Whether your event is live or virtual, this one phone call can change the way you view it. It did fo

For my first position as a Director of Development, I was hired by a wonderful organization that had a tradition of hosting multiple events, including a gala and auction. So my first year, that’s what we did. We planned. We decorated. We hired a caterer. We scoured the town for sponsors and auction items. We found a band. You know the drill: lots of work hours. Lots of volunteer hours. Lots of stress. Lots of expense and a great return – at least it looked great until we subtracted costs, staff time, and relationship building activities left undone.

But for me the real insight came when I received a call from my daughter. She and her husband had attended their first charity ball. She knew I’d be proud. I could hear her excitement as she shared, “It was a Masquerade Ball.” She detailed their costumes. She listed all they had spent: this much for tickets, this much at the auction, and this much as a donation. It was a hefty total for young salaries. I was proud. I had raised a generous daughter.

Then I asked that important question, “What did you support?” The line went quiet. After an awkward pause. There was a rush of words: “It was an illness. Or children. Or animals.”

I can tell you. I saw the light.

The Masquerade Ball raised money. It did NOT raise support. My daughter and her husband would not “be there” for the organization. They didn’t know what the organization was.

Needless to say, our organization’s next event was different.

Here’s what we did:

1. We kept the event mission focused.

2. We kept it simple. We didn’t want the event to outshine the mission.

3. All visuals were mission focused. The images told heart-moving stories.

4. We had an emcee, who was warm, friendly and passionate about our cause.

5. We had three people give brief, heart-felt testimonials about how donors changed lives.

6. We had a brief, heart-felt ask focusing on the good donors would do.

7. We gave attendees a chance to give.

That was it. Simple. Mission focused. Story led. Did it make a difference? We septupled the income and cut costs by 70%. Also we grew our donor base with 65% of the donors continuing to give for at least two years

When we followed up after the event 97% of the guests mentioned the mission in a positive light and had enjoyed the event, and staff was nowhere near as tired. Win. Win. Win.