TaylorMade Best Practices

August 20, 2020
in Events, TaylorMade Best Practices

We can all agree that this has been a year unlike one we’ve ever seen before, and there’s no “back to normal” in sight, so we’re all having to improvise, make changes, find that “new normal.” So what does that mean in the event space?  It means planning can be complicated. And since we’re planners, that can be a little out of our comfort zone - more like completely and utterly out of our comfort zone. But the fact is that until we have a successful vaccine, most people probably aren’t...

May 18, 2020
in TaylorMade Best Practices

Finding ways to give back while respecting social distancing guidelines can be a challenge.  But with a little creativity and virtual know-how, you can engage your loyal supporters and their networks to raise funds, right from their own home.   By having them take action, your constituents become a part of the solution.  Every dollar raised translates to a meaningful impact for the constituents you serve.  Below are some helpful tips and tricks along with a step-by-step guide to help get your donors started.  Step 1 - Choose a fun activity that will appeal to your friends and...

May 6, 2020
in TaylorMade Best Practices

Due to COVID-19, nonprofits' ability to offer essential services has been greatly diminished, at least for the short term.  But organizations are more committed than ever to doubling down on efforts and reinvigorating the ethos of their missions during this unprecedented time. To help address the immediate and increasing needs of nonprofit organizations there are many ways to offer creative and engaging solutions to donors today.  So you can’t gather in-person, bring the event to them! 10 TIPS AND TRICKS Engage an external AV/production team to establish a sophisticated and robust platform! Consider them what would have been an...

April 15, 2020
in TaylorMade Best Practices

1. Ask your board for support!  Now is the time to tap their talent, don’t go it alone! A. We are all craving expertise, rely on your Board members that can help with financial planning, understand how to navigate the CARE Act, make sage decisions about staffing. If you find yourself without this kind of expertise, start recruiting new leaders who have experience in multi-facets of governance (Finance, Law, HR). B. Have your outreach to donors be followed by a message from a Board member who also has a relationship with the individual. 2. Stay...

March 20, 2020
in TaylorMade Best Practices

Frequently Asked Questions of Event Planners Should we cancel our event?   This is a question that only you can answer.  However, here are some questions that we recommend you consider before making a final decision: What is the location of your event?Is there any official guidance from the CDC and/or WHO regarding travel to this area?Does it fall within areas where travel has been restricted or alerts have been raised?Are there any local/state/federal government mandates that must be considered? Who will be attending the event? If your attendees, speakers and other program participants cannot make...

June 21, 2019
in Above and Beyond, Lessons Learned, TaylorMade Best Practices, The TME Team

How Understanding Our DiSC Profiles Strengthens the TME Team Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and we all know that playing to our strengths tends to produce superior results. As an organization, we began to wonder how we could best discover each team member’s strengths and how we could leverage them to better serve our clients. By examining more about what makes each of us tick, could we create an environment where each one of us could flourish? And how could we formulate our teams and assign accounts so that each...

December 20, 2017
in TaylorMade Best Practices

2017 was a record year for TaylorMade Experience (TME)!  As we close 2017 and look forward to 2018, we have taken a little time to reflect on our favorite moments.  From a surprise musical performance, to remarks that moved the audience to action, we are lucky to have had many unforgettable moments to choose from. Here are the moments that left lasting impressions on each of us on the TME team. Christina Taylor [caption id="attachment_5220" align="alignleft" width="225"] Christina Taylor and Whoopi Goldberg pose for a photo backstage at the 2017 Ripple of...

August 30, 2017
in TaylorMade Best Practices

In December 2016, TME’s Vice President Juvale (Jae) Regala was diagnosed with Stage 4 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia while pregnant with her fourth daughter, Carina. The TaylorMade Experience team has missed her dearly while she has been out on medical leave, fighting hard to beat cancer.   Being experts in the event and fundraising fields, we decided there was no better way to show Jae just how loved and missed she was than – you guessed it – an event! Working with vendor partners, clients and friends in TME’s inner circle, we produced...

July 17, 2017
in TaylorMade Best Practices

Our President and CEO, Christina Taylor Serrano, was recently invited by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) to speak on a panel about successful strategies for nonprofit fundraising events. She addressed best practices of event fundraising, such as how to go from an event to a stronger relationship driven approach with your donors. Sitting on the panel alongside Christina was Michelle Powers Keegan of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Danielle Altenburg of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Events are oftentimes a fundraising staple for many nonprofits that serve as a significant...

June 16, 2017
in TaylorMade Best Practices

One of the best ways to have a successful fundraising event is to set up an effective host committee. Key word: Effective! Your committee members are the leadership and life-force of your event, and with good communication, the possibilities are endless. These are the people who can invite important guests to the event and who will lend much-needed help to the overall planning, setup, and organization. And even if your host committee only consists of two people, that’s okay! The number of leaders doesn’t matter—the key to success is all in...