This Thursday is the first class of Big Ticket Procurement Secrets. One subject we'll be studying through the three-week intensive course is auction donation request letters. (Get out your red editing pen! Most letters undergo a major overhaul.) When it comes to getting a good response from your requests, it's not just about what you write in your letters. It's also about the format of the letter, when you present it and what you say (if it's verbally presented). A simple but oft overlooked ... Read On >
Letters
Asking for donations (the right ones) isn’t so easy
Below is a training tip excerpt from the complementary "7 Secrets to Procurement" teleclass I recently held. The telelclass served as a preview to our upcoming procurement intensive in December. Thus far, over 50 students have enrolled in Big Ticket Procurement Secrets to learn all the ins and outs when it comes to asking, selling, and getting donations. If getting items, especially getting "better" items, is your auction pain point, please note that the affordable two-pay option closes in a ... Read On >
How to write auction thank you letters that show the love
February is the month we set aside for showing affection (Valentine's Day and all that...), so this month every blog post ties into love, romance, sex and perhaps lust. Last week covered one-night stands. The week prior looked at training your volunteers to flirt in the silent auction. Today, it's about showing your guests some love. +++++ Here's a short blog post with a big message. It's an easy way to show your guests you love them. Thank them. And make it all about the cause when you ... Read On >
4 steps to find your 501(c)(3) number for the school auction donation letter
This question surfaces once or twice a year. Volunteers working on school auctions seem to ask me the most often. A parent tasked with getting donations for the school gala becomes concerned about whether she should be including the school's PTA tax ID number on the school auction donation letter and other relevant forms. It's easy to understand her concern. We've been warned about putting our birth date on Facebook and cautioned against using our social security number as a computer ... Read On >
Don’t re-use last year’s auction letters to donors
Let me correct that. Don't re-use them unless they were smashing successes. But if they weren't as great as you'd hoped, start taking notes. I talk with a lot of nonprofits each week. By Friday I know the "hot topic" among my auction chairs. Last week, it was donations. My winter auctions are cranking up their procurement teams. I heard several questions about auction donation letters. If this is also on your mind, you'll love these two oldies-but-goodies videos. One talks about the ... Read On >