All that Jazz

CAMPAIGN EVENTS AND A LITTLE SHIMMY

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns typically have two types of goals:• Financial• Non-financial– Involvement/Participation– Impress messages– Lift the brand– Move a culture

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZCampaigns typically have several phases over multiple years.• Quiet: Planning, building staff, recruiting

volunteers, educating the “inner circle,” securing large gifts

• Public: Overtly involving a large number of people, publicly demonstrating impact• Launch• Conclusion

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Why do we have campaign events?• Celebrate milestones (openings,

anniversaries)• Steward donors• Build relationships• Marketing moment (education and

engagement)

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaign phase: Quiet phase• Building plans• Setting standards and policies• Recruiting and training staff• Recruiting and educating volunteers• Securing lead gifts

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaign phase: Quiet phaseStakeholders and audiences• Internal staff and leadership• Core volunteers (trustees, advisory boards)• Lead donors• Prospective employees

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaign phase: Quiet phaseEvent outcomes• Educate internal and external audiences

about campaign process and institutional priorities

• Engage key volunteers and lead donors• Engage broader audiences to establish

patterns

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZCampaign phase: Quiet phaseTypes of experiences:• Small group, high impact (dinners at special

venues)• Priority features and showcases • Regional events• Annual events that begin to be amplified

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaign phase: Launch/public phaseCampus-wide celebrationMoment in the institution’s historyWider involvementWe’re now saying overtly “campaign”

Campaigns: All that JazzCampaign phase: Launch/public phaseStakeholders and audiences• Internal staff and leadership, core volunteers,

lead donors, prospective employees• Campus as a whole (staff, faculty, students)• Alumni, parents• Community• Media

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that JazzCampaign phase: Launch/public phaseEvent outcomes• Engage broader audiences• Create momentum and excitement• Create buzz• Create points of engagement

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that JazzCampaign phase: Launch/public phaseTypes of experiences:• Small group, high impact (dinners at special

venues)• Priority features and showcases • Regional events• Signature launch experiences• Fundraising-specific events

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Campaign phase: Conclusion• Stewarding for campaign support (and the

next gift)• Celebrating successes• Recognition of participation• Talking about impact

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Campaign phase: ConclusionStakeholders and audiences• Internal staff and leadership, core volunteers,

lead donors, prospective employees• Campus as a whole (staff, faculty, students)• Alumni, parents• Community• Media

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Campaign phase: ConclusionEvent outcomes• Recognize broad audiences• Specifically steward top donors• Celebrating impact • Create buzz

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Campaign phase: ConclusionTypes of experiences:• Small group, high impact (dinners at special

venues)• Priority features and showcases • Regional events• Signature launch experiences• Fundraising-specific events

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Challenges

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Campaign fatigue• Multi-year process• Over exposure• Pressure: – Continued performance by staff and volunteers– Hitting the goal on time

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Maintaining consistency• Multi-year campaigns=staff changes• Coordinating decentralized operations• Leadership change...shift in vision• External factors (Great Recession)

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Sustaining momentum post-campaign• Retaining donor giving and engagement at

the same level• Managing expectations following high energy• Preparing for the next campaign

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

Final thoughts: • Map a plan• Find a seat at the management table• Convene an ongoing project team• Identify a campaign event formula

Campaigns: All that Jazz

Questions?