It's a rare bird who wouldn't like to leave a party with a treat, and that includes your auction guests. But gifts don't have to take the form of a traditional gift bags filled with your nonprofit literature, either. (I'd rather they not.) In this video, I share several benefit auction gift ideas I've seen at events, starting with the more traditional and mundane (think edible goodies) to the more exquisite and rare. Gifts are best when they support your mission, a ... Read On >
gift bag
Eleven ideas for golf tournament goodie bags
"I'm working on the Classic," my client emailed, "Got any leads or ideas for golf tournament goodie bags? At the moment it only has our organizational brochure in it.” Summer is when tournaments of all types start filling nonprofit event calendars. Unlike galas, which may or may not have goodie bags, I rarely see a golf tournament without them. But what should you put in the bag, other than your own promotional material? My clients typically seek prizes for four areas of their golf ... Read On >
Use lemon scent to boost charitable giving at your gala auction
Before the live auction begins at your next gala, consider running through the ballroom spritzing a lemon-scented air freshener. Worst case, ask the hotel housekeeping for a clean-smelling window cleaner and do the same thing. Some 2009 research proved that smelling citrus dramatically increases our charitable nature. The study found a big improvement in ethical behavior with just a few spritzes of citrus-scented Windex. Katie Liljenquist of Brigham Young University, Chen-Bo Zhong of The ... Read On >
Charity Auction Trends 2013: gift bags, technology, and trucks
Heads up! I published this article weeks ago in my e-newsletter. Only today am I re-posting it here, on my blog. But not every article from there makes it over here. So, subscribe to Benefit Auction Ideas (it's free) to get great content delivered to your in-box. +++++ Trends in the benefit auction world don't change as often as fashion, so upfront I'll admit that the three I identified in 2012 still hold. (Read Charity Auction Trends 2012 here.) But after working with over 100 onsite and ... Read On >
Where to get auction donations and goody bag ideas? Try HARO.
UPDATE: The call mentioned has passed. Stay abreast of future free trainings by subscribing to Benefit Auction Ideas. +++++++ I'm soon offering a call (on September 27, 2012) on auction procurement for live auctions, silent auctions, raffles, and goody bags. As a prelude to that call, here's a more unusual acquisitions tool most people don't even know exists. HARO. It stands for Help A Reporter Out. It started out as a simple, free listserve reporters would use to let subscribers ... Read On >