You plan, prepare, promote and pull off an amazing fundraising event, and then what? Naturally, you breathe a sigh of relief and go home—that is, if you’re like most event planners. And, of course, that makes sense: Planning and pulling off a successful event is a Herculean task. You deserve some rest.
But what if you tried something different that could get you miles farther than a sigh of relief and an evening on your couch? Instead of simply packing up your leftover swag, patting your volunteers on the back, and turning off the lights on your current event, you could (don’t hit me)—get ready for your next one.
If you’re going to plan, staff, and host one event, why not prepare for the next one at the same time? It might seem like biting off more than you can chew, but you’ll be saving time in the long run. Here are four ways to get ready for your next event before your current one is over.
1. Promote the next event now.
If you’re hosting an annual event, like a holiday fundraiser, have the date of next year’s event ready to share with people. Optimally, you could set up a table where attendees can register for next year’s event at a discounted rate, or even create a page on your website for next year’s registration. This leads to the second point.
2. Have your website ready.
You’re probably going to share the successes of your current event online. Attendees will be excited to see pictures, videos, fundraising results, etc., and you can have that landing page nearly ready to go before your event is over. On that page, promote your next event along with a date, time and, if you can manage it, a link to register. You don’t need to have all the deets nailed down in order to start promoting it. Plus you’ll catch attendees at the height of their excitement for your organization—it’s a great time for recruiting. Might as well ride that wave and get your website ready for what’s to come.
For more tips to save time when planning your event, check out the full article on Firespring.org >>
