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 >
Auctioneers
That time I refunded the client
I have many degrees from YouTube University. One of my most recent “degrees” is in boulder retaining walls. One contractor does a good job of teaching viewers the difference between a well-constructed and a poorly constructed wall. He explains why contractors build it a certain way (cost; ease) versus what the consumer desires (quality; durability). In his videos, viewers see all the failing walls he’s paid to fix because the boulders weren’t placed correctly the first time. He’s ... Read On >
Who should you believe — the benefit auctioneer, the auction software company, the consignor?
Have you seen memes like this? There are many variations referencing different professions. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a medical doctor at a fundraiser this summer. I was working on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The doctor and I were talking about changes in her job. Patient consultations are different than just a few years ago. To paraphrase, she said: "People are more informed, but on the flip side, some think that spending a few hours in front ... Read On >
Whose fault is it when the fundraising auction fails?
Over the last two years I renovated my house. I purchased windows and five major appliances as part of the remodel. Nothing was cheap -- the cost of some of these purchases hovered around the price of a car. Shortly after the sales process was complete, I started getting sales calls, asking me to buy extended warranties. All these conversations got me to thinking -- if one of these appliances or the windows start to give me problems, I may have a hard time knowing if the problem was ... Read On >
Pet peeve of fundraising auctions: Pointing
One of the first lessons I learned at the Missouri Auction School was on the subject of pointing. “When inviting bidders to bid,” the instructor said, “use an open palm. It’s an invitation for the bidder to give you more money.” “Don’t point!” he emphasized, “It’s rude.” A quick way to separate the professional fundraising auctioneers from the amateurs is to watch their fingers. Get the full story in today’s video. To me, pointing is obnoxious. Am I overreacting? If ... Read On >