A YEAR OF LEARNING AND PARTNERSHIP 
Dear friends of Powered by Professionals

Among the many things 2020 will be known for, the resiliency of the non-profit industry is sure to be high on the list. Canceling galas, run/walks and other signature events left organizations wondering how they would meet their 2020 donation goals. At PBP we rolled up our sleeves and started on day 1 strategizing how we were going to assist our charity partners to meet and perhaps exceed their fundraising goals in these troubling times. We all worked together to meet fundraising goals and re-imagine what fundraising events look like in a virtual setting. PBP has put together a sizzle reel of highlights from the virtual events we produced this fall as well as compiling some insights that we have picked up during the year.

May you have a safe, healthy and happy holidays with your loved ones,
Darren
VIRTUAL EVENT INSIGHTS
This fall, PBP planned and executed close to 20 virtual events! With a combined total of over 10,000 attendees, PBP produced these events using 8 different platforms, each customized to our clients’ needs and focus. Needless to say, we learned a lot! We asked our staff to share what they learned over the last few months and created these eight tips to help your organization when planning a virtual event in the future.
1. Cast Your Net Wider - Holding a virtual event allows supporters from all over the country to "attend" your event as well as removes the economic barrier that might have prevented potential supporters from attending in the past.

2. Pre- and Post-Event Videos - Creating a 2-minute marketing video can help people get excited about your event and visualize how the event will be run. And a post-event thank you video gives you the chance to highlight your honorees and donors as well as give your sponsors additional exposure.
3. Virtual Event Toolkit - Set yourself up for success by building out a "toolkit" that explains any technical parts of your event. By distributing this ahead of time, you can reduce the amount of questions you receive on event night allowing you to focus your attention elsewhere.

4. The Know Before You (Virtually) Go - The email you send out right before your event is more important than ever. Make sure you place a heavy emphasis on where to watch the event and how you can donate during the program.
5. "Live Feel" is Live Enough! - Pre-recording a part (or all) of your program can help alleviate some of the event night stress that comes along with a live virtual event. As long as your message is compelling, your donors won't care (or notice) whether or not portions of your event are pre-recorded.

6. Site Tours - Consider creating a short video clip with instructions on how your attendees will navigate the event site. This is especially important for events with multiple components i.e. VIP reception, program, and engagement sessions.
7. Mention Your Donors By Name - Whether you have a live emcee who gives donation updates throughout the night or list a of scrolling names on the screen, giving donors a shout out helps add a personal touch that virtual events are often lacking.

8. Chat Function - When picking your event platform, you may want to look for one that includes the ability for guests to chat throughout the event. This gives attendees the opportunity to congratulate the honorees, applaud the efforts of the staff and make connections with each other, all from the comfort of their home.
If you wanted to see some of these tips in action, check out the recordings of our fall virtual events on our website!
WEBINAR RECAP
Last month, PBP CEO & Founder, Darren Port held a webinar on Online Fundraising and Virtual Events in a Pandemic. He covered everything from technology and picking an event platform to fundraising and engaging your donors online.

If you missed the chance to view the presentation live, please check out the recording and slides below.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
This can be a very trying time for nonprofits and PBP wants to do what it can to help support nonprofits in any way we can! If you are with a non-profit, or thinking of starting one, and want any development advice or a sounding board, contact PBP at info@poweredbyprofessionals.com and we will set up a 30-minute call at no charge with one of our team members.
FROM OUR CLIENTS
"The Powered By Professionals team was the reason our benefit was a success.  From the very first phone call, we felt taken care of, that they really were listening and that they were a part of us, not just running alongside of us. They were patient, thoughtful and so very knowledgeable. They connected us to the right platform, the right experts and the right information  The night of our event they continued that steady hand: answering questions from our guests, making the impossible – possible and producing a “show” that we are very proud of. Thanks to the entire team for believing in us!" - Dawn Ewing, Project Morry, Executive Director
THANK YOU TO OUR CHARITY PARTNERS!
POWERED BY PROFESSIONALS.


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