#142 | How do successful virtual fundraising events really work?

What was once an exploratory idea has in recent weeks became the centerpiece for many nonprofit fundraising strategies. As Covid-19 has forced organizations to cancel their spring events, many have opted for experimenting with a virtual approach. In this episode, we enjoyed hearing about how Martha Robinson and her team at the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra turned their event around in three days, reengaged donors that had not planned to attend, and  netted more money than originally anticipated. Though I am admittedly not a big fan of special events of any sort, Martha has rekindled my interest and encouraged me to think about the potential impact of a virtual event.

What struck me as particularly important in understanding their success was that a virtual event was in no way “business as usual” when it comes to event planning. Martha's approach required her team to invest more mental energy, to pick up the phone to have very meaningful conversations, and to rely upon a degree of vulnerability that most event planners are not accustomed to showing.

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