Raise more through your MC at your next fundraising event

Posted by Ben Crook on 16 June 2017

The MC (or compare) is in a position of immense power for the duration of your fundraising event. They can whip up hype, excitement and competitiveness, all of which are crucial to tactfully highlighting the importance of meeting the fundraising objectives set out for the event.

Whether you are seeking to appoint the right person to the role or coach your current MC, here a few suggestions to help give you a further understanding of how Givergy and the MC can work together collaboratively to ensure you raise as much as possible for your cause!

What makes a good MC? Back to the basics:

• An intimate understanding of the audience:
  1. Whos who, and where they are in the room
  2. How high up the agenda the fundraising portion to the event is
  3. The demographic (family/friends, corporate partners, high net worth donors)
• Knowledge on what was raised last year, and [ideally] what they are aiming for this year
• A bubbly yet sharp persona to get guests engaged
• A willingness to stick to the plan

These are all qualities of a MC who not only wants to entertain your guests, but who fully understands that the fundraising element of your event should take the forefront.

How does Givergy and the MC compliment one-another?

One of the main reasons for Givergy’s position as the market leader in fundraising technology is that were able to inject an unrivalled level of data-driven competitiveness and engagement into the fundraising events we support. We do this through utilising leaderboard screens which provide real-time updates on:

1. Activity via the silent auction including updates on the latest bid, number of bids per table and total raised against target.
2. Activity via the pledge including updates on the latest pledge, number of pledges, total raised per table, and total raised against target.

By leveraging their stage presence and relaying this data at key moments, your MC will be able to create a fun and productive fundraising environment.

The silent auction:

Silent auctions are inherently enticing, often packed with exciting, one-off and unique items. A silent auction which is actively pushed throughout the event will perform infinitely better than one which remains in the background.

First impressions count:

• We recommend the MC begin by defining their role in a bubbly and positive manner
• Set expectations upfront with the audience, e.g. Were aiming to beat last years target of X; judging by the look of the guest list tonight Id say were in with a good shout!
• Breed competition between the tables by using real-time data to showcase which tables are preforming the best verse those who have yet to contribute

Pledging why we encourage it:

Our biggest tip, above all else, is to never neglect the pledge! As it can be the make or break your target.

• Pledging provides an opportunity for every single guest to give to the cause, irrespective of budget. Data revealing the guests who are yet to pledge can be fed to the MC via Givergy in real-time thus allowing you to engage the silent majority.
• It allows you to build a more emotive case around your fundraising campaign, e.g. a pledge of 100 would be enough to provide xyz
• Up to 70% of the room haven’t paid to be there; get them to contribute to the cause they came to support via pledging.

How the MC can promote the pledge:

The role of the MC in promoting the pledge is even more important than the silent auction because there’s no tangible reward. Its driven solely by emotion.

• As with the silent auction, set an expectation, e.g. Last year we raised X, this year I’m confident we can hit Y, or Last year X number of guests pledged, this year lets double that!
• Communicate that the key to the pledge is engagement, i.e. you’re aiming for a lot of people to give a relatively small amount. E.g. We have a pledge target if 10,000…there are 500 of you in the room, which means that’s just 20 each!
• Get the ball rolling by utilising Givergy’s leaderboard screens to keep the target in mind and where the current state of play fits in with that target.

Fundraising technology combined with the efforts of your MC can substantially elevate the amount you raise!

Multi-selling:

Selling the same auction lot more than once for the same price can dramatically increase the amount you raise during your fundraising event. Multi-selling works especially well in a live auction when your auctioneer can create and control a competitive environment, engaging and selling a single lot to several bidders. It can also be utilised in the silent auction where Givergy will work with you to approach all of the guests that could potentially agree to match the final price the lot sold for.

If you’d like to discuss any of the above ideas in more detail, please request a consultation with one of our fundraising experts!

Ben Crook

Chief Operating Officer

Ben is at the forefront of every project in Givergy, listing and actioning constant improvements across the business. With over a decade of experience in the charity and events sector he brings a deep understanding of what the fundraising industry needs to operate effectively and efficiently.