May 19, 2021 | Uncategorized
Written by: Kimberly Proffitt
Thinking about a hybrid event? With both in-person and virtual guests, there is a lot to consider in the planning. We believe there are “five pillars” critical to hybrid event success:
Program Length
The “shared” program should be a maximum of 40 minutes. This is enough time to conduct key fundraising elements, yet short enough to hold attention. Most importantly, the program must start on time! Falling behind schedule at the in-person event is not an option. Online viewers will be ready and waiting for the shared program to begin.
Program Content
The shared program should be mission-based. This is the time to highlight the need, show impact, and tell supporters how they can make a difference. The program elements you’ll want to include, in order, are:
- Welcome
- Mission remarks
- Fund-a-Need speaker/lead-in
- Fund-a-Need
- Live auction
- Non-fundraising elements such as entertainment, awards, and sponsor recognition
Given the short length of the program, being concise is important! Focus on your one core message and build the script around this.
Bidding Technology
The bidding platform plays a significant role in the guest experience during a hybrid event. Technology companies are working quickly to design software to make bidding and donating as seamless as possible for participants. Consider the various ways guests and viewers might choose to give or bid (for example, via mobile phone, tablet, computer, text-2-give, and even traditional bid cards). Quickly capturing bids and donations and feeding this information to your hosts will require some extra back-end work. Make sure to do some practice sessions!
Fund-a-Need and Auction Execution
Hybrid fund-a-need and auction best practices are similar to in-person or virtual-only events. For the fund-a-need, online and in-person “momentum” donors set the tone. A match can be a great motivator. Auction items – and we recommend just a few – should appeal to a wide audience. Enthusiasm is generated by spirited bidding and giving, no matter where you are watching from!
The key to hybrid execution is making sure both audiences know what is happening—and can participate in real-time. Live guests might see a thermometer on a big screen, just as online guests see the same on their TV or computer screen. The auctioneer will take bids and donations from both audiences. Having a professional auctioneer¾someone used to bids coming from all directions, keeping things moving, and creating fun for all involved¾will truly make a difference.
Including Everyone
Whether participating in-person or online, everyone should feel a part of the program and have a great experience. Welcome and thank ALL guests. When acknowledging gifts or bids, thank donors/bidders equally, whether “in the room” or online. Incorporate both in-person guests and online viewers into some of the program elements. Use different camera angles to speak to both sets of guests. Include fun elements that everyone can participate in, regardless of how they are viewing.
Our team continues to gather hybrid ideas incorporating creativity, fun, clean and easy execution, and, of course, great fundraising. Contact us to ensure all your pillars are strong and lead to a successful event!
Special thanks to team members Stacey McCurnin and Andy Imholte for providing insights for this post!
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Kimberly Proffitt, Research, Analysis, and Donor Engagement Consultant at Fladeboe Advancement, has worked in the nonprofit sector her entire career, focusing on fundraising and philanthropy for the past 22 years. She takes a special interest in helping organizations understand the stories data tell, strategizing on developing long-term relationships with donors, and reframing fundraising from “asking for money” to engaging with the passions and values of donors.
May 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
Written by: Kimberly Proffitt
Looking for ways to further engage your donors and supporters once your event ends? It’s a given that a fabulous thank you letter will be sent, the sooner the better. Here are a few additional ideas for building connections:
Call donors and supporters to thank them
Phone calls are one of the most underutilized tools for thanking donors. This is surprising, given studies have shown how effective they are for influencing donors to give again:
- Fundraising expert Penelope Burk found 34% of donors receiving a thank you phone call said their decision to give again was influenced by that call. New donors receiving a thank you call from a board member within 48 hours of making a gift increased their next gift by an average of 39%!
- Donor management software company Bloomerang studied the data of their client base and found retention of new donors increased from 33% to 41% if one thank you call was made. Additionally, the size of the second gift from these donors nearly doubled!
How often do we receive a pure thank you call, with no ask attached? In the era of automation, it feels special. Even leaving a voicemail has the same positive effects. Gather your board, committee members, staff, and volunteers and start dialing!
Email registrants with a thank you and update
Imagine going to the movies and having the theatre shut the projector off ten minutes before the end of the film. No one wants to be left guessing how the story ends! Guests at events can feel the same way if the event closes without announcing the total raised or showing a thermometer.
After they’ve invested the time to watch, we owe it to our supporters to let them know the results. Send an email thanking them for participating and sharing how much was raised. Emphasize how their support is truly furthering the mission.
And if you didn’t make your goal? Be open about that. It may inspire someone to give again, share your organization’s story, or become more involved.
Send a short survey to event registrants
Another easy way to engage supporters is by asking for feedback. Who doesn’t like to offer an opinion?
Send a short survey (no more than five questions) within a few days of the event, so the experience is still fresh in the minds of registrants. Include questions such as what they enjoyed, what wasn’t as interesting, and whether they’d attend a virtual event in the future. Most important, ask if they would like to receive further information or be more involved.
Those who say “yes!” to further involvement – even if it is just receiving a newsletter — are some of your best prospects for a deeper relationship. Make sure to note their interests and preferences, and continue to reach out in the coming months.
The work of engagement and building relationships with donors is ongoing and should have a solid plan behind it. Remember to thank often and authentically, connect donors with opportunities to be further involved, and report back on the difference donations have made. It’s the small steps that often have the longest-lasting reward.
Need help crafting a stewardship and engagement plan for donors? Reach out to learn how we at Fladeboe Advancement can help you get started!
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Kimberly Proffitt, Research, Analysis, and Donor Engagement Consultant at Fladeboe Advancement, has worked in the nonprofit sector her entire career, focusing on fundraising and philanthropy for the past 22 years. She takes a special interest in helping organizations understand the stories data tell, strategizing on developing long-term relationships with donors, and reframing fundraising from “asking for money” to engaging with the passions and values of donors.
Apr 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
Written by: Kimberly Proffitt
How can we create an atmosphere of excitement around giving during a virtual event?
At an in-person event, the energy of the auctioneer, the applause of the guests, and the thrill of watching bid cards go up in the air make a person want to jump right in. This is more challenging virtually.
Enter the thermometer.
One of the psychological factors for giving is proximity to a goal. Supporters want you to reach your fundraising target. Studies show the closer you get to the goal, the more excited people are to give. You can feel the anticipation – even virtually – as the thermometer keeps going up. Who wouldn’t want to help take the fundraising “over the top?”
Yet, it’s not enough to put the thermometer (or another visual tracker) on the giving page and expect it to go up. The thermometer needs a strategy behind it. There’s an art to “helping” the amount rise. You must consider your overall goal, the amount of money you’ve already raised, the giving culture of your organization, and how many people have registered for the event.
For example, a good strategy is to start your event with some dollars already in the “pot.” This is similar to what organizations do with a capital campaign. Often, a set percentage of the goal is raised before launching the campaign publicly. You may choose to include some or all sponsorship dollars and pre-raised gifts in the thermometer early on. If virtual viewers see there is already progress to the goal, they are more motivated to get to (or even surpass) that number.
The visual effect of the thermometer is something we naturally gravitate toward. Make sure it is in a prominent place on your giving page. And keep it graphically simple! Your thermometer or tracker should be easily understood.
The thermometer is just one of several tools to engage virtual event viewers. We expect to continue using it as we move into hybrid events, and it may even make its way into in-person events in the future! Our team is here to help you in developing a goal and thermometer strategy. We’ll guide you about pre-raising funds and how to best show that revenue, verbally and visually, throughout your campaign and during your program.
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Kimberly Proffitt, Research, Analysis, and Donor Engagement Consultant at Fladeboe Advancement, has worked in the nonprofit sector her entire career, focusing on fundraising and philanthropy for the past 22 years. She takes special interest in helping organizations understand the stories data tell, strategizing on developing long-term relationships with donors and reframing fundraising from “asking for money” to engaging with the passions and values of donors.
Special thanks to team member Kate Pearce for her contributions to this post!
Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Donors came through for nonprofits in 2020. According to the latest Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report, donations in 2020 were up 10.6%, the number of donors increased by 7.3%, and new donors grew by 13.3% (all compared to 2019). The Blackbaud Institute 2020 Charitable Giving Report showed average gift size in 2020 increasing by 19.4%, with online giving making big strides forward (up 21% compared to 2019).
Now the big question on the minds of many fundraisers is “What can we expect in 2021?” We don’t have a crystal ball, yet several recent reports and surveys provide some insight into what 2021 might bring.
The Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University has predicted an increase in overall charitable giving of 4.1% in 2021 and 5.7% in 2022. This includes giving by individuals (including bequests), foundations, and corporations. In making their forecast, the School uses a model that considers multiple economic influences, such as the growth of the Gross Domestic Product and the strength of the stock market. They do note, however, that “unknowns” such as federal and state legislation changes and the availability of and ability to administer Covid-19 vaccines will play a role in the growth.
Fundraisers are a little more cautious. The fourth edition of the CCS Philanthropic Climate Survey (conducted in January 2021) shows 43% of fundraisers surveyed expecting an overall fundraising decline for their organizations in 2021 and 27% expecting an increase. Interestingly, 62% expect a decrease in special event fundraising (we’re a little more bullish). More confidence is given to major gift fundraising, with 46% of those surveyed expecting an increase in 2021.
Donors themselves remain optimistic about giving in 2021 – even when surveyed in late 2020. A Campbell Rinker Poll (December of 2020) showed 67% of donors expected to give the same or more in 2021 as they did in 2020. A striking 87% of people surveyed by FrontStream (December 2020) said they expected to give to charity in 2021, with 19% saying they expected to give more than in 2020.
And what have we seen? So far in 2021, events have been strong, with almost all clients reaching 100% or more of their goal. We believe giving will remain strong, though fundraising events/campaigns will need to be flexible. Beautiful summer weather, comfort levels with gathering, and the ability to clearly message your organization’s need and impact in a post-Covid world will influence event success.
Our advice right now: do all you can to reach out to donors, especially those who were new in 2020. Remind them of the impact they have made through their donations, express thanks and gratitude, and encourage engagement beyond a financial contribution. Strengthening these bonds is critical for future fundraising success.
Mar 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
With plans changing rapidly for 2021, Fladeboe Advancement will address what the fundraising data has revealed from recent virtual events, how to plan to move into a hybrid model, and key steps organizations can take now to increase support this year – regardless of whether we are in-person, hybrid or virtual.
You’ll hear from our team members, including auctioneers Andy Imholte and Stacey McCurnin, who will give you their perspective on how auctions and fund-a-needs will work in hybrid.
Register
Presenters: Glen Fladeboe, Andy Imholte, Kristin Kroll, Stacey McCurnin, Kate Pearce, Kimberly Proffitt, and Paula Werner
Cost: Free
Space is limited and registration is required so reserve your spot today.
CAN’T make the live event? Register now and watch the session at your convenience, after March 25th
