When Good Events Go Bad

3. A ‘CAREFUL CONSUMER’ ATTITUDE MAKES DONORS RELUCTANT TO PAY FOR TICKETS. Sell $15 tickets for a dinner worth $10, and they question the value. They might forget that you are not putting on the event to offer them a bargain, but to raise money. In addition, they believe they gave your organization a $15 gift, not $5, since that is their out-of-pocket cost. The expenses are not apparent to the donors.

4. DISASTER PLANNING IS OVERLOOKED TOO OFTEN. Murphy’s Law applies to fundraising events. It remains true that if things can go wrong, they will.

One group researched the entire meteorological history of its community to determine the one day statistically least likely to rain, for an outdoor event. It rained, of course. Alternate scheduling is essential for outdoor activities.

In the same way, contingency plans should be made in case of every emergency. Ask yourself every possible “what if” question. Figure out the answers in advance.

What if not enough tickets are sold? What if the main speaker or entertainment cancels at the last minute? What if someone gets drunk and wants to drive home? What if...

Ken Wyman is the director of Ken Wyman and Associates, Inc. and the author of numerous books and papers on fundraising. He can be reached at (416) 362-2926; kenwyman@compuserve.com.; or through http://www.greenability.org.