Working the Room - Getting the Right People in the Room

Getting the Right People in the Room

A strong fundraising event does not begin when guests walk through the door. It begins much earlier.

It begins with the invitation list.

That may sound obvious, but in many nonprofits, the event invitation list is treated like an administrative task. We pull the names from last year. Maybe the year before. We add current donors, faithful supporters, board members, sponsors, volunteers, and the people who always come.

That's not wrong.  But it isn't enough.

Because if your event is meant to do more than fill a room - if it is meant to deepen relationships, reconnect lapsed donors, introduce new prospects, steward loyal supporters, or move major gift conversations forward - then the invitation list is not just a spreadsheet of names and contact information.

It's a strategy document.

And it deserves more thought. In the previous post in this series, I wrote about working the room with warmth and purpose. But the truth is, working the room becomes much more effective when the right people have been invited into it.

Not just the usual people. The right people.

The donors, prospects, former leaders, loyal supporters, and friends of friends who may be ready for a deeper connection to your mission.

Start Earlier Than You Think

Most event strategy starts too late.

By the time the invitation has gone out, the event team is often focused on RSVPs, table hosts, catering numbers, program flow, and who still has not responded. All very important.

But the real relationship strategy should begin before the invitation drops.

Before you send anything, gather your development team - or, in a smaller shop, sit down with your Executive Director, CEO, board chair, or key volunteer - and look at the potential invitation list through a relationship lens.

Ask:

• Who do we want to bring closer?
• Who has been drifting but might welcome a warm re-entry point?
• Who has shown signs of interest but has not yet had a real conversation?
• Who would be more likely to attend if invited by a peer?
• Who should not receive a generic invitation because the relationship deserves more care?
• Who might experience this event as a meaningful doorway into the mission?

That last question matters.

Because not every donor will say yes to a coffee meeting with a fundraiser. But they might say yes to joining a table with someone they trust. Or they might say yes to attending an event with a friend.
They may consider saying yes to seeing the work in a room full of people who care. They just might say yes to an invitation that feels personal rather than promotional.

That is why the invitation stage matters.

Look Beyond the Usual Event List

Of course, your regular event donors belong on the list. But don't stop there. This is a moment to look at groups of people who may be easy to overlook.

Lapsed donors and quiet prospects

Most organizations have a list of lapsed donors, under-engaged donors, and prospects they hope to bring closer.

The question is not, “Should we invite all of them?” Please don’t.

The question is, “Who among them might find this event meaningful?”

Use discernment.

A donor who stopped giving three years ago but once cared deeply may appreciate being invited back in a thoughtful way. A prospective donor who has not responded to meeting requests may be more comfortable attending with a board member or trusted peer. A family foundation contact may be curious but not yet ready for a formal visit.

Choose carefully.

A good guideline: no more than 5 to 10 percent of your total invitation pool should come from this kind of strategic outreach with lapsed supporters. Otherwise, the list can become too broad and the follow-up impossible.

And please remember: inviting someone is not the strategy.

The strategy is what surrounds the invitation.

• Who invites them?
• Why this event?
• What might make it meaningful to them?
• Who will greet them if they come?
• What follow-up will happen afterward?

That is the work.

Former Board Members and Former Leaders

I have worked with many nonprofits where I have asked, “How engaged are your former board members?” 

The answer is often a sheepish version of: “Well… not as engaged as we would like.”

Former board members are not random names in your database. They are people who once cared enough to give their time, leadership, reputation, and judgment to your organization. That matters.

And yet, many organizations quietly let those relationships fade after a board term ends, especially if the person did not continue as a donor or volunteer. 

An event can be a meaningful re-entry point. But not with a generic invitation.

If a former board member receives the same event email as everyone else after years of silence, they may not feel warmly remembered. They may feel "processed." Instead, consider a personal note from the CEO, board chair, or someone who served with them.

Something as simple as: “Dana, I’ve been thinking about your years of leadership with our organization and would love to have you with us at this year’s gathering. It would mean a great deal to reconnect and share where the work is headed now.”

That kind of invitation does more than announce an event. It reopens a relationship.

Current Donors who Need a Next Step

Some current donors should also receive special attention.

Think about the donor you may want to invite into board service. Or the donor who has expressed interest in a specific program. The one who recently made a meaningful gift. The supporter who should meet a program leader. The donor who has been giving faithfully but has never been personally engaged. Or the one who may be ready for a more significant conversation, but not yet a formal ask.

For those donors, the event invitation should not feel like a mass communication. It should feel like part of a relationship.

That does not mean every donor needs a handwritten letter or personal phone call. You have to be realistic. But your high-touch list should receive high-touch attention.

Make the Invitation Feel Personal

Whether you are sending paper invitations, digital invitations, or both, the principle is the same: People are more likely to respond when the invitation feels like it came from a person, not a system.

Yes, mailed invitations may feel old-fashioned or sometimes too formal. But for some events and some donor audiences, they still carry a sense of occasion.

If you are mailing invitations, consider a small high-touch group who receive a more personal version.

That might include:

• A short note from the event chair
• A handwritten message from a board member
• A personal note from the CEO
• A first-class live stamp instead of bulk mail
• A brief “watch for your invitation” email before the mailing arrives

This does not need to be elaborate. It simply needs to be thoughtful.

For example: “Sam, you’ll receive an invitation soon to our fall gathering. As someone who has been connected to this work for many years, I would be so pleased to see you there. I think you’ll be especially interested in hearing how the program has grown this year.”

That kind of message gives the invitation context. It tells the donor, “You are not just on a list. We are thinking about you.”

For digital invitations, the same care applies.

Whenever possible, high-touch digital invitations should come from a person within the organization, not “info@” or “events@.” Those addresses may be efficient, but they are rarely warm. They can also get buried or filtered into spam.

A short personal email from you, the CEO, a board member, or a peer, forwarded with the original invitation, can make all the difference: “Blake, I wanted to send a personal note because I hope you’ll consider joining us for this event. The invitation will arrive later this week, and I thought of you because of your long-standing interest in this work.”

Again, not pushy. Personal.

Use Your Ambassadors Wisely

Your ambassadors - board members, event chairs, longtime volunteers, trusted donors, and close friends of the organization - can be powerful connectors.

But they need focus. Do not hand a board member a list of 40 names and expect meaningful follow-up. That is how nothing happens.

Instead, give them three to ten people. Make it specific.

“Would you be willing to personally invite these five people?”
“Could you follow up with these three former board members?”
“Would you call these two donors and let them know why you hope they’ll come?”
“Could you host this couple at your table because we think they would enjoy meeting others who care about this work?”

And give them language.

Even confident volunteers can feel awkward about follow-up. They may not know what to say. They may worry they are imposing. They may overthink it. A sample note or short phone script helps them act. 

Something like: “I’m reaching out because I’d love for you to join me at this event. I think you’d enjoy hearing more about where the organization is headed, and I’d be glad to host you at my table.”

Simple. Warm. Clear.

Follow-Up Is Part of the Invitation Strategy

The first responses you receive are often from people who cannot attend. That's useful information.

Now you know where to focus.

Do not assume that silence means no. Busy people miss invitations. Emails get buried. Paper invitations sit in stacks. Board members forget to follow up. Donors intend to respond and then life happens. Your high-touch list needs follow-up.

Again, prioritize.

Who should receive a call?
Who should receive a personal email?
Who should hear from a peer?
Who should be thanked for saying yes?
Who declined but may still welcome a separate conversation?

This last group is important. A decline is not always a dead end.

If someone says they cannot attend, you might respond: “I’m sorry we’ll miss you that evening. I’d still love to find a time to share what we’ll be talking about at the event, especially because of your interest in this work.”

Or:

“Thank you for letting us know. I hope we can find another moment to reconnect soon - I’d be glad to share a short update on how your past support is making a difference.”

That kind of follow-up keeps the relationship alive. It also prevents the event from becoming the only doorway.

Do Not Sulk About the Extra Work

I say this gently, and with love: This is not the moment to sulk because you are doing “more than your fair share.”

I know events create uneven workloads. I know follow-up often falls to the fundraiser. I know colleagues may be overwhelmed, board members may forget, and leaders may need reminders.

Still, the relationship work matters.

If someone from another portfolio needs a follow-up call and they are important to the organization, make the call. 

If a board member needs a sample script, write it. 

If the CEO needs a short list, prepare it.

If the event chair forgot to send a note, help them send it.

Not because you should carry everything forever.

But because donor relationships are too important to let them fall through the cracks during a busy event season.

After the event, you can improve the system. Before the event, protect the relationships.

The Right People Rarely Arrive by Accident

A full room can feel successful. But a full room is not the same as a strategic room.

The right people are not always the wealthiest people. They are not always the most visible. They are not always the people who bought the biggest table last year.

The right people are the ones whose presence could help deepen relationship, trust, understanding, and momentum.

A former board member who needs to be reconnected.
A loyal donor who deserves to be seen.
A prospect who would feel more comfortable attending with a peer.
A donor who should meet a program leader.
A volunteer who could become an ambassador.
A supporter who has been giving quietly for years and may be ready to come closer.

That is the real invitation strategy. Not just getting people to attend. Getting the right people in the room - and making sure they feel personally invited once they get there.