Q: My question is about holding Ask Events in future years in the same area. Do you change the whole programme, or do you continue to put on the same events with updated information?

Geraldine in British Columbia

A: Yes, the basic Ask Event^™ structure stays the same each year. The elements of the program and their order don't change, but the content of those elements can (and should) be updated.

For example, the Visionary Leader^™ Talk should not be exactly the same as the previous year, since much has happened since then. Each year, this talk should reflect the organization's current status and the next step in fulfilling its mission. However, the personal story part of that talk can remain the same, since the Visionary Leader's reason for being involved with the organization probably hasn't changed.

Similarly, the Pitch will need some updating in order to recognize the existing members of your Multiple-Year Giving Society^™. More specific advice on how to update the Pitch and other elements of the Ask Event in year two and beyond is available in my third book, The Ask Event Handbook. Our Benevon 201 Workshop goes into even more depth on updating and refreshing the Ask Event content for year two and beyond.

Terry