Walk-a-thon, bowl-a-thon, climb-a-thon, bike-a-thon, dance-a-thon—many groups have a "thon" event. For the most part, these events do a good job of bringing in new people by giving them a way to have fun while raising money for a deserving organization. Yet "thon" events tend to leave the hard-working event planners worn out and frustrated because they know that they need to start up the process again from scratch next year.

What if, rather than feeling like stand-alone, labor intensive events, your "thon" events could be used as part of your Benevon system for building lifelong relationships with individual donors? They can be. "Thons" are ideal Point of Entry Conversion Events, and they can become a "feeder" to your regular Point of Entry^® Events and the rest of the model if they are carefully planned and executed.

Recall the requirement for a Point of Entry Conversion Event. The day after the event, your volunteers (in this case, your "thon" participants) need to be able to answer these two questions:

• What was the name of the organization for which the event was raising funds? While participants may well remember how much they enjoyed the bike-a-thon or climb-a-thon, will they be able to recall the name of the organization that worked so hard to produce the event and that ultimately received their financial support?
• What does that organization do? Could they tell a friend what your organization really does? Even if your name is well known in your community, do not assume that people truly understand what you do. What people will remember most is a short testimonial from someone who has benefited from your work.

In other words, you will need to find an opportunity to insert a ten-minute Point of Entry element at some point before, during, or after the fundraising event. You will need to find a time when you can capture people's attention long enough to educate and inspire them about your work and to Capture the Names with their permission. This should include an informal, personal Visionary Leader^™ Talk plus a brief, live testimonial from a person whose life has been changed thanks to the work of your organization.

For a walk-a-thon or bowl-a-thon, find a place to have a mini Point of Entry near the sign-in area. For outdoor events, some groups set up a special tent, awning, or shady area with chairs. For indoor events, find a quiet, separate room or corner. As teams or groups of volunteers arrive and sign in, they are escorted to this seating area to take ten minutes (no more) to learn about the great work of the organization. At the end of the mini-session, ask people to let the staff member or special volunteer know right then if they would like to be contacted after the event to come to a Point of Entry.

In addition to these on-site mini Point of Entry Events, some organizations also include this ten-minute Point of Entry element in their volunteer orientation or event kickoff meeting held in advance of the event. This meeting is an ideal time to remind people of the larger purpose of the event.

Also, at your post-event celebration, rally, or party, have an information table staffed by a friendly volunteer, and encourage people to talk with that volunteer if they want to stay involved with the organization. Let them know (as part of your official program that evening) that you will be starting something new for volunteers who choose to stay involved for the long-term by inviting people to Point of Entry Events and serving as Table Captains at your Ask Event^™.

Follow up within a week with everyone who has expressed interest and invite them to a real Point of Entry. If you follow the full model, including the Follow-Up Call and the cultivation process, this strategy will generate many passionate Table Captains. Of course, they will have a natural base of people to invite to sit at their table—all of their teammates from your "thon" event.

To end with a personal story, I had the good fortune to attend an Ask Event for a health organization that also put on an annual bike-a-thon. My Table Captain was one of the bikers. Much to my surprise, all the other guests at the table were bikers as well—people she had gotten to know during the bike-a-thon—who each also had a personal connection to the mission. During the course of the Ask Event breakfast, they jokingly confessed that they would probably not be riding in any more bike-a-thons. Rather, they were delighted to continue to support the organization by attending the Ask Event, joining the Multiple-Year Giving Society^™, and becoming Table Captains themselves the following year.

Converting your "thon" event to a Point of Entry Conversion Event gives it new life and purpose in growing your system for sustainable funding.