As we have moved through a global pandemic, there have been many changes to the world that have introduced innovative ways to complete tasks we may not have thought of in the past.
Raising funds for your cause is no different. Virtual and hybrid events have become the norm not only in business team settings, but also for holding conferences and fundraisers.
Here at TriviaHub, we’ve helped host hundreds of virtual fundraisers and we’ve organized some of our common tips below to help ensure your next virtual and hybrid fundraiser is a success.
The Tips
Pick The Right Night
When starting to organize your online fundraiser, one of the most important things you can do is pick a date and time that will attract the most donors and help raise funds for your cause. We find that it is important to pick a night that people typically feel social, but usually don’t have other family commitments.
That means you’ll want to start by avoiding Friday nights! Our most successful fundraisers typically occur on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night. During these nights, most people have had a chance to shake off the Monday blues, but aren’t already committed to plans with their families.
Plan Ahead
If you’re in the fundraising world you likely already know this tip, but we want to make sure we reiterate it here. The biggest reason to plan ahead is to give yourself ample time to market and attract donors to your event.
The sooner you start marketing your event the better. With enough notice, you can encourage your core donor pool to invite others and spread the word. With a virtual event, you can find support and attendance through your current network, regardless of location.
The more contact you have with your players before the event, the more likely you are to reach your funding goal!
Provide Multiple Ways to Donate
While you are planning and putting on your event, it makes sense to make it as big as you’re able to.
We find that our most successful fundraisers are those with many options to give! Both in terms of systems (text2give, donation links, fund a need, etc.) and event types (raffles, silent auctions, trivia tickets etc.).
The more easy and attractive ways there are to give, the more you will receive!
Pick Broad Questions
The great thing about creating a virtual fundraiser based around a trivia event is that everyone loves games, and it is bound to create fun for those who attend.
To make sure no one feels left out, you’ll want to make sure the questions have a broad appeal to many (e.g. Disney) and are balanced for difficulty and not too hard. No one likes to to just scratch their head the whole night!
Keep It Simple!
One of the most important tips is to not try to do too much! You want your donors leaving the event talking about how they can’t wait for the next one.
We find that attention span wanes after 90 minutes in an online space, so we recommend keeping your event straight to the point, and light hearted!
Get Some Help
Here at TriviaHub, we make putting on engaging virtual and hybrid events our primary focus. We have some of the most engaging hosts around, professional trivia question writers, and event coordinators who can meet with you and plan out your perfect event.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed, we offer a non-profit discount and package options that are sure to fit any budget. We also have other tips in our planning a virtual fundraiser guide.
In Conclusion
Now more than ever it is important to be able to augment your in-person fundraising strategy with online events that can help expand your reach and serve both a virtual and hybrid audience. By following these simple tips, we hope your next event will be a huge success!
Have other tips? Share them with us!