| Charity events in any form are always popular, but | | | | Paid Search Advertising - Google and other search |
| increasingly, many organisations are choosing to | | | | engines allow you to bid on keyword phrases and |
| recruit their fundraisers through more interactive | | | | place an ad at the top of their search results. Try |
| events such as walks and runs. A charity walk or run | | | | bidding on keywords such as "London charity events" |
| is not only a healthy way for your participants to | | | | or "London fundraising run". Create compelling ad |
| raise money for a good cause, but also a very visible | | | | copy and entice the user to click through to your |
| way of publicising your charitable cause to the | | | | official event website for more information. |
| community. | | | | Submit Your Event to an Online Events Calendar - |
| If a charity run or walk seems like a good fit for | | | | There are many websites that will give you a free |
| your organisation, here is an overview of some things | | | | event listing on their online calendar. Submit your |
| you may want to keep in mind when planning the | | | | event profile to as many of these as possible and |
| event. | | | | make sure to include a link back to your website in |
| THE PLANNING PHASE | | | | the description. |
| Choosing a Route | | | | Email Advertising - Does your organisation already |
| When planning a mass participation event such as a | | | | have a list of members who subscribe to your |
| walk or run it is important that you first take some | | | | monthly newsletter or email announcements? Send |
| time to carefully consider the route your participants | | | | your contact list an attractive HTML email with |
| will be following. Your choice of route will play a | | | | information about your event and a link to your. |
| central roll in other decisions you make concerning | | | | Make sure to include "share" buttons in your emails to |
| resources, staff size, security, transportation, | | | | make it easy for the recipient to pass it on to a |
| volunteers, signage, and ultimately the satisfaction of | | | | friend. Also, on your website, Facebook page and |
| your participants. | | | | Twitter page, include a feature where the visitor can |
| When mapping out the course, first determine the | | | | join your mailing list. |
| type of event you would like to hold. Most | | | | Participant Registration |
| fundraising events try to be as inclusive as possible | | | | Something important to consider from the start of |
| because, simply put, more fundraisers translates into | | | | the planning phase is how you will collect contact |
| more donations for your cause! If your goal is to be | | | | information, entry fees, and fundraising commitments |
| as inclusive as possible that means you want people | | | | from people who want to participate. Until recently, |
| of all ages and physical abilities to be able to | | | | most events collected participant data and entry |
| participate in your event. That said, when choosing | | | | fees in person in the event office with a paper |
| your route it is a good idea to not only look at a | | | | registration form. To streamline the staff workload |
| map but get out there and actually walk the course | | | | that comes along with paper-based registration, you |
| yourself. When surveying the road, pay attention to | | | | may want to find a technology provider that |
| elevation gain, traffic, road conditions, and any other | | | | specialises in event management software and online |
| factors that could potentially make participating in | | | | event registration. An integrated online event |
| your event strenuous for the less physically able. You | | | | management system will allow you to build a custom |
| may also benefit from contacting a local running or | | | | online registration form, link to that form from your |
| walking club for suggestions of routes that may fit | | | | website, and collect your participant contact data |
| your participant's ability levels. Some common route | | | | online. We would suggest that the technology you |
| distances for charity events are 5k, 10k, Half | | | | choose include a merchant gateway integrated with |
| Marathon and Marathon. | | | | the registration form so that you can seamlessly and |
| Safety | | | | securely collect payment online during the registration |
| Participant safety is something to strongly consider | | | | process. Depending on your technology provider, the |
| when mapping out your route. How much traffic | | | | data collected on an online registration form should be |
| travels along your route? Are there adequate | | | | captured and stored in a database that you can log |
| pedestrian lanes that will keep your participants a | | | | into, manage the data, run reports, email participants |
| safe distance from the traffic? Does your route | | | | and process cancellation refunds if needed. |
| require that your participants cross any especially | | | | Examples of questions that could be included on a |
| busy streets? Is any stretch of your route | | | | charity walk registration form are: |
| undergoing construction? Will the course be open to | | | | - Name |
| the public making it easy for non-registered people to | | | | - Address |
| come in contact with your participants? Asking | | | | - Email |
| yourself these questions will help you chart your | | | | - Phone |
| course around any potential hazards and allow your | | | | - Age |
| participants to have a fun, care-free experience on | | | | - Gender |
| event day. | | | | - Emergency Contact |
| Transportation | | | | - Shirt size (if you are offering a free shirt with the |
| When choosing the location of your route, also keep | | | | entry fee) |
| participant and spectator access to transportation in | | | | - How did you hear of this event? |
| mind. If you want crowds of spectators to turn out | | | | - Number of times you have participated in this event |
| and easy access to the event for your participants, | | | | - Team Name (if you are offering team fundraising) |
| make sure that the course is in close proximity to | | | | - What is your fundraising goal? |
| public transportation and parking for those who have | | | | - What distance will you walk? |
| automobiles. If your event is not in a metropolitan | | | | - Will you be attending the pre-event celebration |
| area, it may be a good idea to hire busses and | | | | dinner? |
| choose some meet up locations where people can | | | | If you hope to grow the size of your email database, |
| catch a ride to the event site. | | | | it is very important that you make the Email question |
| Resources and Staff | | | | compulsory so that every online registration has an |
| The number of participants and spectators you | | | | email address associated with it in your database. |
| expect on event day as well as length of course are | | | | You will be able to use this email to send out |
| the two main factors that will determine the size of | | | | reminder emails about changes to the event schedule |
| your volunteer staff and resources needed. Here is a | | | | or important notices about fundraising. Any fully |
| list of items commonly used by event walking and | | | | integrated online event management system will also |
| running events: | | | | need the email address to send out an automatic |
| - Two way radios | | | | confirmation email letting the registrant know that |
| - Rope, tape and cones for course marking | | | | their payment has been accepted and spot saved for |
| - Signage for start and finish areas | | | | event admission. |
| - Signage for services and support areas | | | | Fundraising Tools |
| - Portable toilets | | | | Some more advanced event management systems |
| - Trash cans | | | | include an online fundraising platform that you can |
| - Food | | | | integrate with your online registration form. What's |
| - Water | | | | great about this is that every person who registers |
| - Tents | | | | online will automatically have an online fundraising |
| - Tables | | | | website created for them. The fundraiser can |
| - Stage for awards ceremony | | | | customise their website, ad images, set a fundraising |
| - PA system | | | | goal, blog about their progress and training for the |
| - Generator | | | | event, and communicate with their donors. The donor |
| Looking at your course map, you will be able to | | | | can visit the fundraising site and make an online |
| strategically position your water stops, trash cans, | | | | donation with their credit card at which point the |
| portable toilets, concessions stands and so on. When | | | | donation amount is added to the fundraisers goal |
| placing these resources, keep in mind that many | | | | total and money is sent to the charitable organisation. |
| people will want to gather around in the finish | | | | Many organisations are moving their fundraising |
| celebration area after the event so you may need | | | | efforts completely online because the general |
| additional resources in that area. When planning for | | | | consensus is that people are likely to donate more if |
| food and water for your participants, you may want | | | | they are able to do it online from the comfort of |
| to ask a local market to sponsor the event in the | | | | their own home. |
| way of donated oranges, bananas and water that | | | | Communication up until event day |
| you can position along the course. For your spectator | | | | The key to a successful event is to steadily build the |
| concession stands, you will need to determine what | | | | registrant's excitement and anticipation from the day |
| types of food you will sell and if you will need to | | | | they register all the way up until they arrive on event |
| prepare or cook food on site. There are many | | | | day. Participants that register months prior to the |
| companies that you can hire to staff and prepare | | | | event may loose interest or slow down their |
| food at your concession stands or you could use | | | | fundraising efforts if they are not engaged and |
| your volunteers. In either case you should check to | | | | encouraged on a regular basis. This is where collecting |
| see if you need a special permit to sell or prepare | | | | your registrations online will be very useful. Since you |
| food for the public. | | | | have a database of registrants including their email |
| Legalities of a Charity Walk or Run | | | | address, you will be able to send out reminder emails |
| Speaking of special permits, there are several | | | | and keep the communication going up until the event. |
| legalities to consider when planning a charity walk or | | | | Some content ideas for a weekly newsletter could |
| run. Now that you have chosen your route, have you | | | | be: |
| looked to see if you need permission to use this | | | | Updates and special announcements of developments |
| planned route? You may need to speak with the local | | | | to the event schedule or added entertainment |
| council or the person who owns the land. Have you | | | | Fundraising Tips |
| checked to make sure there are no other events | | | | News and articles from the organisation your event |
| planned on your route come event day? Have you | | | | will be raising money for |
| obtained liability insurance for your event? Ideally, | | | | A training plan for those getting in shape for the |
| your insurance should cover any medical problems | | | | event |
| that occur during the event as well as damage to the | | | | Special contests for the post-event awards |
| land and surrounding property. With the size of event | | | | ceremony |
| you are expecting, are you required to schedule | | | | Free prizes and incentives for those participants that |
| police presence or request road closures? Do you | | | | recruit friends to join the cause |
| have permission from the organisation you are raising | | | | You should also send one final email to your |
| money for to use their logo and name? | | | | registrants 2-3 days before the event including: |
| Considering every city, town, or district have their | | | | - Event start time |
| own set of regulations, how you address them will | | | | - Instructions on how and where to check in upon |
| depend on local law and requirements. What we | | | | arrival |
| highlighted above are only some of the larger items | | | | - Schedule of events |
| you should investigate. We would suggest contacting | | | | - Reminder to bring extra money if they want to buy |
| your local council for more information. | | | | merchandise or food at the celebration party |
| FINDING PARTICIPANTS | | | | - Summary of prizes that will be awarded to the top |
| Marketing | | | | fundraisers |
| Now that you picked an event location and have all | | | | - The cost of late registration if anyone wants to |
| of the necessary approvals and permits, its time to | | | | bring a friend to the event |
| start spreading the word! Traditional event marketing | | | | - Weather forecast so that people dress |
| consists of mail, tv, radio, newspaper advertisements | | | | appropriately |
| and signs posted up about town. These methods can | | | | - List of hotels in the area for anyone who plans to |
| be effective, reach large audiences, and should be | | | | stay the night |
| looked into but they can come at a high cost. Don't | | | | AFTER THE EVENT |
| let that get you down though - the internet has | | | | You and your staff may be exhausted after the long |
| spawned many highly targeted, low-cost, and | | | | build-up to a successful event but believe it or not, |
| sometimes free marketing channels that are ideal for | | | | you should already be thinking about next year's |
| creating a buzz about your charity event. Here is a | | | | event! Considering everyone had a great time, send |
| list of some web marketing options that you may | | | | out a follow-up email and offer your registrants a |
| want to consider: | | | | discounted rate for next year's event if they register |
| Build a website - This is a must. Nowadays, any | | | | for it now. Or offer them a "returning participant" |
| successful event has an official website where they | | | | coupon that they can use when you activate next |
| can direct the public, media and interested sponsors | | | | year's online registration form. Another smart thing to |
| for more information. | | | | do is send an online survey out to your participants |
| Facebook, Twitter, Social Media - There are countless | | | | and ask them what they liked and what can be |
| online communities and fan pages out there that are | | | | improved upon for next year's event. You can offer |
| filled with people passionate about the same cause | | | | your participants a free gift or registration discount if |
| you are raising money for. Get involved with these | | | | they complete the form for you. This participant |
| people and immerse yourself in the online | | | | feedback is extremely valuable and will help you get |
| conversation. Build a Facebook Fan Page or Twitter | | | | a sense of the participant experience on the ground |
| page for your event, invite your new online friends | | | | that many event organisers are so often shielded |
| and encourage them to recruit their friends to get | | | | from on event day with so many administrative |
| involved for the cause. | | | | tasks to juggle. |