Part 1: How Can I Make Next Year s Event More Successful? November 15, 2010 Presenters: Amy Braiterman, Blackbaud Kim Romaszewski, Blackbaud

Part 1: How Can I Make Next Year s Event More Successful? November 15, 2010 Presenters: Amy Braiterman, Blackbaud Kim Romaszewski, Blackbaud

Events Boot Camp Series Events Boot Camp, Part 1: How Can I Make Next Year s Event More Successful? If you re planning your first event or looking to make your next event the best ever, sign up for this can t-miss session on planning your next event. We ll discuss event communication and marketing plans, event sponsorship and committees, site design, tools to drive revenue and awareness, and more. Events Boot Camp, Part 2: How Can I Develop a Successful email Marketing Strategy? Co-Host: Zuri Group Join us as we talk about designing an event email marketing strategy and maximizing its impact. We will cover topics like email timing, frequency, and design. Events Boot Camp, Part 3: What Can I Learn from Last Year s Numbers? Co-Host: Event 360 We will help you uncover the wealth of information in your event numbers. We ll share how you can impact your event and participant behavior by analyzing mid-season metrics and discuss how the event data from this year's achievements can lead to next year's successes. Register today to learn best practices for performing detailed analyses of event data to discover hidden gems within your event. Events Boot Camp, Part 4: How Can My Events Raise More and Utilize New Strategies? We ll share best practices for using Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends, including how to create an effective event site, how to raise more funds online, and how to integrate online and offline efforts. Plus, learn more about what s new with Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends: event committee dashboard, integration between Google Analytics and mobile ready pages and forms. Events Boot Camp, Part 5: We Have a Facebook Page and My Participants are Tweeting Now What? Co-Host Charity Dynamics We ll discuss how your organization can use social media to extend your reach, increase events online presences, and raise more funds. We ll also share how social media works with online and offline tactics to create integrated marketing and cultivation plans for your event. Plus, we'll share the latest results from our annual social media research project. Page #2

Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends Our History Supported more than 33,000 events More than $1 billion raised online 14+ million participants 26+ million donors 1 st event is still a customer (Arthritis Foundation San Diego Jingle Bell Run) Our Proven Results Average participant sends 28 emails 1 in 4 FAF emails conversion FAF emails have a 90 percent or greater open rate Average online gift size: $60 Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series In 2009, 4 of the top 5 customers in the RWR30 ranked by % growth used Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends Page #3

Peer to Peer Event Planning Start Early! Create your website at least 6 months in advance. Some organizations set them up 12-8 months in advance. Create an overall event calendar Activities leading up to event: kickoff, team captain meetings, bank nights, fundraising clinics Participant Recruitment & Fundraising Challenges Link communication (email and social media) with activities you re planning Year round communication engage with participants and provide additional opportunities for involvement Recruitment messages Support messages Educational opportunities Provide fundraising support for participants Page #4

Daily Online Donations Curve Online Amount Raised Over Time E-mail Traffic and Usage Builds Over Time $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 Promote Your Event Early to Build Momentum $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 $0 1/19 2/3 2/18 3/4 3/19 4/3 4/18 5/3 5/18 If You Start Too Late You Risk Missing the Growth At least 6 Months (12-8 months) Page #5

So When Do Donations Come In? Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Accumulated Online Transactions Over Time 95% 99% 40% 19% 0% 1% 3% 8% -120-100 -80-60 -40-20 0 20 Days from Event 55% of Donations Collected within 20 Days 40% of Donations Collected before 20 Days 5% of Total Collected after Event Extend Your Event at Least 30 Days Online Source: Aidswalk New York 2008 Page #6

Example Event Calendar: Five months to event Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series January February March April May Early Bird Fundraising Challenge: Raise $100 Team Captain challenge Goal: recruit team members Kick off ONLINE Fundraising Challenge Month Educational Advocacy Day Team Captain Team Captain Conference Happy Hour Happy Hour Board Meeting Chapter Open House Fundraising Clinic (open to everyone) Fundraising Clinic (open to everyone) May 9 th -15 th Online Fundraising week Bank Nights May 21 th EVENT DAY Page #7

Tracking Metrics Throughout Event Season Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Overall Event Gauge Donation $ raised Number of donations received Number of participants Source performance Site traffic Number of Teams Detailed Participant Metrics Average donation amount Donation $ / participant Donation # / participant Emails sent / participant Participant Behavior Team size and fundraising performance Number of emails sent Use of social media tools (coming soon) Fundraising goal Segments Core segments as defined entering into season Upon analysis, any segments that pop up different than initial list Page #8

Event Website Building Your Event Website Sponsorship Packages Volunteer Recruitment Page #9

Building Your Event Website Page #10

Page #11

Sponsorship Packages Examples Media Corporate In-Kind/Vendor Value Website Logo Placement Link to sponsor site Print collateral placement Media exposure (ads, interviews) Reciprocal Agreements Event inclusion on corporate/media/vendor websites/newsletters/mailings National or Local Presenting Sponsor Page #12

Volunteer Recruitment Volunteer Recruitment Communication Subscriber Base Speaker s Bureau Page #13

Communication Plans External Marketing Plan Internal Communication Plan Email Campaign Best Practices Page #14

Creating an External Marketing Plan Print Collateral Event Letterhead Brochures Flyers Inserts Save the Date post cards Website Prominent placement on agency site One click to get to event site Meta Tags - for Search Engine Optimization Media Radio TV Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Print Ads: billboards, bus advertisements, newspaper, local magazines PR stories of participants making a difference Page #15

Internal Communications Plan: Recruitment Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Who s on our email list? Past team captains Past team members Past Individual participants Advocates Education event attendees Other event attendees (fundraising or mission focused) Support group attendees Helpline callers What is the message? Save the Date Team captains wanted! Your support makes an impact Help make a difference Page #16

Internal Communication Plan: Organizational Emails Organization enewsletter Educational / Program Advocacy messages and alerts Board member notifications Support Group Leader messages TIP: When creating organizational message it s import to get buy in from executive staff. Having leadership buy in will help remove obstacles, if any exist. Page #17

Example: October Launch May Event Past Team Captains Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series October November December January Save the Date! Be the 1 st to sign up and take in the Early Bird Challenge Team Captain recruitment/ Thanksgiving message Happy Holidays Message 1 New Year = new memories. Message 2 message from a team captain Past Save the Date Happy Turkey Happy Holidays New Year = new participants Day memories. Organization email MEDIA Page #18 Org Newsletter * Be the first to sign up for the Walk Org Newsletter * Give thanks and walk for more tomorrows Org Newsletter * Families walk for better days walker story Org Newsletter * New Year s resolution sign up to walk Advocates Why I walk Advocates make a difference Programs/ Education attendees SOCIAL Facebook, Twitter, blog Give thanks - Why I walk Facebook, Twitter, blog Facebook, Twitter, blog New Year = new memories Facebook, Twitter, blog

Example: October Launch May Event Past Team Captains Past Participants Organization email Page #19 Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series February March April May Invite to Kickoff and event update Invite to kickoff Org Newsletter * Join us for Walk kickoff Advocates Advocate update Walk with us Programs SOCIAL MEDIA Are you ready to walk? Update on Walk Facebook, Twitter, blog Story from Kickoff It s not to late too to sign up your team Message from a walker Org Newsletter * Walker story Story from Kickoff (end of month) Story from Kickoff (end of month) Facebook, Twitter, blog Event update - need your support Org Newsletter * The big day is almost here Facebook, Twitter, blog Org Newsletter * It s not too to walk / Walk results (May/June) Facebook, Twitter, blog

Best Practices: Email Campaigns Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Email Purpose Fundraising Event Registration Volunteer Recruitment Participant Thank You Communicate your end goal Subject line Explicit call to action Clear, concise content (Smartphone consideration) Target audience Email Friendly Content Use clear, concise messaging Make your emails scanable Avoid the spam filter Send both the html and text version of the email Subject lines Call to action Sense of urgency Why it s a must read Connect email campaigns with social networks, advertising, offline recruitment efforts. Page #20

Providing Support Effectiveness of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Online and Offline Support Page #21

Why is peer to peer fundraising effective? Donor reads a personal appeal/email from a friend The donor wants to support his/her friend The donor wants to help friend reach his/her goal Donor wants to be recognized for his/her gift Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Why are personal fundraising pages effective? Provides opportunity for participant to share their story: Picture Video Message to honor or remember a loved one The website offers an easy way to give with a credit card Page #22

How many participants set up their page? All Events (Mean) 21% 25% 40% 59% So What s The Over/ Under Impact? Under 21% Over 21% $79 per Participant $281 per Participant Page #23

Personal Fundraising Page Welcome statement Picture or Video Donation Message Suggested giving levels Page #24

How Many Participants Send Personal E-mails? Benchmark Average is 24% of Participants Sending Email If 50% of participants send emails, Events Raise Six Times Average Online Under 24% Over 24% $137 per Participant $216 per Participant Participants Using Online Tools Raise SIX Time More than Non-Users Page #25

So What s the Impact of Sending E-mails? Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Average Amount Raised by Volunteers Average Amo ount Raised $3,000 $2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000 $500 $0 0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-50 51-100 101-150 151-200 201-250 251-500 501 or more Overall Online Offline Emails Sent Range Page #26

Participants Personas Top Fundraisers Use all tools available Add emails to address book Send multiple emails Update personal page Social Media Offline activities Average Participant Make it easy They ll send a email, but won t take the time to upload email addresses (use user friendly link) Won t update personal page $0 participants ask to make a personal donation Page #27

Participant Email Templates Mostly used by Top Fundraisers and Team Captains Page #28

Email Forward Great option for average participant: we know these personas will not take the time to send emails from their Fund HQ Buttons are jpegs and link to participants page Set it and forget it Send 1 week after participant registers Dynamic list Page #29

Online Tips and Tools Offer 75 Online Tips and Checklists Customer Service is Critical - Available 24 Hours a Day Near Event Library of Personal E-mail Templates Team Leaders General Walkers Team Members Thank You Messages Page #30

Offline Techniques Print-out documentation and guides for training sessions Team Captain Guides, Walker Manuals and Kickoffs Show impact and importance build awareness Follow up calls: include info about personalizing pages Page #31

Post Event Analysis Did you reach your goals? Money Participants Teams Corporate Involvement Volunteers Awareness Post Event Participant Survey What worked What can be improved Event day experience Support leading up to event Analyze numbers Recruitment goal vs. actual Overall fundraising (number of participants with $$, $0 participants, etc) Page #32

Summary: Best practices for your event s online fundraising o Year round planning o Create an overall event calendar o Include other organization activities o Set event goals o Track event metrics throughout event season o Comprehensive marketing & communication o Create an online experience for participants o Provide event details, fundraising support and mission information o Complete event analysis Page #33

Events Boot Camp Series Events Boot Camp, Part 2: How Can I Develop a Successful email Marketing Strategy? Co-Host: Zuri Group Join us as we talk about designing an event email marketing strategy and maximizing its impact. We will cover topics like email timing, frequency, and design. Events Boot Camp, Part 3: What Can I Learn from Last Year s Numbers? Co-Host: Event 360 We will help you uncover the wealth of information in your event numbers. We ll share how you can impact your event and participant behavior by analyzing mid-season metrics and discuss how the event data from this year's achievements can lead to next year's successes. Register today to learn best practices for performing detailed analyses of event data to discover hidden gems within your event. Events Boot Camp, Part 4: How Can My Events Raise More and Utilize New Strategies? We ll share best practices for using Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends, including how to create an effective event site, how to raise more funds online, and how to integrate online and offline efforts. Plus, learn more about what s new with Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends: event committee dashboard, integration between Google Analytics and mobile ready pages and forms. Events Boot Camp, Part 5: We Have a Facebook Page and My Participants are Tweeting Now What? Co-Host Charity Dynamics We ll discuss how your organization can use social media to extend your reach, increase events online presences, and raise more funds. We ll also share how social media works with online and offline tactics to create integrated marketing and cultivation plans for your event. Plus, we'll share the latest results from our annual social media research project. Page #34 www.friendsaskingamy.com

Appendix Social Media Tools Overview Mobile Ready Overview Google Analytics Activating new tools in Blackbaud Friends Asking Friends Page #35

Blackbaud Social Media Toolkit Allows event participants to reach more people and share compelling messages Average Facebook user has 130 friends Average Twitter account has 70 followers YouTube allows participants to visually tell their story Page #36

Blackbaud Social Media Toolkit Social Media tools are located in the participant s HQ under email tab Participants can send tweets and facebook status updates from their HQ. Be sure to activate tools and let participants know about them - When you send an email from your HQ, at the same time your can send a tweet or status update and reach more potential donors Page #37

Blackbaud Social Media Toolkit Page #38

Blackbaud Social Media Toolkit Page #39

Mobile Ready Events Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series E-mail is most popular in US, representing more than 41% of mobile Internet time. That s up from 37% last year.* May 2010 Pew Internet phone survey Fundraising on the Go! Fundraising is no longer confined to desktops and business hours. Take your events on the road with mobile ready event, personal, team, and individual donation pages. Automatically redirects mobile devices to the corresponding mobile pages to make it easy to donate anywhere. Page #40 Email Personal Page Donation Form Confirmation

Activating Social and Mobile Tools Facebook & Twitter Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series Website Checklist Participant HQ Settings Under Community Site Status Update: Check Facebook and Twitter boxes YouTube Website Checklist Image and Text Library Check box: Allow participants to add a YouTube Video to their personal page. Allow linking only to video options set by the organization. Allow linking to videos selected by the participant Mobile Ready Event Page & Individual Donation Form Website Checklist Website Features Check the box: Detect and forward Mobile Devices to Mobile Donation Form Page #41

Managing Event: Google Analytics What is Google Analytics? Blackbaud Events Boot Camp Series It provides insights on web site traffic by generating detailed statistics about visitors to your website. What can I learn about my website? Google Analytics can track visitors from referring sites including: search engines, display advertising, pay per click networks, email marketing Page performance (bounce rates) Time one site, time on pages Geographic information, service providers How do connect my event with Google Analytics? Website Checklist Front Page Customization Enter Google Analytics Code Page #42