Now that you're oriented, let's proceed with a checklist of the elements that are critical to your event's success.
We'll start with some important things that can take a while to put in place, and a few other things you'll be glad you tackled first.
1. Set Up Your Credit Card Processing
Don't wait to set up your account. If you need to apply for a new account, you'll need the help of the person who controls your organization's bank accounts. Please show them the article linked above and ask them to help you get this done.
New customers can see full credit card processing set up instructions here.
Plus/Premium customers can select from a list of compatible credit card processors.
All customers can apply for a new WePay account directly through their site.
Returning customers can migrate their credit card gateway settings from their previous event.
2. Add Donors, Guests, and Items to Your Site
All Returning Customers can Migrate Data from Previous Events
If your group has used the software before, you can copy (or migrate) the credit card information, item donors, guest data, items, and many other elements from past event sites to your new event site. We definitely recommend migrating your item donors and credit card account info. The rest is up to you.
Everyone can Import Supporters (Users) and Donors from a Spreadsheet
You may have a list of donors or potential guests from another data management source, or a a list of new supporters for this year's event. You can upload (import) those to your site.
Plus/Premium Subscribers can Import Ticketed Guests and/or Import Items with Donors
You may have already sold tickets or have a spreadsheet of items you collected before you signed up to use the software. Plus and Premium subscribers can import those lists to their sites. Click on the links above to learn more.
Everyone Can Enter New Content Directly
Of course, you're going to have new stuff, too. Enter that info directly into your site. It's easy!
3. Decide on Hardware to Use at Your Event
You'll need computers for your event night (and internet access for those computers). Although you can supply your own, we generally recommend you rent equipment. And if your event includes mobile bidding or voting, you'll want to assess your venue's network capacity early in your planning process.
Okay, that's enough for this checklist. You'll hear from us again in a few days with more details about entering guests and selling tickets.
If you want to read ahead, go to the Help Overview Map - catchy name, we know - on your site's Dashboard (at Admin > View Dashboard if you're logged in). If you're stuck, help is just a click away via the Help widget on the right edge of every page.
Help is on every page!
P.S. In a couple of days check your inbox for the next email in this series. But if you'd rather not wait (we get it--we hate waiting!), feel free to read ahead about Planning Ticket Sales now.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.