What are the best practices for inviting and engaging prospects at cultivation events?

1 Know your audience

Before you plan your event, you need to know who your prospects are, what motivates them, and how they prefer to communicate. Use prospect research tools and methods to identify and segment your prospects based on their giving capacity, affinity, interests, and behavior. This will help you tailor your invitation strategy, event format, content, and follow-up to match their needs and expectations.

2 Craft a compelling invitation

Your invitation is the first impression you make on your prospects, so you want to make it count. Use clear, concise, and personalized language that highlights the value and purpose of the event, and creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Include a clear call to action, such as RSVP, register, or confirm your attendance, and make it easy for them to respond. You can also use multiple channels, such as email, phone, mail, or social media, to reach out to your prospects and remind them of the event.

3 Design an engaging event

Your event should be relevant, informative, and interactive for your prospects. Choose a format, venue, and time that suits your audience and your goals, and plan the agenda, speakers, and activities accordingly. You want to showcase your organization's mission, vision, and impact, but also leave room for questions, feedback, and dialogue. You can also use stories, testimonials, or demonstrations to illustrate your work and inspire your prospects. Make sure you have a clear ask or action for your prospects at the end of the event, such as signing up for a newsletter, joining a campaign, or scheduling a meeting.

4 Connect with your prospects

Your event is an opportunity to build rapport and trust with your prospects, so you want to make them feel welcome, valued, and appreciated. Greet them personally, introduce them to other staff, board members, or donors, and thank them for their interest and attendance. You can also use name tags, icebreakers, or games to facilitate networking and interaction among your prospects. Be attentive, attentive, and responsive to their questions, concerns, and feedback, and take notes on their interests, preferences, and objections.

5 Follow up with your prospects

Your event is not the end of your cultivation process, but the beginning of a deeper relationship with your prospects. You need to follow up with them promptly, preferably within 24 hours, to thank them again, reinforce your message, and move them to the next step in the donor pipeline. You can use email, phone, mail, or social media to send them a personalized note, a survey, a report, or a gift that reflects their interests and feedback. You can also invite them to another event, a site visit, or a one-on-one meeting to further engage them and solicit their support.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?