Fundraising Event Brand Promotion: 4 Tips for Nonprofits

October 22, 2024

Most nonprofits—93% of them, to be exact—believe a strong brand identity positively impacts donor engagement. Also, research shows nonprofits that invest in professional design are more likely to experience an increase in fundraising revenue. This is especially true of fundraising events, as 79% agree that professional visual branding here results in more donations.

In an evolving landscape of innovative digital tools like AI, your nonprofit has every opportunity to build its brand awareness through a thoughtful promotional strategy. Let’s unpack a few ways your nonprofit can infuse its fundraising events with brand promotion and boost support for your cause.

1. Carefully design your pre-event promotion.

To build excitement for your fundraising event, your marketing materials must resonate with the motivations of your target audience. For example, you could attract major donors to a black tie gala by sending formal invitations in the mail. Or, if you’re planning to supplement a fundraising event with a mobile giving campaign, you could tell your younger donors about it on social media.

72% of consumers prefer to connect with brands through a multichannel approach. However, this doesn’t mean you should share the exact same message across every channel. Carefully design your pre-event promotional materials to reflect your brand while also differing in format to connect with the audience on each platform or medium.

Consider how to strike this balance across the following channels:

Direct Mail

Use high-quality images, graphics, and colors that reflect your nonprofit’s brand identity. Ensure the text aligns with your brand voice and communicate how the fundraising event supports your overall mission.

Social Media

Vary the platforms you use, incorporating your logo and brand voice throughout to make your posts easily recognizable. Also, make use of polls, quizzes, and other interactive features to encourage direct engagement with your brand. 

Email Newsletters

Rely on your brand colors, fonts, and voice to make your email newsletters stand out. 

Website

As the central hub for all information about your organization, your website should be the pinnacle of your marketing communications. Use QR codes in direct mail, calls to action in email newsletters, or even Google Ads to direct potential attendees to your website. This way, they can become more acquainted with your brand and easily register for your event. 

2. Equip volunteers to represent your brand.

60% of volunteers get involved to contribute to a cause they care about, meaning your event volunteers are already familiar with and passionate about your nonprofit’s mission. However, to represent your organization well, they’ll need to embody your nonprofit’s brand.

As part of the volunteer recruitment process, explain how the volunteer will be expected to represent your brand. For example, you could expect volunteers to:

• Wear branded attire: A t-shirt with your nonprofit’s logo or a branded cap can help volunteers be easily identified as representatives of your organization. 
• Display certain traits: Volunteers who display your nonprofit’s brand voice and tone through their actions and words come across as more genuine to donors.
• Explain key messages: Volunteers can easily represent your brand messaging when you provide them with a list of talking points or the key messages your nonprofit wants to communicate.

For example, let’s say your healthcare association hosts a gala to raise money for cancer research. Your volunteers should wear brightly-colored, branded shirts to help them stand out from the crowd. The event may touch on sensitive topics, and volunteers should be prepared to handle these conversations with care. They must also know how to explain your fundraising goal and how it helps further your nonprofit’s purpose.  

Recruiting and training volunteers based on these brand expectations can help them reflect your brand while addressing attendees’ questions. Also, this training will be helpful for volunteers tasked with publishing content on your social media channels or website. 

We recently asked 11 nonprofit leaders for their advice in boosting board and volunteer involvement with marketing. See or listen to what they have to say.

3. Ensure the event branding is visually consistent.

In the same way your branding should be consistent across various channels for your pre-event promotion, all elements of the event itself should reflect your brand. Use your brand colors, fonts, language, and consistent feeling imagery to create a uniform feel. All your content should feel cohesive and recognizable as yours. Download our Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template for a free example branding guide.

Create a cohesive visual identity that can be applied across all event materials, including:

Signage

All event signage, from the welcome banner to directional signs, should prominently feature your nonprofit’s brand colors, typography, and logo. Include these elements on event-specific materials, as well, such as bid sheets at your silent auction or a red carpet backdrop for your gala.

Decorations

Use branded tablecloths, centerpieces, and other decorations to reinforce your brand elements throughout the event. Ensure all decor reflects your nonprofit’s color scheme in a visually appealing way.

Presentation materials

Use branded templates when creating Powerpoint or Keynote presentations to show at the event. Incorporate consistent visuals, such as charts and icons, that align with your brand.

Additionally, consider distributing branded merchandise during or after the event to keep your nonprofit top of mind long after attendees leave. Tote bags, pens, notebooks, and reusable water bottles all make great gifts that guests will be excited to receive. You can even hint at the branded giveaways in your pre-event promotion on social media to get supporters excited about attending.

4. Incorporate your branding into your event follow-up.

Getting supporters to attend your event is a core focus for your marketing efforts. However, to really drive your brand home, you’ll need to keep them engaged well after the event concludes. 

After all, brand recognition is not just a one-time experience—it’s an ongoing awareness of your nonprofit’s continual work toward its mission. Plus, as Snowball’s silent auctions guide points out, your follow-up plays a considerable role in whether your attendees return for future events. 

A few critical follow-up tasks include:

Sharing event highlights

Post photos, videos, and success stories from the event on your social media channels and website. Be sure to incorporate your logo and brand colors where possible to reinforce your brand across these materials.

Thanking your supporters

Send personalized follow-up communications to every guest, thanking them for their participation. Ensure the messaging reflects your brand voice and values, and attach a well-known name, such as the signature of your CEO. 

Encouraging ongoing involvement

Invite attendees to stay connected with your organization after the event by signing up for newsletters or following your social media accounts. 

Remember to tie the fundraiser to your nonprofit’s mission by reporting on the event’s impact. For example, share how much the event raised, how those funds will be used, and why their purpose is significant in terms of your nonprofit’s cause.

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To ensure your upcoming event (and all future campaigns) aligns with your overall brand, stick to your nonprofit’s brand guide. This document should outline all of your brand elements and how they should be used in any visual or verbal communications. With these guidelines, your nonprofit can ensure a consistent approach to promoting its brand, which will increase your brand awareness overall. 

Marketing Plan Template