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 >
Letters
How to rewrite your auction donation request letter
In her recent post Attention Getting Strategies for Fundraising Letters, Sandra Sims of Step By Step Fundraising had some good pointers for writing fundraising letters. When I think of a fundraising letter, I specifically think of an auction donation request letter ... but what would you expect from a benefit auctioneer? Sandra suggests five opening strategies: Use a Headline Attention Getting Words or Phrases Questions Bold Statements & Exclamations Narratives & True ... Read On >
When to send your auction thank you letter
Today I received an email from one of my clients. She wrote, "What's the "correct" way to thank donors? Do I send an auction thank you letter when I receive the item ... AND after the gala? Or is it OK to just send one letter? I don't want to be redundant, but I also don't want to be rude." I thought her question was insightful. She's a young, hip Development Director, and she's got manners. Good manners can build your auction's reputation for the long haul. Second, this question brings ... Read On >