How to promote your charity or fundraising event

Add your event to your social media channels

Social media is one of the easiest and quickest ways to let people know about your event, to build anticipation and generate excitement.  Most platforms have a basic level that’s free to use, and you can target and reach large audiences to get the word out. 

Choose the right Channels 

Think carefully about which channels will suit your target audience the most. If you want to create a page for your event and sell tickets online, then Facebook is an excellent choice. Also, targeting on Facebook is quite broad so if you want to appeal to a wide audience, Facebook can help. 

Twitter and LinkedIn are good choices if you’re trying to reach businesses. 

TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are perfect for younger audiences as they are upbeat and highly visual. 

Nextdoor is a popular channel that targets local communities so if your event is local, this is a terrific platform.   

For all these channels, research how others have shared their events and what works well to give your promotion the best chance of success.  

Appeal to your Target Audience 

Keep it simple with key details, share captivating photos from previous events, create a hashtag purely for your event and encourage others to share it. 

Post to your channels regularly (at least once a week before the event with updates), mixing up your posts with different photos, graphics and information to keep people's interest. 

Keep your tone of voice engaging and friendly, no hard sales pitch, and remember to change your content to suit each platform. 

Find a sponsor

The right sponsor can help elevate your event in terms of funding and increased visibility. A sponsor can work hand in hand with you, marketing to their own contacts and followers. Having local businesses involved can also add credibility to your event. You could even approach your own employer to be a sponsor. 

Make sure you keep your sponsor involved with important decisions and keep them updated throughout the process. Make it clear what funding you need, let them know how many people will be at the event and how you will use their name and branding. 

It’s important to show your appreciation to your sponsor and publicly thank them either at the event or on any literature. That way they’ll be more inclined to sponsor a future event. 

Newsletters

Email and physical newsletters are a fantastic way to promote your event. A newsletter can contain more information than your social media posts so you can give more exciting details, be that about the event, the cause, the sponsors or special guests. 

If you’re sending email newsletters, it’s all about the subject line. Make it exciting and attention-grabbing so that they’ll want to open your email and find out more. 

A physical newsletter can be left in popular places: community centres, libraries, local shops. Think of where your target audience is likely to shop. 

Whether you send online or physical newsletters, make sure you proof-read your work before sending out to make sure you’ve not forgotten any crucial information and there are no typos.