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 >
Sponsorship
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 >
How to personalize a benefit auction catalog so guests take it home and use it
I suspect many auction planners consider their auction catalog to be a necessary evil. It might be viewed as a "must do" because allowing advertising in the piece is one of the few sponsorship benefits a company or individual receives for investing in the fundraiser. Others see it as a vehicle for sharing information about the nonprofit, describing the auction items, or even as a place to hold less interesting content, such as benefit auction rules or checkout procedures. But catalogs (or ... Read On >
VIDEO: Benefit Auction Gift Ideas for Guests
It's a rare bird who wouldn't like to leave a party with a treat, and that includes your auction guests. But gifts don't have to take the form of a traditional gift bags filled with your nonprofit literature, either. (I'd rather they not.) In this video, I share several benefit auction gift ideas I've seen at events, starting with the more traditional and mundane (think edible goodies) to the more exquisite and rare. https://youtu.be/jmmUys8am-s?feature=shared Gifts are best when ... Read On >
Easy tip to help activate sponsorship benefits: Show and Tell
A couple of weeks ago I shared some ideas for golf tournament goodie bags. This related idea for sponsorship benefits is worth mentioning: Even if your tournament tends to have more male participants than female, don't discount goodie bag items that target women. I've found many players like taking something home to share with their significant other. But to make this work for you and your sponsor / donors, please include a little "show and tell" to properly market it This can go a long way ... Read On >