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9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference

9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group As we continue to navigate this most historic year, I have personally tried to remain focused on the positive and the valuable lessons learned in 2020. Since March 16th, we have helped nonprofit organizations create virtual meetings, webinars, networking events and happy hours. In August, we added in a virtual festival, and in September, we leveled up to our first virtual conference. In one day, we hosted nine breakout sessions, one general session with a hybrid awards presentation, a diversity panel, a happy hour and an exhibit hall. After kicking the...

Tips for Virtual Event Success

Tips for Virtual Event Success

By: Debbie McCann Partner W4Sight A virtual event is a great opportunity to showcase your nonprofit’s resilience and demonstrate your impact amidst the “new normal.” Just like with any in-person event, good planning is critical to virtual event success. Keep these three tips in mind to ensure that people remember the inspiring speaker, the amazing video, or the thought-provoking panel discussion – not the glitches. Tip #1: Set Expectations. Make sure people know what your event is all about, especially if you are doing a virtual event that specifically takes the place of an in-person event. In your email blasts...

Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue

Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with nonprofit organizations this year, and many organizations have been forced to cancel or postpone their fundraising initiatives. We have seen organizations focus on their individual giving campaigns, and we have heard some greatly inspiring stories about donors who have really stepped up for causes close to their hearts. But on the other side, there are also many NPOs that are not traditional 501c3 organizations. Many of these other organizations do not have access to grants, donations or governmental funding, so what are they to do during...

Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant

Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant

By: Amanda Wilson Nonprofit Account Manager Big Buzz Idea Group   Imagine we’re in the year 2000 and a respiratory virus is spreading throughout the world, causing all events and social gatherings to be canceled and forcing businesses to close. The internet, while gaining traction, is still rudimentary. Google was invented only two years prior and popular websites like Wikipedia, MySpace or Facebook are still years away. With mandates to socially isolate to help stop the spread of this disease, meetings would cease and businesses would have been unable to maintain daily operations. Additional programming like professional development seminars would...

Take Time to Evaluate Your Events

Take Time to Evaluate Your Events

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Some events can draw crowds for decades while others fall flat after a year or two. It can be tricky to forecast what makes certain gatherings an instant success, but it shouldn’t be difficult to measure an event’s effectiveness over time. “Events are often passed down for years, from one set of staff or board members to another, and no one actually stops to think about what the event should be achieving,” says founder and president of Big Buzz Idea Group Melissa Lagowski. “To properly evaluate an event, you must first...

The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser

The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser

By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group It happened again last week. A nonprofit organization called to discuss their annual gala, describing how much money they want to raise while lamenting that they have no budget to hire a planner to assist them. Shortest conversation ever. They’re married to this event, though, so who will they find to do the work, and does that appear in the event budget? If they don’t outsource, then they self-produce, which comes at a cost. And staffing costs are a line item expense, so if they aren’t even identified, then...

How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!

How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!

By: Chris Baylis President & CEO, The Sponsorship Collective Events can be great. They can engage your donors, show off your cause, increase revenue and, most important of all (in my highly biased opinion) drive sponsorship dollars. Sponsorship sales can be a major revenue source from events. With a little effort, you can make your next event a sponsor’s dream! MAKE SURE YOUR ATTENDEES LOVE YOUR EVENT What do your attendees have to do with fundraising event sponsorship? Everything. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that the people at your gala are excited about another 30 second speech from a donor or sponsor....

Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing

Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing

By: Melissa Lagowski President, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group When I first became an Executive Director, I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to roll up my sleeves and dig into the work to make my organization and the community prosper and thrive. But it didn’t take long to realize that running an organization as a team of one was exhausting, though I couldn’t fully understand why the task seemed so daunting. After many years, as I reflect on my first nonprofit role, it now seems so clear: executive directors are expected to wear many hats. How...

Goal-Setting For Successful Events

Goal-Setting For Successful Events

Does your organization host an annual event? What is the purpose of the event and why is it relevant? Do your members know and understand this? Are your guests fully aware of the purpose of the event? Far too often when we meet with NPOs, they are not at all clear why they host an event. And at least half of the stories begin with “a key member of the leadership team wanted an event so they created one.” It takes a great deal of time and money to plan and produce an event, so it is imperative that you...

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  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success

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Insights Blog Archive

  • The Keys to Presenting Your Nonprofit Online
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • How Big Is Your Fire?
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • The Importance of Authenticity in Sales and Networking
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • Best Practices For Nonprofit Management
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • 8 Tips For Leading Productive Meetings
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • DIY Event Photos
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming

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  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
  • info@bigbuzzideagroup.com

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