Instant Live Auction Items with No Work - Female Fundraising Charity Auctioneers

Mailing Silent Auction Donation Forms? Think Again

10/28/2019

Many nonprofits, when looking to solicit items and experiences for their silent auctions, send out a form to any and every business they can think of. The form asks the business to list the items they would like to donate to the auction and then send those items in with the form.

This approach is flawed.

It puts way too much work on the shoulders of the solicited business.

When soliciting for donations, whether of items or money, make it as easy on the other party as possible. Your nonprofit should always do most of the work.

Don’t ask the business to list what they would like to donate, instead provide them a list of things you suggest they donate.

Don’t ask the business to drop-off or mail their donations, offer to come by and pick the items up yourself.

I’d also love to see more nonprofits make the switch from paper donation requests, to emailed ones. Everyone has email. There’s no reason to spend time, money, and paper printing out and mailing donation requests. Save the trees and send it through email.

As donations start coming in for your silent auction, there’s one more thing I would encourage everyone to do. Thank your donors for their generosity over social media and show off the item they donated. There’s no substitute for making people feel appreciated and good about their donation. Bonus: You’ll make them feel good about the prospect of supporting your nonprofit in the future.

Ten Things You Don’t Know About Me

10/25/2019

1. I am very self-conscious about my voice
My voice has been one of my greatest assets in the auction world, but in my non-work life it is something that I’ve always been self-conscious about. I have always had a deep voice, and it’s only gotten deeper as I’ve gotten older. I don’t have the same range as most women. I can’t sing the same parts at synagogue. When I call to make reservations at restaurants, people often don’t know if I’m a man or a woman. I attribute part of this confusion to my uncommon name, but part of it is definitely my voice.

2. I spent three years working on a cruise ship
It was a blast, but this non-traditional work experience set me back when it came time to find a real career. I came home after three years on a cruise ship and could not get a job. No one would hire me because they didn’t see any of the skills I had as transferable. To make matters worse, while I was gone all my friends found real jobs and gotten settled in their lives. It was really tough on me, I felt like garbage and my self-worth took a huge hit. I felt like the odd one out.

Today, I think I appreciate my success even more than I would have without the experience of being unemployed and unemployable.

3. I read often
My favorite genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Young Adult Fiction. If there’s a map at the front of the book, I know it’s the book for me.

I love books so much, I volunteer at my kids’ school library a few hours a week and all the kids know I’m the one to come to for book recommendations.

4. I am really self-conscious about my skin
I have had acne since I was thirteen. It’s still there, though it has tapered off in recent years. It has taken me a long time, but I have come to accept bad skin as a part of my life. I have spent a lot of money, time, and energy on fixing my skin. And I get everything: Botox, fillers, laser treatments. If it’s available, I’ll try it and I’m not embarrassed to talk about it. Some people just have bad skin and I’m one of them.

5. I don’t have a ton of close friends, and I’m okay with that
I don’t have a lot of close friends, and most of the friends I do have live across the country so I rarely get to see them. Despite this, I don’t feel the need to make more friends. I am a social loner type; I am very social but I really really enjoy being alone.

However, I’m married to someone who hates being alone. I mean absolutely hates it. He’d be perfectly happy to never spend another moment alone, but I need my alone time. It helps me recharge and prepare to face the world once again.

6. I consciously limit my social media time
Social media is great for a lot of reasons, feeding jealous tendencies is not one of them. I get very jealous and competitive when I see everyone’s perfect lives on social media. I don’t need to see your newest million dollar purchase or your clean, well-behaved kids.

Everyone is always skinnier, prettier, and wealthier than me and when I am subject to a constant barrage of this, I can’t help but compare myself. Constant comparison is not healthy. So I limit my time. I don’t really use my personal social media accounts at all anymore. I hardly ever post anything myself, and I don’t look at anyone else’s accounts if I can avoid it.

7. I take medication every day to stay alive
This has been my life since I was fifteen. I’m not going to talk much about it because it’s personal, but I had multiple brain surgeries when I was younger.

Everything is fine now, I’m totally healthy. But I do have to take medication every day for the rest of my life.

8. My office is a mess
It's a disaster all the time. But it’s an organized mess. I know where the things I need are. Every once in a while I will develop the urge to clean my space. It stays that way for about a week before it begins slowly dissolving into chaos.

I currently have over 400 unread emails, twenty texts, and eight unread notifications. I will get to most of them eventually. Except the notifications. I don’t know how to clear my notifications. This does not bother me.

9. I’m handy
I can fix a lot of things. I know how to use power tools. I can take a door off a wall. I can build furniture. I love being self-sufficient and having the power to do tasks around the house.

10. I have three children
I don’t talk about them very often. They are six, three, and one. I never wanted to be a mom, but here I am and I love it. Philanthropy is very important to our family and it’s something I teach my kids about even at such young ages. I hope to bring them with me to an auction one day.

Nonprofit Cocktail Hour: More Than Just Drinks

10/21/2019

Almost every fundraising event has a cocktail hour. Usually cocktail hours last an hour, but they can run longer. Sometimes it is a standalone activity, sometimes it happens in conjunction with a silent auction.

There are many ways to approach this aspect of your fundraising event, but I want to talk about a new trend I’m seeing with some of my clients that I think you’re going to love.

Cocktail hours that double as a showcase for your nonprofit’s mission.

Some of my clients have begun taking advantage of this hour, when your guests would normally be drinking and networking, to give them an opportunity to see their dollars in action, up close and personal.

One of my clients works with young adults in the equal opportunity space. At one event, they invited a number of their beneficiaries to attend and set up booths, science fair style, during the cocktail hour. Each beneficiary used their booth to show what they were working on with the help of the nonprofit: book reports, science projects, art projects, etc.

Another one of my clients provides business training for women. They invited some of their beneficiaries to set up booths during the cocktail hour that highlighted their businesses. Some brought in wares to show and some highlighted the services their businesses provide.

In both of these cases the guests were given an opportunity to speak directly with the people the nonprofit helps. They could see in a very clear way, where their dollars were going. They formed connections with the beneficiaries and their stories.

What a great way to use an hour that would otherwise be spent drinking and making small talk.

Does your nonprofit do something similar? Are you interested in trying this approach in the future? Let me know in the comments.

The Fund-A-Need Pitch: Aim for Happiness and Enthusiasm

10/18/2019

When you put together a fundraising event, the evening should be an emotional roller coaster, designed to pull on the heartstrings of your guests and get them excited and enthusiastic about donating to your cause. The Fund-A-Need is the pinnacle emotional moment of your event.

A good charity auctioneer knows how to rile the audience up and get the philanthropic juices flowing during the live auction portion of the evening. When it comes time to the Fund-A-Need, they know how to create a somber and emotional tone. These moments work together to move your guests to open their wallets and donate.

All Fund-A-Needs require a pitch, a speech or story to kick-off this part of the evening. The success of the Fund-A-Need, rests on the ability of the story and storyteller to evoke emotion in the audience.

Fund-A-Needs tend to rely on sadness and severe empathy. They deliberately bring the room down from the high of the live auction by talking openly and emotionally about the work the nonprofit does in the community.

Most of my clients come to me and say, “I want people to cry.” And that’s a fine approach, it’s certainly effective, but there are other emotions you might consider when planning your next Fund-A-Need.

Why not try tapping into the excitement in the room and building a sense of happiness among your guests? Instead of focusing on why your organization needs to exist, talk about all the amazing things you’ve done over the last year. Welcome a beneficiary speaker to talk about the great things your organization has done for them. Put the focus on all the good your nonprofit is able to do in the community and get people excited to help you do even more good.

It’s obvious why most nonprofits go the sadness route: it’s easier. Nonprofits exist to fill a need and more often than not this need is depressing. It’s easier to lean into that than it is to spin the story a different way. And that’s what this is. It’s a storytelling decision.

Next time you plan a Fund-A-Need, make a different choice. Lean into the positives. Make people feel good that your organization exists and get them excited to help you make people’s lives better.

Step Up Your Fund-A-Need Game

10/14/2019

Fund-A-Needs are the absolute best way to raise the most money for your nonprofit in the shortest amount of time.

For those unfamiliar, a Fund-A-Need (also called a special appeal or paddle raise) is the point in the evening when your charity auctioneer gets up on stage and asks your guests to make a donation to your cause, without receiving anything in return.

Fund-A-Needs are amazing for several reasons, but the most important is that they cost your nonprofit very little in terms of money and manpower. Your nonprofit doesn’t put any time into sourcing auction items and experiences. There are no bid sheets to process. Your charity auctioneer simply gets up on stage and makes the case for your guests to give to your nonprofit because it is a worthy cause that they have an emotional connection to.

Fund-A-Needs are basically free money.

And we all love free.

If your nonprofit hasn’t made Fund-A-Needs a part of your major events, why the heck not? Talk to your charity auctioneer about including a Fund-A-Need as part of your next event.

If your nonprofit already does a Fund-A-Need, here are two ways you can increase your Fund-A-Need revenue:

Get everyone in the room to give, even the ones that normally don’t.
Get everyone to increase their gifts.

Getting everyone in the room to give relies heavily on the charity auctioneer’s ability to pull on the emotional connection between the donors and the nonprofit and move people to give.

Work with your auctioneer to tell stories that play to people’s emotions and their connection to your nonprofit. Have your auctioneer ask everyone to dig a little deeper than they normally would, even if deeper means $10.

Make your final giving level “Donor’s Choice” as a way to encourage every person in attendance to make a donation even if it falls below what is typically your lowest giving level.

Consider changing up the guest list after a couple of years. If the same guests do not make a gift during the Fund-A-Need year after year, stop inviting them to your event. Use that invitation for someone more able to give.

Getting everyone to increase their gifts is a bit trickier, but ultimately can pay off in a big way.

Before your next Fund-A-Need, ask one of your top donors to increase their gift at the highest giving level of the Fund-A-Need. Treat this ask as you would any other solicitation. It shouldn’t come out of nowhere and it should be made in person.

Nonprofits will often approach a major donor, who would have made a donation at the event anyway, about increasing their donation prior to the event taking place. These donors are referred to as donor plants.

This practice is an open secret in the fundraising world, and there’s no shame in taking advantage of it to boost your fundraising revenue.

Fund-A-Needs run on enthusiasm. A successful charity auctioneer takes the emotional connection that your team has built between your donors and your nonprofit and uses it to foster an atmosphere of motivated giving. Starting on a high with a large donation from a generous supporter gets the Fund-A-Need started on the right foot. Using a donor plant to achieve this effect only makes sense.

As your auctioneer proceeds down through the giving levels, this increased generosity is going to trickle down. Your other guests are going to feel inspired to increase their gifts as well, and you will raise more money.

Have your charity auctioneer encourage people at every level to dig a little deeper than they normally would, calling attention to the increased donation of your top donor and the amazing energy in the room.

Including a Fund-A-Need as part of your fundraising event is the best way to encourage those who cannot, or do not wish to, participate in the traditional auction parts of the evening to make a straight donation to your cause. Once you’ve got the basics of a great Fund-A-Need down, work on improving your revenue by encouraging everyone to give, even if it’s only a few dollars, and by working with a major donor to increase the opening donation of the appeal.

Looking for more information on Fund-A-Need Auctions? Download my free ebook: 8 Easy Steps to Your Best Fund-A-Need Ever.

Is a Career in Fundraising Right for You?

10/11/2019

I truly believe that fundraising is one of the best jobs in the world. I get to work with people every day. I get to work with people who care about making the world a better place for others. I get to play a part in making the world better for others.

There are so many reasons to love fundraising, but it’s not for everyone. How do you know if a career in fundraising is right for you?

You should be in fundraising if…

You want to make the world a better place. If you think about this on a regular basis and have since you were young, fundraising is a great career choice for you. You get to work everyday on making the world a better place for everyone.
You like people. Talking to people, working with people, being around people, you love it all. As a fundraiser, your entire job is talking to people all day long. I have friends who are development directors of huge nonprofits and I often envy their position because they love their donors and their donors love them. They essentially get to hang out with their friends all day, work to make the world a better place, and ask for money a couple times a year.
You love learning new things. Fundraising is always changing, so if you love learning new things you’ll never lack the opportunity.
You are good at many different things. Fundraising requires many different skills and talents: writing, reading, public speaking, working with people, reading people and situations, etc. Your job is always changing and you certainly aren’t stuck behind a desk all day.
You have confidence to burn. You will get turned down after gift solicitations and you have to be able to pick yourself up and move on. You can’t take it personally.
You don’t mind working long hours and occasional weekends. Many fundraising events take place on the weekend. Nonprofits are often short-staffed and have tight budgets. You’ll be called on to work as a team and do your part regardless of if it’s the weekend.

Fundraising is one of the best jobs on the planet, especially if you love people and want to help make the world a better place. You won’t fix all the problems for everybody, but you will make an impact and that feels great. If you’re interested in working of volunteering in this field, reach out to the nonprofits local to you and ask what you can do to help.

The Public Radio Fund-A-Need Model

10/7/2019

As many of you guys know, I love to stay on top of the hot new trends in fundraising so that I can share them with all of you.

California is often on the cutting edge when it comes to new trends. Recently, I’ve seen something new that I absolutely do not like.

I’m talking about the public radio approach to Fund-A-Needs.

Some of my clients have expressed an interest in offering gifts to donors at the Fund-A-Need, the same way public radio gives donors a gift at each giving level.

The conversation usually goes something like this:

Client: We are thinking about this new approach to the Fund-A-Need.
Me: Like a public radio fundraiser, where you give gifts at each giving level?
Client: Yes.
Me: Why do you want to do this?
Client: To encourage people to donate and increase participation in the Fund-A-Need.
Me: I am happy to do whatever you want, but my job is to tell you the pros and cons of every situation and this one has more cons than pros.

The obvious pro to this approach is that there will be more merch out in the world with your nonprofit’s logo on it. This may lead to more brand awareness if your donors take these items out into the world and other people see them and are interested enough to look you up.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t explain the cons of this particular approach to the Fund-A-Need.

This conversation immediately prompts me to ask several questions:

Have you thought this through? Would you plan to only give this merch out at your event or would you give it to every donor who makes a qualifying donation? For example, say a medium size donor lives outside the city and can’t go to your gala, but they make a $1000 donation anyway. Do they get the same merch as the person who attended your event and made a donation?

Are you prepared to ship out merch for the next five, ten, fifteen years? Once you start doing this, you can’t stop without losing donors. Are you willing to facilitate trade with donors who want to switch merch?

Are you sure you want to train your donors to expect a prize for every donation? The job of the Fund-a-Need is to get people to connect with and care about the mission of your organization. If you fundamentally change the vibe of the Fund-a-Need, it is bound to make your message less compelling.

Giving out merch at each giving level is going to slow your Fund-a-Need way down, are you willing to devote more time to this part of the event? Instead of flowing smoothly from giving level to giving level, we’ll have to stop the flow to talk about the new piece of merch for the next giving level. This takes the focus off your message and puts it back on the item.

Don’t you think there’s enough stuff in landfills already? Let’s face it, that’s where most of this stuff ends up.

Ultimately, the decision to move forward with any aspect of a fundraising event is up to the client. If my clients want to try out this new Fund-A-Need approach, I’m not going to stop them. But I am going to caution them against something that I don’t think provides a good return and that takes the focus off the mission of the organization.

Public Radio Fundraisers: What I Wish They Knew

10/4/2019

I listen to public radio a lot when I’m in the car. It’s my go-to driving entertainment. Here in Northern California my public radio station is KQED.

If you don’t listen to public radio, let me explain a little bit about how their fundraisers work. Two or three times a year they have fundraising campaigns. These campaigns break into the regular programming twice an hour, every hour, for up to ten minutes at a time, until they meet their fundraising goal. If they don’t meet their goal by the end of the campaign, they don’t stop the fundraising breaks. They keep right on going.

My public radio station has two fundraising periods a year. That’s what they call it, a “fundraising period.” This has all kinds of weird connotations for me. What feeling are they trying to evoke here? Fundraising punctuation? Fundraising menstrual cycle? Obviously they are referring to their fundraising campaigns, but this word choice is weird and I can’t help but wonder how many other people are put off by it.

I was driving a lot during this last fundraising cycle (I’m always driving a lot, but that’s beside the point). I kept hearing the same fundraising faux pas again and again, and I really wish I could talk to the station about these decisions.

1. Prizes, prizes, prizes. Public radio fundraisers love to talk about what you get as a prize in return for your donation. They spend comparatively little time talking about how your donation benefits public radio and helps them provide you with quality programming. Where I am in California, this means a lot of talk about earthquake preparedness kits.

They’ll talk about this kit, or another prize, for three of the five minutes in the break. Then they’ll spend a minute on the solicitation and another minute giving out the phone number. The balance of time here is all wrong.

The emphasis should be on the solicitation: how the station uses donations, what they are able to offer in terms of programming, etc. Putting so much emphasis on the gift you receive for your donation causes people to save their donation until they hear about a gift that interests them. Some people who would normally be interested in donating, may never donate at all because none of the gifts appeal to them.

2. Letting the campaign run long. Allowing the fundraising campaign to continue for as long as it takes to meet the goal makes it obvious to regular listeners when a campaign hasn’t met the goal. If you normally listen to public radio and you know that their campaigns typically last one month, you are going to notice when that campaign suddenly stretches over two months. This makes it look as if the campaign wasn’t a success, because it wasn’t. And no one likes donating to failing campaigns.

3. Focusing on the match. Each fundraising break typically includes a donation match. Sometimes it’s a 1:1 match, a 2:1 match, a 3:1 match; it varies from day to day, throughout the campaign. A lot of emphasis is placed on what the match is for that day, which eats into the precious minutes that could be used to talk about how the donations benefit listeners of public radio.

Donations to public radio provide free radio, trusted reporting, and quality programming from local hosts you know and love. It’s not hard to talk those things up, they just choose not to.

4. The recording line. When you donate to public radio they route your call to a recording line. Like on an answering machine, you only have one shot to leave your message. The public radio station then screens these messages and plays them on the air. As you might imagine this can lead to some very interesting results.

Why not have a live human being on the other end of that recording line? This person could ask questions that generate good quality sound bites for the radio station. When you donate to public radio, you make your donation to a real person, which I love, but then they send you to this automated recording line. I think they’d generate better, longer, and more useful testimonials if they included another human in the process.

5. Ignoring sustaining members. Public radio has something called sustaining membership. This means that you give monthly over a sustained period of time, which they hope means in perpetuity. If you are a sustaining member at a certain level you get to skip the fundraising campaigns. They email you a link which lets you listen to public radio without the fundraising breaks. I think this is a mistake. They are missing out on an opportunity to re-engage with current sustaining donors and potentially getting some of them to increase their gifts.

6. Boring music. This is going to seem nitpicky after my other points, but I really wish they would play some upbeat music during the fundraising breaks and encourage their local production crew to sound excited about fundraising. Most of the time they sound completely over it.

What do you wish public radio did differently with their fundraising? Let me know in the comments.