As a child of the 1980′s, I know the Smurfs. I didn’t watch the cartoon, but the merchandising was so strong that you were bound to run into a Smurf-something. And this Friday, Papa, Brainy, Smurfette, and the rest of the gang return when The Smurfs movie is released. As an educational post on the meetings industry and its tie-in to your auction fundraiser, today’s post teaches about SMERF: the SMERF market. In the meetings industry, SMERF stands for Social, Military, Educational, ... Read On >
Blog Post
How smart planners get more done before 9 AM than the Army does all day
With this headline and my physical proximity to the Pentagon, a bunch of men in uniform could be knocking on my door later today. (If I could only be so lucky...) But knowing auction planners, my provocative headline is only a tad tongue-in-cheek. (If you're scratching your head, watch the Army commercial.) When you're organizing an auction with thousands of details, time is precious. Despite the pressure, some of the most fun people I know plan benefits. They are creative, interactive, and ... Read On >
Steal this “walk-a-thon” idea for charity auctions
An old friend who never writes -- except to ask that I spend money buying into her latest business venture or charitable adventure -- emailed to ask that I support her in yet another walk-a-thon. This time, I declined. Even though I'm not contributing, others will. Walk-a-thons, bowl-a-thons, dance-a-thons ... you name it, "a-thons" have become popular in recent years. A business colleague confided that his informal research indicated "a-thons" were at the peak of their trend. "It's that ... Read On >
Sit! Using a flash mob to seat unruly charity auction guests
I've enjoyed watching flash mob videos, especially those in New York City where I'm familiar with the venues. Even just two weeks ago I stumbled across a flash mob on Bondi Beach while researching an Australian trip for a charity auction. But I'd never thought of using the concept to seat guests at the auction gala. In a June 2011 Chronicle of Philanthropy article, gala guests were encouraged to sit down via the incorporation of a flash mob dance routine during the reception. The ... Read On >
Selling a puppy at the benefit auction? Take steps to protect the dog.
This past weekend I was browsing through dog rescue sites looking for "my" dog (I can't wait to adopt!) and it jogged my memory to write this post. In Benefit Auction Ideas, I've written before about the selling of a benefit auction puppy. There's a proper way to present the animal. We covered selecting the perfect breed for your group, what to refrain from doing, and other tips. I'm not going to re-hash that content here, but I do want to offer some ideas on how you can protect the ... Read On >