Last week we showcased the power of moving your event online rather than postponing it until a later date or cancelling it completely. This could well be the ‘new normal’ that we all have to embrace for the next 6 months but, the result was a fantastic! £27,957 raised for two amazing causes - The Ruth Strauss Foundation and NHS Charities Together and, to view the ‘best bits’ video, click here.

If you would like to discuss running a similar event for your cause then please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we would be delighted to assist.

Before launching into our five top tips for you to keep in mind when organising your event remember, running these events has the same two benefits as any other event. Firstly, raising vital funds and secondly, engaging your existing supporters and cultivating new ones. Postponing or cancelling an event will not tick either of these boxes so do carefully consider the power of online before you opt for these options.

Five Top Tips:

With this being the first event we have run online, it was very much a new territory for D&G, especially pulling it all together in under 2 weeks! This is by no means an exhaustive list but here are five of our key learnings from the event:

  1. Charge a reasonable ticket price. Similar to a Gala, the aim being to ensure the ticket price covers all your costs and yet still leaves a healthy margin for the charity. Going into the event with a net profit for the cause leaves you in a strong position. We charged £50 which seemed to hit the spot.
  2. Ensure participants see value for money. We partnered with Barrel & Stone and Bidfood to bring a different dimension to the event. Each ticket included 4 x 12” pizzas and 4 beers. Delivered to the guest the day before the event it ensured that they were truly bought into the night. Interestingly, 95% of the tickets we sold were at the £50 tier. Our £20 direct donation tickets, which excluded the pizza and beer, were far less popular.
  3. Keep it short and sharp. An hour of fast paced engaging content is much better than trying to drag it out over a longer period. Think of it as a TV program where you need to keep the viewer engaged rather than drifting off and switching channel.
  4. Utilise your network. This is a simple one but is so important. Mainly to keep costs of the event down but to also give it a really authentic feel. Your host will play a key role in your event, so ensure you focus on getting that right, but do call in favours from all those in your network – just as you would with any other event. Online is no different.
  5. Don’t underestimate the power of a silent auction! Raising money online is without a doubt harder than at a live event but, similar mechanisms apply. We launched an online auction 10 days before the event and also did live pledge moments throughout the event. Live auctions are tricky to run effectively online so ensure your silent auction is packed with great items in order to offer something to everyone.

So, there are our 5 top tips - we hope they prove useful. Our role as fundraising consultants is to support you on your journey as best we can to ensure you raise as much as possible. Please do contact us to discuss further.