There has been a plethora of online contest for nonprofits recently. "The most votes wins $10,000 for your charity," is the standard approach. But beware of the staff time involved in drumming up support for votes. As volunteers and staff are pulled away from working on benefit auctions to instead driving votes online, the auction - which offers you a guaranteed income - suffers. Watch the video below. ... Read On >
Benefit Auctions Blog
Don’t re-use last year’s auction letters to donors
Let me correct that. Don't re-use them unless they were smashing successes. But if they weren't as great as you'd hoped, start taking notes. I talk with a lot of nonprofits each week. By Friday I know the "hot topic" among my auction chairs. Last week, it was donations. My winter auctions are cranking up their procurement teams. I heard several questions about auction donation letters. If this is also on your mind, you'll love these two oldies-but-goodies videos. One talks about the ... Read On >
VIDEO: Tips to reduce no-shows at your benefit auction
It's disheartening to work so hard, only to have empty tables at your gala. And no-shows certainly don't help your auction returns. In this video, learn some benefit auction tips for reducing no-shows. We want one seat in every chair! ;) Watch the video below. ... Read On >
Quick on the draw: Jerome wins an Immy
Some men are known to have a ready supply of pick-up lines. But what about "sell" lines? One of my benefit auction team members has a number of "sell" lines. He uses them when he's selling raffle tickets, which is an activity he LOVES to do over any other benefit auction task. His name is Jerome. If he's worked your benefit auction, you've seen him in action. When his standard sell lines stop working, Jerome has been known to up the ante by tempting guests with another one of his ... Read On >
VIDEO: An easy benefit auction idea? Use surveys.
Surveying your guests is so easy and reveals wonderful information, but it's often not done. With online surveys being so easy to create and cheap to send, you'd be silly not to try one. Did guests like the theme? Enjoy the program? Love the auction? You won't know until you ask. Watch the video below. ... Read On >