When Your Nonprofit Gets Dressed Up: Designing and Promoting Special Events
Special events are brand ambassadors for your nonprofit. Think of it as Christmas Eve or Easter service for a local church—an event that draws in lapsed or new audiences. It is a beacon that attracts those who identify with your values and mission in a fun, interactive format.
How to Publicize Your Special Event
Event Publicity Tip #1Consistent Messaging and Branding
Consistent messaging and graphics will help to communicate your event and keep it front of mind with your audience.
When deciding on event graphics, think of it as your brand getting dressed up for the prom—a more fun version of your organization, but still recognizable. Add a themed font or color, but pair it with other recognizable brand elements. Your logo should be included in all advertising—you are promoting your nonprofit as much as the event itself.
Event Publicity tip #2Flexible Formats for Event Graphics
Event graphics should be flexible enough to be used in a variety of formats—vertical, horizontal, and readable as a small digital ad to eye-catching on a billboard. If you have a vertical and horizontal design ready to go, you will be able to distribute it easily and quickly to any media channel that will share it on your behalf.
Event Publicity tip #3Eye-Catching Visuals for Promotion
Graphics do NOT have to include every detail. Their main purpose is to elicit curiosity. You want people to read your caption or click to learn more at your event web page. Your smallest digital ads should include your nonprofit’s name, event title, date, and a call-to-action to click and find out more. Printed ads or direct mail will include the most information, but should also include a web address or QR code to make it easy to RSVP.
Event Publicity tip #4Save the Date and Reminders
The bigger the event, the more advanced notice your audience needs. Digital save-the-date invitations should be sent out as soon as you have a venue—up to six months beforehand, and then a reminder should be sent at the three-month mark. Advertising, social, and email campaigns need to ramp up at the 2–3 month mark. Digital overwhelm means your audience needs to be shown event info at least 10-15 times for it to make an impression.
Along that same note—everyone has short attention spans these days, and reminders are welcomed, not annoying. Many of your supporters want to come to your event, but for a variety of reasons, may wait till the last moment to commit. I am hearing from event organizers that last-minute ticket purchases are the norm these days, especially post-COVID. Make it known that you welcome latecomers, if feasible.
Event Publicity Tip #5Raising Awareness About Your Special Event
FREE:
social media
email newsletters
community event pages
personal phone or email invitations to donors
event page on your website
local media
utilizing board members as influencers within their social circles
cross event promotion with other organizations
PAID:
digital ads
paid media placement (TV news, radio, articles, newsletters)
printed ads in free newspapers
ads in shopping areas
billboards
TV commercials
Digital invitations should be part of your strategy, but don’t discount direct mail for your largest events. Each day we are bombarded online, but there is very little competition in our home mailbox.
Next Steps
Planning a special event can be both fun and all-consuming. Make sure your investment in money and time is worth the ROI for your organization. Interested in learning about event planning from start to finish? Check out my blog post about a fundraiser and anniversary celebration for Catholic Charities and branding a season of performances for the Nashville Ballet.
Do you feel overwhelmed by the thought of planning, promoting, and executing an event? Let me take a portion of it off your shoulders, as I lead you step by step through the above. Contact me here.
