Enjoy this series on determining the best number of auction items for your event. This post, on how many silent auction items are best. How many live auction items are ideal. How many online auction items are good. The influence of mobile bidding on terminology ============================= On February 7, my company is working multiple school auctions. That means that last week I was visiting with several of them about which items should be live auction and which should be ... Read On >
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Do you have to collect sales tax on auction items?
Do you have to collect sales tax at your benefit auction? Should guests be paying sales tax on auction items? The answer depends upon your state and municipal rules. If your fundraiser is in Maryland, you must charge sales tax. If you're living in an area that requires tax collection, I suggest putting a written notice in your catalog or program. Most often this type of information is listed as one of the points in the "Rules of the Auction" section. Some groups will also have the notice ... Read On >
Marketing *after* your benefit auction: 5 reasons to create an auction gala highlights reel
Have you ever pulled together a video of your gala to use as a marketing tool for your auction the following year? If not, here's a typical example of a video you might wish to model. A couple of months ago (November 2014), one of my first-year clients was St. Marcus School, a private school in Milwaukee, WI. The school has been widely touted as a national model for inner city education. (You can read newspaper articles about the school's approach and philosophy. Most students attend ... Read On >
The (free, online) Fundraising Summit is this week! Don’t miss it.
** THIS EVENT IS OVER** ++++++++++++++ Here's a wonderful resource for fundraisers. It's a LOT of free education on a variety of fundraising topics. I know several of these speakers and they are good. My topic is highlighted below. The Summit is a free online event taking place this week. Here's the advertising copy: ++++++++++++++ Join an expected audience of 80,000 of your peers from around the world for five days of insight, instruction and inspiration from 40 of the world’s ... Read On >
My favorite #Unselfie #GivingTuesday campaign
This past #GivingTuesday, I received a number of email blasts from nonprofits. I thought this one from one of my clients, the Alexandria, VA homeless shelter Carpenter's Shelter, was the most catchy. If you're unfamiliar with pop culture and current songs, you likely wouldn't "get" this. Let me bring you up to speed. By now, you've probably heard of "selfies." It's when you take a photo of yourself, typically with your mobile phone. These photos are often used for posting on social media ... Read On >