If you work for an association, your live auction will have a few different items in it than a standard nonprofit auction. In this video, I give examples for four types of associations I've supported and examples of auction items to sell. Industry trade associations for businesses Associations with regional chapters or affiliations Associations for professionals to join, such as structural engineers or cosmetology Associations for individuals interested in a particular hobby, ... Read On >
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The case for good auction item descriptions (EG: Far Niente wine)
I like to be prepared for my fundraising auctions, as I know it matters in different ways to the donor, the nonprofit, and the guests. In this video, I share a recent example of how the printed description of a donation (a vertical of Far Niente wine) didn't seem to match the label of the wine. The last thing I wanted to do was screw up the description of the 5-bottle donation. It's pricey, and the donation even included a unicorn 2016 vintage. Furthermore, about 300 C-level people would ... Read On >
Hybrid galas: How I’m taking bids from the virtual bidders
Over the last two years, the one big constant has been change. I’ve had substantial changes take place in my work and personal life. You may have, too. When it comes to changes in fundraising galas, we covered ticketing strategies, VIP boxes, games, and other elements of virtual gala fundraisers in my Conversation series. (My Virtual Gala Cheat Sheet is still a popular free download.) And now, as we shift into yet another new gala style -- hybrid galas -- I'm finding myself making ... Read On >
Giving from the warm hands of love vs the cold hands of death
The Rule of Three struck recently. A neighbor had to explain an adage to her colleague. I had to explain the meaning of a quote in a group text. And an old saying or quote popped up in an article, giving variations and explanations. The saying? It's goes by different phrasing, but is generally: It's better to give from the warm hands of love and not the cold hands of death. Sometimes it's shortened to: Better to give with a warm hand than with a cold one. It's best ... Read On >
Comparing virtual vs in-person galas: List of pros
I have several clients considering their autumn galas. As they try to outguess the COVID virus, we've spent time comparing the pros and cons of in-person galas versus virtual galas. Perhaps this will be helpful to you as well. One point to know: For my discussions, the basis of comparison for a virtual gala has been Zoom. I've written about the types of virtual galas -- two-screen, one-screen, Zoom*, pre-recorded -- and having worked them all, I'm still a fan of Zoom because I believe ... Read On >