Networking For A Cause Event Playbook

NETWORKING EVENT PLAYBOOK FOR A CAUSE

HOW TO HOST AN EVENT

A Networking for a Cause event provides a unique opportunity to connect with non-profits in your local community to help raise money for a good cause while building professional relationships with current and future partners.

Hosting an event doesn’t have to be stressful. You just need to keep things organized and have a checklist!

STEP 1: COVER THE BASICS

1) Plan out your budget and do your best to stick to it, leaving some wiggle room.

2) Narrow down the date and time for the event.

3) Decide who you want to invite.

4) Pick the non-profit you want to support.

5) Create the guest list (leaving room for those who sign up via social media or your website). We recommend reaching out to the non-profit to make sure they have someone available to represent them on the day of the event!

STEP 2: DECIDE ON A VENUE

Now that you have a (very) tentative headcount, it’s time to find a venue! If it’s going to be a small event, you can potentially hold it at your office. For bigger events, we recommend finding an event space. Here are some tips on finding the right space:

Availability: Is the space open and free on the day of your event?

Location: Keep it central to the majority of your guest list. If people have to drive or Uber too far, they’re less likely to show up!

Budget: Throwing an event costs money, but it shouldn’t break the bank! Some venues may even give you the event space at a discounted price since it’s for charity. It may not work out, but it never hurts to ask!

What’s Included: For example, if you’re renting out a room at a restaurant, does the fee include a certain amount of food or drink? Ask about parking availability, and any additional rental fees.

STEP 3: INCLUDE YOUR NON-PROFIT

There will be a big difference in hosting a build for Habitat for Humanity versus hosting a fundraising benefit for a charter school in the area. Work with the non-profit to gather ideas on what usually works best when it comes to fundraising and build your event around that idea.

Here are a few ideas:

•Silent auction

•Live auction

•Raffle

•Trivia night

•Wine tasting

•Casino night

•Happy hour

•Comedy night

It’s also a good idea to find time in your event to highlight the non-profit you are partnering with so all of your attendees have the opportunity to make connections.

STEP 4: DECIDE ON FOOD AND DRINKS

Do you have a friend who’s a caterer looking for exposure? Maybe they’ll offer their services if you pay for the cost of food. The key to this is to never EXPECT a deal, after all, you don’t provide mortgages for free, and people need to feel valued. (Although, it never hurts to ask!)

Other great options are food trucks or hosting the event somewhere simple, like a pizza joint! If you do host at an event venue, appetizers will always be more cost-effective than a plated dinner. Remember that serving alcohol is going to be more expensive than sticking to coffee, tea, and water. However, at an evening event, having the option could draw a bigger crowd.

STEP 5: MAKE YOUR EVENT HAPPEN

It’s important to keep things organized, starting with your RSVP’s. Eventbrite is a free and easy way to make this happen!

Here are the steps to creating your Eventbrite page:

•Go to https://www.eventbrite.com/

•You can sign up or log in the upper righthand corner

•Once you are logged into your account, you will create an event using the “Create an Event” tab in the top banner

•You will answer a few questions from Eventbrite and a landing page will be created for you

•Click on the “Create Event” button

•Enter the event information (make sure to include an RSVP)

•Add an image to the event (your logo and the non-profit logo will work, or have your marketing specialist create a banner)

•Add an event description

•Create a new ticket type (free)

•Enter the ticket information

•Add any extra information under advanced settings

•Set up order form

•Customize confirmation

•Here’s the link for exact instructions: https://www.eventbrite.com/support/ articles/en_US/Multi_Group_How_To/how-to-create-an-event?lg=en_US

After you set up your Eventbrite link, it’s time to advertise your event.

MARKETING TEMPLATES FOR PROMOTING YOUR EVENT

There are Networking for a Cause templates set up in the Churchill Marketing Studio that can easily be edited for your specific event.

SOCIAL MEDIA EXAMPLES:

1. Simple, clean, invitation with caption saying: “Join the Churchill Mortgage team for a night of Bubbles, Bites, and Books! We’re gathering with other businesses in the community to give back to Little Loves Daycare. Join us on June 10th, 2023, from 6:00-9:00 pm. RSVP here: INSERT LINK HERE

2. Fun, bright, including non-profit’s logo with caption: Don’t forget! Our Bubbles, Bites, and Books event is just five days away! Join us for a night of giving back and getting to know each other! We’ll see you on June 10th at 6pm! RSVP here: INSERT LINK HERE

Churchill Mortgage

FLYER EXAMPLE:

Bubbles, Bites, and Books!

Churchill Mortgage is inviting you to a night of giving back and getting to know each other! Support a local non-profit, Little Loves Daycare, as you mingle with other business owners in the community. Here are the details:

•When: June 10th, 2023, from 6pm-9pm

•Where: Churchill Mortgage offices

•What: A book drive for Little Loves Daycare

We’ll provide the bubbles and bites; all you have to do is show up with some books!

Add Eventbrite link

Add information about you (or Churchill), and about the non-profit

EMAIL TEMPLATES:

Don’t overthink this! A simple email and text invite with the Eventbrite link will work. Try something like this for the email:

The Churchill Mortgage team invites you a night of bubbles, bites, and books (kind of)! As your local home loan experts, we want to make sure we’re making an impact on the communities we serve. That’s why we’re hosting a book drive for Little Loves Daycare and pre-school! Get to know other professionals in your area and give back while you’re at it. We’ll provide the bubbles and bites; all you have to do is show up with the books! Here’s the link to learn more and RSVP: INSERT LINK HERE.

TEXT TEMPLATES:

You’re invited to our Bubbles, Bites, and Books benefiting Little Loves Daycare on June 10th from 6:00-9:00 pm. Click the link to learn more!

INSERT EVENTBRITE LINK HERE

STEP 6: SET UP & FINALIZE YOUR EVENT

3. Set up décor if you’re using any. Just coordinate the timing of this with the vendor. This also gives the person handling food and drink time to set up, as well as the representative from the non-profit.

4. Have someone at the door to greet people and provide name tags.

5. Provide Churchill Mortgage information for your guests. Remember, the point of this is to give back to the community while (hopefully) garnering business. Having someone to overlook the details (a Marketing Specialist is helpful here) will give you more time to network and mingle.

6. Prepare a short welcome speech introducing yourself and explaining why you chose the non-profit you’re supporting. This makes an easy segway for the non-profit representative to explain what they do and how people can help.

7. Have fun!

STEP 7: THE FOLLOW-UP

Once your event is over, follow up with the attendees, providing them value along the way. Here are a couple sample emails:

EMAIL OPTION #1

Thank you so much for attending Bubbles, Bites, and Books! We made such a difference for those kiddos, and we couldn’t have done it without YOU! As a small token of our appreciation, here’s an invite to our State of the Housing Market webinar.

This 60-minute free webinar will give you the facts you need to make the best decisions for you and your family in 2023!

EMAIL OPTION #2

We had a blast with you at Bubble, Bites, and Books! The Churchill Mortgage team and I were blown away at how many books we collected for Little Loves and we’re already planning next month’s mixer!

In the meantime, check out our Guide to Investment Properties. 2023 is being touted as the “Year of the Landlord,” so it doesn’t hurt to know how investing in real estate can help build lasting wealth!

YOU DID IT!

As you can see, hosting a Networking for a Cause event event has a few moving parts, but it can be a lot of fun. Just remember what you have to offer your community and the nonprofit you’re supporting, and the rest will be a piece of cake!

If you have questions about hosting an event, please reach out to Director of Employee Engagement, Teresa Smith at tsmith@churchilmortgage.com

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