Over the last two years, the one big constant has been change. I’ve had substantial changes take place in my work and personal life. You may have, too. When it comes to changes in fundraising galas, we covered ticketing strategies, VIP boxes, games, and other elements of virtual gala fundraisers in my Conversation series. (My Virtual Gala Cheat Sheet is still a popular free download.) And now, as we shift into yet another new gala style -- hybrid galas -- I'm finding myself making ... Read On >
Virtual auction event
Comparing virtual vs in-person galas: List of pros
I have several clients considering their autumn galas. As they try to outguess the COVID virus, we've spent time comparing the pros and cons of in-person galas versus virtual galas. Perhaps this will be helpful to you as well. One point to know: For my discussions, the basis of comparison for a virtual gala has been Zoom. I've written about the types of virtual galas -- two-screen, one-screen, Zoom*, pre-recorded -- and having worked them all, I'm still a fan of Zoom because I believe ... Read On >
Why hybrid galas make guest interaction hard (auctioneer’s perspective)
In June 2021 during the complementary conversation, "The Future of School Auctions," the following question was posed. Sherry, in a recent conversation, you were skeptical that - as an auctioneer - you could address both an in-person and virtual audience. Do you have any additional thoughts on this, or how do you manage it? In the below clip from the event you'll hear my response. I think it's tricky to be equally engaging to both audiences during a hybrid gala, and a 50% effort to each ... Read On >
Three examples of a hybrid gala
If "virtual" was the buzz word of 2020, "hybrid" is the buzz word of 2021. I'm in discussions with several clients about their summer and fall galas, talking about the best ways (for them) to combine the best of virtual with the best of in-person galas. In today's video you'll hear of three examples I'm currently exploring with nonprofits. https://youtu.be/UBaZhXVUfEY ... Read On >
What is latency in a virtual gala? (And why it matters.)
Virtual galas have their own jargon, and one word that quickly became a common term in spring 2020 was the word “latency.” For the purposes of a virtual gala, it refers to the delay between what is happening "live" and what the audience sees via the livestream. The term is most discussed when we talk about two-screen solution virtual galas because it requires that we change the format of the live auction. And by "change the format," I mean we don't have a traditional live auction and ... Read On >