One marketing and sales strategy is known as Buyer's Choice. It can be a good tool to use in fundraising auctions. Typically this concept is something a Gala Chair should have heard of, but need not fully understand. The reason being, it's up to the auctioneer to recognize when 2 or more items should be sold in this manner. It’s not up to the volunteer Gala Chair (or Development Director); it's the responsibility of the auctioneer to know and suggest this. Here's a few bullet points to ... Read On >
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In a crisis? Update your auctioneer before the gala.
I've made my share of embarrassing gaffs onstage at fundraising galas. Most of them were my own fault. Other times, I felt like any awkwardness could have been avoided, had the nonprofit been upfront with me about internal issues. Life isn't a bowl of cherries. Bad situations happen. Even nonprofits with great missions and stellar achievement records can find themselves in a situation that is uncomfortable, at best. Financial mismanagement. Leadership debacles. Internal strife. ... Read On >
Three memorable ways to thank auction donors
Though I have talked before about the need to thank auction donors, I don't recall ever sharing these three tools, which make the "thank" pretty darn memorable. Video resources Text tools Phone ideas This video was shot, edited, and uploaded at the airport, so the sound isn't ideal but the content is solid. https://youtu.be/hYG2PyT0Y5g ... Read On >
Using QR codes in your auction catalog
During the pandemic, restaurants taught many of us how to use our smartphone camera to access a menu, using a QR code. That idea is now popping up in auction catalogs, too. QR codes posted around your gala venue can direct guests to registration pages, online auctions, or donation pages. QR codes are also now appearing in auction catalogs. In today’s vlog, you'll see how two nonprofits incorporated QR codes into their auction catalogs. https://youtu.be/AAeXXijjS3w ... Read On >
Comparing 3 association auction catalogs for ideas
Browsing through auction catalogs is a solid way to get fresh ideas for your own gala -- and it's a lot cheaper than flying across the country to attend an event. In this video, I dissect three auction catalogs from different associations. Each gala was held at the annual conference of the association. Members of the association attended the gala and could participate in the auction. You'll hear examples of how each association altered its items to match the budget and interest of ... Read On >