We are consulting with a nonprofit who is conducting a Cajun Cookoff that is being held outdoors.  At this event dozens of food vendors will be preparing a variety of dishes for the guests to enjoy.  The attendees, over 1,000, will vote for the best vendor, among other things. 

This nonprofit incorporates a small silent auction during the event. In the past, tracking who the winning bidders are and collecting payment from them has been quite a challenge for this group.

It is always important to collect the guests’ information at your nonprofit events.  This holds true not only for the purpose of collecting payment for items purchased but it also serves as a mechanism to build a data base you can use to tap these guests for future communications about your nonprofit. 

For this group, we’ve suggested they provide a large check-in area staffed with plenty of volunteers who will collect the guests’ names, phone numbers and email addresses.  In order to prevent long lines at registration, we recommend some of the volunteers carry clipboards and grab guests in the queue to let them go ahead and pre-fill their information on a form while standing in line.  This will expedite the registration process. When the guests reach the check-in table all they’ll need to do is show their admission ticket (or purchase one) and hand their pre-filled information form over to the volunteers.

At this event, we are recommending the nonprofit supply the guests with armbands or slap bracelets that have their bid numbers written on them.  This will help the guests remember their bid number when they are ready to bid on silent auction items.  These bracelets can be purchased online from numerous sources.  One such source is Oriental Trading Company.  Don’t forget to brand the armbands with your nonprofit’s logo and website, but be sure to leave enough room for a hand-written bid number.

With the use of bid numbers, you avoid the challenges presented when you allow guests to write their name and phone number on silent auction bid sheets.  You’ll evade being unable to read an illegible name plus you will already have contact info on file for the bidder because they provided this necessary information at registration.

Streamlining the check-in process for the guests and providing them with an easy means to participate in your activities will result in happier guests and more funds raised!

Make every minute a revenue generating minute!

But this item is valued at $10,000!!!

Clients we partner with sometimes bring us on board at the last minute. When they send us their live auction items list which is heavy with jewelry, art and personal services, we aren't surprised then they tell us their previous live auction didn't go so well. Do you see a problem with these items?

These types of items are very subjective to the bidder. Jewelry and art preferences are very personal - either you like it or you don’t. Now I’m not saying to NEVER include these items but you should select very few and be certain that they appeal to the masses.

As far as personal services, I've auctioned Botox treatments, psychiatric services, funeral services, family counseling, etc. and - you guessed it - they BOMBED! Even if they want or think they need these services, most guests will not bid on these items in public.

The best-selling items are experiences and trips that are unique and therefore highly desirable to most guests. If you can buy it at your local Wal-Mart, it doesn't belong in your live auction. Use these item procurement guidelines and guests will wow you with their enthusiastic bidding!

Make every minute a revenue generating minute!

When selecting an emcee, you’ll want to be sure the individual is upbeat, entertaining and has a strong presence.

As a fundraising auctioneer, I like to have these folks help me during the live auction by describing the items before I sell them. This tag-team approach helps break up the voices and can prove to be more entertaining for the guests.

Don’t Let Catering Sabotage Your Special Appeal

One very critical element to your fundraising is the Special Appeal, also called Fund-a-Need, Fund-the-Future or Paddle Raise among other names. This activity provides an opportunity for your guests/donors to give in support of your cause without purchasing anything.

When planning for this portion of the evening I caution you not to overlook an important element, the coordination of food service and other activities that can disrupt and effect the giving. From the time the message is being delivered until that last donor has given, it is very important to not have plates being picked up or food and drinks served. This causes a disconnect from your guests and breaks the emotional connection that you have strived so hard to create. As a result, fewer funds are raised. To prevent this, simply have your stage manager or a designated member of your team work with the catering manager to ensure food service is halted during this activity. This small effort has a surprisingly positive effect on the resulting revenue from the Special Appeal.

Make every minute a revenue generating minute!

The American thought process is if some is good then a lot is better, right? Let’s put this into a silent auction context. The more silent auction packages you have the better, right? Not so fast….

Social media strategy for nonprofits can be overwhelming. We all know it is a tool that can help promote fundraising events, but nailing down a truly effective social media strategy that delivers results - butts in seats - can be a challenge! We hope this guide helps you simplify and plan out a solid social media strategy to make sure your next event is SOLD OUT!

For fundraisers, Black Friday is also a reminder that the end of the year is drawing near!

As the year draws to a close, fundraisers are presented with a unique opportunity to capitalize on the spirit of generosity that tends to permeate the holiday season.

Will the volunteers at your charity auction represent you well and be useful to your guests? Find out more about how you can make the most of your auction volunteers!

Learn 6 ways to create excitement for your live auction before and during the event!

Does this situation sound familiar? You are a non-profit with the most amazing volunteers who have years of experience hosting your auction. They have it down pat and they don’t see any value whatsoever in getting help and advice from a professional benefit auctioneer. So, you’ve heard this one before, right?

As a nonprofit, what thought are you giving to branding at your events?

Most nonprofits have a few signs around with their event logo on it. And maybe they do a good job with branding on the PowerPoint used during the evening. But are you carrying it all the way through?

Don’t let well-intentioned speeches suck the fun out of your fundraising event and cost you money raised. Read this point to learn more about best practices for speeches at your next fundraising event!

Many of the nonprofits I work with feel a local celebrity is an asset when conducting their fundraising event.  While celebrities can help garner attendance by curious attendees, these celebrities need to be utilized in the best way possible to maximize fundraising for the nonprofit.  Let’s explore a few of the ways they can help…

There are a lot of great consignment companies available to nonprofits. While I am an advocate of consignment items, I caution charities to be careful when using them.

A nonprofit’s board of directors consists of a variety of personalities and proficiencies. While all board members enjoy rolling up their sleeves and using their resources in support of a mission they are passionate about, some will excel at certain tasks more than others. You’ll have board members who will bring charisma and charm into the mix while others will be number crunchers and systems-minded.

We have in our fundraising arsenal an extra-revenue-generating game called “Best of Live.” During the silent auction, chances are sold to guests for $100 each. A winner is drawn prior to the live auction and that person is allowed to choose any item from the live auction line-up before the live auction begins. This is a hugely successful activity that many times brings in much more revenue than the item chosen would have sold for during the live auction.

Volunteers want to be involved with your nonprofit because they believe in your cause and look for personal satisfaction in helping others. To the nonprofit, these volunteers play a huge role in filling labor needs to conduct events and/or helping with the day-to-day operations at your organization. Ensuring that your current group of volunteers is satisfied will increase your retention rate. Here are four ways to keep your volunteers:

In the fundraising event world, most of us have seen the “Wine Pull” or “Wall of Wine”. This revenue-generating activity is conducted during the cocktail hour and while the silent auction is happening.

I was recently at a charity event where they had a “Scotch Wall”.

So, you’ve decided to incorporate a live auction into your fundraising event. Or maybe you are making a change from your current auctioneer. Let’s explore what type of auctioneer you should be looking for.