It's Your Business: Ask, and Ye (Hopefully) Shall Receive

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Wanting something for nothing isn't a new concept brought on by today's economy. But requests for "in-kind" donations from companies, organizations and even individuals planning an event have become more frequent.

Obviously not all requests can begranted. "We get approached about three times a week for donations or sponsorships," notes Susan MacKellar, C.E.P., owner of Paper Moon Event and Wedding Specialists in Midland. "We are very supportive of our community, but it's impossible to contribute to every worthy cause."

Here's what suppliers want planners to know before making "the appeal."

Ask About Company Policy First
MacKellar's policy states an organization requesting a donation must do so in writing. Because contribution dollars are directly related to their last quarter sales and projected next quarter sales, the management meets at the beginning of each quarter and chooses donations for that time period. "Having a policy in place helps us accurately plan for donations, avoiding last minute bottom-line surprises," says MacKellar.

Fabulous Events in Waterford takes a different approach. "Most donation or in-kind requests are handled on an individual basis," explains Rolly Mansfield, director of sales.

Show What's in it for Them
Planners need to be prepared to prove why companies should pass up the opportunity to make money on their event. "Be transparent when presenting and asking for the donation," says Nolan Gottschalk, owner of Shutterbooth. "Show the value in the donations and why the company should participate."

MacKellar pursues opportunities that are designed to benefit both her business and the client. The pay-off? Her company promotes good will in the community, gets publicity in the event advertisements and frequently sells or rents additional product.

"Before we grant a large request, we look for a mutually beneficial result and whether the client has worked with us in the past," says Mansfield. "We do whatever we can to accommodate our hospitality partners."

Be Collaborative
Event professionals have always had a strong sense of collaboration to create the client's ideal event. Today's environment means that the more people participate in this collaboration, the better the chances are for creating a successful budget-friendly event.

Gottschalk recommends getting the business involved during planning and not waiting until the last minute to ask for the request. He's also observed that clients who previously would only consider donations for their event are now offering to pay for the cost of a service and asking the supplier to donate any profit. "I think it's being done to keep annual events rolling, even if they don't make as much as they have in years past," he says.

Scott Awad, AIFD, MCF, of Events To Rent in East Lansing, says he gets three to four calls a day to donate something to charitable organizations. "We try to give a discount," Awad says. "It's worth donating because it can result in business. We beat out other suppliers and won some business from a company based on how much we had donated to them in the past."

Get Connected:

Events to Rent // 517.337.9222

Fabulous Events // 248.853.6800

Paper Moon Event Specialists // 877.727.3766

Shutterbooth // 248.545.6460