Event Message Strategy Consulting
Running on time is logistics. Making an audience care is messaging.
Most fundraising events are planned around the schedule. I help you plan what the room hears, feels, and does at every moment, so more people give, and they give more.
Not ready to talk? Start with the $297 Gala Messaging Roadmap.
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Not ready to talk? Start with the $297 Gala Messaging Roadmap.
The Problem
Most galas are planned around logistics. Donors give for other reasons.
You've got the venue, the caterer, the AV team, and a run of show timed to the minute. That's the part everyone knows how to plan. And the part that is expected.
What usually doesn't get planned is the message.
What should guests understand when they walk in?
What should they feel when the mission video ends?
What makes someone raise a paddle at $1,000 instead of $250?
When nobody plans that, you get a night that looks great and raises about what it raised last year.
Sound familiar?
Every speaker tells a different version of who you are.
The mission video gets applause, then the room goes back to dinner.
The fund-a-need ask feels rushed or awkward.
Guests leave saying "great party" instead of "I had no idea."
Next year's plan is the same as this year's, with a new theme.
Messaging, Message Strategy, and Storytelling
"Isn't this just storytelling?" Good question. Here's the difference.
These three words get used like they mean the same thing. They don't, and mixing them up is why so many events have a great moment and a flat night.
| Category | Messaging | Storytelling | Message Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The words you use | A way to make a moment land | The plan for what every moment is for |
| Question it answers | What do we say? | How do we make them feel it? | Who needs to hear what, when, and why? |
| At your gala | The tagline, the script, the slides | The mission video, the client who speaks | Deciding the video plays right before the ask, and what the ask sounds like after it |
| Who usually handles it | Marketing or comms staff | A videographer or speaker coach | Usually nobody. That's the gap. |
| Without it | Mixed messages from every speaker | A night with no emotional peak | Strong pieces that don't add up to a gift |
The Hollywood version:
Messaging is the lines in the script.
Storytelling is a great scene.
Message Strategy is the director deciding what every scene is for, so the whole event builds to the ending you want.
You need all three. Most organizations have the first two but miss the third. That's what Event Message Strategy is: planning your event's message the way a director plans a film, moment by moment, with the audience first.
Ways to work together
Start small or go all in. Every option starts with your audience.
Not sure what you need yet
A working session on your event plus a written roadmap of what to fix first
$297, credited toward any package
Teams who will do the work with a clear plan
The Run of Show Playbook and core messaging plan for your event
$497
Teams who want the full system and guidance
Everything in Essentials plus the complete message plan, scripts, and reviews
$1,497
Leaders who want Rick working alongside them, and large or complex events
More consulting and coaching time, with add-on services as needed, up to on-site direction on event night
Shared on your discovery call
Want to do it yourself? Browse templates and guides in the Tools section.
Why Rick
I spent 25 years making audiences believe. Now I help your donors believe.
More than 50 Super Bowl commercials, Emmy-nominated, and the Got Milk campaign when it was funny. As an Art Director, my job was to sell the scene: make 30 seconds feel real enough that millions of people bought in.
I've also sat on your side of the table, as a Development and Marketing Director for a nonprofit. I know the budget is tight, the board has opinions, and the event is one of forty things on your list.
So I work the way I did on set: your Executive Director's vision, your board's budget, and a plan that makes the room feel it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
It's planning what your event says, moment by moment, to the people in the room. It decides what guests should understand, feel, and do from the moment they arrive to the moment they give.
No. Storytelling makes one moment land. Message Strategy decides what every moment is for, so the stories, speeches, and the ask build on each other instead of standing alone.
An event planner makes sure the night runs. I make sure the night says something. Most of my clients have a great planner. They bring me in for what happens in the room once everything is running.
In a word, no. Auctioneers bring the excitement to an event. They understand how to get a crowd excited to donate. They do know key donors and fully understand the mission. They also have their timing and opinions on how to raise more money. I work with a lot of auctioneers. They all say having a clear message in advance makes their job easier.
The earlier the better, ideally 4 to 6 months out. But even 6 weeks out, there's usually time to fix the script, the video placement, and the ask.
I focus on galas, but the same approach works for any fundraising event, donor meeting, or campaign launch where you need room to act.
Of course. Once you have a message dialed in, you can use variations for your emails, social media posts, and even to get sponsors. The message makes it clear what your organization is about.
Yes. That's why the Roadmap and Essentials exist. You don't need a big budget. You need a clear plan.
We talk for 30 minutes about your event, your audience, and your goal. You'll leave with at least one thing you can fix this year, whether or not we work together.
Let's read the room together.
Tell me about your event. In 30 minutes, we'll find where your message is getting lost and what to do about it.
Or start with the $297 Gala Messaging Roadmap.
Audience First | Every Time