Happy Engage week, everyone! So far, we've talked about the conference itself and the tremendous speakers we have lined up for the three main cases studies, keynote and closing session. Today, meet our roundtable facilitators.
Engage will feature two roundtable sessions, each covering the same topics to give folks a chance to join two different discussions. What I love about the roundtables is that they are almost completely attendee-driven. The moderators say a quick hi and share an overview of the topic, but then the discussion is steered by the questions posed by the guests at the table. It's just another of the many opportunities Engage offers for you to talk turkey with the pros who are participating in the conference, as well as chat with fellow fundraisers who may share your concerns, questions and challenges.
Here's the roster:
Roundtable 1: Retention
Facilitator: Jennifer Bielat, SVP, Integrated Marketing, Easter Seals
Title: Donor Retention: Which Donors to Focus on Retaining and Key Tactics for Retention
Description: Let's discuss the important role donor retention plays, share retention best practices and discuss which donors are best to target for retention efforts.
Roundtable 2: Board Development
Facilitator: F. Duke Haddad, Executive Director of Developmpent, Salvation Army, Indiana Division and Senior Principal Consultant, G J Mongon & Co.
Title: The Keys to Effective Board Development
Description: Let's discuss ways to select board members and how best to utilize each member's unique set of skills to maximize board efficiency and aid in fundraising.
Roundtable 3: Marketing and Fundraising
Facilitators: Heather Wallace, VP, Marketing, City Harvest; Nancy Schwartz, Marketing Consultant & Trainer, Getting Attention!
Title: Marketing and Fundraising: Getting to a Unified Voice That Spurs Action
Description: Join us to discuss how you can guide your fundraising and marketing teams to understand, value and communicate on each other's goals, campaigns in a unified voice — which is a must to motivate the actions you want — giving, volunteering and more. We'll share strategies and frustrations. Looking forward to learning with and from you!
Roundtable 4: Content Marketing
Facilitator: Kivi Leroux Miller, President, Nonprofit Marketing Guide
Title: More on Content Marketing for Nonprofits
Description: Let's discuss the important role content marketing plays in building loyalty and trust in your organization, as well as the things donors are looking for content-wise that then encourages engagement and donations.
Roundtable 5: Major Gifts
Facilitator: Jeff Schreifels, Senior Partner, Veritus Group
Title: How to Land the Elusive Major Gift
Description: Let's discuss how you can identify major-gift prospects, cultivate them and land that transformative donation.
Roundtable 6: Creative, Effective Fundraising Copy
Facilitator: Willis Turner, Senior Copywriter, Huntsinger & Jeffer
Title: Fundraising Copywriting Do's and Don'ts
Description: Let's discuss the some strategies and techniques that make your fundraising copy more powerful — as well as some that fundraisers should avoid.
Roundtable 7: Digital Fundraising
Facilitator: Jennifer Elwood, VP, Consumer Marketing & Fundraising, American Red Cross
Title: Open Forum on All Things Digital: How to Raise Funds in the Digital Space
Description: Let's discuss the myriad digital channels (e.g., websites, email, search, text, apps, social, etc.) fundraisers can use to raise awareness and funds, as well as how to decide which ones are right for you and ways to utilize those channels.
Roundtable 8: Building a Fundraising Team
Facilitator: Angel Aloma, Executive Director, Food For The Poor
Title: Building and Maintaining Passion in Your Fundraising Team
Description: Let's discuss how organizations can find the proper fundraisers to build a well-rounded, effective fundraising team ... and how to maintain a successful development department.
Roundtable 9: Organization/Agency Relationships
Facilitators: Andrew Laudano, VP of Fundraising, RobbinsKersten Direct; Brad Sisley, COO, Coast Guard Foundation
Title: Maximizing the Organization/Agency Relationship
Description: Let's discuss the keys to an effective organization/agency relationship, how such a relationship can really benefit a nonprofit's fundraising, and how to overcome the challenges that sometimes occur in the process.
Roundtable 10: Small Shop Fundraising
Facilitator: Pamela Grow, Publisher of The Grow Report and founder of Simple Development Systems
Title: Creating Your Organization's Monthly Giving Program
Description: Let's talk about why monthly giving programs are the small shop fundraiser's best friend. Learn more about how to launch your first monthly giving program — and some pitfalls to avoid.
Sponsored Roundtable: Social Media/Multi-Generational Communication
Facilitator: Bryan Casler, Enterprise Sales and Partner Manager, Salsa Labs
Title: Learning how to get more than just a "Like"
Description: We need more than a "like" or a comment on your Facebook page to get things done. This is a conversation about new strategies and technologies to help truly understand the audience you are going after. We'll talk about different generations (Millennials vs. Generation X vs. Baby Boomers) and how they require different communication.
Sponsored Roundtable: Peer-to-Peer Fundraising (1st session only)
Facilitator: Lisa Morris, Fundraising Online Product Specialist, Abila
Title: How to use peer-to-peer fundraising to catapult your supporters and donors into your organization's narrative.
Description: We'll discuss how to use peer-to-peer fundraising to help you make the most of what you already have by raising up an army among your current supporters. These advocates are your organization's booster squad; they'll augment your ongoing fundraising efforts by raising funds on your behalf — and in some really creative ways. When your advocates champion your cause and raise funds they'll start with their family, friends, and colleagues. As they do they'll spread the word and share your story, carrying your message and mission to new audiences in one of the most effective forms of marketing -word of mouth.
Sponsored Roundtable: Raffles/Sweepstakes (2nd session only)
Facilitator: Marla Altberg, CEO, Ventura Associates Intl. LLC
Title: Raffles & Sweepstakes - Raise Money in the Mail and Online Too!
Description: Bring your questions, concerns and curiosity about how this tried-and-true technique can not only engage your current donor file but help you expand your acquisition database too.
See … quite a lineup, right? Don't miss your chance to mix and mingle with these fine folk. Go here to read more about Engage, and here to register.
See you on Thursday!
Margaret