TOP 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2024 P2P CONFERENCE
The world might have The Eras Tour and Swelce’s Superbowl win, but for peer-to-peer (P2P) marketers and fundraisers — we have the P2P Conference. Last week, over 600 nonprofit professionals gathered in Taylor Swift’s birthplace, Philadelphia, to celebrate the collage of storytelling, relationship building, data analysis, event production, and community engagement that we call P2P.
So here’s how it went and our top takeaways:
#1: Help from a talented eight-year-old goes a long way!
Streetlight Digital’s first booth is one to be remembered! With the help of our VP of Client Services’ eight-year-old daughter, Presley, we came equipped with over 250 friendship bracelets to exchange with fellow Swiftie conferencegoers. By the last day, we had given them all away and formed a special bond with new and old friends.
#2: Scott and Katy Freitag are pretty awesome.
The Cash, Sweat & Tears Award luncheon certainly delivered on the tears. This year, Scott and Katy Freitag were awarded for their commitment to raising funds and awareness for ZERO Prostate Cancer and Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance as Scott pedals across all the United States border states. The 60-year-old retired postal worker has pedaled more than 6,500 miles across 28 state lines and raised nearly $150,000. His wife Katy trails him in the camper they now call their home away from home.
When supporters truly believe in your mission, they’ll go the extra mile — and there’s nothing more encouraging for those of us in this industry than to walk (or ride!) alongside these truly inspirational fundraisers.
#3: We work as hard as we play.
If you’ve been to P2P Conference before, Streetlight Digital has a bit of a reputation for throwing a great party on the first night (fur bus, anyone?). Staying on theme with T. Swift and our collective love for karaoke, “The Wednesday Night Thing” brought clients and new friends to Yakitori Boy in downtown Philly. It’s hard to pick a favorite song or moment from the night, but if we had to choose, it would be having David Hessekiel, President and Founder of P2P Forum, and his daughter Sophie grab the mic and sing a duet.
#4: We know this all too well.
We heard a lot of similar themes this year: struggles with hiring, retaining staff, finding the best technology solutions, reading and understanding data, communicating with younger generations, struggling walk programs, misalignment between marketing and P2P, etc. How do we break down the silos to solve these issues?
If you attended our workshop ‘Using Data to Drive Your Marketing Strategy,’ you heard how Autism Speaks, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation are using their data to help drive their P2P events and communication strategy. The workshop included some sample data and allowed attendees to analyze and share insight into the gaps and opportunities for growth.
#5: I don’t know about you, but we’re feeling a little sad.
By Friday night, our voices were a little scratchy, partially due to Karaoke and the hours upon hours of conversations we had with peers. We look forward to this every year because it’s the one setting where everyone in the room plays a role in P2P fundraising and relates to both the highs and lows in the space. But why wait an entire year to have these conversations and not connect more frequently?
In the opening session, we were tasked with meeting three new people and staying in touch with them. We love that and challenge you to uphold it! We can work smarter, not harder when we lean on each other for ideas from our shared experiences.
Feeling Fearless?
Want to chat about your takeaways from the P2P Conference and the state of your programs? Reach out!
