Call it coincidence, divine intervention or luck, but I'd bet that you've had a situation whereby you see or hear something, and suddenly it shows up somewhere else. Like when you consider buying a particular type of car, and suddenly that model is all you see on the highway. That serendipity is what led me to write about today's subject. ============================== Thanks to a cancelled flight that left me scrambling to get from one fundraiser to another late last month, I've ... Read On >
Games
No budget? This silent auction activity is free and interactive
One of my last auctions of 2016 was in Honolulu, HI. The fundraiser coincided with two large public events -- the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing, and the Honolulu Marathon, which is the 4th largest marathon in the United States. The marathon was scheduled to be run the day after I left, but a free trade show was taking place at the Hawaii Convention Center down the street from my hotel. I put on my sneakers and drove over there. (lol) One of the displays at the trade ... Read On >
Five ways to refresh a tired fundraising auction
The 1993 movie Groundhog Day is one of my favorites. The lead character finds himself stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over. At first he enjoys it, giving in to his base desires hour and hour, knowing that the clock resets at midnight. Eventually he becomes bored with his selfish ways and finds greater satisfaction in helping others. His new attitude breaks the spell and he returns to a normal life. Some fundraising galas are a lot like the concept in that movie. ... Read On >
Using auction games to motivate volunteers
Got problems getting auction volunteers energized to do what is needed to be done? Here’s one tip: Give volunteers something new and creative to learn which also solves a problem your auction is experiencing. Volunteers will remain engaged if they believe the solution you are sharing is 1) fun and 2) will solve the problem. When it’s fun to solve the problem, volunteers will do it. I’ve written before about Volkswagen’s “The Fun Theory” project. The group conducted tests to see if they ... Read On >
How auction games will get you publicity
I refer to auction games, raffles, and activities as the “bells and whistles” of benefit auctions. It's an understatement to call them revenue generators as they do more than make you money. These are the fun add-ons designed to address specific problems, involve the crowd, trigger fun, attract press, and (yes) make you money. Today’s post addresses the “attract press” piece. Many groups seem decent at securing post-gala publicity, but it's the pre-event recognition that will help you ... Read On >