Innovative Strategies; Bridging the Divide Between Virtual & In-Person Events
| Communities across the country are in flux as they balance a continued reopening with precautions due to the recent COVID variant, Delta, surge. You may be wondering, what does this mean for my upcoming GivingTuesday 2021 campaign? |  |
Even if COVID was no longer a concern, the fundraising scene has already changed drastically following last year’s virtual fundraising boom. Through the height of the pandemic, creative engagement strategies were implemented by fundraising professionals, such as livestreaming. On the supporter side, donors became well-versed in how to give electronically and attend virtual events.
Returning to old fundraising norms may seem tempting. However, we should consider all that we have learned through virtual engagement and the incredible potential it has as we look towards the future of fundraising. Let’s embrace the new strategies that 2020 brought and continue innovating strategic ways to move forward — together.
This year, a hybrid approach could bridge last year’s virtual successes with this year’s reopening. In-person opportunities (when safe) that also are accessible virtually may be the best bet. Not only are you more inclusive this way, but you also are allowing a wider net of supporters to donate and participate; a win-win situation, indeed. For a more unified experience, consider livestreaming your in-person event so everyone can “attend”!
Engage with your virtual audience during an in-person event by:
- Tuning your big screen or jumbotron to your Giving Day’s GiveGab
Live page, which displays donor counts, total raised, and more on a page intentionally made to engage donors during in-person events. - Showcasing your livestream (or pre-recorded) content on the landing page of your GiveGab Giving Day site.
- Utilizing GiveGab’s text-to-give feature to engage with donors over text and encourage them to give through their mobile device. When paired with Mobile Wallet, it’s the fastest way to give!
- Displaying a heat map illustrating where your gifts are coming from to literally push boundaries. Many partners, especially in the Education sector, find it to be a fun and interactive way to challenge supporters in a room and online!
Many of our partners have used these strategies in their own creative ways for engagement.
- NEPA Gives streamed 6 hours of pre-recorded content on their NEPA Gives Giving Day site. They held a small in-person gathering to celebrate and displayed their GiveG
ab Live page onset! NEPA Gives grew 135.716% in 2021 and we can’t wait to be part of their continued growth and success! Plans for next year include a similar hybrid approach. - Wichita Collegiate School used livestream for their online auction, raffling off items and experiences. One key piece was requiring livestream attendance to win a prize. By strategically planning the time of the auction, they drove traffic to their Giving Day site to view the livestream, which in turn increased donations in that time period. Wichita’s use of both in-person and virtual events has proven to be successful and we look forward to their continued creativity and innovation.
- Give N Day at Nicholls State University held an in-person game show on campus to engage organizations and the student body during their otherwise online Giving Day event. This interactive and creative game successfully engaged participating groups, grew awareness about Give N Day, and inspired nonparticipating groups to sign up next year.
While coordinating a hybrid event may seem intimidating, it’s important to note that, with GiveGab, you aren’t alone while navigating this year’s unique challenges.
We have created a strong community of fundraising professionals that consult one another year-round! In fact, our partners, Vivian Williams from NEPA Gives and Katie Gunzelman of Wichita Collegiate School Day of Giving, held a session titled ‘Post-Pandemic Giving Days: Virtual + In-Person Engagement’ at our most recent Giving Day Leaders Forum.
By joining GiveGab, you tap into a network of knowledgeable professionals who want to strengthen each other; because when we all share successful ideas and strategies, we all rise together.
Interested in implementing hybrid events with a GivingTuesday Giving Day on GiveGab?…
