Step 3: How to publicise your fantastic fundraising event

You’ve done the hard bit of organising your fundraising event – now make sure it’s a success by getting lots of people down to support it!

 

So, if you’ve been keeping track of our fundraising series, we’ve covered the basics of how to start your fundraising, and some ideas of events to organise. Now, onto the tricky bit – how to get people to come and join in the fun at your event! Here are just a few ideas of ways to get the word out about whatever you’re planning:

 

Posters

Search out someone vaguely artistic in your circle of friends or family and ask them to get a flashy poster together for your event. Let them be as creative as they like with the design, but just make sure it’s clear to read and includes the details of what you’re raising money for, where it’s going to be, when, and how to get tickets. This may seem like a no-brainer, but have a look at some posters in bars and clubs and you’d be amazed at how many leave out really basic information!

 

Once they’re designed and printed have a think about where you’ll put them up. Make sure there are some in the venue you’re holding your event in, then put some up in other relevant places: record stores and similar clubs if you’re holding a gig/club night; churches and schools if you’re holding a community event like a fete; plus your student union if the event’s going to be at your uni. You might also want to ask anyone who works in a large office to put up posters in their communal areas, like canteens and kitchens. Just remember to ask for permission wherever you’re putting posters up and get the word out in as many places as possible!

 

Online

Your first step for promoting your event online is getting a Facebook event set up for it, then invite every single person on your list of friends. Don’t worry, they’ll forgive you for spamming. Make one of your mates with a different circle of friends on Facebook an admin for the event too, then ask them to do the same with their friends. Just make sure the event description is fun, punchy and includes all the relevant information. This will at least start to get the word out.

 

You’ll then need to think about other places online where people who might want to come to your event congregate. If it’s a drum’n’bass night, see if there are any drum’n’bass forums you can get the word out on. If it’s a gig you’ll also want to make sure that the bands in question have got details of the event on their websites/MySpace pages.

 

Finally, keep in mind the number of event listings magazines (like Time Out) and websites that are out there. Make sure your event is included on the databases of the suppliers these magazines use: The main ones are Global Datapoint (http://globaldatapoint.com/) and Press Association (http://www.pressassociation.com/listings/event-listings.html).

 

Local papers

Due to the current squeeze on local newspapers, journalists have less time than ever. Use this to your advantage! Write a snappy press release with some nice smiley pictures that can be knocked into a good story and odds on you’ll get some coverage. Make sure it’s going to the right person by giving the paper a call asking who’s the best person to email with a press release about your event – you’ll have much more success if you’re sending it to an actual, real-life human. When you’re writing your press release, give it a catchy headline and make it newsworthy – what’s different about your event? What about your fundraising mission makes it interesting? As with your posters just make sure you’ve included the who, what, when, where and how of your event to avoid the journo in question frantically hitting the delete key!

 

Word of mouth

Tell everyone about your event! All your friends, your workmates, everyone in any sports clubs you’re in, everyone at your uni, your school… tell your hairdresser, the people in your local shops. Just make sure as many people as humanly possible know when your event’s going to be taking place and to come down and support it!

 

Have you had any fundraising success? Tell us all about it!

Check out the rest of our fundraising series here: http://www.i-to-i.com/campfire/travel-guides/categories/22-Fundraising-Money

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