Successful charity events require a lot of planning, foresight, flexibility, and ingenuity. The more attention that is brought to your event and fundraiser, the more money and support can be raised for the cause. In the current climate as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, many charity and non-profit groups are looking for creative ways to raise the funds they desperately need to keep the organization moving ahead despite their events being canceled.

Signs are a simple yet highly-effective way to garner attention without spending a lot of money. Signarama offers many products to help you announce and promote your event and message – even if you have to host it in a new way. Virtual fundraisers and events are an ingenious way to keep things moving. The key to effective event promotions for charities and non-profit groups is to clearly state your cause, define your fundraising goal, and understand your target audience as well as the ideal sign location(s). At Signarama, we understand that these events, and your signage, may need to be approached a little differently for now.

Some tips to keep in mind when planning successful charity events and fundraisers:

• Combine signage and an increased social media presence to give your event exposure on a broader level. Once you’ve established your charity’s social media handles, publish the information on your signs! Have a hashtag? Include that on your signage as well. Tell your community that you are active on social media so that they can connect at any time. Signs that include social media information will appear to be current, relevant, and creative. There are endless possibilities when using social media to promote a charity fundraiser; be creative and take advantage of valuable sign space. 

• Pick a theme for your event and run with it across your signage and social media. Throughout your promotions, be cohesive in your message by using consistent color schemes, fonts, and design styles.

If your charity event or fundraiser is going virtual in 2020, consider planning a “Watch Party” using your social media profiles to communicate the details and drum up interest and excitement. Ask those on the planning committee for your virtual event to share these posts on their personal social media pages to reach a larger audience than ever. Signarama can create a backdrop featuring a repeated logo or something related to your theme that could be used during your “Watch Party.” Perhaps you could “think outside the box” and plan ahead by sending important sponsors a backdrop, portable sign, or “picture frame” type signs to hold up during your virtual fundraiser. If you have a guest list ahead of time, we could help you put together a “Party in a Box” with some decals, signs to hold up during the virtual party, and other goodies that you could mail to your guests in advance. With all the technology available to us today, the sky is the limit!

Here are some other sign options from Signarama to help make your charity event and fundraiser a success:

• Sidewalk and yard signs provide a portable and affordable solution with a lot of message-power. They are versatile and can be moved easily as needed. 

• If you’re looking for an eye-catching, creative way to grab people’s attention, banners and flags from Signarama can help you get your message to a broad audience. These affordable signs can be placed virtually anywhere which makes them ideal for community and charity events. Place these crafty signs throughout your town to build momentum behind your event.

• Have windows? Utilize the “free space” by installing window graphics to promote your event and fundraiser. You can also choose to create custom three-dimensional signs and add some themed props to create a truly memorable display in an otherwise often-overlooked space. Imagine how many viewers will see your message, and, in turn, spread the word about your event. 

• Sign spinners stand on streets and at intersections “spinning” and tossing a sign to get the attention of vehicles driving by. This is a unique approach, but one that will provide more attention to your event. 

• Reach out to businesses and organizations within your community that have digital signs and displays. Ask them to consider running a message across the sign promoting your charity event. These signs are intended to make information clear and easily visible to viewers. If your charity organization operates from a permanent location, consider installing a digital sign so that all of your messages can be seen by community members. 

In the current climate, we understand that some organizations are looking for new and unique ways to raise awareness and funds with everything from Watch Parties to virtual parties. If your fundraising event has moved online and is now “going virtual,” we can help! If your group is changing things up this year, your signage should reflect that. Signarama’s local sign experts are available to help you “think outside the box” to find the best sign solutions for your charity event or fundraiser.