A third signature event saved the day...4 ways.

"Meet me there at 10 a.m. I'll share more about our idea then."

So what brought us to the conference table at 10 a.m.? It wasn't a problem that needed to be solved. Nor a crisis to be saved from. A matter of courtesy, yes. Certainly an opportunity for ongoing cultivation. We would not miss that. And, honestly, an element of curiosity regarding the agenda.

For we had not initiated the meeting.

The woman who called it was well-respected in the philanthropic community. She and her husband were also generous supporters of our nonprofit's mission.

This same couple wielded considerable influence in prestigious circles, especially those segments of society steering the formal and structured generosity in our city. And they did this out of the limelight. Both being masters in the stealth art of behind-the-scenes persuasion.

"We had not initiated the meeting."

A few weeks before this called meeting at 10 a.m., the couple had attended a fundraising luncheon benefitting our agency.

The luncheon was well-planned by its capable chairs. Well-run by the volunteer auxiliary. Well-attended by over a thousand people. It was a signature event that historically netted significant funds to help underwrite our operating expenses. And it was held in addition to another signature event---different in function and focus from the luncheon----that also raised awareness and financial assistance for our nonprofit.

Looking across the luncheon audience that day, the couple was impressed. Their imaginations were sparked too. For in that crowd were missing faces. People representing the city's institutional, social and corporate sectors that they knew so well.

Why doesn't our nonprofit launch another signature event, one aimed at these missing segments? This was their query. This was the agenda for the called meeting.

So, there we were. As she requested.

Over the course of the meeting the woman spread out the possibilities. She even suggested a template to launch this proposed signature event. Details down to the theme, invitation design and floral arrangements for the tables. To top it all off, she and her husband pledged to throw their full support behind the venture. It was available to us for the taking.

Little did we know then how adding this third signature event would, in essence, save the day for our nonprofit.

"I need to get going. There's another engagement I'm running late to. Just let me know if this is a step you want to take. We're ready to help you." And with that said, she shook our hands and left us in the conference room.

We stared at each other. There were plenty of reasons for not adding another signature event to our plate. Too detailed and too complex to outline here or to bore you with.

But even with every sensible and plausible argument against the proposition, the consensus that day was to take the lead of the couple and launch the venture.

For, after all, we were dealing with masters in the stealth art of behind-the-scenes persuasion.

A couple of years later that third signature event was successfully inaugurated. All of the heavy lifting and hard work leading up to it paid off. Indeed, the ballroom of the country club was filled with representatives of our city's institutional, social and corporate sectors.

Their faces missing no more.

But the true worth of the occasion would not be appreciated until later. Little did we know then that challenging times loomed ahead. That the good we were good at was becoming a hinderance to the better and best. That adding this third signature event would, in essence, save the day for our nonprofit.

Serendipitously, or even providentially, some might say. In at least four ways.

No. 1 - Saved from financial stress

It's interesting to note this venture was envisioned just before the onset of the Great Recession in the United States. The full measure of stress and strain caused by the economic disruption---and its unfortunate ripple effect on philanthropy---would not be evident at first. But as the recession unfolded in magnitude, many nonprofits saw a downturn in donations.

Having a third signature event in our portfolio cushioned the blow.

Thankfully, it immediately began to fill in the gap due to a moderate decline in support for the other two signature events. Understandable as some sponsors pared down their giving for a while. Factor in the recession's lingering drag on revenue streams and returns across the board and it's reasonable to say the financial support garnered from the third event was a God-send.

Beyond the recession, this signature event continued to grow in its profile and in its beneficial outcomes. And, over the years, it netted a consistent and considerable sum to offset the agency's operating expenses.

Come to think about it, perhaps providence actually had more to do with this than serendipity. There's no doubt that the new event was a blessing in disguise.

No. 2 - Saved from stagnation

Yes, we could have continued the status quo, not taken the advice or the assistance of the brilliant couple, and kept the pace that we were accustomed to. Pouring our energies and enthusiasm into maintaining two signature events and no more.

Another translation of this: we could have plateaued.

Launching this third event---and all that was entailed in sustaining it and scaling it in the years to come---had a multi-dimensional impact on our nonprofit, and especially on our advancement team.

Since this was a different genre from the other two signature events, it required another level of stamina and good stress to plan and execute. All the while strengthening the team's organizational muscle.

And it stimulated our imagination, helping us catch a broader vision of what was possible---that being a deliberate engagement with more diverse segments of our city. Inviting their participation to advance our nonprofit's important work in the community, nation and around the world.

In effect, adding this signature event was like a jolt from heaven. Pushing us out of our comfort zone. And saving us from stagnation.

No. 3 - Saved from becoming antiquated

From an operational viewpoint, the additional signature event forced us, rather suddenly, to learn better and best practices all around. This epiphany moment coming after years of using the same viable routines---only now to realize how out of sync each was for the new tasks ahead.

For example, we soon realized that an accelerated approach to data input and tracking would be necessary in order to manage constituency files for the new venture. This required further focus and diligence on the part of our data specialist. She was up to the task.

A major concern was preventing the new event from cannibalizing the other two. The solution was to erect virtual fire walls in our systems, separating the three event constituencies. This measure prevented double- and triple-dipping into the same pool of potential sponsors---thus mitigating donor fatigue.

These necessary improvements also yielded secondary advantages. As we were learning to maximize the available functions in our software in a more intentional way, we began mining information on hidden prospects in our existing data base. Useful data to grow the constituencies of the other two signature events as well.

And a marked surge in expectations demanded we up our game, tapping into technologies that truly turn signature events into major funding streams---everything from refining the prospecting phase, to devising more evolved sponsorship stratifications and targeted solicitations, to the often-forgotten benefits of post-signature event stewardship.

Overall, adding this third event saved us from an antiquated mindset---now left far behind on that plateau.

No. 4 - Saved from a conventional perspective

Explanations of our vision and mission, although beautifully articulated in statements and phrases, had become encapsulated in familiar slogans known best by the nonprofit's rank and file and current stakeholders. The new signature event, however, would require a modified pitch. A different vernacular. A more nuanced message. All to share with a distinct audience.

A tall order, but it was imperative we fulfill it. Our saving grace? We knew we didn't know exactly how to do this.

That's why we sought advice from the couple who first envisioned the event. We asked experts how best to refine our presentation. We took into account the critique of representatives from various segments of our city. As a result, we broke out of our conventional perspective and gained a broader vista.

Our message was still spot-on and never compromised. But it was contextualized in such a way as to capture the attention of the institutional, social and corporate sectors of our city. Without question, the third event parlayed our nonprofit's message into new arenas of discourse and exchange.

Besides these four, there were many other saving graces associated with the new venture. That God-send traced back to the 10 a.m. meeting. That blessing in disguise suggested by the insightful couple---both masters in the stealth art of behind-the-scenes persuasion.

That third signature event which providentially---even more than serendipitously, I must now conclude---helped saved the day.

Follow @JoeMazzu3 on Twitter and Instagram. Visit intentionalconsulting.com to learn more about Joe's consulting business serving nonprofits.