"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 >
Benefit Auctions Blog
Great example of an event sponsorship with Porsche
As I type this, I've spoken with three clients in the last 24 hours about designing or beefing up their event sponsorships. In two cases, we talked about rarely considered benefits they could use to entice new sponsors. In another case, we talked about how to design a complete event sponsorship program. With these discussions in my head, I can't help but recall the savvy partnership I witnessed between my nonprofit hospice client and the car manufacturer Porsche just two weeks ago. Major ... Read On >
Don’t overlook this: A good benefit auctioneer makes auction procurement easier
Many people assume that a professional auctioneer’s impact begins and ends with the selling of your items at the charity auction. Not so. Here’s a true story of how a benefit auctioneer can impact the quality of donations you receive. As a recent gala was ending and the guests were chatting and checking out, I was visiting with one of the founders of the organization. While he congratulated me on the success of the night, a woman rushed up and interrupted. She quickly thanked me and then ... Read On >
11 tips for hiring a benefit auctioneer
I've recently heard a string of complaints from auction planners dishing on their benefit auctioneers. The auctioneer read every word of (or totally ignored) the item descriptions. “And he doesn’t read well,” she added. S/he was unfamiliar with the details of the packages, even though the auctioneer had the information in advance. “We even went through each item,” the Development Director sputtered. S/he sold too quickly. “We worked with him for three years, and he still doesn’t get ... Read On >
VIDEO: 1930s club sets backdrop for the benefit auction theme
When I started working with this group in 2010, the organization was moving away from a sit-down dinner. Goodbye traditional gala. Hello something new. The "something new" has changed at each event. For instance, each venue is different. Quality entertainment is hired (I'm part of this). Unique staging and props are used. The event is well-run, from registration to flow to checkout. Generally speaking, this is what I'd call a high production value event. It's classy. There is an ... Read On >