Bring on the global day of giving that is GivingTuesday because you are READY. You’ve set up your GivingTuesday crowdfunding campaign and are ready to accept online donations, prepared your social media strategy and scheduled posts, and are beginning to promote your #GivingTuesday campaign to people within your personal network and supporters. You’ve even cleared your schedule on November 29 so you can focus on engaging on all your social media platforms.
But, wait! There’s one more thing you need to line up for your #GivingTuesday2022 fundraising campaign, and that’s a big thank you.
The one thing you MUST do after GivingTuesday?
Thank old and new donors for their generosity to your nonprofit’s cause.
Saying ‘thank you’ to supporters isn’t groundbreaking—in fact, we’re sure it’s something you rockstar fundraisers do all the time! But in the case of GivingTuesday, you should send out your message of gratitude ASAP. As in the very next day, which in 2022 is Wednesday, November 30. Here’s why:
- December is a big fundraising month—you’re probably planning for that now! Immediately expressing gratitude for donations closes the book on GivingTuesday, freeing you up for your charitable season fundraising push.
- Many of your #GivingTuesday participants will be new donors. By thanking them straight away, you’ll reinforce their connection to your organization and make it clear how much they matter.
- Everyone likes to feel that they’ve made a difference. Your GivingTuesday ‘thank you’ will help with donor retention and nurture new donor relationships.
How to Make the Most of Your GivingTuesday ‘Thank You’
The primary purpose of your #GivingTuesday ‘thank you’ is gratitude. However, it’s also an opportunity to build fundraising momentum for your year-end fundraising efforts and beyond. This does not mean you should include an ask! Stay as far away from that as possible. Instead, aim to strike a balance between “thank you” and “stay with us.” To that end, the following are a few tips to help you craft your GivingTuesday ‘thank you’:
- Keep it authentic. A short, simple, heartfelt message of sincere thanks reiterating how their money will be used is a powerful thing. Try to keep your email to about two paragraphs.
- Encourage people to follow you on social media (some may have not yet done so), and mention that GivingTuesday isn’t the only way they can get involved in your nonprofit organization. Don’t be too heavy-handed with this last part—remember that this email is about thanking participants for their support in your GivingTuesday crowdfunding campaign.
- Include images or graphics detailing what your organization has accomplished so far this year. Think of this email as a chance to share the great work you are doing (and can keep doing) thanks to their continued support.
- Address the donor by name if possible—this makes it more personal and thus more impactful.
This last point is easy when your mail client (such as Constant Contact or MailChimp) is integrated with your fundraising platform. When you use Eventgroove as your online fundraising platform, accepting online donations and sending personalized emails to people is a snap.
With Eventgroove, you can:
- Collect donor data (securely) and access it at any time, enabling you to have the information you need to build your email list.
- Schedule and automate email sends to donors.
- Create brand continuity by easily mirroring your crowdfunding fundraising campaign’s look in your email messages.
- Save time because of all of the above!
Have a Successful #GivingTuesday!
You’ve done as much as you can to prepare your GivingTuesday nonprofit crowdfunding fundraising campaign (no small task!) while also running your nonprofit organization. For that alone, we salute you. Good luck, and keep our crowdfunding platform (it’s free for fundraisers like you) in mind for your next fundraising campaign—we’d be honored to help!
How Selling Prom Tickets Online Works
Creating a ticket sales page takes no time, and you can customize it so it matches your prom theme and school branding. Here’s the shape of it:
- Create the event. Name (Enchanted Forest Prom, 2026), date, venue, capacity, dress code, anything else students should know.
- Set ticket types and prices. Most committees do one student ticket plus one guest or date. Some add an early bird ticket tier at a $10 discount for the first two weeks.
- Grab a shareable link. Drop it in the school newsletter, add it to a QR code on your prom posters, then drop it into the school’s socials and the committee group chat so everyone can share within their networks, and the principal’s morning announcements.
- Collect the money. Card and digital wallet payments flow straight into your account, whether someone pays in person at school or at the door on prom night.
- Scan tickets at the door. Each student arrives with their printed prom tickets or a digital version. A volunteer scams them using their phone.
6 Things to Look For in a Prom Ticketing Service
Not every ticketing platform is set up for school events. Three things that matter:
- Real-Time Data: Student planners and faculty advisors need to monitor sales and revenue, and access updated attendee reports.
- Clear Fees: Every platform makes its money through fees. These fees can be passed on to buyers or absorbed by the school. In addition, when credit cards are involved, processing fees always apply but may not be included in your free ticketing platform’s service. When these are not included in the platform price, you’ll need to organize online payments separately, which can result in a much higher per-ticket cost on your end.
- Online and physical tickets: Printing prom tickets is something many schools do – they’re a great memento of the night, and make the experience more special. Make sure your platform’s capabilities include tracking and scanning both printed and digital tickets.
- Easy attendee check-in: Look for a platform that lets you scan without an app or special equipment. When faculty can scan tickets using their mobile phone‘s browser, getting up to speed takes less time.
- Attendee management: You’ll want to track students as they enter, leave, and return. Ensure your service can support this.
- Ticketing adaptability: Creating ticket bundles, reserved seating, and comp codes for VIPS means your chosen platform needs to be flexible.
What to Charge For Tickets To Prom and When to Sell
On average, a prom ticket costs between $55–$125. The exact number depends on the venue, what the night includes (DJ, photos, dinner, flowers, and the like).
- Early Bird discount. Knock $10–$15 off the standard price for the first 2–3 weeks of sales. An early bird ticket strategy rewards students who buy first, builds momentum, and gives your committee how the night is tracking weeks before prom.
- Group bundles. Offer a small discount for friend groups buying 4 or 6 tickets together. Ticket bundling speeds up sales and they nudge friend groups to commit early.
- Reserved tables. If you want groups to sit together, set up your ticketing with reserved seating and sell whole tables as a single package.
- Day-of door pricing. Charge $10–$15 more at the door than online to encourages families to pre-buy.
Open sales 6–8 weeks before prom, switch from early bird to standard pricing 2–3 weeks in, and close online sales 24–48 hours before the dance so you can finalize the catering count.
A note on the platform side: Eventgroove’s setup is free, and the service fee on paid tickets is small (2% + $0.75 per ticket). You can pass that fee on to ticket buyers, and for free events, there are no fees at all.
If you’re looking for an efficent and easy way to sell school dance tickets and manage your attendees, we’d love it if you gave Eventgroove a try. Our ticketing platform is free for organizers, with low ticket-buyer fees, no hidden charges, and no contracts. Plus, we’re also online printers, so you order custom prom tickets, VIP badges, and flyers all in one place.
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