond among guests, boost guests’ self-esteem, and make them want to raise their paddles and generously support your organization.
The three following steps will help you build events that positively trigger guests’ emotions:
If you were to invite friends to your house for a dinner party, you would most likely prepare something special for them. You would probably choose a delicious menu, create a unique cocktail, set the table beautifully and give guests ample time for socializing before sitting them down for dinner.
Now think about your nonprofit events. Are you doing those same things for your fundraisers and galas?
When your guests arrive at your nonprofit events, are each of them greeted warmly? Do you give them plenty of time to socialize before ushering them into the ballroom for the meal and stage program?
Do you put thought into the food and beverage you will serve, with an eye to making the best impression? And, most importantly, do you keep the stage program moving along briskly so they remain engaged and interested until the end?
If you want to improve your guests’ enjoyment, maximize revenue and create post-event engagement, you must change your approach to planning your nonprofit events. Stop thinking of big events as large-scale cattle herding and start planning them as you would a small-scale dinner party.
No, this doesn’t mean you’d only invite a dozen people to your gala. It does mean, however, that you use the same thought process when producing large fundraisers as you do when hosting a handful of friends at your home. Make them feel welcome, appreciated, and keep the event lively and interesting!
The following elements directly impact the expectations and emotions of your guests. Look at each of these and determine if they are helping, or hindering, your steps toward making a positive impact with guests.
Your organization’s goal was not just to raise money during your nonprofit event. The time and money spent producing these gatherings are an investment in building long-term relationships.
This means gaining new supporters as well as stewarding existing donors to higher levels of participation. Either way, it is so important to properly engage your attendees in the days, weeks and, even, months following your event.
Your organization should have a protocol in place for post-event engagement which clearly outlines each follow-up step to be taken in the weeks following your nonprofit event.
Since there is a lot of follow-up work for your organization immediately following an event, I suggest that all post-event email blasts and letter templates be composed well in advance, when there is less stress and ample time to compose thoughtful words of thanks to guests. This way, after your nonprofit event these letters and emails are already set to go.
To help you create your own follow-up strategy, click here for a 3-step protocol I have created to help organizations maximize post-event engagement! You can use this as an outline for your organization to use following all your nonprofit events.
You should also check out my nonprofit event Facebook group Everything Events with AJ where I share my knowledge and resources with an amazing community of nonprofit folk!
Also, for a deeper dive into the psychology behind events, check out Priya Parker’s brilliant book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters.
A.J. Steinberg has been creating outstanding special events since 1999. In 2015 A.J. created Queen Bee Fundraising which focuses on the art of nonprofit special event management. Along with producing nonprofit events, A.J. teaches volunteers and professionals the strategies for producing successful fundraising events, along with guidance on how to successfully lead volunteer committees to achieve their goals.
Click here to view all CharityHowTo free and premium webinars by AJ Steinberg!
For other idea’s on how to succeed in nonprofit events, check out this article by our friend at:
4aGoodCause – How to run a profitable nonprofit fundraising event