what happens when an event goes viral

What happens when an event goes viral?THAIS PERKINSTREEFOLKS

THAIS@TREEFOLKS.ORG

Empowering central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees.

• 14 years• 46,000 trees• Not much change

www.treefolks.org

Delivering trees

Growing canopy

www.treefolks.org

• Funding• Recognition• Relationships

• Public participation

• Canopy

• Efficiency

• Add’l Private funding

A Good Deal

www.treefolks.org

Until it slowed…

www.treefolks.org

• Giveaway Events• Volunteers• Happy People

www.treefolks.org

Viral Outbreak!300 trees … 5 thousand people… just 3 weeks!

But 3 weeks is better than no warning at all

www.treefolks.org

• Nimbleness

• Cooperation

• Engagement

• Volunteerism

• Managed expectations

• Flexibility of program

• Dependability of funding

• Willingness to experiment

What to do?

Trustwww.treefolk

s.org

Nimble Purchasing

Internal Cooperation

www.treefolks.org

Community Engagement

Volunteers

www.treefolks.org

Managing and communicating expectations

www.treefolks.org

1,000 trees… ¼ mile line… 2 hours

But folks expected it, and we expected them

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Positive visibility Happy people

www.treefolks.org

Lots of trees

Thais Perkins - TreeFolks, Inc. - thais@treefolks.org