7 Key Lessons Learned from Virtual Fundraising Events in 2020

We can all agree, 2020 was a doozy of a year, bringing indelible changes to the landscape of fundraising. Yet, nonprofit organizations are resilient and have always risen to the occasion of helping those in need during difficult times. Even now in 2021, amidst continuing coronavirus restrictions, nonprofit fundraising is not only surviving, but thriving. That’s due in large part to the ability to pivot fundraising efforts from in-person to virtual. With a solid year of virtual fundraising under our collective belt, let’s take a look at seven key lessons learned in 2020 to help your nonprofit continue reaching those goals and fighting for its mission.

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Most B2B Exhibitors Will Continue Virtual Events Post-Pandemic

Staff comment: Yes, but virtual events MUST provide engagement between attendees and the booth staff. This is no different from an in-person event. Be creative with your virtual booths and what you offer.

Some 4 in 10 B2B event organizers plan to hold a virtual event in 2021, according to a new report [download page] from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) on trends in the virtual event space. Based on a poll of more than 340 executives at organizations running or managing physical, in-person B2B exhibitions, the report suggests that virtual events are sticking around for now.

Some 62% of respondents held a virtual event in 2020, per the report, and 4 in 10 also intend to hold one in 2021. The vast majority (86%) feel that virtual events are a necessary short-term option due to the pandemic, agreeing that “COVID-19 forced the cancellation of our physical event. The only option at this time is running a virtual event to serve the needs of our communities.” However, nearly 7 in 10 (68%) also agree that virtual will be a bigger component of physical events moving forward, leading to more hybrid events.

Read the full article at: www.marketingcharts.com

This Startup Enables Human Connections at Virtual Events

Live events are all about connection. We all know that. Back before the pandemic, brands and publishers were increasingly investing in live events as a way to build their profiles and generate revenue. Sixty-five percent of business-to-business marketers in the professional services industry were hosting conferences by the end of 2019, and 87% believed in-person events were a “critical component” to their company’s success. 

Then the pandemic hit. In an instant, live events all but disappeared.

Conferences, seminars, festivals, and leadership courses were postponed, cancelled, or moved to online-only in 2020. Even the Sundance Film Festival was transformed into an almost entirely remote event. Although the virtual events industry grew at a steady clip throughout the year, brands struggled to reproduce what was traditionally one of the most important features of live, in-person events: human connections.

Networking and building connections with other industry leaders was one of the primary reasons why people attended live events before the pandemic. In a world where virtual events have become the norm, brands, publishers, and B2B companies are struggling to reproduce the human connections that people crave in an digital-first environment.

A new startup called Welcome is working on a solution. 

Read the full article at: streetfightmag.com

Why It Still Pays to Host Virtual Events in 2021

In 2020, virtual events became a necessity. COVID-19 resulted in lockdowns, closures, and strict social distancing requirements, quickly halting all in-person events. Event organizers had to adapt quickly to reimagine their events in a safe virtual space.

Fortunately, virtual platforms have allowed events to continue despite lockdowns. In 2021, people who are growing weary of lockdowns and social distancing need virtual events more than ever before. These events offer attendees an opportunity to connect, learn, and unwind, helping to build connections even when they’re still socially distancing.

Even as COVID-19 restrictions ease, virtual events will continue to be important. In the last year alone, the benefits of virtual events have become clear, and organizers have quickly learned how to run virtual events. While in-person events will be welcomed when conditions allow, virtual events are sure to stick around for these key reasons.

Read the full article at: www.eventbrite.com

Hybrid Meetings: What’s Now, What’s Next

Here’s a fun exercise. In your mind, go back to early 2020 and imagine that your organization’s leaders told you this:

An event you’ll be working on at the end of this year will involve multiple in-person meeting sites along with a virtual audience across several time zones; a combination of prerecorded content and live presentations, with a few delivered from remote locations; and some collaboration between the in-person and remote audiences but also separate networking opportunities for each audience.

Read the full article at: www.meetingsnet.com

Producer Calvin Mitchell Talks Virtual Event Production

Virtual events aren’t likely to go away, making this an opportune time to explore what makes a virtual event successful and engaging. To do that, we asked for the help of Live Event Producer Calvin Mitchell, who has over ten years of experience producing all kinds of events, including fashion shows…

Read the full article at: inspirationfeed.com