Making The Difference: Mobile Fundraising

It’s midnight, and 500 of your special event guests just left the ballroom. They spent the evening enjoying a festive cocktail hour; supported your organization through silent and live auctions; purchased raffle tickets or wine pulls, diamond drops and other variations; enjoyed an elegant gourmet dinner; mingled; and danced. Guests smile as they exit while the development team exhales and begins to wonder: “How did we really do tonight? How much money was raised? Did our guests walk away with a better understanding of our impact? Did we add new donors to our rolls? How are we going to sort through all details and information and have a solid report and opportunity to analyze for the future?”

The answer is long before your special event kicks off. Add mobile fundraising technology to your special event toolkit, and you’ll quickly see how you will make a difference in gaining more revenue at your event. Mobile technology offers an efficient process, helping your staff stay on top of the many moving parts and allow your guests a more streamlined experience donating to your cause.

Technology has become increasingly user-friendly. Donors from Baby Boomers and Gen X to Gen Y and Millennials have become more digital-centric. The smartphone has become an indispensable part of everyday life, making it completely normal to use as a tool during a special event rather than struggling to keep track of old-fashioned paper and pen bid sheets. There is no special software to download or device to manage.

Most of your guests are accustomed to looking at their phones and find it useful to receive a text alert when an item they bid on has been upped, with a chance to click a button to increase their bid or move onto another item without moving away from the engaging conversation with other guests. It is important to ensure all of your guests have a positive experience at your fundraising event.