5 Steps To Hosting Online Fundraising Event (Best Practices)

Online donations, fundraisers, and charity events have become extremely popular in recent years. Thanks to the era that we are living in where everything is controlled by technology, things have become extremely simple, even though it is about raising funds. 

We are sure you have come across several online fundraising campaigns on several platforms. But online fundraising is a lot more than that; virtual fundraising events have become a thing, and there’s a lot that you should know about them. 

Given the popularity of virtual fundraising events and feeling the need to disseminate the right information related to virtual fundraising events, here we have put together a complete guide. It will take you through the steps, ideas, and best practices of hosting virtual fundraising events. 

How Can You Host a Successful Virtual Fundraising Event? 

Hosting an online fundraising event is not at all as worrisome of a thing as people think it is. All you need to do is segregate the entire planning process into steps and move ahead one by one. 

Here are the basic steps you need to follow to host a successful fundraising event online. 

1. Decide Your Virtual Fundraising Event Type: 

A fundraising event can be of different formats; it can be a gala dinner, an online donation drive, an online game show, and an entertainment show. Not only this, but you can also host a virtual auction and raise funds. But, for that, you need to have clarity about the kind of event you want to host. 

Hence, in the first step, decide the kind of virtual fundraising event you want to host. Not only this but decide your audience type according to the kind of event you will host. 

2. Choose the Suitable Online Fundraising Platform: 

The most important and crucial step in hosting a virtual fundraising event is selecting a suitable online fundraising platform. There are several platforms available in the market; however, as an organizer, make sure you select the best platform available. Now, while choosing the platform, it becomes necessary to keep your event in mind. 

Consider the following factors before making the final choice: 

• The kind of interface you want in an online fundraising platform. 
• Do you want any branding options? 
• How do you wish to stream your event, pre-recorded or live? 
• The kind of engagement opportunities to provide to your attendees? 
• Your budget. 

Once you are determined the factors you want to have in an online fundraising event platform, move ahead and choose the best option.

One platform that is the most diverse and suitable to the users’ choice is Mixhub. 

3. Set Up Your Registration Forms: 

In the next step, you are required to set up your registration forms for your audience to register for your fundraising event. There are several online fundraising event platforms that let users customize their registration forms. 

Hence, with platforms such as Mixhub , users can create their registration forms, depending on the information they want to collect from their attendees. 

4. Promotion is the Key: 

Now that you are hosting a fundraising event, you need to ensure that the maximum audience gets to know about it. It is why promoting the upcoming event becomes important. 

Now, talking about promotions, the first thing you should do is create the website of your event. It will be one authentic source of information for your audience; keep everything updated here. Apart from it, there are several promotional techniques that you can use; for example, social media promotions, traditional media advertising, email marketing, etc. 

5. Keep the Virtual Fundraising Event Lively: 

The success of any virtual event depends on how involved the attendees felt in the event. Virtual events are different from in-person events, and both these formats deliver different experiences to the attendees. However, the attendees still wish for a physical event-like experience in an online event. Hence, it becomes necessary that you deliver an immersive experience to the attendees, which is similar to a physical event. 

6. Create Opportunities to Interact

People who attend traditional fundraisers gather, share tables, or line up, making it easy to get involved. Virtual events don’t have such interactions built in, so you’ll have to create one.

To make your virtual fundraiser feel more like an in-person event, look for opportunities for audience participation. Ask questions in the chat box and get answers, or conduct live polls during the live stream. Give peer-to-peer fundraisers the opportunity to join teams and create friendly competition. 

Therefore look for a platform that provides you with the following features: 

• A 3D interface to deliver a closer-to-reality experience to the attendees. 
• Audience engagement tools so that the attendees can engage and feel involved. 
• Networking tools for them to connect with their fellow attendees, just like an in-person event. 
• An easy interface so that they don’t find it difficult to manage their ways through the virtual event tool. 

All and all, make sure that the attendees enjoy the event and leave with good experiences and memories. 

What are the Best Practices for Hosting an Online Fundraising Event? 

Here are some of the best tips, techniques, and practices that one should keep in mind to ensure a successful event experience. 

1. Choose a reliable virtual fundraising event platform; it’d be better if the platform is already familiar to you. To make it easier for you to choose a platform, you can also check out some software review platforms. These platforms will help you know the platform from the customer’s point of view. 

2. Always ensure that the devices you are going to use for the fundraising event are in their best condition. 

3. Make sure your internet connection is stable; it is advisable to use LAN instead of Wi-Fi. 
4. Don’t go live with your event without a trial run; always host a trial session. It will help you know the loopholes in your strategies, platform, and other things. 

5. Always have your Plan B ready; You never know when and how it will save you. 

6. Record your event; share the recording with attendees, those who couldn’t make it to the event, and across various social media platforms.

7. Make the event fun, lively and cheerful. Use music, set a theme, and make it interesting. 

What are the Best Ideas for a Virtual Fundraiser Event? 

Here are some of the best virtual fundraising ideas you can use to make your upcoming event a hit. 

1. Online Auction: 

Auctioning is probably the safest and easiest way to raise money for a particular cause. You can make use of any online fundraising platform for hosting an online auction. Host your online auction through a live streaming session. One thing you need to make sure of is to keep the auction engaged. For that, it is suggested to use an online event platform such as Mixhub. 

2. Live Streaming Sessions: 

Hosting live streaming sessions is considered one of the most sought-after virtual fundraising ideas. With live streaming, you can convert your audience within the span of some hours in real-time. 

While you plan your live stream, make sure you choose a platform that lets you create an engaging and immersive experience. Though there are several platforms available out there, the best and most free online donation platform is Mixhub. You can host different kinds of live streaming sessions such as Panel discussions, webinars, online tours, and more. 

3. Virtual Race: 

Marathons have always been one of the best ways to raise funds for some cause. You can also host them for your fundraising event; the best part is you can host races virtually too, all due to the latest and updated technology that we have. Your audience will register for the race and run on the pre-decided time together. You can ask the participants to record their run and their stop points. After the race, you can host a live session and invite the participants. It is how they will be able to connect with each other and learn more about your objective and organization. 

4. Social Media Takeover: 

This online fundraising idea is rising in popularity these days, all due to the rising popularity of social media. You can collaborate with any corporate organization where you will be taking over their social media. On their social media, you will add content and link about your organization’s social media and website. It will help you expand your brand’s visibility and boost its growth. This idea works best if you are currently working on a campaign. 

If you wish to host an online fundraising event that is successful, immersive, and fulfills your purpose, look no further. Mixhub is a reliable online event platform that would ensure you deliver a happy experience. What makes Mixhub special is that it lets you host events free of cost for a month. 

Learn more about this platform by visiting the site and booking your free demo today. 

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