We're headed back to the ballroom in 2022. My clients are planning in-person galas for next year, but that doesn't mean they have stopped considering the impact of COVID-19. Instead, they are making adjustments to manage concerns from guests. Overall, there's a strong desire to host the event in-person. I’m seeing adjustments being made to the live auction, silent auction, entertainment, and venue layout. I don't know that I'd call these auction trends because I suspect some of these ... Read On >
Schedule / Timeline
Land acknowledgments in fundraising events
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. For instance, 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 >
Best time to close the silent auction? Before the live auction begins.
Human psychology factors into fundraising auctions in many ways. The fear of loss propels a bidder to bid. Smart pricing strategies in a raffle influence how many tickets will be sold. Properly structured silent auction bid sheets generate 10% to 30% higher sales. Well-written auction donation request letters secure more "yes" responses than "no" responses. Using a proper method to properly close a silent auction generates higher sales on the most popular items. (E.G. Create an ... Read On >
The flow of a wine auction (2 examples)
Last month I worked as a wine auctioneer for a benefit auction in Oak Brook, IL. It was my second wine auction in 2017. The other event was for a nonprofit in Texas. In this post, I'm featuring both of them. If you're running a wine auction or considering launching one in your community, take a look at how these two fundraisers are structured. Both of these are successful events in their markets. Let's look at highlights from each event. Vintage Amarillo Earlier this year, the ... Read On >
Five Steps to a Great Fundraising Auction
Yesterday I was delighted to again talk with Renee McGivern from Nonprofit Spark. Renee is a nonprofit consultant based in the Minneapolis area. One of her outreach ventures is a helpful little WebTalkRadio program called Nonprofit Spark. She consistently churns out great content, miraculously managing to find someone interesting to interview each week (wow!). I've not heard all the shows, but it seems every guest has a different type of expertise. It's amazing how many people she's found to ... Read On >