Occasionally I'll visit with a nonprofit seeking to hire both a virtual auctioneer and invest in some new auction software. Which hire should happen first: Should they lock in the fundraising auctioneer they want to hire? Or sign a contract for the auction software? There's no question in my mind -- LOCK IN THE VIRTUAL AUCTIONEER! There are some solid reasons as to why I suggest this approach, and I talk about them in today's blog post video. Watch it below. P.S. ... Read On >
virtual gala fundraiser
“Pivoting” your gala is out. “Planning” is in.
The buzz phrase in March, April, May and June 2020 was “pivot to a virtual event.” Pivoting made sense when your in-person event was already organized (or nearly so). It meant that Gala Chairs had to rapidly transition their events to be online. But the days of "pivoting" an event are over. In-person galas aren't happening for many months. COVID-19 is running rampant. The expectations are that it will linger well into 2021. Instead, I encourage you to plan a virtual gala. Start from ... Read On >
Selling tickets to virtual galas
Can you sell tickets to your virtual gala? Can you charge people to attend a virtual fundraiser? Will they come? ===================== When virtual galas started in March 2020, they were an emergency response to statewide lock downs. Those events scheduled early in the COVID-19 crisis (March through early May) were actively selling tickets and tables to their gala fundraiser. When nonprofits cancelled the gala or shifted to a virtual event, most reached out to ticket-holders to ... Read On >
How a small nonprofit converted to a virtual gala in 8 days
I've heard from some auction planners who feel they need several weeks to ramp up to a virtual gala. Not necessarily. One small nonprofit managed to pivot to virtual in 8 days by investing in my Virtual Gala Fundraiser in a Box program. They signed on Thursday. We had a meeting on Friday, before the long Memorial Day weekend. Bam! The following Saturday, they held their first virtual gala. Isn't that impressive? At the virtual gala, they had their largest attendance ... Read On >
Virtual gala fundraiser: Understanding attendance
On Friday, I conducted my third webinar-styled virtual gala fundraiser. This one was hosted on a beefed-up "Zoomzilla" platform. From a fundraising perspective, the program included a live auction with active bidding and a fund a need / special appeal. During the 2-hour show, guests played games, watched mission-driven videos, and socialized in break-out rooms. Guests saw all other guests in small windows on their screen. Some held signs and props in front of their camera for others ... Read On >