I have an old video (it was my first video ever) that educates on what makes for a good fundraising auction bid paddle.It's hideous. It has all the markings of a first-time video, including awkward speaking, less-than-perfect audio, and bad hair.But the content is good.Even 9 years later, people comment on the video, thanking me for the information that helped them decide on a good bid paddle for their fundraiser.One idea the video doesn't share is the idea of reusable bid ... Read On >
Sponsorship
Unique fundraising auction venue: car dealership
Earlier this month I headed to Florida to again work with a Boys & Girls Club whose fundraising auction venue is a local car dealership.Clearly this dealership is a good partner of the nonprofit, greatly inconveniencing itself to transform its space -- sales floor, customer waiting area, service bay and lanes -- into a festive venue to host a sit-down dinner for just under 200 guests.Attendees begin the evening with a reception and silent auction in the service bay and customer ... Read On >
Find Your Name Boards: Recognizing guests at large events (trade show, association and conference auctions)
Traveling fills my imagination with new ideas. I'm still writing about stuff I saw after last month's journey west.Before flying home after the fundraiser, I saw that the 2016 Honolulu Marathon -- the 4th largest marathon in the United States -- had a free trade show. The Hawaii Convention Center was just a short jaunt from my hotel, so I visited. Recall that I already wrote about how this trade show used a Graffiti Wall, which is an idea I've already seen used at a Florida benefit ... Read On >
When I retire, I’ll move to Princeton, NJ for this. (And a lesson in thanking event sponsors)
The Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC) in Princeton, NJ has got it going on. This group has such a nice spirit and does so many things well, I am disappointed that my Mom doesn't live in New Jersey so she could take advantage of their senior-focused programs. I get their newsletter, read their upcoming events, and I want to sign up for all their classes. But that's not why I'm writing about PSRC today. Here's some background. In 2014, this group celebrated its 40th anniversary. To ... Read On >
Marketing *after* your benefit auction: 5 reasons to create an auction gala highlights reel
Have you ever pulled together a video of your gala to use as a marketing tool for your auction the following year? If not, here's a typical example of a video you might wish to model. A couple of months ago (November 2014), one of my first-year clients was St. Marcus School, a private school in Milwaukee, WI. The school has been widely touted as a national model for inner city education. (You can read newspaper articles about the school's approach and philosophy. Most students attend as part ... Read On >