10 Ways to Give Back (and Give Thanks) With Your Event

ORIGINAL POST BY  EVENTBRITE.  When you think about Thanksgiving, what comes to mind? Indulging in too many pumpkin spice lattes? Long lines at the airport and hassles getting an Uber? Spirited discussions with family members who disagreed with us in the recent election? Certainly, all of the above. But there’s way more to Thanksgiving than obligatory family time and indulgent meals.

In the spirit of the holiday, let’s talk about giving thanks for a sec. As an event organizer, you have a lot of people to be thankful for. There are the ticket buyers who show up at your event, the staff and volunteers who make it happen, and the partners, guest speakers, and featured artists who make it unique and valuable.

If you’re in the mood to give thanks, we have some great ideas as this holiday season kicks off:

1. Donate some of your proceeds to charity. Find a charity that aligns with your brand values, and you’ve found a generous way to say “We care.” Did you know that 87 percent of consumers keep corporate social responsibility in mind when deciding how to spend their money? Giving back doesn’t just give you karma points. It gives your brand a halo in the minds of your attendees. (But do it for the karma points.)

2. Go for it, and dedicate your next event to a charity you believe in!  The Bridge School Benefit is entering into its fourth decade as one of the most popular music festivals in the country. Founded by Neil Young, who still oversees and headlines this annual event, the music festival raises funds for the Bridge School, a non-profit organization for children with severe speech and physical impairments. The event has grown over the years into an iconic musical event people flock to for the lineup, as well as for the spirit of contribution to a worthy cause.

3. Add a fundraising component. You can choose to align your event with a specific cause, or give participants the option of fundraising for the cause of their choice. Eventbrite’s Everydayhero and CrowdRise extensions make this easy. There are 1.5 million US 501(c)(3) organizations affiliated with each of these apps already — so there’s a little something for everyone. These extensions let you create a fully branded fundraising campaign. They also give your participants the ability to create their own personalized fundraising pages. So participants can raise funds for a cause they love — while you boost awareness of your event brand.

4. Add a donation button for a charity you support. Has a supermarket checker ever asked if you want to donate a dollar to the store’s charity of choice? This is a similar idea. Consider placing a “donate” button on your website and your ticket-purchase confirmation page. Consider including a call to action asking people to share their donation to their social networks. This incentivizes donations — and surfaces your event in people’s feeds.

5. Find sponsors that matter. Partner with socially responsible brands. Then show your sponsors exactly how much they’re getting from their participation. Data is both the best way to entice great sponsors to join your cause, and the best way to prove that they’re getting their money’s worth. With a great event management tool, you can break down sponsor metrics like attendee demographics, ticket sales, and how much revenue previous sponsors have made from your events. Once you’ve landed a great sponsor, let potential attendees know: remember, consumers appreciate corporate responsibility.

6. Donate a booth or table to a charity, free of cost. Make sure they get prominent placement and lots of hype in your marketing materials. This is a great way to give back without spending a lot of money or time.

7. Up your swag game. If you’re already gifting swag to your attendees, this is an excellent place to give back even more. People love T-shirts, socks, sunglasses, and pens — things they can actually use. Make your swag bag a conscious effort to say “thanks” to attendees who make your event happen.

8. Discount your event tickets. Use discount codes to give ticket-buyers a deal on your event. You could offer discounted tickets to a specific set of people, like seniors or those buying in bulk. Or you could let anyone use the code during a certain window of time. (Bonus: these limited-time offers can create urgency and boost your sales.)

9. Give back to the environment. Say “thanks” to mother nature by creating as little waste as possible, using recyclable or compostable materials when you can, and going paper-free to the best of your ability.

10. Don’t forget to thank the people that make it happen. Sometimes, just some hearty public acknowledgment is enough to make your staff and volunteers feel good. Shout-outs on social media are a sweet way to say, “Hey, I see you!” Call people by name, and make a point of talking about exactly what each of them did to help out.

It feels good to give, doesn’t it? And it’s great practice for the upcoming holiday season. Speaking of which, if you have an event coming up in December, check out our Event Organizer’s Guide to Online Marketing and Advertising for ways to get the word out (even amongst the holiday noise).