Dec 10, 2021 | Uncategorized
As we close the books on 168 fundraising events for our team in 2021, what have we learned?
Our team only offers a few webinars each year. We get busy in the focused work of each fundraising season but then take time to reflect, hone our practices and strategies, and share them with our clients, partners, and friends. In short, this is your chance to learn!
We held a webinar on December 9th. Did you miss it? No problem. Watch the recording. (Access Passcode: KBbQ^Tv5)
You’ll hear about the five key considerations for your 2022 fundraising event and the case studies behind them, presented by team members Glen Fladeboe, Kristin Kroll, Stacey McCurnin, Kate Pearce, and Kimberly Proffitt. While addressing virtual, hybrid, and in-person events, our team shared:
- The strength of small(er) in-person events
- Creating and cultivating a strong advocate team
- Using stewardship to ignite and deepen donor relationships
- Using the live auction as a tool for mission-based giving
Watch the recording at: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/g8Wno_o2WK85qYuuJoCJClM1-Df-ytMLpK13T76dBmn470HEQMKdL8SpG7zuQIUO.RbxEWnd5lboe8F5I
Access Passcode: KBbQ^Tv5
We welcome your questions and comments. Please use our contact form or email Kristin@FladeboeAdvancement.com.
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.
