Sometimes looking at your industry as an “outsider” can produce interesting results.

Back in 2009 when I was hired to create my first gala film, I was amazed by the grandeur of the fundraising events my clients hosted: everyone dressed in their finest – a real black tie event – with valet parking, a food selection that put wedding menus to shame, honorees and VIPs, and of course the featured videos.

The conventional wisdom, I soon learned, was that these high-profile affairs kept the spark alive between your organization and its supporters. They were both a celebration of the successes you had achieved together and a way of saying: “Thank you. We appreciate you, and we couldn’t do this without you.”

On its face, this approach made sense to me. You can’t take your backers for granted. While they may believe in your cause, you need to give them a reason to make it an ongoing priority in their busy lives. It can’t hurt to remind them occasionally that they’re absolutely essential to the work you do – work they value as well. Everyone has a good time, and by the end of the night, your guests are re-inspired, re-connected and re-committed to your cause.

It sounds good, doesn’t it? I certainly bought into the idea for a while, creating film after film for some amazing organizations.

Then I started to wonder what happened to all that goodwill after the guests went home.

Think about it. There’s a final speech, dessert, and then it’s all over. Within a few days, life has returned to normal.

We invest so much in these events. Why do we let so much of their impact go to waste?

The more I considered the issue, the more I realized that the whole system of annual events is structured… backwards.

We host these events with the intention of making them fundraising juggernauts. A few months beforehand, organizations send out “save the date” notifications, soon followed by actual invitations. These invitations usually contain a link to the organization’s website, where guests can purchase seats, place an ad in the journal, and make a donation.

But if the emotional climax is the dinner itself, why are all the donations made beforehand – when your supporters are almost a year distant from the last time you made your case to them? When they’re at their least enthusiastic and least connected? Why create the most lavish event of the year and then utterly fail to take advantage of the excitement you generate?

In this post, I’m going to go over some of the strategies I’ve devised for making the most of the most inspiring event on your organization’s calendar. First, we’ll talk about what you can do in the lead-up to amplify your fundraising effectiveness. Next, we’ll move on to the big night itself. And finally, we’ll add a whole new dimension by advising you on how to follow up effectively in the aftermath. Let’s do this!

A) Leading up to the event

Let’s back up for a minute. Remember, the current format invites guests to contribute to your organization when they sign up to attend. The sign-up process, however, isn’t exactly thrilling – that’s a word reserved for the dinner itself. And yet, sign-up time is when almost all donations are made and ads bought, not to mention when people decide whether to attend at all.

How many nos could have been turned into yeses with a little more effort? How many small gifts could have been encouraged to grow?

How many opportunities are missed when we simply trust sign-ups to take care of themselves?

It’s the twenty-first century! We have the technology to communicate not just more conveniently, but more effectively than ever before.

Here are the three areas we recommend developing to build the excitement you need:

1. Strategize your landing page

Your landing page is the online space where you send your guests to sign up, donate, buy an ad, etc. You might think that someone who clicks through to this page already knows what they plan to do – that they’ve already decided whether to give and how much. In reality, this is simply not the case. Site visitors can close the tab or back-click at any time. They can also be inspired to do more than they initially planned.

Just getting them to check the landing page out isn’t a guaranteed commitment. You still need to close the deal.

So what makes a good landing page? Make it cheerful, exciting, and uncluttered. Keep visitors focused on the big picture; this means including all the details of the event, your mission statement and call to action to reinforce what this is all about.

We’ve seen landing pages that feature long, confusing donation forms. If someone clicked through eager to give immediately, this kind of thing puts a huge damper on their momentum. It’s important to give your guests options, but it’s also essential not to make their gift feel like a chore that they might prefer to get to later, if at all. More than that — it should be a wholly positive experience.

Your RSVP form should be simple yet functional. Limit yourself to under five questions plus billing information and use multiple pages if you need to space things out a little more. Make sure guests only have to submit their payment details once, whether they’re just buying a ticket to the dinner or leaving an extra donation too.

The landing page should definitely be optimized for mobile, too. You want to be as accessible as possible, giving yourself the chance to convert every last expression of interest into concrete results.

2. Smart invites (email marketing campaign)

Traditionally, every guest receives the same invitation – the same images, the same text. With this standard invite, you’re delivering the same message to every recipient. But is it what they all need to hear?

You probably won’t be shocked at this point if we tell you that there’s a better way.

Consider the fact that some people haven’t thought about you since last year. Some intend to donate but just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Some have already made generous contributions.

Treating them as if they’re all at the same point in the process will result in many overtures that are impersonal and out of place. If your email doesn’t address a recipient’s true circumstances, if it’s repetitive or off-base, they’re more likely to delete it than to be intrigued or get involved. Where you’re looking to generate excitement, you’ll achieve indifference at best, irritation at worst.

What can you do instead? We recommend setting up an automated system that tracks what kinds of responses you get and sends appropriate follow-up emails. This keeps your event at the forefront of everyone’s minds, yet doesn’t annoy them with misplaced demands. Send out reminders to those who haven’t RSVP-ed; send a teaser to those who might be interested in increasing their gifts; as for those who’ve said they can’t come, ask them to donate anyway!

When you speak to people as they really are, you’re far more likely to see results!

3. Video makes everything better

You might think that as a video production company, we’d list video first.

Nope.

Video makes every communication more intense and more engaging, but isn’t a goal unto itself. It’s a tool with a practical purpose. When you create your video, you need to know exactly how you’re planning on using it. In this case, you’re looking for a video that will lead guests right to the RSVP form, alight with inspiration and enthusiasm.

By implementing video, you take your landing page and email campaign from competent to compelling. You achieve a dynamic setup that, taken all together, has the potential to energize and motivate direct action in the form of clicks on that donate button.

Here’s how you do it. First, stick a reference to the video in your email header: Annual dinner – teaser inside! This drastically increases the chances that people will open the email and click through.

But don’t send the reader to YouTube! Instead, place a link that leads to the landing page. That way, in order to see the video, invitees will have to come one step closer to where you want them.

Curiosity is frequently enough to get someone to check out your video. Once they’re watching, you have a chance to remind them why they love your organization. Tell them a story about what you’ve been doing, and extend them a personal invitation to the dinner from your staff and from the people you serve. Remember the whole point is to communicate that they’re valued and needed. This is how you rekindle their interest and direct it towards the upcoming event.

As you can see, these three elements aren’t really separable. They do work on their own, but each one makes the others that much more effective. The targeted emailing brings more people than ever to the landing page, where the video and simple layout make donating an easy and rewarding experience. Together, these elements are a coordinated strike that starts generating excitement and action before the fundraising event has even taken place.

B) The event

A fundraising event is more than just a good party.

It’s a planned interaction between you and your supporters – one with a very specific goal in mind. While everyone in attendance has already made some kind of contribution, that was before they spent any time right there in the room with you. That was before you had a chance to remind them properly how much they care about your work.

You’ve created an opportunity, an environment that allows you to renew your relationship with your allies and advocates. As you choreograph the evening, every choice you make will either see increased generosity from your guests in response… or it won’t.

With a little strategy and the right application of tools such as video, you can strengthen that bond more than you knew – and see immediate results.

1. Be specific

You probably have a grand vision for your organization, a philosophy and mission that underlie all your smaller undertakings.

In many ways, that’s not really what your gala is about.

You want to be able to promise your supporters concrete actions and tangible results. The smaller, more easily digested facts are actually what make the big picture feel real and important. When your guests can see with their own eyes the direct impact they’ve had with their past contributions, they will know in their bones that their cause was well-chosen.

One campaign, one project, one rallying cry – that’s how you give them a reason to give.

And you sell that by being consistent at every level. Tie your evening’s cause to a theme. Have fun with it. Be clever and memorable. Let every subtle detail bring attendees back to the concept, from the food  to the décor and especially in the video. In fact, start even earlier, working the concept into your invitations and landing page.

Meet with your team regularly throughout the planning stages to ensure that everyone has stayed on message. You guests will be impressed with your wittiness and higher standards, while never forgetting for a moment what the purpose of the evening is.

Your video presentation will be where you get the most explicit about this narrative. You dim the lights wait for a hush to fall over the room. Now you have everyone’s undivided attention. Why? So that you can recount what you’ve accomplished — and  lay out the goals you’re aiming for next. With all eyes on you, it’s time to deliver exactly the right tone and story, with perfectly complementary images and scoring, to get those laughs or tears flowing. Video gives you the power to make your guests really feel something.

And then? You call on them to act.

2. Don’t forget to ask

Don’t assume that your guests plan to donate unprompted. They’re at the event to enjoy themselves and to celebrate your organization; nothing about that means that they’ve written you a mental check in advance.

Ask them explicitly. You won’t find a better time. This evening, which revolves around everything they do for you, is the most opportune moment there will ever be to make your pitch.

We’ve already mentioned that your video should include a CTA. Video is an emotional medium that makes your work vivid and personal for viewers. There’s nothing more natural than reaching out to them after they’ve finished watching, channeling their reactions into useful actions.

And you can keep driving that point home. Make a speech about where the money is going. Verbally announce a target goal, set up a screen displaying real-time donations and center the event on watching those numbers tick up and up. This is fun, motivating, and challenging in a very positive sense.

If you don’t make giving the point, no one else will.

3. Make giving easy

None of this giving will matter if you aren’t prepared to receive. Make sure guests have every ability to act on their generous impulses. Once the moment passes and the evening ends, much of its power will dissipate, even just by the time everyone gets home.

Leave simple pledge cards at every table. Even better, set up a station with a credit card reader! Let people donate on the spot while emotions are high.

4. Keep it short and tight

This last bit of advice applies to both the video and the event as a whole: You don’t want to see people checking their watches.

You aren’t trying to lecture or educate your audience. You’re trying to keep them excited, energized  and interested. If you have too many speeches, or if any of them run too long, you’re working against your best interests.

This is another area where video can work wonders. Not only can an idea or presentation be shortened by turning it into a video, it becomes infinitely more attention-grabbing as well. People love watching videos!

While it’s important that your event be elegant and enjoyable, it would be a shame to stop the planning there. There’s too much to be gained.

C) Following up after the event

So, you did it.

You put together the perfect evening, ramped up excitement amongst your supporters, and translated that into a hugely successful fundraising drive.

But you’re not quite done yet.

In the days following your event, there’s a bit of a honeymoon period. People are still caught up in the aftermath, still feeling especially well-disposed towards your organization. It’s a delicate line to walk, after the outpouring of generosity you’ve already seen, but if you handle it right, you can continue to increase your donation total even once the night is over.

1. Keep it light

Keep up contact with your guests in a friendly, low-pressure way that focuses on the wonderful encounter you shared… and just so happens to leave the door open to further generosity while the mood is likely to strike.

What does this mean in practice? Immediately after the event is over, send a link to the video presentation out to your entire guest list with the heading: In case you want to see it again… This is helpful and a little sentimental, suggesting that the presentation was so well-received the first time, surely the viewer is eager to relive the experience.

Just as in the case of the invitation, don’t send your guests straight to YouTube. Embed the video on your landing page, with the call to action and donate button still discreetly in place. We recommend something simple, such as: You’ve committed $X. Would you like to increase your gift?

Since the purpose of your email is to share the video, not to solicit funds, this won’t come across as pushy – but it may inspire some last-minute philanthropy.

A day or two later, follow this up with a thank-you video that is embedded in just the same way. This is an expression of gratitude, not a sales pitch. The tone is thrilled and thankful for everyone who participated. But with that button right there, you never know who might increase their gift one last time.

2. If they didn’t attend, reach out again

Not everyone is able to make it to your event, even if they want to. But while those who weren’t there may not be on quite the same high, there’s no reason not to follow up with them and see what happens.

Immediately after the event is over, send a link to the video presentation with the heading: We’re sorry you couldn’t make it. Include a summary of the event. This encourages viewers to consider what they missed and suggests that they can still make themselves a part of the experience.

This viewer hasn’t yet been overwhelmed by fundraising talk, so the call to action can be slightly more direct: It’s not too late to support our goal.

For those who choose to donate, follow up with your thank-you email and discreet donate button a day or two later.

3. The personal thanks

While you value all your supporters, some individuals do tend to step up and stand out. These major donors have a special relationship with your organization that calls for more than a form email.

Have your board members email or call your major event donors personally and thank them for their attendance. Let them know how much they’re appreciated. This may not see immediate results, but going forward, it will be important that these people understand how essential they are to your success.

Wrapping Things Up

Whew! We’ve covered a lot of ground. I’d like to end things off by reassuring you that you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Now that you understand how much room there is to grow, you’ll be able to develop a marketing strategy for your particular circumstances.

In fact, we recommend that you don’t overdo it.

If you put all your resources into an annual dinner, that one event will be the only time you engage with your supporters all year. That means you’re going to spend the other 364 days losing momentum. By the time you’re ready to send out dinner invites again, you’ll have to generate interest pretty much from scratch.

Why not send out updates about your activities on the ground and how your supporters helped you achieve them? For the best outcome, make them video updates, since video gets results. Let people know about other opportunities to support your org. Send them quarterly updates, donor spotlights, anything that will keep you at the forefront of their minds.

When the next fundraiser rolls around, you’ll already have a strong support base in your corner.