The shift to being constantly online has been difficult for everybody, especially those in events.
And this struggle can be amplified for people in fundraising roles, where in-person events ranging from sporting events to galas packed with glitz and glamour have been the norm to attract donors.
However, virtual events look like they’ll be a part of the events landscape for the foreseeable future. So how do you make the most of them for your fundraising efforts?
In this article, we’ll dive into the Virtual Events Research Report put together by Wild Apricot, and reveal the top three fundraising secrets that came out of their research – and how you can use them for your own efforts.
And what kind of insights are we sharing? Well, we asked organizations how they’re throwing events, what they’ve tried during the last six months, and – arguably the most important – what you can learn from what they’ve already tried.
Top 3 Ways to Skyrocket Your Fundraising Efforts
There are some powerful stats that show the growth of online events – like the fact that the number of organizations putting on these virtual events has doubled the last six months.
With growth like that, it’s pretty clear that it’s a path you can’t ignore.
Based on the answers and insights that came out of the report, here are the top three ways you can plan your virtual event with online fundraising efforts at the top of mind.
Share a Donation Page
If you don’t ask for donations, you don’t even give people the chance to say yes to you!
Sometimes, simply asking people to donate is the best tactic. And it’s a tactic that’s shockingly underused right now, despite the fact organizations doing this are seeing some major successes! In fact, according to the Virtual Events Research Report, almost a third more of organizations who reported generating more revenue from their virtual events than from their in-person ones used this tactic.
If there’s less people asking right now, it also makes for an even better time to put out the donation page. If people aren’t thinking to ask, you have less competition for those donation dollars.
Pro tip – you can also ask for support generally, not just tied to an event! While most organizations think to share the donation page during or at the end of an event, you can even consider using the page as a general callout for support. Build a page that is easy for you and your team to regularly share.
If you want an even simpler way to run a fundraiser that your team can share on their personal networks, Facebook Fundraisers are easy to set up – and bonus, they’re free if you’re a non-profit organization!
If you aren’t actively asking your audience for support, they may not even know you need it! Make sure to ask.