There’s nothing worse than a fundraising event with empty seats in the room. After all, your nonprofit organization is taking on an expense and investing time into planning an event to support a worthy cause — it’s important to have people there! But in a world with millions of nonprofit organizations vying for donations, it can be hard to get the word out.

That’s why fundraising marketing is so important. When you promote your fundraising event, you increase the chances of guests and supporters showing up — which means more donations for your nonprofit organization! Here are a few helpful strategies you can implement to promote your fundraiser and maximize donors in the room.

Ways to promote your fundraising event

Paid print or online ad campaign

If you have the budget, consider investing in a paid online or print ad campaign. These will help reach more people and increase the visibility of your fundraising event. You can set up targeted ads that reach people with certain behaviors or interests. Print advertisements like flyers and posters are still effective ways to spread the word, even in this digital age.

Don’t forget about Google Ad Grants — they provide $10,000 of free advertising from Google Ads each month for qualifying nonprofits who are chosen.

Read more about Google Ad Grants here.

Use social media to promote your fundraising event

Between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and more, social media is an excellent place to promote fundraising events. Utilize your nonprofit’s channels to spread the word about your fundraising event. Consider creating a fundraising page on Facebook or other social media platforms, which will allow supporters to donate directly from social media. Social media is a powerful tool for increasing awareness of your organization and building a loyal support base.

Make sure your posts are engaging and entertaining so people want to follow along with what’s happening. Utilize images and videos to increase the emotional impact of your posts and include relevant hashtags to help reach a wider audience of potential customers and donors.

You can also invest in paid social media ads, thus increasing your fundraising event’s visibility even more. Another strategy is to contact influencers who could help you promote the fundraising event and reach a wider audience.

Email marketing fundraising 

Email marketing is an excellent way to reach out to potential supporters and build relationships that can lead to more donations. In fact, according to research, email marketing has an average return on investment (ROI) of $36 for every $1 spent. That means you could spend $100 and generate $3,600 in donations. Of course, every fundraising event will be different, and this return isn’t a guarantee, but email marketing is a proven, inexpensive strategy to get the word out about your event.

This strategy works especially well if you already have a large email list of supporters. You can create an email campaign that shares information about your fundraising event, such as the location, date and time, fundraising goal, and more. Remember to highlight event details such as exciting auction items or special food options.

Pro tip: Integrate social media links into your emails as well so people have the option to follow you on multiple platforms and stay up to date with your nonprofit.

Leverage search engines to promote fundraiser

The use of search engines is an important part of any digital marketing strategy. Use search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure your website appears at the top of the list when people are searching for relevant topics. Be sure to include fundraising event-related keywords on your website, and use the same keywords in online ads. This can drive more traffic to your website and fundraising page.

Additionally, you could consider setting up a fundraising event landing page specifically for SEO purposes. This dedicated landing page should be optimized with relevant keywords, plus it should contain all of the fundraising event details and a link to your fundraising page.

Press releases

Press releases are essential when it comes to promoting a fundraising event. Contact local media outlets and business owners to get your message out there, and consider working with a PR firm if you need additional help. Offer them exclusive interviews and stories, or even provide press passes to the fundraising event itself.

Press releases are also great for SEO — they can help your fundraising event appear in online searches more quickly. Make sure to include relevant keywords in your press releases and link back to your fundraising event landing page.

Word-of-mouth fundraiser advertising

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most powerful tools you have — leveraging the power of personal networks to reach more people. Ask your current supporters to spread the word about your fundraising event and make sure you are providing them with all the information they need.

You can also use incentives to encourage people to tell their friends about the fundraising event. This might include free tickets or special discounts on auction items. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that can easily be shared on social media and other channels.

Encourage them to share your fundraiser event page on social media, using their personal networks and contacts. Additionally, follow up with those you contact and thank them for their help in getting the message out there. This can also work to recruit volunteers, as many of your current supporters might have friends or family interested in giving back.

Blog posts

Creating blog posts about the fundraiser is a great way to advertise your business and attract potential donors. Post blog posts on your website, and consider linking them to social media channels in order to reach a wider audience.

Blog posts can be used to highlight fundraising successes, share fundraising event details, or even ask for volunteers. Additionally, including fundraising event related keywords throughout your blog post can help you rank in search engine results and generate more web traffic.

Local businesses

Reach out to local businesses to get the word out about your fundraiser. Ask them to share promotional materials with their customers, and offer incentives such as discounts or free merchandise for those who donate.

Additionally, local businesses may even be willing to host a fundraising event for your nonprofit. This could include a fundraising dinner or bake sale, or even an auction night. Whatever the case, make sure you have all the details they need — such as donation amounts and fundraising goals — before you approach them. This is an excellent option if you are in the early planning stages and don’t have a venue for your event.

Text marketing

Text marketing is a great tool to reach people quickly and efficiently. You can use text messages to promote fundraising events, provide updates about the event, and thank donors for their contributions. You can also set up text-to-donate options to make it even easier to give. This is an excellent option to target those who don’t check their email often or go on social media frequently and might have missed the updates about your event.

Be very mindful of using text marketing and only send messages to those who have opted into text notifications. Additionally, ensure that the message you’re sending is clear and concise and includes a link to online registration forms and mobile-friendly ticket purchasing options.

Use your organization’s website to promote fundraiser

Your website should be the primary source of information about your organization. Include a link to your donation page with more information about your event, including details, cost, and how to donate. Try updating your website header with information about your upcoming event so that your fundraiser is front and center when people first reach your website. Make sure you have a contact page where people can reach out to ask questions about your event.

Local events and clubs

Look for local clubs or events that may be interested in fundraising for your organization. This includes sporting events and things like Rotary Clubs. Many clubs and community organizations are open to fundraising opportunities, and they might even be able to get the word out about your fundraising event to their members.

Community calendars

Finally, don’t forget about getting your nonprofit fundraising event into local community calendars! Whether it be an online, print, or social media event calendar, community calendars see a high amount of traffic from people looking for something to pique their interest.

No matter how you choose to promote your fundraising event, make sure the message is clear and engaging. Use stories and images to draw people in when possible, and keep your audience up-to-date on any changes or developments related to the fundraising event. Remember: fundraising marketing isn’t just about getting more donations — it’s also about building relationships with your supporters!

Planning a successful fundraising event and spreading the word is hard enough without having to worry about the technical side of things. Let us take some of the weight off your shoulders! Create a beautiful event page with MaxGiving’s powerful nonprofit fundraising software in just a few simple steps. Contact us to start your free demo today!