If you’ve consoled yourself one too many times with the thought that a special event “raised our profile” even when it didn’t raise much money, you’ll be interested in these four tips from Event 360 to help you turn your awareness event into a fundraising event.

Craft a clear ask

Creating an effective request, says Event 360 president Jeff Shuck, is the most neglected part of any program. You must be able to describe in one sentence how your charity improves the world. Describe in one more sentence how the event will help achieve that goal. Then start asking “Will you help us by participating or donating?”

You’ll need to turn your participants into successful fundraisers to make the event a success. Instead of asking them to raise money, though, Shuck advises asking, “Will you ask ten of your friends to donate to you?” Of course, you’ll give them the training and tools to hone their asking skills. Finally, make sure your ask is specific, outcome-focused and hard to refuse.

Segment your participants

Analyze your participant base to find similarities and differences. Look for things like location, giving history, past attendance and link to the cause. Look for markers that you can use to customize messages. For instance, you’ll want to communicate differently with participants who have raised nothing than with those who have received donations.

Customize communications to each segment

“In many cases,” Shuck notes, “the difference between events with high attendance and events with high fundraising attendance is the frequency and the quality of the communication participants receive prior to the event.”

Online tools include automatic responses to registration, thank-you messages and donation acknowledgements, each tailored to specific segments. Notices built on the event timeline can also be tailored.

You can’t do it all online though. Use the phone with your more involved participants to build rapport. Engage your most experienced, effective participants as champions and mentors for other participants.

Regardless of the communication channel, the most important consideration is frequent and segmented contact.

Change your culture

If you’re going to boost your event’s fundraising potential, your staff, your volunteers and your participants have to affirm the goal of fundraising in their attitude, language and behaviour.

Start by measuring the right things. Set a fundraising goal rather than an attendance goal. Reward the highest fundraising team rather than the largest team.

Communicate with conviction about why you’re changing the focus of an event. Help your participants understand that “participation alone does not power your organization – revenue does.” Be confident about your organization’s impact and how the event helps that impact. Pride and confidence, Shuck advises, are critical to real success.