When mapping out a project timeline for a new event, one of our main pillars is to consider what happens after the event. We wanted to share with you some of our tips for successful post-event stewardship and how to make the most of new donors who attended the event.

First things first, thank everyone, especially those who have donated! The charity special event market is one that is saturated, so you should thank your guests for choosing you over other charity events.
Share the total raised - Your donors want to feel a part of your achievements and it may even encourage guests to donate more to boost the total.
Get feedback! It’s important to consult your guests on their experiences of the event not only so that you can improve it, but also to show you appreciate their input. They may also choose to become more involved - as partners, sponsors or committee members - in future years, to help shape and grow the event
Follow up with donations and auction payments as soon as possible - The longer you leave it, the less likely the donation will be secured and it could even give the impression that you don’t need the money! When using event tech platforms such as EMMA Live, you’ll have the opportunity to produce tailored but automated email comms to make this process as straightforward as possible
Reach out whilst the buzz and excitement from the event is still fresh - Along the same lines, if any of your guests expressed interest in supporting your organisation further, get in touch sooner rather than later and share ways of how they can, whether it’s a longstanding corporate partnership, joining a committee or donating a prize at a future event.
Invite donors and prospects to future events - Whether a thank you lunch for all those who have given generously or a new campaign launch where they can hear how their funding is supporting you to make significant change, bringing them even closer to your cause.
Thanking someone for donating shouldn’t be the end of the story - You have inspired someone to donate at your event, so it’s highly likely you can inspire them to donate again. So map out what the stewardship and engagement journey for each donor looks like over the coming months and years. It’s important to share updates, for example if they funded a specific project, make sure they continue to hear how it’s going and what’s left to be achieved.
Demonstrate impact - One way to maintain contact and momentum is to send out an impact report or update, 3 - 6 months after the event, to highlight how the income raised from the event has made a difference to your organisation. You might want to share video content or invite guests to visit your work in action, to further demonstrate the impact.