Jim Hooker

One of the most asked questions that Jim Hooker receives when he is presenting is "how do I convince my president or development officer that events are worth the cost?"

As an event specialist, Hooker has spent over 15 years proving that events…when done properly…are indeed worth the cost.  Events are message delivery systems.  As event producers we create events that inspire and educate, but also eliminate distraction so the guest can "receive the message".  

In his master's thesis, Hooker examined the influence of event communications on building an emotional relationship with potential donors.  First laying the groundwork through supporting theories, Hooker shows that experiential marketing is growing in influence, both academically and in corporate America, as the public becomes savvier to traditional marketing conventions.  Using USC as a case study, he interviewed donors, deans, advancement officers and a university president.  He scrutinized patterns of giving-behavior and examined the willingness of an institution to use events as an integral part of its marketing outreach.  He then assessed the influences of an event on shaping a donor’s willingness to make a substantial and a possibly transformational gift to an institution.

The results may surprise you…