Organizing different events for charity is a very humane and nice gesture. One of the most common events organized in order to collect donations for those who need it the most are marathons, ie. runs. This can be a great way to promote your non-profit organization and help hold other events that have a significant goal. However, organizing events like this is also very tedious because there are many things to take care of.
It is necessary to choose the location, date and time, wardrobe, stands, drinks and food and other details that are important for a well-organized event. So today we are writing a few tips that will help you organize your first charity run event that everyone will be happy with.
1. Design the registration process
The first step in organizing charity races is to design a registration process that will allow interested participants to apply as quickly and easily as possible. Nowadays, online registrations are definitely the best option, because that way you can reach the largest number of runners, and for most people this is the simplest option.
Note: Don’t complicate the application form too much, because it can sometimes turn people off. Keep it short and clear. Runners should leave only their basic information and be able to easily make a payment. There are different providers for registration, so make sure you find the ones that have the best prices and other features that are important to you.
2. Decide where the charity run will take place
Another important step is choosing the best location to run. This is one of the most important factors, because it can greatly affect the success of the event you organize and how much people will like it. You need to find a location that is suitable for this type of event, which means that you need to think about a few different things.
First of all, based on the registration information, you can conclude who the participants are and how advanced they are in this area. Based on that, you need to choose an adequate terrain. If they are mostly beginners, you want to avoid too hilly surfaces, because that can be a big obstacle for them.
Decide how long you want the route to be and try to find a part of the town where the traffic is not too busy. If possible, find the location with a sidewalk so participants can avoid cars more easily. If possible, choose a looped course, because that way the start and finish will be in the same place, so you will avoid organizing an additional transport of people.
3. Find staff
In order for your charity event to be successful, it is essential that you have a sufficient number of staff and volunteers to help you. You don’t want your runners to feel lost and confused. It is important that there are people who will guide the participants and provide them with all the necessary information, who will deal with the registration fee, people who will stand at the water stations, those who will provide first aid to participants when an accident occurs, those who will award prizes, and others. Take the time to find enough people to cover all aspects of your run event and that will make sure that everything goes well.
4. Take care of the details
At events like this, the details are very important, so we advise you to make a list of everything you need to take care of. For example, you need to have start and finish markers, as well as all markings during the route, so that runners know where they need to go.
Stands that will represent water stations where participants will be able to refresh themselves during the run are also very important, especially on longer routes. Don’t forget the trash cans where participants will be able to put away glasses and bottles of water. At the finish it is necessary to have an arch that clearly indicates that there is a finish line.
At StrikeNow you can find custom branded inflatable arches which are also a great way to advertise your non-profit organization. Finally, have fun organizing the stage and the award platform, so that the whole event has a perfect final touch.
5. Try to advertise your event as much as possible
As suggested by We Charity, another thing to keep in mind when organizing a charity run event is advertising. If you want as many people as possible to attend it and thus collect as much money as possible for those who need it, you need good advertising.
Think about how old your participants are and what media they follow. If you choose to include younger people, social networks like facebook and instagram are a great way to go. Making flyers that your volunteers will hand out to people downtown is another good way to get word out about your event.
If possible, try to connect with another charity, which will advertise your event on their own, and you in turn can do the same for them at your events. Another phenomenal way to reach people are billboards. If you can, why not choose that advertising channel as well? Newspapers are another good option.
Remember: The most important thing is to understand who your participants are and who you want to reach. After that, think about where your target audience is and how you will most easily attract their attention. If you choose good marketing, you can expect a much greater response from people, and thus greater success of your event.
Conclusion
Organizing charity events is a very nice and humane gesture, but it is also very tiring, because it means taking care of many different things. If you want to successfully organize a beautiful charity run, it is necessary to design optimal registration forms, choose the best possible location and find staff and volunteers who will help you run everything smoothly. After that, deal with all the details of the event and try to promote it adequately, in order to attract as many people as possible, and thus a lot more money for those who need it.
