Hosting a nonprofit event isn’t just about the big day; a well-done event can have lasting impacts on your donor’s overall support of your organization. A strong post-event engagement strategy will maximize the benefits of your event.
This article will cover best practices for keeping your audience engaged well after your event has ended.
Ensure the close of your event goes smoothly
If you are running an auction at your event, you can avoid the hassle of a chaotic checkout with auction management software like AuctionSnap. Guests can easily check out and pay from their phones and receive a receipt right in their inbox. This minimizes the need for long checkout lines at the end of your event. Wrap up all of your paperwork and administrative work at the close of your event so you are not scrambling the following weeks trying to send out receipts and follow up with auction winners.
Send out a thank you to all attendees ASAP
If you have saved some time by closing out your auctions, you can get right to the important task at hand of thanking your guests. Consider sending out a heartfelt thank you on multiple platforms. If you can, a handwritten card and direct mail have a more personal feel. However, if this is not in your organization’s time or budget you can create thank you emails in your CRM. If you are going this route consider segmenting your guests and giving them personalized letters. This will be more time effective but still offer that personalized touch donors crave.
Pro Tip: Create one letter for auction participants and include a special note thanking them for participating in your auction with the results of what it raised. You can learn more about tax implications and receipting auction winners here.
Sample Thank You Letter to Nonprofit Event Attendees
Dear [First],
Thank you so much for joining us at our annual gala. Your presence at the event signifies your commitment to our organization, and we want you to know how much it means to us. It was truly a joy to be surrounded by individuals like yourself who form the heartbeat of our organization.
This year, thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we are thrilled to announce that we successfully raised a total of [dollar amount]. These funds will be directed towards [allocation of funds], contributing significantly to the advancement of our mission and initiatives.
Once again, thank you for being a vital part of our gala and for contributing to the continued success of our organization. We look forward to your continued involvement and hope to see you at future events.
Warm regards,
[Signature]
[Organization Name]
Create a public thank you
In addition to thanking your attendees, create a public thank you to share with your social media channels. Try to do this as soon as possible, such as the next morning while your event is still top of mind for most attendees. This will help you see more engagement on your social media posts. Include a thank you to everyone who attended, as well as event recaps and what was raised in total. Use this as an opportunity to rally excitement with your entire audience. This can help create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) for those who did not attend and can help drive up attendance at your next event.
Collect feedback and recap with your team
Your nonprofit events should serve and inspire your audience. It never hurts to send out a short post-event survey to see how participants felt about the event. Use this as an opportunity to learn more about what they would like to see more or less of at your next event. Also connect with volunteers, your staff, board members, and other key stakeholders to discuss the evening. Take detailed notes about what worked and what didn’t. Make note of vendors and logistics, so that planning your next event goes smoother. For example, if you shopped around and found a great caterer for your event – keep note of their contact information so you can use them in the future.
Express Gratitude to Your Team
Lastly, always express gratitude to your team and volunteers. They’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort, and their dedication made the event a success. Make sure to thank them and give them the recognition they deserve for pulling your event together. If you have time and the budget for it, a simple celebratory coffee and donut morning can be a great way to thank your team, reconnect, and recap.
Final Thoughts
At the close of your nonprofit events, take time to create a thoughtful follow-up to ensure lasting engagement. The days after your event your audience is still buzzing from the excitement, so take this opportunity to thank them and get their feedback. Always take time post-event to recap with your team to ensure your next event is better than the last. And never forget the power of a heartfelt thank you to both your supporters and your team, since they are the reason behind your event’s success.