Maybe it's time for a change. You might feel like it's time to revamp your traditional sit-down dinner gala. Maybe you want a more informal, "social" vibe. Maybe the auction needs a layout shake-up. Maybe you've changed venues and -- Ugh, those tables! -- a sit-down dinner simply won't fit. Watch the video to see six options that will shake-up the layout, formality and overall vibe of your fundraising auction. Event Set-ups Modified sit-down dinner Theater Theater-inspired ... Read On >
Administration
[Video] Model this sound system for a silent auction
One of the most difficult venues to hold an auction is in a gym. Though the venue often offers adequate space, it is a difficult place to control audio. By design, gyms are noisy venues. No one wants to sit through a quiet basketball game, so gyms are designed to deflect the slightest utterance. The shape of the building and the hard surfaces reverberate the sound, bouncing it around the room to make the noise louder and less clear. This presents a problem for fundraising ... Read On >
[Video] Get aggressive about email marketing your auction
Boy was I on fire when I recorded this video! I shot this about three months ago, after having two conversations with clients that got me all flushed about email marketing. I turned on the camera and my passion oozed out. (The audio didn't sync with the video on this, but the content is fine.) I get frustrated when clients explain that a school / nonprofit policy states they can’t send out more than one or two emails a month. Or that they have to promote the auction in a section ... Read On >
[VIDEO] A “haul” from a recent fundraising auction
I have some cool clients. A few nonprofits have worked with me for several years. More commonly, an individual has taken me with them as they've job hopped to different nonprofits. For me it's always been more about the people than about the specific cause. Some auctioneers are keen to support a particular charity because of the work that organization does. For me, I may or may not be particularly interested in a nonprofit's cause on a personal level. But I am always keen to work ... Read On >
[VIDEO] How to make your fundraiser unique? Be exclusive with your benefit auctioneer.
The concept of exclusivity is often tied to commercial products. A company might have the exclusive right to sell a particular style or color of shoes. An airline might be the exclusive carrier of a sports team. In the nonprofit space, we may see the term used in conjunction with sponsorship. One client with a large food and wine event offers opportunities for vendors to be the exclusive provider of certain products, like vodka or beer. I know of one corporation that served as the exclusive ... Read On >