A few weeks ago I was in the kitchen of a busy Rockville, MD home. Prior to starting the procurement meeting, the six Moms and I chatted about all sorts of matters, including being over the age of 40. If you're organizing a school auction, it's likely that your auction guests are nearing or hovering around that age. If you're a nonprofit silent auction, some of your guests may only vaguely remember their 40th birthday party. So if you want us to bid ... be kind. Here are three silent ... Read On >
Audience Development
How to plan your auction fundraiser for Gen X and Gen Y guests
Who is giving you the big bucks at your auction fundraiser? If your auction trends the way of many groups, your largest donors are likely 45+ years old. They are at least Baby Boomers, but most may be older. Certainly many of the most successful auctions I conduct are filled with 45+ year old guests. So what are you supposed to do if you're trying to hit a $40,000 goal and your room is filled with Gen X and Gen Y buyers? Can you hit your mark when young professionals dominate your ... Read On >
12 ways to market your auction fundraiser using social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
Social media applications like blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be useful tools in helping you achieve mindshare in your auction guests. Not only are these tools free to use, but they enable you to relay short, constant reminders about your cause and auction fundraiser. Creating "something to write" can be overwhelming for some, so here are 12 auction-related ideas on what you (or your public relations volunteer) can post on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or other social networking ... Read On >
Tips to Reduce No-Shows at Your Benefit Auction
This past spring, one of my clients experienced a higher-than-usual 9.5% no-show rate at their gala. If all of the no-shows had been seated together (they weren't), it would have amounted to over three empty tables. A significant number of no-shows impacts your benefit auction. First, you've likely already paid for the food so that is an incurred expense. Second, fewer guests means fewer people to bid on merchandise. Third, if it's obvious there are a number of guests missing, it may have a ... Read On >
Should the People You Serve Be Invited to Your NonProfit Auction?
A handful of the nonprofit galas I work have a dramatically diverse mix of guests. The crowd is comprised of three distinct groups: non-paying clients non-paying (or reduced-ticket-price) employees of the non-profit paying guests Although I can appreciate why a handful of non-paying/free guests might be allowed to attend (e.g. a reward to an employee, or asking someone to speak), a few of the nonprofit auctions I've worked have seen the majority of the attendees -- the majority! -- be ... Read On >