Are you ready to take your fundraising event to the next level?
When planning, consider how best to immerse donors in what you do, who you impact and how.
Don’t just speak your why through great stories, SHOW it too! We believe the future of fundraising events is leaning fully into mission immersion and relying heavily on technology.
Video Walls: Ideas + Benefits
Have you attended an event where a video wall or video projection mapping was featured? If yes, you’ll know what we mean when we say, THIS is the future of events and fundraisers.
Imagine a wall plastered floor-to-ceiling with your org’s mission, stories, videos, PPT slides and images displayed. Once you imagine it, you can create it! And the possibilities are endless. You can project still pictures. You can even play videos on walls. You can include graphics, impact charts and any dynamic+dramatic imagery. Full-screen panoramas are particularly dramatic. Give a shout out to your donors and sponsors. Thank them with a wall projection! Our partners at Catholic Charities of Oregon projected an epic org timeline on the wall at their last event. It was a huge hit which clearly illustrated their longevity and impact.
What can you come up with?
Super Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you have as a nonprofit leader. A well-told story about your org and the people/animals/places who are better because of it is one of the fastest ways to move people to donate. Wall projections are a powerful way to fully immerse them in your org’s unique, poignant stories. Wall projections are dramatically beautiful and hugely scaled. They’re impossible to ignore.
Education + Mission Clarity
Do you ever feel like people don’t truly understand - or frankly, even know about - everything that goes into the work your org does? All of the moving parts. All of the people, tools and resources required to carry out your mission? What goes on behind the scenes? Do you find it difficult to explain your mission and all of its subtleties to the average supporter? Video walls and projection affords your guests a more enlightened perspective about what you’re all about. (Unlike the Wizard of Oz, you DO want your guests to pay attention to what’s going on behind the curtain!) Use video or a series of clever full wall images to walk people through the process of the work you do. SHOW them everything it takes to accomplish your mission and provide your services, from start to finish. Demonstrate the impact you’re having on the people, places and ideals you serve. When done well, they also serve as an amazing conversation starter.
Is there a better way to tell your org’s ENTIRE story? To reach a roomful of supporters simultaneously?
We think not.
Marketing Your Brand
Brand awareness is what you’re after, right? Your org’s logo doesn’t have to be confined to a screen anymore. Have you ever seen it projected onto a wall or floor? Pretty powerful, isn’t it?
Branding is just the tip of the iceberg; photo projection offers you nearly endless possibilities in terms of fully immersing donors in your mission and the stories of those who have benefitted from your work and services.
**Show, don’t just tell!^^
Brand + Mission Awareness
Assume there are people unfamiliar with your work at every event. But don’t let them leave your event unfamiliar with your work! Choose imagery that leaves no doubt in their minds what kind of work you do and how you’re making the world a better place. There’s room for visual branding before and after your event, as well - use mission imagery, metrics, and testimonials in your pre- and post-show visuals. Put them on a loop so as to be a constant reminder to your guests.
Display your mission, talk about it, emphasize how you deliver it and watch donations ignite!
Eye-Catching Beauty
Avenue Portland, owned and designed by The AV Department, is a beautiful event space, and one well-equipped to handle your projection wall vision.
Ditto for The Loft. If you’re in the Portland area, these are two fantastic options. If not, let us know. We likely know great vendors in your area too! And we love to share.
More Immersion Ideas
Mission-Related Activities
Another idea on immersing your donors in mission is to plan mission-related activities for the event. For example, Hoyt Arboretum gives walking tours just prior to their fundraising event. The tours serve to educate folks on why the arboretum is such a special place and why it’s so deserving of their charitable dollars. Onsite fundraising can also work to demonstrate what we’re fighting for.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality headsets are not just for games anymore! The Freshwater Trust used VR brilliantly at their event: During the cocktail hour, guests had a chance to put on the headsets and walk the bank of a river bank so polluted it was heartbreaking. Filled with trash. Dark, dirty and lifeless. Untouched by TFT’s magic hand. Then donors were invited to walk the other side of the bank, after TFT invoked their restoration powers. It was clean, sparkling, teeming with thriving plants, fish and wildlife. It was an incredibly powerful display of the Trust’s impact and one that guests couldn’t stop talking about! We guarantee there were guests who weren’t planning to donate (or at least not donate as much), until this virtual reality experience.
Lighting + Color Theory
Lighting and color are powerful mission-immersion tools. You already know you don’t want “mood” lighting at registration - you want that area lit up like Christmas! But what about color? It has a powerful impact on people’s emotions; therefore, it’s a powerful tool for you to consider! For example, red is an exciting color. Blue is known to increase communication, and purple encourages reflection. Use these colors subtly but strategically. Your AV team can help. Ask us for recommendations!
Video
According to our data, donors are 11 times more likely to retain content when it’s presented visually, as opposed to the spoken word without visuals. Furthermore, about 65% of people identify as visual learners. In today’s digital age, a powerful video is going to be more effective when it comes to immersing donors in your mission than words alone.
Immerse donors in YOUR mission creatively with some or all of these ideas.
Special thanks to Misty Marquam, Founder, Principal Benefit Auctioneer & Fundraising Consultant of Marqaum Agency.
Ask Misty for referrals. Marquam Auction Agency works with some of the best in the biz!
Fully immersing your supporters in your mission is the trend. Are you taking advantage of your many options yet? Chat with Misty and the team at Marquam!