Nonprofit events have the potential to make a significant impact on your organization’s mission. Whether you’re hosting an event to kick off a campaign, raise awareness for your cause, or thank supporters, attendee engagement is crucial to success. But how do you keep the excitement high and your audience interested?
Address this consideration early in the planning stage. No matter what event you’re hosting, build engagement strategies directly in your plan so you’re ready to boost participation on event day. If you’re not sure how to do that, that’s where we come in. Let’s take a look at four ways to keep nonprofit attendees engaged at your event.
1. Improve event interactivity.
Although keynote speakers are valuable parts of any event, attention spans have shrunk over time (with the average attention span being only 8.25 seconds!). Attendees’ focus may drift when listening to a presentation, especially if it’s long. To keep them engaged, spruce up your event with more interactive activities, such as:
- Q&A sessions. Instead of asking attendees to sit passively and listen to a panel or speaker, have them participate in the conversation. After your speakers are finished discussing their key ideas, encourage them to take questions from the audience. This is a particularly good strategy for conference-style events, as attendees will be professionals who likely have useful questions to ask.
- Workshops. Encourage attendees with hands-on workshops where they learn about key skills and information related to your nonprofit’s cause. A recycling and waste reduction nonprofit might, for instance, host workshops related to upcycling plastic bottles, old clothing, used paper, and more.
- Interactive displays. Upgrade any displays or installations at your event by making them interactive. Set up booths where attendees can engage with demos, simulations, or other activities related to your nonprofit’s work. For example, an ocean conservation nonprofit may create a digital display where attendees can observe the impact of pollution on fish and other aquatic animals.
Some events are naturally very interactive—just think of online charity auctions, walkathons, and golf tournaments, for example. While you won’t need to worry about injecting more interactivity into your plan for these types of events, there are still plenty of other ways to amplify attendee engagement.
2. Include opportunities for socialization.
Your audience will attend your event for various reasons, ranging from supporting your nonprofit to wanting to do something fun on a weekend. However, a primary motivation for many of your attendees may be to socialize with one another. Meet that need by designing socialization opportunities while you’re event planning, such as:
- Icebreaker activities. Help event attendees get to know one another with quick icebreakers, like name games, two truths and a lie, or rock paper scissors tournaments. This helps you keep the focus on your event while giving attendees a chance to get to know one another and form bonds.
- Mixers and socials. Organize a mixer after your event to celebrate your successes and give attendees a chance to mingle in a relaxed atmosphere. Provide refreshments and even music.
- Networking events. For more professional nonprofit events, it’s valuable to set aside dedicated networking time for attendees. They’ll make more connections, and you can also seize the opportunity to meet with prospects you’ve identified.
If your event has sponsors, they’ll also appreciate an opportunity to build beneficial relationships. To show gratitude for their support, facilitate networking encounters between sponsors and individuals they want to meet. This shows your sponsors that you’re serious about ensuring they derive value from your partnership, and they may be more likely to introduce your nonprofit to other potential sponsors, such as other philanthropy-focused businesses or individuals.
For virtual or hybrid events, you can also host breakout sessions, where attendees get into small groups and discuss topics relevant to your event. If you lack the staff to facilitate these rooms, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of volunteers. Just be sure to show your gratitude afterward—Fundraising Letters advises that you send them a heartfelt thank-you letter!
3. Incorporate gamification elements.
Friendly competition is a great tactic to keep attendees engaged—just think about the last time you played a board game or video game, for example. Establish a friendly yet competitive atmosphere that pushes attendees to support your cause with gamification elements, such as:
- Leaderboards (fundraising, social awareness, recruitment)
- Polls and surveys
- Fundraising thermometer
- Social media engagement
- Head-to-head competitions
- Affinity group competitions
- Donate to vote
Don’t be scared to reach out to previous event attendees to get their perspective on what gamification elements worked for them and what didn’t. Send out surveys post-event to gauge how successful your strategies were at keeping them engaged, and make adjustments as necessary to keep your event fun and impactful.
4. Leverage event engagement tools.
Planning a nonprofit event is complicated enough on its own without needing to worry about attendee engagement. Make it easier to keep your audience interested with dedicated event engagement software built specifically to boost interest and excitement.
Here are some tools you might purchase for your event:
- Audience interaction tools. These tools enable real-time audience interaction. Use them to host live polls with options attendees can vote on, allow audience members to send questions as they think of them during panels, create quizzes to test audience knowledge, and more.
- Mobile event apps. These apps are used to simplify event management, empowering attendees to take charge of their event experience. Usually, event apps feature maps of the venue, a guide to activities, and a messaging center so you can send important updates.
- Social media integrations. With robust social media engagement tools, you can display live feeds of specific platforms to encourage interaction and engagement. For example, certain tools will show posts from attendees that include a specific hashtag.
- Livestreaming software. If you want to engage a hybrid or virtual audience, livestreaming software should be at the top of your list of tech tools to purchase, along with audiovisual equipment.
If you don’t wish to purchase multiple tech tools, look for an all-in-one event solution that includes event engagement tools. For example, if you’re hosting a silent auction, OneCause recommends purchasing a solution that includes event management, mobile bidding, auction item management, and gamification features.
Whether your event is the linchpin of your newest fundraising campaign or a vehicle for you to show appreciation for donors, keeping interest and excitement high is a surefire tactic to provide a positive experience for attendees. With intentional engagement strategies in place, you’ll strengthen connections with your audience, helping you convert them into loyal supporters who will aid your mission for years to come.
Author: Karrie Wozniak has spent more than a decade bringing innovative technology and fundraising strategies to the nonprofit industry. As one of the first executives at OneCause, Karrie combines her 20 years of experience in marketing with her passion for helping nonprofits expand their reach, leading industry research, marketing strategy, and fundraising consulting initiatives. She is also an active speaker on donor and fundraising trends and has been featured on Forbes.com, Philanthropy Journal, and Nonprofit Hub.