COVID-19 abruptly shut down the fundraising galas of schools and nonprofits this spring. Is a virtual gala fundraiser your only option? Online we can read reports that show conservative scientific models impacting society for months. Others offer more hopeful predictions of what could happen. And some wonder if we re-open society too soon, the consequences could be severe, possibly leading to yet another shutdown again this fall. The only certainty is that it's all a big unknown. ... Read On >
Video
Setting goals when running a virtual gala fundraiser
When you decide to shift from a live event to a virtual gala fundraiser, you'll be making some changes. You already know you have to change your technology. Another review should be given to your event goals, like financial expectations, publicity, reach, and leadership. For instance, live events typically have financial goals. With a virtual auction event, should you expect to raise the same amount of money? I've been thrilled to learn how many organizations have not surpassed ... Read On >
Reimagining the virtual gala fundraiser to be donor-centric
In the month since COVID-19 desecrated the standard auction event, a new virtual gala fundraiser has emerged. Initial results from these events have been impressive! Net incomes have generally been higher than 2019, and some have even seen higher gross results. But is this model sustainable? I am questioning it. If virtual events are the modus operandi for the next several months, I wonder if our industry might need to get more creative at designing donor-centric online ... Read On >
Virtual gala fundraiser: The four most common approaches
If your plans for a live event have been crushed by COVID-19, you can still offer a virtual gala fundraiser. Here in the Washington, D.C. region, we are four weeks into the virus putting the kabash on all galas. Even so, some nonprofits have quickly adapted. More than one has re-imagining an in-person fundraiser into a virtual auction event. In the video, I share the four most common types of virtual gala fundraisers. https://youtu.be/Uj90ovq1RZw For a deep dive when it comes to ... Read On >
Video marketing auction items to support your online school auction
To support two school auction clients whose galas were cancelled due to COVID-19, I shot videos that they could use as teasers for specific items being sold in an online auction. The goal was to get participants interested in bidding on these items. How did my school auction clients use these videos? They sent the video link in an email blast to their community. They posted and shared the video on Facebook. They added the video to the item description in the software online. It ... Read On >