Are you maximising engagement with your guests?

​Guests.

​Every fundraising event courts them and then often discards them when an event is over.

Your guests are not only attending your event, they are connecting with your cause. They are not only purchasing a ticket to your lunch, they are investing in your cause. They do not leave your event when it’s over, they are actually just starting their journey with your organisation.

However in the chaos that can sometimes be (ok, let's be honest, often is!) event planning, the power of your guests is often forgotten.
The focus is often on getting bums on seats, ensuring the timings are right, making sure you have enough staff, getting the registrations right and finalising presentations. The guests get left behind.

As soon as your guest purchases a ticket, or RSVPs to your event, they have made a commitment. And it is a commitment that you need to honour and leverage.

Engagement with your guests start from that first moment of contact and continues through to after the event. This is vital for charities and non profit organisations.
​
It is how you communicate with them before the event, how you value them during the event and how you follow up with them after the event.
Your guests are your warm leads. And it can be the small gestures that make all the difference:

• An email prior to the event with handy hints on where to park
• An email prior to the event that says you are looking forward to welcoming them
• A visit to their table at the event to say hello (do your homework on who is in the room!)
• Acknowledgement by the MC of the difference they are making by supporting the event
• An email the day after the event to thank them for their attendance and let them know how the money raised will be used
• An email a week after the event that shows other ways they can be involved including donating, volunteering, posting on social media

​So next time you are putting together your event management plan, ensure guest engagement is front and centre.

Author

Georgie Stayches is Founder and Managing Director of Fetching Events & Communications, a boutique agency specialising in event management, communications and volunteer management.