This Wow Box was the subject of Conversation 5 in my COVID-19 series, "The Next Six Months." You can register for the free series to listen to all conversations. ============================ How do you create a memorable experience when you can't curate the evening? This has been the dilemma for many auction planners since COVID-19 forced galas to go virtual. A thematic evening with controlled ambiance -- music, lights, food, drink and a carefully crafted stage program -- goes ... Read On >
Gift Bags
Who else loves getting jam-packed gift bags? (This French school’s gift bag was oh-la-la.)
Today I'm sharing a video. You'll get to see the contents of a gift bag from one of my school auctions. But first, let me provide some background on this event. Fundraising auctions -- or at least the kind I blog about on this site -- are a fairly "American" thing -- or so I've been told by those who have attended galas in Europe. One woman who noticed these differences worked for a mobile bidding vendor. She told me that eventually she wanted to return home to London and become a ... Read On >
[VIDEO] A “haul” from a recent fundraising auction
I have some cool clients. A few nonprofits have worked with me for several years. More commonly, an individual has taken me with them as they've job hopped to different nonprofits. For me it's always been more about the people than about the specific cause. Some auctioneers are keen to support a particular charity because of the work that organization does. For me, I may or may not be particularly interested in a nonprofit's cause on a personal level. But I am always keen to work ... Read On >
Auction gift idea for a Brazilian themed event: Carnival mask
Last week I published a video about five popular gifts to give guests at a benefit auction. Here's another guest gift idea. This idea didn't make the video, but it's also not as popular or common. However it was quite popular at this Brazilian auction. The theme was "Meet Me in Rio." Carnival masks of various colors were given to guests as a gift. They placed one mask per salad plate. A secondary benefit: the masks served as decor, sprucing up the gala tables. I recently posted the ... Read On >
[VIDEO] 5 popular items for charity auction gift bags
If you've got a hankering to hand out gifts to your guests, you might be stumped on what to give. Sometimes a sponsor dictates what will be given, but other times the ball is in your court. I prefer gifts which are unique and mission-specific in some way. And for sponsor-dictated gifts, I'd hope that the item is useful or memorable; ideally something that drives business to the sponsor. I can't say that all the items in today's video fit that criteria, but these are popular ... Read On >