When planning a virtual gala, we all know fundraising will be a key component of the short and entertaining virtual event. The goal of a virtual gala is to connect with your donors and offer them an engaging experience while meeting your organization’s fundraising goals.
Let me state the obvious: a virtual gala is different from a live event because you don’t have your physical audience in the room which means your approach to fundraising will be different as well.
How to have a successful Fund-A-Need in a Virtual Gala
Do the ask early and often
As soon as your event begins, you should be setting expectations for your virtual attendees. You will remind them WHY they are there. The formal Fund-A-Need ask should happen within the first 10 minutes of the program coming only after an inspirational storytelling moment (video, short speaker or testimonial). As you continue through the program, your auctioneer will tactfully remind people how they can give.
Enlist Momentum Donors
Having momentum donors is a key to success in any fund-a-need (you can learn how to acquire momentum donors in my post here). They are just as important in a virtual fund-a-need. Have conversations with your high level donors or sponsors who usually give to your annual fund-a-need and ask if they would consider being a momentum donor. This would mean explaining to them that when the ask happens that they be ready to add their donation right away so the fund-a-need starts powerful and quick. They can even receive extra recognition if they feel comfortable with it because the auctioneer can say, “Jon and Tammy Anderson have generously started us off with a $20,000 donation, if you can match their generosity at home with $20,000 please let us know right now by placing your donation in your mobile device through the link on the screen.”
Be flexible with donation levels
When conducting a fund-a-need in a virtual setting, you may still want to announce donation levels if you have secured momentum donors for those higher levels. You may want to have your auctioneer announce “now if you can give $20,000…$10,000…$5,000…” for a while, but based on experience I know that once people know they are in the fundraising moment, you’ll see donations of all levels coming in at once, so you’ll receive $200 donations at the same time as a $10,000 donation. At some point, your auctioneer will feel out the situation and stop calling out levels and start thanking the names that are showing up on the screen and continue to talk about the impact this money will have on your organization. it will feel more like a QVC sale than your traditional paddle raise. Your auctioneer will be working with the data she is given and being quick on her feet to continue to create a compelling ask as the numbers are coming through.
Keep it up beat
Keep in mind that a virtual gala will not have the energy of a live event, and it must remain upbeat and engaging. A fund-a-need during a virtual gala will go by much quicker than a traditional fund-a-need paddle raise or even a fund-a-need done through mobile bidding at a live event. Once the numbers slow down and there are fewer bids being entered, the producer will help the auctioneer and emcee navigate when to move on to the next segment. Remember, you can continue to come back to the ask throughout the program “you can give right now on your phone.” If the giving has slowed down, even if you have not hit your ideal number, do not spend time “pulling teeth” because you will quickly lose your audience and the chance to engage them on the live auction and in future asks.
Explain how to use the mobile bidding
As a part of the ask, your auctioneer should walk through the ease of entering bids via mobile bidding. If possible, add graphics to the screen to help them navigate the process. Sending out an email in advance to get donors comfortable with the technology before the virtual gala begins will help smooth out any possible glitches they may run into.
How to Have a Successful Live Auction in a Virtual Gala
The bidders will bid on live auction items via mobile bidding
The “live” auction items will be featured during the live program, but bidders will bid on them the same way they bid on silent auction items. The live items will receive more attention and praise. They will be higher ticket items with a broad appeal that will create competitive bidding, but they can be open for the length of the silent auction for donors to bid throughout the event.
Limit Auction items to 5 or less
Your virtual program should last about 30 minutes, so you do not have time to waste describing 8-12 featured auction items. Pick 4-5 of the best auction items you have and feature them during the live program. Your auctioneer will create hype around the item, call attention who the current highest bidder and encourage people to keep bidding.
Don’t spend much time on each auction item
The time during the program where you feature the “live auction” items will be to describe them, create a little hype, possibly engage the audience with friendly banter between the emcee and auctioneer and bring attention to the current highest bid. In a virtual setting it is not appropriate for the auctioneer to “sell” the item the way she would in a traditional in-person gala. The goal is just to create hype and excitement out of the higher ticket items, but to continue to move the program along in a peppy and upbeat manner!
Try opening the the auction earlier in the day or the week
With the option of having mobile bidding, you can open your auction as early as you want. By opening the silent and live auction items earlier in the day, it will help create more hype around your virtual event happening later in the day and give your attendees a chance to learn the mobile bidding technology prior to the event starting. Try opening the auction at 8:00 am and send a note out via email and social media that it is open and remind people throughout the day to bid on the items and to tune in to the live virtual event that evening.
Maximizing Revenue in a Virtual Gala
Your auctioneer will be able to connect with your audience from the other side of the screen using tried and true fundraising methods. Leaning in to your auctioneer for guidance will allow you to easily transition to a virtual event while still meeting fundraising goals.
Happy Fundraising
