That Sounds Like a Plan!
Planning and producing a successful fundraising event can be stressful and overwhelming. That Sounds Like a Plan! walks you through the process step by step from start to finish. Whether you're an executive director, marketing manager, board member or volunteer, if you need guidance planning and producing a fundraising event for a small nonprofit, this podcast is for you. Host Alicia Baraga brings you strategies, tips, tools, and information from her 14+ years planning fundraising and awareness-building events for a wide variety of nonprofit clients. Along with sharing best practices, Alicia interviews experts in fields related to events such as marketing, sponsorship, A/V, auctions and more. She answers your questions in Q&A episodes and boosts your confidence through Planner Pep Talks (PPT). If you're ready to streamline your event planning process, grow your audience and raise more money at your fundraising event, hit subscribe and let's get started. Now that sounds like a plan!
Episodes
52 episodes
51_How to keep event meetings on track
BRIEF SUMMARYIn this episode of That Sounds Like a Plan, we dive into three key strategies to keep your steering committee meetings on track. In this episode we explore:
50_Nonprofit storytelling with Howard Levy
Storytelling plays a vital role in the success of a nonprofit event. Organizations must be able to tell their story in a way that compels their audience to take action. In this episode I sit down with Howard Levy, founder of Red ...
49_Using a street team to promote a nonprofit event
In this very digital age, the personal touch of human interaction becomes increasingly important. Today we’re going to bring that personal touch back to event promotion. We’re talking about promoting your event with a street team.&n...
48_Nine ways to use AI when planning a nonprofit event
Whether you're organizing a small gathering or a massive conference, AI tools can streamline your processes, enhance attendee experiences, and make your event planning smoother than ever before. In this episode I share:
47_Five tips for planning a compelling nonprofit event program
As the host of a nonprofit event, the program is your opportunity to educate and inspire your audience. Sadly, many event hosts get caught up in the planning of the event, how many auction items, the entertainment, the food, the decor. The prog...
46_Event tech tools I can't live without
Today we're talking tech. I'm sharing my must have event tech tools that streamline planning and ensure everything runs smoothly.Whether you're an event planning pro or just getting started, these tools are game changers....
45_Six tips for selling event tickets
“If you build it, they will come” only worked in the movie Field of Dreams. The reality is that it takes a lot of work to get people to first be aware of your event and then to buy a ticket. In this episode I ...
44_Eco friendly events
There's a lot of waste in the event industry. If you've ever cleaned up after an event, you see it firsthand. In this episode, I cover ways to make your event eco-friendlier in seven categories: 1) Event marketing and promotion 2) ...
43_PPT Never stop asking questions
This is a Planner Pep Talk or PPT episode. Planning fundraising events is not easy. These pep talks are designed to let you know you're not alone with some of the challenging aspects of planning an event. Whenever you need a...
42_Measuring event success
BRIEF SUMMARYWe often talk about the need to have a successful fundraising event. But what does that mean? Just because your event made money doesn’t necessarily mean it was a success, financial or otherwise. ...
41_Are you ready to host your first fundraising event?
BRIEF SUMMARYIf you are a relatively new nonprofit, or new to events, you might be wondering when it’s a good time to host your first fundraising event. In this episode we’ll talk about what you need organizationa...
40_Seven systems for nonprofit event success
BRIEF SUMMARYWithout systems, planning an event can easily become chaotic and overwhelming. Systems enable you to delegate tasks and create consistency. In this episode I share:The...
39_Seven ways to refresh your event
BRIEF SUMMARYHaving a successful event year after year is a great thing! There are times, though, when you need to change things up slightly to refresh an event to keep it from getting a little stale. In t...
38_Eleven questions to ask when looking at venues
BRIEF SUMMARYHalf the battle when researching venues for your nonprofit event is knowing the right questions to ask. In this episode I share:Eleven questions to ask when looking at ...
37_How to get and use event feedback
BRIEF SUMMARYGathering event feedback helps you determine what your audience liked about the event and identify areas for improvement. In this episode I share:Why feedback is important
36_Should I have a live auction?
Live auctions serve a purpose other than just raising more money for your organization. In this episode I share:The purpose of a live auctionThe types of events that work best for live au...
35_Seven Post-Auction Duties
The silent auction has ended, guests have checked out and you’re done. Well, almost. There are seven things you need to do to wrap up your auction. In this episode I share:The first thing yo...
34_Day of Auction Details
There are a number of things you must do in the month or two leading up to and on the day of the auction to make everything run smoothly. In this episode I share:When to open & close your au...
33_Online Auction Basics
Online, mobile, or virtual auction. No matter the name, they all mean the same thing; an auction conducted over the Internet where people can bid through a website or mobile device. Not paper sheet bidding. In...
32_Preparing To Host An Auction
Silent auctions are a popular fundraising activity for nonprofits and their supporters. Sometimes auctions are viewed as easy money. If you’ve ever organized an auction, you know it’s anything but easy. They are a lot of work! ...
31_Putting Together Your Planning Team
Planning a nonprofit fundraising or awareness-building event takes a team! This group of individuals can have a huge impact on your event. In this episode I share:The typical structure of the planning team...
30_When does sponsorship become advertising? Special Guest: Jess Birken
Event sponsorship is arguably one of the most challenging and stressful aspects of planning a fundraising event. Part of that stress is driven by the fact that there are IRS rules about what you can and cannot do and there’s a fine lin...
29_Sponsor Activations
For nonprofits, sponsorship packages all tend to look the same; logos on websites and printed materials, tables at the event, social media mentions, etc. So how does a nonprofit stand out from the competition and create long term relation...
28_7 Steps to Get Ready for Sponsorship Sales
Sponsorship sales is one of the most important, yet most daunting, tasks for your fundraising event. It’s not just something you can dive into. There’s a lot of prep work that needs to happen behind the scenes before you can begin.&...