Three years ago I wrote a post listing eleven different options for benefit auction venues. And at various times, I've talked about unusual venues like this Olympic training facility or a car dealership. As 2019 ends, I thought it would be fun to take a review of my year and note where my clients held their fundraising auctions. Here were the most popular types of benefit auction venues in 2019. Hotels: Over 20 clients held their fundraiser in a hotel. Hotels are typically the ... Read On >
Venues
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. Like when 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 >
A fundraising auctioneer’s biggest worry: Good sound.
This past Saturday I worked in a new venue in Washington, D.C. that presented some obstacles for any fundraising auctioneer. To mitigate issues on gala night, the client invited the caterer, registration lead, and me to join her onsite a few months ago to give feedback. Some background points: Special access: The impressive venue was offered by a supporter and would have been unattainable under normal circumstances, so the client wanted to use the space. Anniversary celebration: ... Read On >
Different perspectives from the front and back of the benefit auction ballroom
When I was in the 5th grade, the room was arranged with an aisle down the middle and rows of three desks clustered on either side of the aisle. I was in the last row seated with two friends, Bryon and Tammy. As an adult in a classroom setting, I like to sit in the 2nd row next to a wall. But as a 5th grader, I was assigned to sit in the back. We snickered over 5th grade antics. Tammy and I would pretend Bryon had no brain and we'd talk "through" his head as he sat between us. It was ... Read On >
A unique auction venue sets the stage for Olympic-sized entertainment
One of my clients in the Adirondacks booked a new venue at the base of the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. The complex was built for the 1980 Olympic Games and now serves as a training complex for Nordic ski and freestyle aerial jumping. It wasn't enough to have this impressive facility serve as a backdrop. The Executive Director of the foundation took the extra step of having Olympic-hopefuls demonstrate their talent for the benefit of the gala attendees. During the silent ... Read On >