Special events are commonly used by nonprofits to raise money.
From dinner/galas with silent auctions to golf tournaments and everything in between, millions of dollars are raised each year to support the work of nonprofit organizations.
Getting people to attend your special events can be a challenge, particularly if your organization is small and relatively unknown.
Here are a few tips for filling your special event.
1.
Have a fun and unique event.
The more interesting and appealing your event sounds, the more likely people will want to come.
If your event is different from all the others in your community, that will also help draw guests in.
2.
Recruit media sponsors to help publicize your event.
Having media attention for your event will not only help get the word out in the community, but also give your event a bit of credibility.
After all, radio and television stations wouldn't talk about it if it wasn't going to be a good event, right? 3.
Have a local celebrity as a spokesperson.
If you have a local celebrity who is willing to be a spokesperson for your event, that will also encourage people to attend.
And if guests have the chance to meet and mingle with the celebrity at the event, even better! 4.
Sell corporate tables or teams.
Businesses are usually willing to purchase a whole table or team full of tickets and then give them to their employees as a benefit.
This is a great way to get new people exposed to your organization and fill a table or team at the same time.
5.
Recruit table captains or team captains.
For some events, table or team captains can be the best way to get new faces to attend.
Table or team captains typically are people who are friends of your organization and who recruit their friends to fill a table.
6.
Send invitations to your supporters.
Don't overlook the obvious! Send an invitation to your current donors and volunteers about the event.