UltimateGUIDE

NEWBIESFor

The

NewbiesCongratulations, you’ve just pledged yourself to a really noble

cause. Now it’s time to �gure out how you’re going to pull it o� and do it spectacularly!

A walk-a-thon is a popular way to raise funds for charity minus the big overhead costs.

Whether you’re planning for a huge turnout or just looking for a way to develop a sense

of camaraderie within a

corporation, start your

walk-a-thon journey

down the right

path.

Walk-A-Thon Guide

The Leadership Squad You may start as an army of one but as you develop

excitement for the cause, you will meet people that have

expertise in areas that are critical to victory. Interview

volunteers to see if they have hidden talents that can

be applied in areas of tactical management.

1.

The

Start Here!

2.

3.

When picking a location for your walk-a-thon,

obtaining a special event permit and insurance may be

mandatory. The o�cial government website for your city

should provide details including how much advance notice

will be required. When choosing your route, think about

where you want the walk-a-thon to end. A public park with

established amenities is an excellent choice. Additionally, the

open space can serve as a secondary venue for raising funds with bake sale items and

mementos.

Your bake sale can be an extraordinary resource to boost the amount of funds

raised. Ask your Martha Stewarts and Betty Crockers to be adventurous in their sweet

concoctions. Nothing sells better than treats that are visually appealing so layer on the

sprinkles and confetti. Don’t forget to provide peanut and gluten free choices.

Recipe.com o�ers some great bake sale ideas here.

Permit Acquisition and

Getting Crafty with the Name The name of your walk should re�ect the cause or charity and even the location

or venue. You can also include the length of the walk. A catchy phrase and

inspirational branding can increase the prospects for a successful event. If you’re not

PERMIT

Police Department Notification

4.

5.

Investigate Pledge Management Software

Handling registrations, pledges and donations should be the least of your

worries with many options for online management. DoJiggy Pledge o�ers a web based

system speci�cally for walk-a-thon events with no

required hosting or hardware. They also o�er a slew of

additional resources here. Really simple solutions

are PayPal, Google Checkout and

Eventbrite. If you’re a registered

non-pro�t, you can enjoy reduced fees

for many services. A detailed article on

tools for event registration is located here.

The Legalese

A liability waiver releasing you from legal

recourse should anyone sustain an injury at the event is

advisable. A basic �rst-aid kit should be on site. Ask for

volunteers from your local hospitable to attend the walk-a-thon

in case of emergencies.

the creative type, crowd source it within your group of volunteers or outsource to a

copy writer for as little as $25 at www.freelancer.com.

6. It’s almost unheard of these days to promote anything

without a website. Platforms like Weebly and Wix o�er free and

low cost, easy solutions. Now is the time to envision the big

picture so you can integrate all the functionality you want for the event.

Your own circle of friends, nearby schools and business associates can spark the

�ame for your promotion. Meetup.com has groups of avid walkers already identi�ed

for you. Check out some of the established walking groups

and invite the organizer to spread the word about the

cause. Create a page on Facebook speci�cally for the

event and invite your friends to “Like” the page. Don’t

be shy to explicitly ask them to invite their

friends as well. The “word of mouth”

reach on Facebook can extend your

circle to thousands of people.

To create a “buzz” for your walk-a-thon, get

listed on local event sites. Do a Google search for “submit

events in [Your City Name].” Typically you will get results for community websites

that accept event submissions. Each will have its own criteria for submission so get

started early!

Event Hoopla, Ballyhoo & Promotion

7. Piggy Back with Other Social Eventsor Highly Frequented Outlets

Ask fellow event organizers to allow you to hand out �yers

or make an announcement at their next event. Be aware that

distributing �yers on private property is often o� limits. Ask local

merchants with a lot of foot tra�c if you may leave a stack of �yers

by the register. Think about the size of the �yer with this approach.

Merchants are more likely to accept if it doesn’t take up all the real estate by the cash

register.

Old fashioned media outreach can be fruitful too.

Contact advertising directors or PSA directors at local radio,

newspaper and television stations. Prep yourself with a

ready pitch that explains the value of your cause and why

it’s useful to the community. Brevity and clarity of purpose is

crucial.

8.Have connections at local corporations? It doesn’t hurt to

appeal for a contribution. You can pitch the idea as a great

publicity opportunity for the business and a larger media

footprint will help bring more attention to your cause.

Petition for Matching Corporate Funds

9. Sway with Swag

To build a sense of unity, walk-a-thon

organizers typically have custom t-shirts, water bottles,

totes and other swag produced. www.DesignAShirt.com

o�ers exceptionally low prices and fast shipping on all

custom t-shirt orders. Plus we give an extra special

discount on orders where the messaging and/or graphics

on the t-shirt are clearly meant to support a charitable cause.

Need a logo to galvanize the giving? www.Designcontest.com is a resource that

allows you to create unique contests where designers compete to produce custom

logos and you only pay for the winning design of your choice. Keep color complexity in

mind when de�ning instructions for the artists because full color printing is typically

more costly to reproduce.

10.Thirst Quenchers and Munchies

Without a doubt, you will need to provide some hydration

for your walkers, before, during and after the walk.

Munchies can be provided at your discretion as it may

con�ict with your post-walk bake sale. Take a crack at

acquiring supplies through donations from local grocery

stores and merchants. When soliciting donations, identifying

DesignAShirt.com

the right person beforehand will save a lot of time. If it’s a big

company, ask to speak to the Director of Corporate Social

Responsibility. At smaller businesses, involvement will be a choice

of the manager or owner. Prepare your story and tell them how their

donation can bene�t them. Be ready to include them as a sponsor on

t-shirts, banners, �yers and of course, o�er your undying loyalty to their brand.

Have someone to manage a tally of funds raised throughout the event. An

announcement of the sum total raised at the post-walk rallying point should be the

�nale to your event allowing everyone involved to celebrate the achievement of a

shared goal. Your announcer should be the most energetic and social person in your

volunteer crew. Bubble blowing kits, ribbon streamers or pinwheels can really ramp up

the party vibe at the closing celebration. Finally, remember to formally thank all of the

people that helped make your walk-a-thon a spectacular success!

The Wrap-Up 11.