The Day After the Event

It's finished! Your event was yesterday and all the time, money, and effort that you put in came to fruition. Now, you can rest.

Wait. No, you can't! You've only just begun!

It's time for the follow-up.

Sometimes, organizations focus so much energy solely on the event itself. However, if you aren't careful, you overlook the opportunity that was just presented to you. These people who joined you for your event - be it through friends or family - are potential ministry partners and friends to the organization. This relationship is brand new to some and first impressions truly last. This is your opportunity to make a GREAT first impression. By showing appreciation for those in attendance, you nurture relationships with potential ministry partners. This is your chance to not only fundraise but to “friend-raise” as well. Within FundEasy, you can easily see who participated, donated, and raised funds for your event. With Attendance, you can see who hosted a table, attended, etc!  It is important to thank each of these people.

Say Thank-you within 24 hours!

Connecting with participants and ministry partners should be done in a tiered fashion within a week of your event - the sooner the better. For every day a ministry partner goes unthanked, money is lost, so be ready to start that very next day. For best results, aim to get thank-you's "out the door in 24" -- preferably starting phone calls the very next day. Trust me, your partners will be impressed that you took the time to reach out! Be certain to thank your event sponsors and large-dollar ministry partners (top 10%) immediately after the event. This is a great opportunity to share next year's event date with them and invite them to sponsor/participate again. Having the event fresh in their mind helps encourage commitment for next time. PRO TIP: Print a list using the Report & Exports Event Tool and divide & conquer the task of following up with donors. You also have some long-time ministry partners who have been faithful for several years and some brand new partners who have given a large first-time gift: These people need a little extra care. Take the time to call or visit with them and follow up to learn their reason for giving. The impact will be far greater than an email or a receipt. That said, for a broader reach of participants and low-dollar partners, emails are a wonderful way to connect with many people in a swift timeframe.

Use Emails to say thank you!

Emailing through FundEasy or AttendEasy helps to reach all your participants and ministry partners to say thank you and let them know you will be following up with them periodically so you can continue growing the relationship. All people have a desire to feel as though they belong and are significant. The follow-up with participants and ministry partners is an essential part of relationship building for your organization. This is your chance to help these people know how vital they are to the work you do in your community. Through their gifts, they are changing lives! What an amazing gift! So, right now, make certain that on your "To-Do List," you have "Thank Ministry Partners" listed immediately following the event. Or, simply print out our "Fundraising Walk To-Do List" and start checking off those tasks today. Happy planning! 

Andrea Trudden

Article Updated May 2019 Photo 1: By bruce mars from Pexels Photo 2: By Courtney Hedger on Unsplash

This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with ministries and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.