If you're living in the UK then I'll put good money on the fact that you know someone or have spotted someone who is taking part in Movember this month.
I've lost count of the number of dodgy tasches I've seen on the tube and have got three good friends taking part as well. I declined on the basis of my lack of facial hair growing ability...
Anyway, coming up with the 'next big thing' is a challenge many fundraisers face, so what makes Movember and other popular events such as the Macmillan Coffee Morning, the Moonwalk, Jeans for Genes Day, Santa Runs etc take off?
Here are five things that all these have in common:
1: They don't start as huge events
"Actually, I'm an overnight success. But it took twenty years." Monty Hall
One of the first things to say is that these events tend to start small.
Movember started in 1999 in Australia, after a group of friends decided to grow moustaches to raise money for the RSPCA (aptly named 'Growing Whiskers for Whiskers') and it was only in 2004 that the Movember Foundation was set up to raise money for men's health issues. From there it has gone global with events starting in the UK, USA, Canada and Spain in 2007 and ireland joining the party in 2008.
Key lesson: Don't give up on an idea or event after it's first year. If you're convinced it's got potential then give it at least three years to grow and develop (though bear in mind point two).
Even better, get into the habit of trialling two or three low cost events per year and then invest in the ones with the greatest potential.
2: The event is easily replicated and has low start up costs
Growing a moustache, walking in your bra's after midnight, wearing a pair of jeans, having a cup of coffee etc are all pretty easy to do and don't require a lot of cost or effort.
Once you've got the formula right then it's very easy to roll out the event and to replicate it's initial success.
If your mass participation event involves something expensive or complicated then it's unlikely to gain traction. Similarly, if it takes too long to explain what your event is about, then it's probably not going to succeed.
Key lesson: Keep it simple and remove any barriers that people might object to. Don't be too prescriptive if you can help it. Aim to produce oceans rather than puddles!
3: They create social experiences and give people a story to tell
All the events listed above create talking points and bring like minded people together. It's about sharing an experience and emphasises the point that we are social animals.
The events are successful as they create word of mouth and use the participants to spread the story and invite new people to take part.
Key lesson: Make it easy for people to share their experiences at the event and to involve their networks in participating or donating. Give them an interesting story to tell about the event and why it is important.
4: The cause is important, but not always the main reason for taking part
You need to be pragmatic about these type of events and accept that the majority of people are taking part for the social aspect of it first and the cause second. This can be both a blessing and a curse.
If you get the event right, then any charity can create a successful event, but on the other hand people's loyalty is likely to be with the event and not the cause. This means you need to have a clear communications plan in place to nurture these donors.
Don't just stick them straight into your direct marketing programme after the event and expect them to behave like your other supporters.
Key lesson: Focus on making your event as memorable as possible and get the participants to have a great time and to raise as much money as possible. Once you've done this you can develop strategies for nurturing and developing the donor.
5: Accept that events have a natural product cycle and won't last forever
You need to constantly evaluate your event and look for ways to extend it's lifespan. Slavishly following the same formula year after year will result in your event dying a slow death.
Look for new angles, partnerships and gimmicks to keep your event relevant and fresh.
Key lesson: Don't become over-reliant on one event or campaign. Tastes change and it won't be long before the next big thing comes along. Look for ways to diversify and add extensions to the event, such as cause marketing and sponsorship.
One final point - Don't forget about the money!
I alluded to this in point four, but ultimately your fundraising event has to raise a significant sum of money.
Make sure you have robust systems in place to collect sponsorship and chase non-payers. Also think about how you can encourage participants to raise as much as they can and how to get people to increase their donations from a fiver to a tenner.
This is easily forgotten in the excitement of organising the event, but increasing your sponsorship returns and average donations by even a few percentage points can result in big increase in overall ROI.