Organizing a Fundraising Dinner: Template Best Practices

One of the most powerful ways to attract investors to your fund or company is to organize a carefully curated dinner for qualified potential investors. Here’s my quick template cheatsheet for making that happen:

Invite

[Firm] Investor Dinner

Please join us at a curated salon dinner exclusively for existing and potential investors in [Fund]

Where? Private room at _____ in [neighborhood]

Who? Exclusively for our existing and potential investors, and a few of our portfolio executives

Your hosts: [Name & title of firm representatives, plus any portfolio CEOs]

About us: [capsule description of firm]

​​​Stay updated with future investor dinners by mailing investorrelations@[firm]

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RSVP form (*=Mandatory)

  • Name*
  • Email*
  • Phone*
  • Company
  • Linkedin or bio
  • Are you an Accredited Investor? (See the SEC definition)
  • How did you hear about our dinner?
  • Dietary preferences
  • Do you recommend any other guests? If so, kindly provide their email address & we will send an invite.
  • What is your experience investing in funds with [our strategy]? Please share details on past funds in which you’ve invested.
  • Do you wish your bio to be included in the list of attendees that we’ll share?  (Configure form so default answer is Yes)

Timeline (relative to Day of event, “T”)

  • T-45 days: Pick venue. It must be a private, intimate space, with closed doors to minimize noise. This is imperative: potential LPs tend to be older and their hearing may be declining. Make sure no music or crowd noise is audible. The ideal venue is a high-end private residence. For restaurant recommendations, try SixPlus. Very important to visit or at least get video of the venue in advance.  
  • Once invite is finalized, at least one week ahead of time, post on Linkedin. You’ll be surprised how potential LPs come out of the woodwork for an attractive event. Don’t worry about this making the event feel less exclusive. Very few of the attendees you invite directly will see your Linkedin post.
  • T-30 days: Send email to invitees and post on Linkedin 
  • T-7 days: Repeat–send email to invitees and post on Linkedin. Send email to confirmed attendees re-confirming they’re attending. Say, “If you cannot attend, please tell us ASAP, so we can include people from our waitlist.”  Ideally, include list of attendees (name, title, firm).
  • T-2 day: send reminder to confirmed attendees, repeating, “If you cannot attend, please tell us ASAP, so we can include people from our waitlist.” Ideally include list of attendees (name, title, firm)
  • T-1 day: Review the attendee list and make sure you have a designed Relationship Manager (RM) for each attendee, who is responsible for following up with that person.
  • T-1 hour: Arrive early and make sure everything is set. 
  • T+1 day: Relationship Manager follows up individually with each attendee, asking for feedback and inquiring about the attendee’s interest in investing. 

Run of Show

4:30pm Organizers arrive. Double-check everything is in order. 

  • At each place sitting, include a one-pager with name, photo, title, & organizational affiliation of each attendee. Voray does this at their events, and it’s very effective. 
  • Make sure you know where bathroom and emergency exit are.
  • Check the maitre d’ knows about your event.

5:30pm doors open

6:15pm Seat guests, waiters take orders and provide appetizers

6:40pm 15 minute presentation by firm leadership.

  • Thank you for coming tonight
  • Introduce all firm representatives & affiliates in the room
  • Summarize evening agenda
  • Mention where bathrooms are.
  • Give brief overview of your model.

7:00pm Open discussion/Q&A. Waiters bring main course.

7:30pm Group discussion ends, informal conversation.

9pm formal sitdown part of event ends

10pm room closes

Further reading

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