Outdoor festival season is a great opportunity for nonprofits to dive into community engagement, and get face-to-face with their donors, volunteers, and the people they serve. The synergies abound, as both non-profits and festivals are about uplifting and connecting communities.
While it’s easy to get carried away with the beats, or follow your nose to the food truck line, festivals are an important part of many nonprofits’ bottom line. Read on for ATB’s Branch for Arts & Culture’s tips for making the most out of this festival season.
Equip your nonprofit with on-site payment processing options
Summer in Alberta is short and sweet. To make the most of it, look for a point-of-sale system that goes where you go. That way, you can sell merch and tickets on the go, and collect the important membership fees and donations that are core to every nonprofit’s success. An effective point-of-sale system allows for better, quicker customer service, while also capturing the business insights and data you need to inform future strategy (like the location, type, date, and amount for each sale). Look for a point-of-sale system that is capable of comprehensive reports and, ideally, is possible to self-install. That way, you won’t have to worry about waiting for tech support. Instead, you’ll be able to hit the festival grounds running.
Make it easy to accept and send payments so you can focus on community connection
If you’re involved in a festival as a partner or organizer, you’ll want to have your payment process in place before your busiest season begins, so you don’t find yourself scrambling. Whether you’re paying vendors, or they’re paying you, you’ll need to figure out the best way to transfer funds. One option is Interac e-Transfer™, which has built-in security features and allows for both incoming and outgoing payments. Whatever system you consider, make sure it keeps track of your incoming and outgoing payments for bookkeeping purposes.
Think to the future
Many festival-goers are heading out the door with just their credit or debit cards in hand, and it’s predicted that, by 2030, cash purchases will make up only 10% of money spent in Canada. Contactless systems make credit or debit payments even easier, so why not make the switch to contactless payment options this festival season? You won’t have to worry about counting cash or keeping it safe. Plus, the line will move quickly at your tent or booth if your patrons can simply tap, rather than having to insert their card or gather their cash.
Looking for simple and powerful financial solutions to take your organization to the next level? Connect with our Culture Bankers today.