You send out invitations for your fundraising event, and watch as a handful of rejections come trickling in.

Don’t take it personally, there’s a good chance that even though these people can’t attend they’re still looking for ways to help your nonprofit organization throw a successful event.

Instead of overlooking those who can’t attend, you can create an email marketing campaign to circle back and offer them opportunities to show their support outside of attending the event. Here are just a few of the ways non-attendees can push your fundraiser towards success:

Join us for a free webinar: Create a Successful Email Marketing Plan for Your Nonprofit in 15 Minutes or Less.

Supporting from afar

Even if they’re unable to attend, companies or individuals could sponsor something small such as a single hole on a golf course, or make a bigger splash and sponsor the whole event. This helps your organization pull off a successful fundraiser, and gives the sponsor credit for helping your organization’s cause.

If your event is raising money to fund a new playground, or an after school program, you could create an email campaign that offers a “Sponsor a Kid for Summer Camp” campaign. Give donors the opportunity to give this sponsorship ahead of time, so they can help even if they cannot make the event.

Tip: Include pictures of the benefit of sponsoring in these emails. Using the “Sponsor a Kid” example, insert photos of the kids from camp last summer playing games and having fun. Non-attendees will want to recreate this experience for a child this summer too!

Showing up at the wrong time can be good timing

Volunteering isn’t just for the day of the event. There are plenty of opportunities for supporters who are not available day-of to help out before and after the actual date (and time) of your fundraiser. Volunteering gives them the chance to get involved and show their support for your cause, even if their schedules are all over the place.

When you send out your volunteer prospecting emails, be sure to indicate that you will need people outside of the event day and time, so that non-attendees will know that they can still participate.

Tip: Make a list of what you need from volunteers outside of the fundraising event hours, so supporters will be able to pick what will fit their schedules best, as well as what tasks they would like to help with. This list can include anything from printing out name tags the week before, to stamping thank you letters the week after.

Everything but the kitchen sink (unless you need a sink)

This may seem like a broad topic, but that is because donations can really be anything that your specific fundraiser is in need of. This could be financial funding, centerpieces, flowers, golf balls, pens for the auction, etc.

Running a fundraising event means getting help from wherever possible. Non-attendees can help with this, they just need to know what you are looking for and be provided with the opportunity to give.

Send out an email specifically mapping out exactly what your fundraiser needs help with. People will want to help in any way they can – especially if they cannot physically be there themselves.

Tip: Send these emails in a series, starting a few months before and building urgency closer to the event. Because they cannot attend, your event may not be top of mind for this group. Reminder emails will help them follow through with their donation.

The highest bidder is not the only winner

A great addition to any fundraising event is a silent auction. The auction can be as big or as small as you want, and can provide extra income for less effort than planning another event.

Silent auction items can become fun projects for the donors, especially those who cannot attend your fundraiser but want to be involved. They can also provide the opportunity to build awareness for the small businesses who choose to donate.

Tip: When prospecting for silent auction items using email, give some ideas to help spark creativity among donors. Again, this donation opportunity can often be as much fun for the donor as it is for the item winner!

Still making a difference, even in absence

Hopefully these examples help spark some ideas on how you can use email to target your non-attendee audience to still be involved in your fundraiser. Sometimes, all it takes is educating your supporters on how they can help. So don’t write off your non-attendee audience just yet – they may have exactly what you need!

Join us for a free webinar: Create a Successful Email Marketing Plan for Your Nonprofit in 15 Minutes or Less.

The post People That Decline Your Fundraising Event Invite Make The Best Donors appeared first on Constant Contact Blogs.