One of our favorite events this past year has been for Alpine Learning Group, a leader in Autism treatment and research, who approached us in the summer of 2021 about producing a fully virtual event to take place in the fall. Covid numbers in the US were decreasing at the time, and they were having some regret about choosing to not run the event in person. However, by the time their broadcast went off-air, any remorse had vanished.
“The Fall Affair is one of Alpine Learning Group’s two primary annual fundraisers, and the funds raised are essential to the success of our organization, staff, learners, and families. It typically brings together more than 400 supporters and raises more than 25% of our annual budget. We were initially disappointed when we made the difficult decision in April to keep our October event virtual — concerned about “Zoom fatigue” and how it would impact the event’s sense of community and the fundraising, of course! Although we missed having everyone physically in the same space, we were thrilled with how the virtual event came together. Thanks to Revent and other partners, we were able to leverage an incredible cost savings compared to an in-person distinguished event, enabling us to net $140,000 more than our prior best year — all in the span of about 45 minutes.
The additional revenue allowed us to ensure we could meet the needs of each of our learners — providing additional supports as the world begins to reopen with new policies and practices, and our learners and families venture into the community for work, social activities, and learning.”
Diane Berry, Director of Development Alpine Learning Group
Another partnership that formed as more fundraising requests transitioned to virtual was with Kim Miles from Miles in Heels Production. Kim found us through a mutual connection in 2020, looking for a production partner to assist her in support of her clients. Kim designs impactful fundraisers and celebration events that feature detailed messaging about the organization, celebrity talent booking and tastefully sneaking in that ask!
“My business would have taken a huge hit had it not been for the implementation and execution of the virtual pivot as a stand-in for live events. While initially it was definitely a challenge to reimagine how events would be perceived and presented in a virtual format, in the end, it became incredibly seamless. And in today’s climate, it’s a critical format to have as an option. However, a virtual event is only as strong as the tech team and producer who is leading the project. You need to have people who can truly recommend which platform is the best partner for your particular event and can execute within that platform. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution, there are so many options to choose from. And, thankfully so!” Kim Miles, Miles in Heels Production
Our collaboration grew over multiple projects as our team worked behind the scenes to help translate Kim’s in person magic to the virtual stage. Over multiple fundraisers, her clients sang her praises for keeping their messaging and celebrations feel engaging and alive without any changes in their roadmaps.
So, what was the secret sauce?
1. Use a professional auctioneer or MC to keep the party moving! They really will make all the difference in the energy and the amount you will raise during the event. “Virtual events are a great way to connect to a larger donor pool,” says Tom Stebbins from New York Emcee. “A virtual event can break down distance, disability, even age barriers.” With a professional at the helm who understands how remote engagement can drive bidding you can instantly upgrade your earning potential for the event. (Tom was one of the main factors for the success of the Alpine Learning Groups event!)
2. Concerned about “Zoom Fatigue”? While Zoom is one of our favorite go-to-platforms, if there’s a budget to work with, we recommend shopping for a premium virtual event platform that can create a unique venue for the event - no one wants to have a cocktail in the conference room. Platforms such as Event.Gives, BlueJeans Events, Webinar.net, IBM and PGi have been used by our team to run both hybrid and virtual fundraisers. Each option has their own unique perks, and an experienced team like Revent can help fundraising organizers understand the landscape more fully and decide with confidence the best choice for their needs and budget.
3. Create a focused and impactful program, while remaining flexible to adjust on the fly and allow for higher donations and real time feedback or thanks to donors. The event should always try to stay under one hour if possible. The key things you want to hit during that time are:
• High Energy (this is where a professional MC comes in handy!)
• An incentive to attend the event: A celebrity appearance, a cooking segment, or showing videos your attendees have created and submitted in advance are all draws to attend the live event.
• If you can’t serve alcohol, go for the heartstrings: Creating a 2 to 5 minute video that warmly outlines the real impact of their donations will result in real contributions after the video plays.
• Say THANK YOU! You can never thank attendees for their time and contributions to your cause enough. We highly recommend pre-filming the direct recipients of the donations saying thank you, and of course thanking people live as the donations are coming in!
At Revent we take pride in helping our nonprofit partners succeed, helping them raise more money with virtual audiences than ever before and producing content they can continue to use for months after the event concludes. Virtual events have been a lifeline that organizations needed over the last 2 years, but in the process have become a staple in fundraising road maps for nonprofit orgs of all shapes and sizes. For more information on running your next hybrid or virtual fundraiser event, contact us today!