Occasionally I'll visit with a nonprofit seeking to hire both a virtual auctioneer and invest in some new auction software. Which hire should happen first: Should they lock in the fundraising auctioneer they want to hire? Or sign a contract for the auction software? There's no question in my mind -- LOCK IN THE VIRTUAL AUCTIONEER! There are some solid reasons as to why I suggest this approach, and I talk about them in today's blog post video. Watch it below. P.S. ... Read On >
technology
Your virtual auction event is already changing
It's been about one month since COVID-19 checked into the gala scene and prompted a wave of cancellations and reschedules. In that short period of time, the ingenuity of our industry has been on full display. Virtual gala fundraisers are mutating more rapidly than the virus! In five weeks, virtual auction events have pivoted twice. 1. First they shifted from in-person galas to livestreams. Gala chairs hosted these high-tech, scaled-down events in traditional auction venues ... Read On >
Free webinar: Online “virtual gala” options and what’s best for you
More likely than not, you're reading this from the comfort of your own home. We are, as my friend Amy said, on forced sabbatical. It's not our ideal sabbatical, but here we are. During this imposed break, I've been following the journey of those I know who are ill, educating myself on virtual gala options, and working on other projects. ========================== Short on time? Click to register for my complimentary webinar. Date: Friday, March 27, 2020 at 1 PM Eastern Title: ... Read On >
Video marketing auction items to support your online school auction
To support two school auction clients whose galas were cancelled due to COVID-19, I shot videos that they could use as teasers for specific items being sold in an online auction. The goal was to get participants interested in bidding on these items. How did my school auction clients use these videos? They sent the video link in an email blast to their community. They posted and shared the video on Facebook. They added the video to the item description in the software online. It ... Read On >
Does mobile bidding raise more money in your silent auction (and other questions)
I worked a fundraising gala this weekend in Martha's Vineyard, MA and the nonprofit used mobile bidding in its silent auction. Because it's on my mind, today I'm addressing three conversations that often arise about mobile bidding. ============================= 1. "Mobile bidding" isn't synonymous to "nonprofit auction software." I know, the jargon is confusing. Better to say that mobile bidding is a feature of some nonprofit auction software platforms. Referring to them as the ... Read On >