So you are thinking about taking your gala virtual. Good for you! There’s a lot to learn, but you can do it. I have been helping transition clients from traditional to virtual galas since March, and have seen so many wonderful success stories!
There is one thing that can make or break a virtual gala though: attendance.
No matter how highly produced or how much money you spend of videography or which celebrity you got to share a quick message on your organization’s behalf, your event will not be successful if people don’t show up to it.
So the question remains…
How do you get people to attend your Virtual Gala?
Marketing, baby.
You will have to invest in marketing your event. You will want to invest in time, but you’ll also want to set aside some money in your planning budget on digital advertising.
You will want to use all the channels at your disposal. Because a Virtual Gala is a digital twist on a traditional event, you will want to employ both traditional and digital marketing methods. Chances are your existing audience is used to RSVPing to your paper invitations and personal phone calls, but the cool thing about virtual galas is that they are a great way to connect with NEW donors and start building relationships with the lower-level donors who will be your big donors in the next decade.
At a loss of what ways work best to market you virtual gala? Don’t worry!
I want you to cover all your bases, so I’ve created a Virtual Gala Marketing Checklist for you!
This checklist will be your guide to make sure you’ve covered all of your bases and can create a well-rounded marketing strategy leading up to your event. A good rule of thumb is to start these methods about 30 days out from your event to begin building awareness. You won’t see registrations right away (in fact about 75% of your registrations will come in the last couple days before your event so don’t have an heart attack if it’s a week out and you’ve sold 12 tickets), but it will build awareness and a sense of FOMO as the date approaches. You will engage your current supporters and pick up some new ones along the way. That’s the dream, isn’t?
