Special events: 5 ways to create donor involvement.(FAITH-BASED FUNDRAISING)

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An old saying in the fundraising world is that "an involved donor is a giving donor." But no matter how old the saying, it has never been more true than today. Donors, especially your biggest donors, or donors who are considering "stepping up" their gifts to your ministry, want involvement that goes beyond their checkbooks. They want to see and touch your organization, and they want tangible evidence of the good work of your ministry.

That's why an annual banquet or special "donor appreciation" event can be a powerful way to involve your donors. Most nonprofit and ministry leaders instinctively know this, but they often tail to get the most from their events because they fail to include some basic--but vitally important--components in the planning and execution of their event. Now, that's not the basic logistics of the event. Those logistical details are extremely important. These are the components that often get lost in the rush to handle the logistics, but are vital in connecting your donors to your organization. Here are some of them:

* Develop a Strategy for the Event. There's a joke about a preacher who spoke for two hours and concluded by apologizing: "I could have kept this to 20 minutes, but I didn't have enough time to prepare."

Don't be like that preacher. Bring your leadership team together and develop a clear strategy for the event. Don't try to tell the audience everything you know about your ministry. Focus on the things they need to know to make a major giving decision. Make sure that every minute of the event is designed to advance that cause.

* Brief Guest Speakers Thoroughly. Having a big-name outside speaker is great. In fact, it's recommended. But nothing says "disconnect" like a speaker who fumbles the name of your ministry, or doesn't seem to understand its mission or core activities. A relatively minor "flub" can make the entire event seem "canned" and impersonal.

Most professional speakers are just that--pros. They will welcome the opportunity to know about your organization and incorporate what they know into their speeches. So pick a speaker who shares the values of your organization and brief them thoroughly. The result will be an event that to the audience feels thoughtful and thoroughly planned.

* Educate the Attendee. A special event will often turn out spouses and friends who might not have as robust an understanding of your ministry as the person who actually invited them. Begin educating your attendees as soon as they arrive at the registration desk. If your ministry regularly attends trade shows, erect your trade show booth in the lobby or registration area for your event. Give a brochure or fact sheet to attendees when they check in for their nametags.

* A Major Donor Reception. Once again, the goal of a special event is getting people connected and involved. That's why it's almost always a good idea to hold a reception prior to a banquet that brings together your major donors. If you have a well-known speaker, a reception that allows them to meet and be photographed with the speaker is also a great way to give these donors an additional donor "benefit."

But don't forget that the real "leave-behind" of a reception is not a photograph or a feeling of exclusivity, but a more intimate connectedness with your most important partners. So even a reception should have a plan and a purpose. If it is just about socializing, you have wasted a great opportunity.

* Include Testimonials. What better way to illustrate the values and mission of your ministry than to have people whose lives have been changed as a result of your ministry play a special role in the event? Nothing beats well-organized testimonials. Limit the number of testimonies to two or three and make certain the person speaking knows they have a time limit of three to five minutes. If possible, rehearse the testimonials.

By the way, ask donors to give testimonies, too. You will be thrilled to hear what they have to say on your behalf. They can say things about your work that you cannot say yourself.

There is, of course, much more to do to put on an outstanding special event. Logistics, marketing, timelines--the list goes on and on. All of these elements are vital if your event is to come off professionally. But in the midst of these details, never forget your overriding purpose: to create connectedness and involvement--to create a true community centered around your ministry.

And if you will implement in your ministry's special and unique way the ideas mentioned here, you will go a long way toward creating a community of involved and committed friends who will support your ministry through good times and bad.

Douglas Shaw is chairman and chief executive officer of Douglas Shaw and Associates in West Chicago, Ill. His Web site is www.douglasshaw.com and his email is dshaw@douglasshaw.com