Parties, Parades & Promotions: Getting the Most from Your Events

1. Parties, Parades &Promotions:  Getting the Most from Your Events Beth Mersten Cruz, President & Founder Shelter Showcase

2. You’re in the right workshop if you want to learn about …. • Planning an event • Increase adoptions • Increase volunteers • Increase fundraising potential • Cutting edge adoption events

3. “Can we talk? Adoption screening through conversation” Workshop

4. Workshop Agenda • Event Planning Best Practices • General overview and tips • Myths & Risks • Price-cutting adoption fees • Same-day adoptions • Off-site adoptions • Q&A

5. Who likes planning events? • Fun • Time-consuming

6. Reach multiple goals • Get the most out of all types of events

7. Goals

8. Basic Tabling Event

9. Adoption Event – small and large Paw Prints Animal Rescue

10. Spay/Neuter • Spay/Neuter • Educate • Volunteer Recruitment • Networking • Outreach

11. Fundraising • Fundraising • Volunteers • Networking • Mission • Adoption • Thanks

12. No More Homeless Pets Conference • Educate • Inspire • Networking • Outreach

13. Event Planning Best Practices • Choosing the event • Event Planning Calendar (Project Plan) • Budget • Volunteers & Staff • Fundraising • Promoting (PR & Marketing – supporters & bey0nd) • Gathering Contacts • Measuring Success • Trainings

14. Choosing an Event • Primary goal (but reach all of them!!) • Audience • Resources (volunteers, budget, and ?) • Location • Staff input

15. Timing

16. Calendar Inspired Promotions

17. Event Planning Calendar

18. Project Plan • Tasks • Dependencies • MS Project • Who is responsible • Buffer in extra time

19. Committees • Volunteers & Staff • Logistics • Marketing • Entertainment • Fundraising • Committee Heads (not “decision by committee”) • When escalate for approval (contract signatures, expenditures, policies)

20. Budget • List all expenses • Food • Rentals • Printing • List all possible income and in-kind donations • Over-estimate costs & under-estimate income • How much profit makes worthwhile? • Cash to cover upfront costs

21. Things will go wrong • Stay Calm! • Weather • Injury • Animal escape • Volunteer/staff no-shows • Inappropriate volunteer behavior • Disgruntled public • Broken equipment • Escalation Procedures and Sense of humor

22. Volunteers & Paid Staff • Outgoing for outreach • Trained

23. Volunteer Management • Recruit constantly • Sign up sheets • Online • Find ways to involve people & community group • Fun titles • Value of roles • Schedule breaks • Easy to identify • Thank you

24. Best Friends Pet Super Adoption • 200 volunteers – great recruitment tool to build volunteer base in the area

25. Gathering Contacts • Why? • New Donors • New Volunteers • Free Marketing • Sign up sheets • Free raffle • Pledge • Survey • Adoption applications

26. Fundraising • VIP Tickets • Corporate Sponsorships • Program Ads • Raffles/Auctions • Registration/Entrance Fee • Add a donation • Sponsor a pet/kennel/cage • Tie into individual animals! • Inspiring presentation • Don’t be shy

27. Sponsorship • Clear benefits • Feel Good • Logo recognition • Advertising opportunity • Community exposure • Number of people reached • Fun names • Top Dog, Cat’s Meow, Faithful Friends, Magnificent Mutts

28. Getting the word out

29. Billboard Sponsor Selling point: 140,000 people views per month Great advertising opportunity

30. Media Sponsorships • Benefits with no direct financial cost • Donate advertising time

31. Mailings

32. Adoption Promotion

33. Online Promotion • Email blasts • Website • Online Pet Listings • Facebook, Twitter updates • Facebook Event • Community Calendars

35. Media Attention • Creative releases • LOCAL angle • Tie into current news • Special attractions • Volunteer Opportunities • Press Conference • Event reminder • Include organization info

36. Survey Says • How did they learn about the event? • Are they looking to adopt? • Do they have pets now?

37. Take Pictures & Video • Next year’s sponsorship requests • Part of thank you notes • Create more buzz

38. Clean up after event

39. After the Event • Rest and Relax • Feedback & Ideas • Share the Good News • Pictures and success • Website • Email • Facebook • Media release • Acknowledgements

40. After the Event • Measuring Success • Baseline • Adoptions • Total • Targeted • Money raised • Volunteers • Participated • Recruited • New contacts & relationships

41. No cost adoptions, same day adoptions, off site adoptions … OH MY! Myths & Risks: Cutting Edge Programs

42. Adoption Price Promos Freeday: 17 adoptions (5 normally) Frenzy: 55 adoptions (11 normally)

43. Myths or Risks? • Is the adopted pet … • Safe? • Loved? • Stay in the home? • Lost revenue?

44. Will an adopter love a free pet?

45. What does the data show? • Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland Study • Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale • Same Level of attachment for fee and free adoptions

46. Relinquishment & Intention • Cats obtained free from previous owner • Shelter adoptions and purchases are intentional • Same adoption process

47. Benefits of adopting from you • 65% of pet guardians acquire their pets free or at low cost • Spayed & Neutered • Vaccinated • Pet ID • Education • Post adoption support • Potential donors and volunteers

48. Lost Revenue • Adopters may donate • Vet Exam • Deworming • Vaccines • Spay/Nueter • Microchipping • Free month pet insurance • Less time at shelter • More adoptions • Refer adopters • Great program to sponsor/support • Increase other adoption fees • Grants

49. Off-site & Same Day Adoptions: Impulse adoptions? Or intentional?

50. Midnight Woofness • 300 people in line at midnight - intentional • 500 – 600 adoptions per event