Earlier this month one of my school auction clients returned to a non-traditional space that fits their event well. The venue is an atrium at the nearby botanical gardens. Their school auction themes have run the gamut, and this year, the committee opted for colorful Mumbai. In the video you'll see the elements the Auction Chair incorporated into the evening. Even without decorations, the atrium is beautiful (and the snow outside made it even more so, I think), but this is a school ... Read On >
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What’s the BEST number of auction items? (Silent auction)
Enjoy this series on determining the best number of auction items for your event. This post, on how many silent auction items are best. How many live auction items are ideal. How many online auction items are good. The influence of mobile bidding on terminology ============================= On February 7, my company is working multiple school auctions. That means that last week I was visiting with several of them about which items should be live auction and which should be ... Read On >
Highlight reels: 5 reasons you need a video of your gala
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 are two examples you might wish to model. Over ten years ago I started working with a private Lutheran school in Milwaukee, WI. They have diligently created a gala highlight reel every year. The video is posted on YouTube and a link is emailed to supporters. A nonprofit client in California creates a similar video. Watch both below to see two good examples ... Read On >
My favorite #Unselfie #GivingTuesday campaign
This past #GivingTuesday, I received a number of email blasts from nonprofits. I thought this one from one of my clients, the Alexandria, VA homeless shelter Carpenter's Shelter, was the most catchy. If you're unfamiliar with pop culture and current songs, you likely wouldn't "get" this. Let me bring you up to speed. By now, you've probably heard of "selfies." It's when you take a photo of yourself, typically with your mobile phone. These photos are often used for posting on social media ... 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 >