Female Fundraising Charity Auctioneers
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Inside My Business: Secrets to Sealing the Deal

2/17/2020

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I won’t lie. 

I’m a good auctioneer.

I’m a rockstar at Fund-A-Need auctions.

I’m a fundraising ace.

I’m also a top-notch sales woman.

Did you just get the heebie jeebies? 

Many people hate sales, but not me. Today, I want to share my secrets for a successful initial client call. Over the years I have developed a method for conducting these calls that helps me land the jobs I want, ninety percent of the time. 

This initial call is part informational and 100% a sales call. These forty-five minutes are how we make the choice to work together.

People get in touch with me in all sorts of ways, but most often they reach out through a form on my website. Each time this form is filled out, I get an email with the person’s contact information.

As soon as I can, I take some time to look up the organization. I’m looking for a couple things here: who they are, what they do, and whether I can get behind their message. I only proceed with nonprofits whose mission I can get behind. If the nonprofit’s mission is something I cannot connect with, I politely decline.

I also spend some time researching the nonprofit’s past events. I’ll look at pictures and read over any information available about the event. I’m looking for details here. Seating arrangements, how people are dressed, major philanthropists in attendance, the timing of the event. But most importantly, I’m looking to see if people are paying attention. All these seemingly minor details can give me a ton of information about an event before we even hop on the phone. 

At this point, my trusty assistant emails the organization with links to schedule a call and download a worksheet. The worksheet asks questions about the nonprofit’s most recent Fund-A-Need event so that I can better gauge how much room for growth the event has.

When it’s time for our chat, here’s how it typically goes
We hop on the call and jump right into a discussion of the upcoming event. Because I do my research ahead of time, there’s no need to spend time explaining the story of the nonprofit, their mission, and their past events. I’m maximizing time here by getting straight to the stuff that counts. Also, I’m beginning the process of building trust, based on the fact that I took the time to do my research.

I’ll ask for information on the upcoming event, typically based on data from previous years.
  • How many people?
  • How many revenue streams?
  • What kind of revenue streams?
  • Have you used a professional auctioneer before? If so, who?

These questions help me understand a few things:
  1. Does the nonprofit know what it needs and what it wants from this event? Hint: Often, these are two different things.
  2. Are they clear on why they haven’t been reaching their fundraising goals?

Then, we go over the worksheet and talk about what can be expected from the event, in terms of REAL fundraising growth.

My secret to winning all the clients I want is honestly.

I am always honest when giving advice on how to increase fundraising at events. If there is money left in the room, as oftentimes there is, I’ll say so. But, if the nonprofit in question is already achieving 70-80% participation during the Fund-A-Need, then I’m very honest about how we need to set realistic expectations in terms of fundraising. There’s just not a ton of money left in a room with that kind of participation.

At this point of the call, the client usually asks a ton of questions about how I work, how much I cost, what’s included, etc. 

But what I think is most important is how I end the call. I talk a lot about feelings. 

The nonprofit world is filled with women. As a woman, as a mom, as a former nonprofit employee, I talk about how I want to feel about the working relationship. Fundraising is a touchy-feely business. Donors give because of how we make them feel. How people feel is important. 

Coming off of that first call I want my clients to feel like they can trust me, more than any other auctioneer, to do what’s best for them. To achieve this, I always tell potential clients exactly what I think. If they have a question, I give them the answer for free. I won’t give them step-by-step instructions, but I’ll tell them the solution to their problem and make a few recommendations. 

Many auctioneers guard their secrets, but I don’t. I know a very well-known auctioneer who starts all of his calls by asking his clients to tell him about their organization. When you’re on the phone with me, the entire call is spent on your event. I want to take the time to really dig deep and see if I can help, because sometimes I can’t. Some people advertise a free consultation, but what that really means is you’ll explain your organization and event and the auctioneer will give you a sales pitch. 

I really do provide a free consultation because my main goal is not to sell you on my service, I want to help you raise more money. I want to help you make the world a better place. For me, it’s about helping the organization first.

My business model is based on transparency. I want all nonprofits to succeed, even if they can’t afford me. You can find all of my secrets online for free, if you look. I am often on the phone answering questions and talking about fundraising longer with nonprofits who can’t afford to hire me, because I believe in the work.

I recently spoke to a client who was looking to increase their fundraising at their yearly gala. The way this event is structured, it functions more as a very expensive promotional event than a fundraiser. 

They have a handful of speakers, a couple of honorees, auctions, and a Fund-A-Need to round out the evening. Their event is in NYC, on a Tuesday night. Most of their donors have to get up for work in the morning, so there’s no guaranteeing they’re going to stay long enough to even see the Fund-A-Need. 

I suggested very plainly that they move the Fund-A-Need up in the program, placing it right after their opening speaker. This way, I’ve got the money early and it doesn’t matter what time people leave.

The event is a couple months away (at the time of writing) and I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised by what we’re able to accomplish with this single change.
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Inside My Business: Events Aren’t Always What They Seem

1/20/2020

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There’s a surprising amount of jealousy in the nonprofit world, especially when it comes to events. 

Fundraising events and galas can be flashy, star-studded affairs. The coverage of which can make it seem like every nonprofit around is more successful than yours. But, that’s just not true.

People almost always exaggerate. If you read a press release stating that the local animal shelter raised a staggering $1.6 million at their latest event, pay attention to the information that isn’t included in that press release. 

You don’t know where that revenue came from. Was it strictly donations, or are they factoring in ticket sales, sponsorships, underwriting, etc? 

You don’t know what their goal was. Yes, $1.6 million is absolutely an impressive, staggering amount of money. But if their goal for the evening was $3 million, it wasn’t a fundraising success. They did not meet their goal and will now have to rethink their budgetary priorities.

In American culture we are trained to look up at the wealthier, more successful, more beautiful people around us. We see this everywhere online. Social media has certainly exacerbated the issue, but celebrity culture has always existed.

What we forget to do is look around us at the people doing the work. We overlook the small nonprofits doing amazing work on a shoestring budget with two full-time employees. We overlook the nonprofits who would love to be able to host a fundraising event or throw a party.

Always be grateful for the donors who support your nonprofit, no matter what. They believe in you and the work you are doing enough to give you some of their hard-earned dollars. It doesn’t matter what the nonprofit down the street is working on or how much they raised last quarter. What matters is the work you are doing today.  
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A Day in the Life of a Charity Auctioneer

1/6/2020

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I’m always curious to hear how other people run their businesses; what a typical day looks like and how they stay on top of everything. I find the different ways of doing things endlessly fascinating and sometimes I learn new strategies that I can incorporate into my life. 

I hope I’m not the only one who finds this interesting because today I’m going to give you a look at my typical day when I don’t have an auction in the evening.

My day starts bright and early at 6:30 a.m. I get the baby up and then go wake my two older kids. Our mornings are pretty busy, so I try to make breakfast the night before when I can. 

As an aside: I LOVE MAKING BREAKFAST FOOD. My love for breakfast food is deep and unyielding. Pancakes, waffles, banana bread, fancy breakfast pastries. I make it all. 

At 7:45 a.m. I do the morning school run. That’s the latest we can leave if there’s any hope of being at school on time.

At 9:00 a.m. the nanny arrives and I am free to start my work day. From 9:00 a.m. to noon you’ll find me in my home office, sitting in front of the computer with headphones on. I slog through emails and notifications, put work together for clients, and sometimes have a client call or two.

At noon I try to exercise for at least 45 minutes. I hate cardio, so I don’t do it. Instead you’ll find me doing a combination of weight training, pilates, and yoga.

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. is reserved for new client calls, working with my assistant, writing contracts, doing billing, etc. By 3:00 p.m. I am out the door to pick the kids up from school.

3:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m. is family time. I don’t look at my phone, check email, or do anything for my business. Instead I’m helping with homework and playing with my kids. I’m lucky to have the privilege of arranging my life this way. I am able to run my business and be with my kids every day. That’s not something I take for granted. 

At 6:00 p.m. we do kid dinner and then the kids get ready for bed. I would love nothing more than to sit down with my kids and enjoy a meal, but they are not enjoyable to eat with. They are three tiny, tyrannical customers and I am their short order cook.

Sometime after the kids are in bed I’ll eat dinner. I do intermittent fasting. It’s something I’ve done since my early twenties, before I knew it had a name. Most days I only eat one meal in the evening, though I do consume coffee and tea throughout the day. 

From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. I’m back in front of my computer tying up any loose ends from the day. There are some days where I don’t have any work left to do, when that happens I’m cleaning the kitchen, listening to a podcast or watching a YouTube video, and making breakfast for the next day. These podcasts and videos are never work related. If I’m listening to a nonprofit podcast, I’m driving in the car to an event. My favorite podcasts to listen to for pleasure are story-based podcasts. Two of my current favorites are Ear Hustle and Armchair Expert. As you know if you’ve read Ten Things You Don’t Know About Me, I’m obsessed with skincare. If I’m watching YouTube videos, they’re probably about skincare.

After all that is done, I’ll sit down to watch some TV. And I love me some TV. My current favorite show, my guilty pleasure, is Alone. I watch Glow, The Handmaid’s Tale, and all that popular stuff too, but my absolute favorite right now is Alone.

Then, I go to bed. 

And that’s it, that’s my day if I don’t have an auction to go to in the evening. It’s busy, but I’m grateful that I’m able to do what I love while taking care of my family.
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What’s in My Auction Bag

12/16/2019

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I remember showing up to my very first charity gala. I had one rollaboard suitcase and a garment bag with three different outfits and pairs of shoes inside. 

I no longer use a suitcase, instead I use a large tote which I call my auction bag. Inside are all the items that I need, or might need, for the event I’m working that day. I just grab my auction bag and I’m ready to go. 

Are you a newer auctioneer overwhelmed by all the stuff to haul back and forth to events? If so, this list is for you. Here are the eighteen essential items in my auction bag. 

  1. An extra pair of auction shoes. You will always break a heel or lose a sole at the worst possible time. Unless you carry a spare pair of shoes, in which case you will almost never need them.
  2. Business cards. Everyone who sees me on stage is a potential client, and I’m always prepared.
  3. Six fine-tipped black sharpies.
  4. Two silver sharpies and two gold sharpies. Sometimes you need to write on dark objects.
  5. Elnett hairspray. Smells horrible. Works wonders. 
  6. A hair brush.
  7. A hair straightener. Doubles as an improvised iron. 
  8. Scissors. Useful for cutting auction notes, raffle tickets, and extra long fake eyelashes. 
  9. Blister bandaids. 
  10. Gum or mints. Wintergreen or peppermint only.
  11. A clipboard with a compartment on top to store my notes and pens.
  12. A set of makeup brushes from bh cosmetics.
  13. A makeup bag with all my auction makeup.
  14. Extra pairs of eyelashes because I go through them like nobody’s business. My eyelashes of choice are Bluelans.
  15. Deodorant.
  16. A phone charger.
  17. My camera and a tripod. I often film myself so that I can show the videos to potential clients, review my skills, and ensure there is an accurate record of the live auction and Fund-A-Need. I use a Canon G7 X.
  18. My hand-held, wireless microphone and receiver. I use a Sennheiser EW 100. 

That’s it. That’s everything I carry with me in my auction bag. What are your auction must-haves? Let me know what you don’t leave home without in the comments below.
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My Auction Makeup

12/2/2019

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Today, I thought it could be interesting to give you a rundown of what I keep in my auction makeup bag. My makeup bag used to be enormous. I never knew what would work well and what I would need for the evening. Over the years I have whittled my makeup bag down to thirteen essential products that meet my exacting criteria.

To be in my makeup bag, a product must:


  • Be long-lasting. It must hold up to long hours, hot lights, and sweat. I can’t have makeup melting off my face while I’m on stage.
  • Read well from the back of the room. If you have ever been on stage before, you know stage makeup is a different beast. It’s bold and exaggerated because people in the back of the room must be able to see what’s happening on stage.
  • Look good on camera. I use footage from my auctions in my business materials and on YouTube.
  • Look natural up close. I know, I know. I just said stage makeup is bold and exaggerated, and it is! But I also want to look good when talking to people face-to-face. It’s all about balance.
  • Affordable or amazing. I go through a lot of makeup, so what I buy can’t break the bank. If I’m going to splurge on a product, it better be amazing.

As you can see, I have strict criteria for what goes in my makeup bag. These products all meet my criteria.

  1. A brush set from bh cosmetics. I’m obsessed with bh cosmetics brushes because they are soft, they blend like a dream, and they are well-priced. They wash and dry easily too. If you are scared about buying makeup brushes this is a great introductory set. They have a ton of different set options, but my favorite are the Studio Pro brushes. 
  2. MAC Cosmetics blush in peony petal. Is it bad that I’ve been using the same blush I started with in high school? I seriously can’t get enough of this color. It’s matte, long-wearing and gives me a youthful glow on stage. 
  3. Maybelline Brow Drama in deep brown. Although brows are all the rage now, I’m not so into them. Perhaps this is because I’ve always had full brows, I don’t understand why I need to fill them in. This is easy to use, looks natural, and doesn’t run when I’m sweating from calling bid numbers. 
  4. Maybelline Volum’ Express the Mega Plush Mascara. Lashes for me are a PROCESS! If I am doing a big event, meaning I will be onstage or seen on a live cam, I’m always wearing false lashes (see #12 below for my favorite super cheap, compliment generating lashes). If I have an intimate auction with 200 people or less, I go with my natural lashes but I need three different layers to get the look I want. This is the first step in my natural lashes routine. 
  5. L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara. This is my go-to mascara off stage. When I’m on stage, this is step two in my natural lashes routine.
  6. L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara. This mascara is step three in my natural lashes routine because it  locks EVERYTHING in place and it doesn’t move all night. I’ve used this for the past eight years and, in my opinion, this is the best choice for performance makeup. 
  7. Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Highlight and Contour Palette. This palette has great shades and great blendability at a great price. What more do you need from a contour palette?
  8. Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation. I have been around the block with foundations. This is my current foundation holy grail. It looks natural on the skin while giving me medium full coverage. It easily lasts ten hours. It doesn’t crack or look weird on textured, acne prone skin and it looks great on camera. 
  9. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser. Great coverage from a drugstore product. If you haven’t tried this yet, you need to. 
  10. Marc Jacobs’ eyeliner. I have tried over 120 different eyeliners. No joke. This is the best by far. It does not move even one centimeter from my waterline. For a zero budge eyeliner, this is a performer’s dream. 
  11. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. When I am wearing false lashes, this tattoo liner cannot be beat. It’s the perfect formula and worth every penny.
  12. Bluelans eyelashes. I used to purchase expensive eyelashes. I’m talking $10 per set, which is not cheap when you’re going through two or three sets a week. So, I went looking on amazon and gave these $4 lashes a try. They are my new go-to lashes. They look amazing onstage and I can wear fresh ones every time. These are not your natural but better lashes, they are made for the stage thick, fake lashes. 
  13. Various Makeup Geek and MAC eyeshadow in browns, purples, and blues. I use mostly matte eyeshadow so that I don’t have to deal with any rogue glitter on my face, which can often read as sweat from far away. Makeup Geek and MAC both make great, long lasting eyeshadow that don’t budge.

That’s it, that’s what’s in my auction makeup bag. Did I leave out any of your favorite products? Let me know in the comments. And let me know if you want to see an auction makeup tutorial from me over on my YouTube channel.
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Is a Career in Fundraising Right for You?

10/11/2019

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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. 
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Inside My Business: Why I Get Hired

7/15/2019

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Hiring the right charity auctioneer for your fundraiser is the single most important thing you’ll do when planning the event. If you don’t have the right auctioneer, your event won’t work.

It’s very much like entering a relationship; if you don’t have the right chemistry, it won’t be a good fit. The relationship must be a good fit for everyone involved: the auctioneer, your nonprofit, and the guests in attendance.

As I become more comfortable as a business owner and a fundraiser, I know what works for me and my staff. 

I’m very transparent with potential clients. I want to make sure they know that I don’t always get hired because I’m not always the right fit for their event.

Why I Get Hired
The number one reason I get hired is because people see my videos on YouTube and they love my energy and style. I get out in the crowd and interact with people. My auctions are more of a show than a traditional auction. I get hired to have fun with the crowd.

I get hired because I’m a woman and there aren’t many of us in this business. We know that women lead men in philanthropy, but so few women get involved as fundraisers.

I do my homework. People see me or one of my other auctioneers live and are blown away by how well we understand the organization we’re supporting.

Nine times out of ten I get rehired because of the Fund-A-Need auction. My Fund-A-Needs are amazing. I often hear, “The auction was fun, but the Fund-A-Need was spectacular.” This is because of my professional development and my passion for raising money. 

I know how to ask people for money in a way that sounds good and feels good.

Why I Don’t Get Hired
The main reason why I don’t get hired is because people see my videos on YouTube and are turned off by my energy and style. Sometimes the upbeat, party atmosphere is not what a nonprofit is looking for, and that’s okay. There are plenty of fundraisers out there who specialize in more formal, traditional events.

More times than I would prefer, a committee is scared to have a female auctioneer and I am not  hired solely because I am a woman. Many people believe that a woman cannot hold the room or command the stage with a female voice and presence.  

Why I Turn Down Jobs
Occasionally, I turn down jobs because I don’t think the nonprofit’s mission or staff is good fit for Generosity Auctions. 

Over the years we have developed parameters for working with nonprofits. We know what works for us and our style.

I won’t take on auctions that have more than ten items. With our style it takes longer to sell each item, and ten items is our maximum.

We also require an external sound system and if your event is using the ceiling speakers at a country club, we will politely decline.

Although we would love to help every nonprofit reach their fundraising goals, ultimately we need to be partners in fundraising. We do our homework and can’t risk putting your event or our reputation at risk by working a fundraiser that we don’t feel is a perfect fit for both parties.
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Will Donors Say "No" to a Pregnant Charity Auctioneer?

4/5/2018

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​I'm pregnant. Like, super-duper pregnant, ready to pop pregnant. When I stepped on stage last weekend at a large San Francisco Gala, the crowd didn't know what to think. And quite honestly, neither did I.
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It turned out to be a record-breaking night of fundraising for my long-time client. I'm not sure if it was the new program style, the room layout, or my enormous belly that made the difference - but it was amazing! It turns out, this crowd loved a big, pregnant auctioneer unafraid to put it all out there.
Generosity Auctions is the leading Charity Auctioneer and Nonprofit Consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. Generosity Auctions is the premier choice for Non-Profit Organizations looking to maximize their event fundraising through Charity Auctions and Fund-A-Need. Together with their clients, Generosity Auctions has raised over $80,000,000!!!
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AFP Conference - Review of Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference

3/1/2018

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Last year I attended the Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference out here in San Francisco. I paid $600 to attend for the day and spent four hours in my car just to get there. I attended numerous sessions, but was it worth it? ​
Generosity Auctions is the leading Charity Auctioneer and Nonprofit Consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. Generosity Auctions is the premier choice for Non-Profit Organizations looking to maximize their event fundraising through Charity Auctions and Fund-A-Need. Together with their clients Generosity Auctions has raised over $80,000,000!!!
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