Plenary session presented by Lori Bachand

1. All that Jazz
CAMPAIGN EVENTS AND A LITTLE SHIMMY

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

3. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Campaigns 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

4. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Why do we have campaign events?
• Celebrate milestones (openings,
anniversaries)
• Steward donors
• Build relationships
• Marketing moment (education and
engagement)

5. 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

6. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Campaign phase: Quiet phase
Stakeholders and audiences
• Internal staff and leadership
• Core volunteers (trustees, advisory boards)
• Lead donors
• Prospective employees

7. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Campaign phase: Quiet phase
Event outcomes
• Educate internal and external audiences
about campaign process and institutional
priorities
• Engage key volunteers and lead donors
• Engage broader audiences to establish
patterns

8. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Campaign phase: Quiet phase
Types of experiences:
• Small group, high impact (dinners at special
venues)
• Priority features and showcases
• Regional events
• Annual events that begin to be amplified

9. CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ
Campaign phase: Launch/public
phase
Campus-wide celebration
Moment in the institution’s history
Wider involvement
We’re now saying overtly “campaign”

12. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Launch/public phase
Stakeholders 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

13. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Launch/public phase
Event outcomes
• Engage broader audiences
• Create momentum and excitement
• Create buzz
• Create points of engagement
CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

14. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Launch/public phase
Types 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

27. 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

28. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Conclusion
Stakeholders 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

29. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Conclusion
Event outcomes
• Recognize broad audiences
• Specifically steward top donors
• Celebrating impact
• Create buzz
CAMPAIGNS: ALL THAT JAZZ

30. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Campaign phase: Conclusion
Types 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

34. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Challenges

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. Campaigns: All that Jazz
Questions?