Non-profits on average bring in over 50% of their annual revenue from events. With stay-at-home orders forcing most of those events to be cancelled, raising funds for your cause has become more challenging.
Many organizations have been turning to virtual events to make up the difference, but with the concept and technologies being new, it can take some time to figure out the right approach.
One method that has been proven to be very successful in an online format is virtual trivia events. Everyone loves to test their knowledge while playing a game and trivia can be hosted easily online. Read on to see how you can incorporate a virtual trivia event to make your fundraiser just as successful as an in-person event.
A Global Audience
The first thing that a virtual fundraiser can get you is exposure to a much larger attendee base. You can market your event to really anyone on the planet that has an interest in your cause. See how you can attract more people and host them reasonably with a virtual event space.
To capture these new registrations, most non-profits will continue to use the registration software that has been used previously with many common ones being Eventbrite or others.
A Defined Schedule
When hosting a virtual event with trivia as the centerpiece, you need to take into consideration both the value that attendees are receiving for their donations, but also how long they can reasonably be engaged with a virtual event.
From events we’ve seen, our recommended schedule is a 90-minute main event with a potential private networking session breakout after.
We’ve found this helps attendees feel like they got their money’s worth while not losing interest. A sample schedule that we’ve seen work well looks something like this:
- 6:45 PM – Staff arrives early to ensure everything is setup and ready
- 7:00 PM – Attendees arrive and settle in
- 7:05 PM – Event host kicks-off and welcomes everyone
- 7:10 PM – Trivia begins with housekeeping and team registration
- 7:15 PM – First round of trivia is played
- 7:30 PM – First break with organization video or slideshow
- 7:35 PM – Second round of trivia is played
- 7:50 PM – Second break with sponsor video or slideshow
- 7:55 PM – Third round of trivia is played
- 8:10 PM – Third break with other sponsor video or slideshow
- 8:15 PM – Final trivia revealed and prizes awarded
- 8:25 PM – Buffer time for tie-breakers or other delays
- 8:30 PM – Event wrap-up and optional private breakout room sessions
Creative Fundraising ideas
When you are raising funds, different types of fundraiser options can appeal to different types of patrons. Here are some of the ideas we’ve seen work well to gather funds in creative ways.
Attendee Registration Types. You can break down registrations into individual or team-based registrations. Charging a premium for people that want to play as a team can be a good way to get a larger registration set while giving them the option to always play together.
Attendee VIP Packages. We’ve seen the following ideas create different donation levels for individuals who value an elevated status:
- Customized virtual background – give VIPs a virtual background they can display proudly while they play
- Food or alcohol deliveries – leverage services like eatNgage to include meals delivered to attendees houses before the event starts
- Private breakouts – allow VIPs to meet and network with your leadership, sponsors, local celebrities or politicians
Trivia Mulligans. Try selling virtual question mulligans to teams for $5-$10 that will allow them to get a gimme on a trivia question they don’t know.
Sponsorship Levels. Getting sponsors for your event can bring in thousands of extra dollars for your cause. Here are some ideas to entice them with different sponsorship levels:
- Sponsor branding – allow sponsors to brand the trivia experience through a host virtual background and question logo during questions
- Sponsored questions – allow sponsors to sponsor an entire trivia round or write their own questions that can be integrated into other rounds
- Integrated slideshow/video – show sponsor videos or slideshows during scoring breaks
Live Donation Buttons. It’s OK to ask! Add a donation button into the virtual chat room so users can donate at any point they start to feel generous. You can also use donations services like Txt2Give to collect donations during the event.
Integrated Raffles. Raffles can still be a great way to entice donations. Have players leverage tickets from their purchased seat to get new and fun items.
Recurring Events. With virtual events requiring much less overhead and cost, you can put on more frequent fundraisers. Trivia is a great event that allows players to come back for more with on-going leaderboards that will entice players to come back.
In Conclusion
Despite these times and the changes we are all facing, we are excited for the new opportunities that virtual fundraisers present to help further your cause.
If you’d like help organizing your next virtual trivia fundraiser, just get in-touch with us. Our team of experts is ready to help bring in more cash for your cause.
