Female Fundraising Charity Auctioneers
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Prioritizing the Fund-A-Need at Your Nonprofit Event

2/24/2020

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I tend to get pushback from my clients when I suggest moving the Fund-A-Need to the beginning of the event program. And I totally get it. Fund-A-Needs are traditionally done following the live auction. Moving the Fund-A-Need is taking a risk. Risks are scary. Change is scary. However, as I’ve discussed before, moving the Fund-A-Need to the beginning of the program has the potential to help your nonprofit capture every last dollar in the room.

I want to walk you through a recent conversation I had with a client because I want you to feel comfortable taking this risk at your next fundraising event.

Historically, nonprofits and other organizations, at the end of their large charity galas, would make a general call for donations. This was designed to invite anyone to give who hadn’t participated in the live auction or who wasn’t a major donor. Over time this became more nuanced and morphed into the Fund-A-Need as we know it today, but it has always stayed at the end of the auction. People are comfortable with this because it has always been done this way. Nonprofits carry on, using the live auction as a warm-up to the Fund-A-Need, unaware of how much better their Fund-A-Need could do if it kicked off the evening.

For a long time, I agreed with this positioning. I thought the Fund-A-Need worked best at the end because that’s where it has always been.

But I was wrong.

Having the Fund-A-Need in its traditional spot means that your guests, most of whom are not participating in the live auction, have to sit there politely, trying not to get bored, as a small percentage of the room participates in the auction portion of the evening. If your nonprofit has a particularly lengthy live auction, let’s say thirty or forty lots, this can easily take an hour or two. Now, I’m an auctioneer and even I find listening to bid calls for that long absolutely mind-numbing. What happens if most of the room is sitting there bored out of their minds for an hour or two? Their motivation to give dies. 

Does this mean you should never put your Fund-A-Need after your live auction? Of course not! Personally, I will do the Fund-A-Need after the live auction if we have five lots or less. That’s just the right number of items to allow you to get through the live auction before you lose the room.

To figure out where the Fund-A-Need should go in your program, go back and look at your old show flows. Where did the Fund-A-Need fall? What time was it slotted for? Then, look up your participation percentage, and the number of auction items.

If you have more than twelve auction items, you should consider doing your Fund-A-Need first. 

If your participation percentage is under thirty percent, you should consider doing your Fund-A-Need first. 

If you have done your Fund-A-Need after 10 p.m for three or more consecutive years, you should consider doing your Fund-A-Need first.

If your event is on a weeknight, in a major city, you should consider doing your Fund-A-Need first.

Now, when I say first, I don’t mean first thing after people get to their seats. I mean that you should do your Fund-A-Need before the live auction, because the live auction is usually the longest part of the evening. There are many factors that encourage your guests to give, but there are many more factors that discourage giving. Boredom and time are the two factors most likely to discourage giving, so you want to eliminate those from the equation as much as possible.

We can mitigate boredom by not forcing the room to sit through a live auction that only a handful of people will participate in.

But what do I mean by “time?”

Towards the end of your event, there will come a time when couples start to filter out because they are tired, they want to avoid traffic, or they have to get home to relieve the babysitter. It’s inevitable. It happens at nearly every event I do. At one event I did, I literally watched half the room get up at 10 p.m. and walk out the door. At another, we had a three-hour dinner and then, after dessert was served, we started the auction. It was 9:30 p.m. Who’s going to sit around for that? People who want to buy something at the auction, sure, but no one else. 

Moving your Fund-A-Need to the beginning of the program helps reduce the effects of both boredom and time. 

Fund-A-Need success requires participation from as many people as possible. To achieve this, I coach my clients to move the Fund-A-Need to the beginning of the event and we are getting great results. 

If the idea of moving the Fund-A-Need complicates your usual program, here’s one way you could consider setting up the evening:
  1. Cocktail hour with a raffle or silent auction
  2. A speech from a board member or the event chair
  3. Give out an award if you have one
  4. Bring out the CEO for a speech
  5. Show a short video
  6. Bring out your speaker and launch into the Fund-A-Need
  7. Dinner
  8. Live auction
  9. Any other speeches or awards   

At the end of the day, I think a more productive Fund-A-Need is worth switching up the usual fundraising event program. With an engaging charity auctioneer and a room motivated to give, your Fund-A-Need can smash past fundraising records.
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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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A Day in the Life of a Charity Auctioneer: Auction Edition

2/3/2020

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A while ago, I showed you what a typical work day is like for me. If I’m working an auction, my day looks quite a bit different.

Most fundraising events take place in the evening, so I typically start my auction days at noon.
As a female auctioneer, I need more prep time than the men in my field. Sad, but true. So, I start early to make sure there’s time to get everything done properly.

I start with a shower, then I settle in to blow dry my hair. And I mean settle in. I like to blow dry my hair while sitting on the floor and reading a book. This means it takes me a bit longer to blow dry my hair than the average person, but it’s worth it. 

Next, I consult my trusty charity auctioneer outfit spreadsheet. That’s right, I keep track of the outfits I wear to each event, each year. I only see most of the people at these events once a year, and the sad fact is that if I show up in the same outfit twice in a row, I will get comments.

Once I have chosen an outfit for the event, I pack it away in my garment bag and pack my auction bag.

Makeup comes next, but I don’t do it all before I leave the house. I do my skincare routine and put on foundation, everything else waits until I’m at the venue. My foundation looks best if it has time to sink into my skin before I do anything else. So, while it does that, I drive over to the venue. 

Depending on how far I’m driving, I’m in the car between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. I always stop for an energy drink on the way. I sip on it slowly on my way to the venue, usually only getting through a quarter of the can before I throw it away. 

The first thing I do when I get to the venue is find my contact. If I can’t find them, I go straight to the sound booth to introduce myself. The sound crew is my backbone. If I don’t have good audio, the auction will sink like a rock. I get a sound check as soon as I possibly can. 

Once the sound check is over, I head to the green room or whatever behind the scenes space they have set aside for the event. I get changed into my auction outfit and do the rest of my makeup.

At about 5:00 p.m. I have a final meeting with the Development Director. Ostensibly this is so they can make sure I have everything I need, but usually it’s the other way around. Then I wait for the auction to begin.

Some of my clients want me out on the floor schmoozing with the guests during the cocktail hour, some of them want me to rehearse with their Fund-A-Need speaker. I fill this pre-auction time with whatever small tasks the nonprofit needs me to do. 

Sometime between 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. I take to the stage to do the Fund-A-Need and live auction. Afterwards, I meet with the auction recorders and go through my post-auction routine. Sometimes I will hang around to observe the rest of the event, especially if the crowd is particularly energized. Otherwise, I slip into my sweatpants and walk out the door. The funny thing about dressing the way I do for auctions is that as soon as I take my bright, shimmery outfits off, I become invisible. No one remembers what I look like and I can slip out of the building undetected, and before the valet station gets busy. 

Then I drive home, probably stopping at McDonald's on the way. And that’s it, that’s a day in my life if I have an auction in the evening. 

Are you a charity auctioneer or nonprofit professional? What does your event day look like? Let me know in the comments.   
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What Nonprofits Can Learn From Las Vegas

1/27/2020

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I was in Las Vegas not long ago and boy has it changed. 

Vegas started out as the gambling capital of America. However, as Indian casinos have become more ubiquitous and states have moved to loosen restrictions on betting and gambling, Vegas has been forced to rebrand.

Today, Las Vegas is the center of nightlife. It’s where all the hottest parties are day or night. Celebrities are paid to show up at various events and venues, their mere presence elevating the party to a whole new level.

It doesn’t take long to see what makes Vegas so unique. It’s all about the way they treat you when you’re there. They make you feel special, like a queen; the most important person in the room. 

Nonprofits everywhere should take note. Most of the things that Las Vegas does to make you happy and keep you coming back can be translated to nonprofit fundraising and donor cultivation.

1. They don’t say no. No one says no. Ever. If you are in Vegas and you want something, someone will make it happen. In the nonprofit world, when things are hard or the request is strange, most of us say no. Stop doing that. Start saying, “Sure, I’ll see what I can do.”

2. They make you offers you can’t refuse. Vegas attracts you with a clever use of the fear of missing out, or FOMO. They send you emails raving about the cool new thing happening, emails filled with images and videos of people having the time of their lives. 

Nonprofits, on the other hand, communicate mostly in dire terms. We write our donors about lost funding, saving kittens, or emergency appeals. 

It’s so easy to ignore an email from a nonprofit. Do you know who it’s not easy to ignore an email from? Vegas. They grab your attention, they personalize communications. They go out of the way to make you feel important.

Many nonprofits have stopped using the phone. They’ll send a handful, or bagful, of emails each year, but they won’t call, they won’t text, and they certainly won’t swing by. If Vegas wants to get ahold of you, they are going to reach out through every available channel. And they aren’t going to stop.

So many nonprofits have more information than they can fit into a weekly or monthly newsletter. They’ll keep pushing things back to the next edition, unwilling to accept that the information is never going to make any edition. Stop doing this! Send out a second email, send a text, push the information out over social media. Communicate with your donors.

3. They take care of you. When you are in Las Vegas, they take care of you really well. Insanely well. You never want for anything. If you have money to spend in Vegas, they will get it out of you. Heck, even if you don’t have money to spend, they will get it out of you.

Nonprofits are essentially doing the same thing. We want to get money out of people. The only difference is that people tend to feel better after making a donation to a nonprofit than they do after a weekend in Vegas. So, in theory, it should be even easier to convince people to give. But it’s not, because Vegas does a better job of making people feel good.

Nonprofits should ask themselves what they can do to take care of their donors. The answer is probably an increase in personalized communication.

4. They excel at fostering a specific feeling. I started clubbing when I turned sixteen. I’ve been in and out of my fair share of nightclubs. And I can tell you that Vegas excels at selling a very specific feeling. The feeling that you are important, a rockstar, a big shot. Vegas celebrates every single purchase you make. All the nightclubs have scantily clad men and women on staff serving drinks and talking to patrons. Why? Because it makes us feel good to think we have a shot at impressing these incredibly attractive, magnetic people. 

When you make a big purchase, like a bottle, they throw a party. There might be an announcement, a song and dance, or a parade. An attractive man or woman will be assigned to sit with your group and serve you all night. If you’re with a group of guys who perhaps look a bit dorky, a bit like you struggle in the dating department, they will send a gaggle of women to sit at your table so you feel amazing. Now I’m certainly not suggesting we have our development professionals dress in revealing clothes and hand out drinks, but I am suggesting that there’s a lesson in the Vegas experience. 

Nonprofits must go out of their way to make each and every donor feel like the most integral part of the entire nonprofit machine. We should be celebrating our donors for everything they do; every donation, every volunteer hour, every promotion at work, every time they are honored by another organization. 

Communications should be personalized at every opportunity, with more than just the donor’s name. Send out birthday cards, make phone calls just to chat about something they’re interested in. Invest in your donors as human beings, not just as bank accounts. Feeling good is what keeps people engaged in Vegas night after night, it will keep your donors engaged year after year. 

5. They keep very detailed notes on you. This isn’t unique to Las Vegas, all the major high-end establishments do it. This is something that very high-networth individuals are used to, but for the rest of us it’s another detail that makes us feel special. 

From the moment you check in to a hotel in Vegas they are keeping an eye on you. They record what you drink, what you eat, where you go, etc. They keep notes on everything. They do this so that when you come back the next time they can be like, “Oh Mrs. Annes, it’s nice to see you again. Here is your favorite iced tea.” That attention to detail, anticipating wants and needs, makes people feel incredibly important. 

Let me tell you a little story about someone I know. This lady is super fancy. Twenty years ago she stayed at the Four Seasons on Hawai’i. During her stay she ordered a particular iced tea. She went back the next year, they remembered her and brought her that same iced tea before she even asked. She has been a loyal customer of theirs for twenty years because of this one action.

High-end establishments and companies in Las Vegas keep track of your information using high-tech software. I’m not suggesting you do it this way. You just need to take notes about your donors. Keep track of their names, family members they talk about, interests, their birthday, etc. You can do this on your phone, in Google Docs, in Excel, whatever works best for you. Nonprofits must care enough to take a real interest in their donor’s lives, to take notes, and to prepare before seeing them again.

6. They know what you like and use it to reel you back in. If you spend a night at a club drinking Fireball, you can bet they will remember that’s what you were drinking. At some point in the future, they will send you an email advertising a special deal on Fireball just for you next time you’re in town. They know what you like and they aren’t afraid of using it against you. 

When you think about it, this practice is just email segmentation. Nonprofits can easily do this using any email list software that allows you to segment your lists. Sort people by birthday, giving anniversary, personal interests, whatever you like. Make as many lists as you like. This will only help you to precisely target your communications.

7. Vegas has changed with the generations. The Vegas of yesteryear is long gone, replaced with a younger, hipper, more vibrant, nightlife focused Vegas. They changed with the time in order to not get left behind. Nonprofits must do the same thing. 

We need to embrace technology and trends as they come. We need to get comfortable with social media because that’s where our future donors are. Your donor base may not be primarily made up of millennials today, but before long it will be. We millennials love technology and social media. Get comfortable with these things now so you don’t get left behind as your older donors phase out.

Capitalize on things younger generations love, like Instagram. Vegas does an excellent job of creating Instagram worthy moments: Burgers you have to wear a lab coat to eat, milkshakes as big as your head, photo locations perfectly arranged to suit that Insta lifestyle. Get out of your comfort zone and work on incorporating Instagram worthy moments into your events.

This really all boils down to one thing: Treating donors like people, not like bank accounts. Nonprofits must invest in their donors as human beings. We should communicate with them regularly, not just to share updates and ask for donations, but just to say, “Hi.” Communications should be personalized as much as possible. Think of it as building a community and tending to friendships. Donors should feel like they are an integral part of the community that supports the nonprofit. They should feel special and they should feel valued.
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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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Do You Need a Charity Auctioneer When Using Giving Technology?

1/13/2020

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Giving technology comes up frequently with a number of my clients. It’s remains one of the newest trends in fundraising, and it’s worth looking into how you can best utilize it at your next event. 

Today, we’re going to talk about technology that allows nonprofits to use apps, tablets, and cell phones to facilitate their Fund-A-Need.

You can use technology to run your Fund-A-Need in two ways:
  1. Go through the Fund-A-Need levels just as you normally would, asking people to raise their paddles and pausing at each level to have them enter their gift into tablets at their tables.
  2. The person leading your Fund-A-Need stands on stage and says, “Ready. Set. Give.” Everyone uses the tablets at their table to give and you’re done in just a few minutes. 

Giving technology always recommends that you hire a charity auctioneer to facilitate the technology at your event. But, is that really necessary?

No. It’s not.

The truth is, if you are using technology to facilitate your Fund-A-Need, you don’t need a charity auctioneer. Your Fund-A-Need will run just fine without one. 

Here’s why: 

First, technology like this can make your Fund-A-Need go a million times faster. You’re done in just a few minutes. 

Second, there’s nothing a charity auctioneer can say on stage during this time, that a staff member or volunteer can’t say. You need a cheerleader to stand on stage for the few minutes the Fund-A-Need will last and say things like:
  • We’re looking for 100% participation. If you haven’t given yet, please take out your tablet, click the link, and make your gift.
  • Wow! Look at this generosity. Thank you so much.
  • We’re going to make a huge impact with these donations
  • Wow! Look at that thermometer jump up!

Anyone can do that, for far less money than a charity auctioneer costs. Where I live, nonprofits can expect to pay at least $3,000 for a charity auctioneer. With a Fund-A-Need like this, that’s $1,000 a minute! Save your money and use an enthusiastic staff member or volunteer.

Why I Don’t Do Technology-Based Fund-A-Needs
Two clients recently asked me to assist with Fund-A-Needs using giving technology. I went over their numbers with them and we had a conversation about what they could expect from this type of Fund-A-Need. The truth is, running a Fund-A-Need like this is not going to bring in a lot of money. You might match your total from the year before, but you certainly won’t see an increase and you may very well raise less.

This is the reason I personally don’t take jobs that include a technology-based Fund-A-Need. I used to, until I realized that it’s not the best thing for the nonprofit or for my business. I can’t confidently guarantee that I can raise your nonprofit more money. And, my services are not inexpensive. My services are an investment. It doesn’t make sense for nonprofits to pay both my fee and the price of using the technology.

Professionally, it’s not worth it for me to take these jobs either, because every single time I am in front of an audience I am in front of new potential clients. Fund-A-Needs with giving technology do not allow me to best showcase my skills. Any business owner interested in growing their business will tell you that they must do their very best for every single client. Auctions like this don’t allow me to do my very best. 

If you want an increase in your Fund-A-Need revenue, you need a charity auctioneer on stage to manipulate the energy in the room and get people to give. People don’t give as much to their phone as they do to a person.

Technology can certainly help your nonprofit save time on the Fund-A-Need. However, you are going to make less money and you’re going to pay more to hire an auctioneer and use the technology than you would just hiring a charity auctioneer to run a full Fund-A-Need at your next event.

I’m not saying that giving technology can’t have a positive impact on your fundraising. It can be incredibly effective at increasing the revenue and reach of silent auctions, for example. I just don’t think the Fund-A-Need is the right place to use this technology.

Does your nonprofit use technology to facilitate the Fund-A-Need? What do you see as the pros and cons of this approach? Let me know in the comments.
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Is Your Charity Auctioneer Really on Your Team?

12/27/2019

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I get calls pretty regularly from nonprofits frustrated with the auctioneer they used the previous year. Sometimes their frustration stems from circumstances that were beyond the auctioneer’s control. But my guess is that most of the time, the auctioneer took the job for the wrong reasons. Trust me, I’ve done it before.

The reality is, many charity auctioneers are in this business to make money for themselves. The biggest feel good moment of their night is when you hand them a check.

The thing is, we do our best work when we put our own needs aside and focus entirely on the needs of the nonprofit.
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Here’s how to know if your auctioneer is really on your team:

They always work in the best interest of the nonprofit and their donors. Their focus is not on how much they will earn for the evening, but on how much they can raise for you.

They make your donors feel appreciated and loved for their generosity. They do this regardless of the donor’s capacity to give. Minor donors are just as important as major donors. Everyone who gives should be celebrated. Everyone who volunteers should be celebrated.

They’re honest. I am honest about what my clients need and don’t need for their event, every step of the way. I am honest about what I think the event can achieve. I am honest about what they are doing right and what they could do better. As charity auctioneers, our job is to be completely honest and transparent.

They offer free advice. Any charity auctioneer worth their salt will give you free advice over the phone before you fork over any money or sign a contract. If an auctioneer says, “If you were my client, I could help you with that,” they are trying to get you to sign up for their services regardless of if they are the right fit for you. 

They tell you what to look for in a charity auctioneer. I am up front about the qualities that I think make for a good charity auctioneer. I tell all of my potential clients to watch my videos, and the videos of anyone else they are considering, before they make their final decision. If they feel I’m a good fit, they should pick me. If any part of them feels that I’m the wrong fit for the event, they should go with someone else. They don’t always pick me. This puts the nonprofit’s needs above my personal money-making capacity.
    


Here’s how to know if your auctioneer is not on your team:

They promise you the world. They say they can raise you millions of dollars when you normally raise $250k. They make promises without understanding the nuances of your nonprofit and your fundraising event.

They don’t care about metrics and data. If your auctioneer is basing their promises on nothing—no metrics, no numbers, no data—run and hide. They are making it up. Your charity auctioneer should always look at your numbers before providing an estimate of how much you can raise at your event. Always. People lie, numbers don’t. 

They don’t give you options. It’s one way or no way. Fundraising isn’t a one size fits all proposition. There are always different options for every aspect of each event. If your auctioneer says there isn’t, they are lying to you. A lack of options betrays a lack of flexibility on the part of the auctioneer, or suggests they don’t understand fundraising enough to customize and tailor their service to your event.

Hiring the right charity auctioneer for your event is important. Look for someone who goes out of their way to research your organization, who understands your mission and values. Watch video of potential charity auctioneers in action to see if they are right for you. The right charity auctioneer is out there, you just have to find them. ​
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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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Giving Back to the Community: Books for Kids

11/11/2019

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And now for something completely different.

Books!


I love books. I collect books. Some may suggest my book collection is approaching hoarder levels.


One of the things I do with my kids is read. We read aloud together almost every night. 


I’m also always looking for ways to engage my kids in philanthropy and instill in them the importance of giving back to the community.

What could possibly be better than combining the two?

Here’s a list of some of the amazing books about giving back to the community and making a difference that I read with my kids.


A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

A book from my childhood. It’s about a family that is working very hard and saving little by little to get something they really want. When a fire breaks out in their apartment building, everyone comes together to help. That’s actually my favorite page to look at with my kids, we talk about the items that everyone is bringing to the new apartment. This book is about everyone coming together to achieve a common goal, which is what philanthropy is all about.


A Hen for Izzy Pippik, written by Aubrey Davis and illustrated by Marie Lafrance

A young girl faces a moral dilemma when she finds an egg seller’s lost chicken. This book has sparked many debates with my eldest. When the chicken multiplies, who do the new chickens belong to? Who does the chicken really belong to? What do you do when you find something that belongs to somebody else? How do you know when to give something away?


Free to Be… You and Me by Marlo Thomas and Friends

This is a collection of short stories and poems from the seventies. It’s about growing up and figuring out your life. What I love most of all are the stories about helping others. Messages of acceptance and helping one another really come to the forefront when we talk about philanthropy.


Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

One of my favorite author/illustrators. Miss Rumphius is instructed by her father to do three things: travel, live by the sea, and make the world a beautiful place. She plants lupine flowers all over her town, but we talk about the non-physical things you can do to make the world a more beautiful place.


Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox

Miss Twiggley is a woman who is judged very harshly by her community, but in the end they need her help to survive a big storm. This is a book about helping and giving back to your community, no matter what.


The Ordinary People Change the World
series, written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

These are easy to read books about people who made the world a better place. Oftentimes they’re about doing what you know in your heart is right, even when others think it’s wrong. Our favorites are Jane Goodall, Jim Henson, and Helen Keller. These people were all told they couldn’t do what they loved and wanted to do. They proved everyone wrong and went on to make a big difference in the world.


Thank You, Mr Falker by Patricia Polacco

This one is about appreciation. A young girl is diagnosed with dyslexia by her teacher. With his help she goes on to become a writer. All it took was one person believing in her. The message here is that if you really believe in the work, and the person behind the work, great things can happen.


The Empty Pot by Demi

This book is about telling the truth and doing what’s right even when it’s hard. It’s about being true to yourself and what you know is true. To be a happy, fulfilled philanthropist you have to follow what you believe in. You don’t have to support the trendiest nonprofits, you support the ones you believe in.


The Hundred Dresses, written by Eleanor Estes and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin

This book is more about kindness than philanthropy, but I think every good philanthropist is empathetic. I love that the main character empathizes with somebody and it haunts her until she makes it right. Personally, I have missed opportunities that haunt me that I am unable to make right, so this one really hits a chord with me. This book teaches kids that standing by and doing nothing is just as bad as doing something hurtful or mean. I’m reminded of this quote from the Pirkei Avot, “You are not obligated to complete the work but neither are you free to desist from it.”


The Invisible Boy, written by Trudy Ludwig and illustrated by Patrice Barton
 

A boy is invisible at school, no one talks to him or sits with him or plays with him until he makes one friend. It opens up his life and makes a big difference. This is a great one for teaching kids about taking action. Philanthropy is best demonstrated through actions that you can see the results from rather than from giving money that you don’t see the direct results from.


Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by Dyanne Disalvo-Ryan

Based on the author’s experience volunteering at a soup kitchen, this book is about a young boy who volunteers at a soup kitchen with his uncle. It helps take the mystery out of volunteering. The book shows you what a difference you can really make in people’s lives. It dispels the myths about those who need the service of the soup kitchen and allows young children to think about people living on the street in a way that makes sense to them.

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How I Engage My Kids in Philanthropy

11/8/2019

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I have three young children. It may come as a surprise when I say I engage my children in philanthropy at every opportunity, even at their young ages. This started naturally for us when my eldest was in that phase where they ask you to read everything they see. 

Where I live, there is a substantial homeless population. We can’t drive through our town without seeing homeless people standing on corners. One day, my eldest started asking me to read their signs to her. This quickly morphed into a teachable moment in a way I did not anticipate. Upon hearing that the people on the corners held signs asking for money, my daughter asked if we could give them some, thinking that if someone needs help, we should help them. Of course, you can’t say yes to every person on the corner, especially where I live, you’d be out $20 every time you leave the house. When I replied, “No,” her question changed. “Why not?” she asked. Instead of saying, “Because I said so.” I started using these moments to talk about how we can’t give money to everyone who asks and to ask her how we should decide who we give money to.


Our synagogue sometimes puts out little care packages for people in need. Bags containing crackers, hand warming packets, toothbrushes, etc. The idea is that as you leave temple, you grab a few bags and give them to people in the community who need them. So we did. We put some in the back of the car and instead of offering money to the homeless people on the corners, we gave them these care packages. This offered me another unexpected opportunity to start teaching my kids about giving back, and how that doesn’t always mean donating money. 


This experience spawned a new tradition in our family. When we go to a bulk store, we buy things to make our own care packages that we keep in the car and hand out to people in need. We can all make our own judgments about the homeless people standing on the corners and how they intend to use the money they ask for. But the way I see it, if you are standing on the corner asking for money a small care package will not go unappreciated.


Another thing we do with our children is, every Friday night we take all our spare change and put it in a box. When the box fills up we sit down as a family and count the money (Yay, impromptu math lessons). Then, we ask the kids what they would like to donate the money to. My kids are too young to be familiar with the nonprofits in our area, so we pick out two or three options that they can choose from. These are always places or causes that they would be familiar with: their school, our synagogue, animal shelters, etc. I’ll print out some pictures from the organization’s website and we have a conversation about where the money will go. This has lead to many conversations with my eldest that I don’t think we would have had any other way.

Lastly, when I leave to do an auction, my eldest and I talk about the organization I’m going to help and why I chose to work with them. She’s learning lots about the different nonprofits in our area and about my personal giving philosophy.

In the coming years I will involve my younger children more and more in these conversations and activities. Hopefully, they’ll grow up with a sense of gratitude for what they have and a feeling of responsibility to help others.

​
How do you engage your children in philanthropy? Let me know in the comments.
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Last Paddle: Money Maker or Time Sink?

11/1/2019

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As a charity auctioneer, I run a lot of Fund-A-Needs every year. In my circle of auctioneers, a new game has started to dominate the conversation around Fund-A-Needs. We call it the popcorn game, but most people probably know it as last paddle. 

Last paddle is a game played during the last giving level of the Fund-A-Need. Typically the last level of the Fund-A-Need is $100 or $50, though some nonprofits stop at $1000. This game works better the lower the last level is. 

If you are unfamiliar with Fund-A-Needs, they are usually performed top-down; starting at the highest level and working to the lowest. 

There are two reasons for this: 
  1. Psychologically speaking, starting with a call for $20k makes $1k sound like less money than it is, more people are inclined to give when the level sounds lower. 
  2. We expect less donors at the top than at the bottom, so the Fund-A-Need happens in the shape of a pyramid, building momentum as it goes. This gives us the opportunity to recognize major donors and use that recognition to spur increased giving at the lower levels. 

Last paddle is introduced right at the beginning of the final Fund-A-Need level. The auctioneer stops the Fund-A-Need for a couple minutes to explain how the game works. They introduce an amazing prize or package and explain that the last person to have their paddle in the air at the end of this giving level wins the prize. People can raise their paddles as many times as they want but each time they do, they commit to an additional donation at that giving level. 

This game usually starts out slow with a paddle every twenty or thirty seconds. As the game continues and the room warms up, the paddles start shooting in the air faster and faster, like popcorn. While waiting for the room to heat up, the auctioneer stands on stage, stalling for time. Depending on your auctioneer this can be a good thing or a bad thing. The game continues for a set amount of time: seven, ten, even fifteen minutes. When time is called, the last person who put their paddle in the air is declared the winner.

I have seen a lot of chatter about this game recently. Other auctioneers talk a lot about how the game raises an extra two or three thousand dollars each time they play it. 

This got me thinking. Are people really making extra money by playing this game? Or, are they making the same amount, or even less, as they would if they ran the Fund-A-Need without the game?

For a fundraiser like me, extra money during the Fund-A-Need means only one of two things: Either everyone in the room participated or those that did participate increased their gifts. These are the only two ways to generate extra money during a Fund-A-Need.

I decided to do an experiment. I went over to YouTube and searched for videos of people playing this game. I watched several, taking notes on how many paddles went up, what the total was, and how long the game lasted. 

What I found was not surprising to me, but it might be surprising to you. Maybe you’ll think twice before playing this game at your next event.

My experiment showed several things:
  1. The quality of the prize greatly increased the chances the game would generate extra revenue. Hamilton tickets and high-level luxury vacation packages were guaranteed to make this game a success. However, including Hamilton tickets in your live auction would raise just as much money, if not more. The increase in revenue is connected more to the prize item than to the game.
  2. The game takes between eight and fifteen minutes to play. That’s a long time to spend on one Fund-A-Need level, especially at the end of the Fund-A-Need.
  3. When I tracked the paddle numbers, I discovered that only a small number of donors were playing the game, each bidding multiple times. My hunch is that it’s not the lower level donors who are bidding, it’s the major donors who can afford to place multiple $100 bids during a game. It can feel like you are getting a lot of participation in the moment, but you may be shutting out your lower-level donors entirely. Think about it, if you are a lower-level donor, are you going to bid one time on an item that a major donor will end up winning because they can afford to bid five times?
  4. The game kills the Fund-A-Need momentum and the mission of the nonprofit gets completely lost. Because the auctioneer has to stop everything to explain how the game works, the mission of the nonprofit comes secondary to the rules of the game and the prize. The Fund-A-Need becomes all about winning a cool prize. The philanthropic reasons for giving are removed entirely, and that should never ever happen.

​The next time you are at a fundraiser and you see this game played, pay very close attention to what is happening and who is bidding. If you aren’t going to a fundraiser anytime soon, do what I did: Go on YouTube and search for videos of this game in action. Watch a few of them and take notes, then as yourself these questions:
  • Was it worth the time?
  • Was it worth the loss of messaging?
  • Was it worth the loss of lower-level donors?

​I think you’ll come to the same conclusion I did. 


I have also heard that last paddle is a confusing game to play. Donors often come to the check-out table and are shocked to discover that they owe more than anticipated. Many don’t realize, even when it is explained very clearly, that each paddle raise commits them to an additional donation. This confusion leads to awkward and uncomfortable conversations that no one wants to have. This makes a lot of sense to me, it doesn’t matter how clearly you explain the game, people are drinking and some of them are going to miss the rules.

The takeaway here is: If you are considering playing last paddle at your next Fund-A-Need, do some research. This game may not make you as much money as you think.


Have you played last paddle during a Fund-A-Need? What worked well, or not so well, for you? Let me know in the comments.
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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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The Public Radio Fund-A-Need Model

10/7/2019

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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. 

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Public Radio Fundraisers: What I Wish They Knew

10/4/2019

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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.
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Deeper Donor Relationships Through Note-Taking

9/30/2019

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About four or five months into my first fundraising job I went to a conference. It was my first ever professional conference and I was meeting so many people who I knew would be in and around my career for the foreseeable future. 

I wanted, and needed, to remember each and every one of them. 


At my previous job working on a cruise ship, I didn’t need to remember everyone’s name because once they got off the boat I was unlikely to ever see them again. But in a field like fundraising, which is centered on people and relationships, remembering people is important.


I started taking notes at the end of every day on every new person I met who had a chance of being in my life professionally. And I still do. I do all of this on the notes app on my phone so I can take notes anytime, anywhere, but you should use whatever device works best for you. 


The first thing I do is write down each person’s name, full name if I have it. I also record anything that comes up in conversation: their interests, where they live, what their job is, etc. 


Then, before I see each person again, I check my notes. This makes conversation less awkward because I don’t have to rely on generic small talk. I can ask specific questions about their job, hobbies, or interests because I made a note about what I learned from previous interactions. 


It makes a world of difference. 


People genuinely appreciate it when you take the time to remember something specific about them.

I can’t take all the credit for this practice, I learned it from my dad. He would write down everything he learned about people so that he wouldn’t forget them before the next time he spoke to them.


I encourage everyone to adapt this practice to your needs. Take notes on anything that seems useful, but don’t pressure yourself to record everything. This practice isn’t supposed to add hours of work to your day, just a few minutes here and there. Keep this information in a place where you and your employees can access it easily before talking with donors and beneficiaries. 


Taking notes will help your conversations go more smoothly because it removes any nervousness surrounding what to say. It will also remind you and your employees to see your donors as people, not as wallets.

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Stop Comparing Your Nonprofit to Others

9/13/2019

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One of the most common things I hear nonprofit professionals talk to each other about is how well another nonprofit in their area is doing. 

Often it’s gossipy things like, “Did you hear how much so-and-so raised at their gala?” Or, “I don’t understand how they’re doing so well when we have x, y, and z.” 


During these conversations the participants are invariably comparing the wrong things. Things like how many auction items they had, who their auctioneer was, or whether the richest people in town were in attendance. 


But, what is invisible is hardest to compare.


From outside of an organization you can’t see: 

  • How many hours they put into planning their event 
  • Their dedicated development team
  • What their donor outreach looks like  

Constant comparison is crippling for many nonprofits - and let’s face it, for life in general. It leads to copycat behavior and jealousy. 


Here’s an example of this phenomena that is local to me. 


If you know
Wine Women & Shoes, you know that these events are incredibly successful franchise fundraisers. Every year where I live there are dozens of knock-off events run by people trying to recreate the magic of Wine Women & Shoes without the proper ingredients. 


These events are so obviously knock-offs (even maintaining the distinctive naming scheme) that it is physically uncomfortable. The nonprofits that organize these events are clearly attempting to recreate the success of these wildly popular fundraisers, but they are failing to create a unique and meaningful experience for their donors. 


My advice to nonprofits everywhere is: Keep your head down, stay in your lane, and work on creating memorable experiences that resonate with your donors. Do the work required (and it is work!) to connect your donors to your mission and you will find the success you’re looking for. 


Or better yet, get in touch with other nonprofits in your area that are doing work similar to you. If your nonprofit focuses on job training for the homeless community, perhaps there’s a collaboration opportunity with a nonprofit that focuses on feeding or housing the homeless. Brainstorm ways you can collaborate to increase the reach of your organizations. By focusing on what you can do together, rather than what the other group is doing, you and your team will begin to approach the issues from a place of positivity rather than negativity.  


Bringing related organizations together allows you to form a partnership that benefits both nonprofits. Your combined resources will benefit the community far more than petty jealousies and in-fighting. After all, isn’t that why we’re in this business?
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Sexual Harassment at Charity Events

8/26/2019

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Sexual harassment at charity events is something we don’t talk about enough in this field. It happens all the time.

It’s a horrible situation especially because, when I’m mic'd up for an event, I can’t chew out the human scum lobbing these inappropriate comments at me.


Unfortunately, older men are the worst exhibitors of this behavior.


They put their arm around you and pull you into a hold like you are their wife or girlfriend. It’s deeply intimate and incredibly inappropriate. And there’s nothing you can do. You are representing the nonprofit in that moment, you can’t pull away or tell them off. You have no recourse.


Men have interrupted my auctions, not to bid on items, but to ask me to sell them my panties.


People have gotten up to interrupt me, mid-auction, and explain to me how they think I should be doing my job.


I spent a good portion of last auction season pregnant. I’m small, so when I’m pregnant I get really big. Each time I have come back to work after having a baby, I receive gross comments about my body and how thin and attractive I am now that I’m not pregnant. It’s gross, it’s rude, and it’s inappropriate. I wish they noticed the auction items as much as my post-pregnancy weight loss. 


I’m already preparing myself for all the comments I’m going to get when I show up to auctions this year looking like my normal, non-pregnant self. Also, thank you for remembering how good I am at my job, instead of just what I look like. I love this job and I’m damn good at it, it would be nice if people remembered that for a change.


I’m not sure if male auctioneers suffer similar mistreatment at events. I would not be surprised to learn that they do.


I have thought about asking the nonprofits I work with to do something to combat sexual harassment at events. If it’s happening to me, it’s definitely happening to other people. But, I’m not sure what they could, or would, do about it. Will they risk losing a major donor who just happens to also be a creep? Or will they let that behavior slide because they can’t function without those major donations? Unfortunately, I think I know the answer. 


Comment below and let me know what you think nonprofits can/should do if a donor behaves inappropriately at a fundraising event.

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The Worst Donor Thank You Ever

8/23/2019

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Recently, I received an email from an organization that I give to regularly. Ostensibly this was a thank you email, but you wouldn’t know it. I considered including the email in this post, but I don’t want to embarrass the party that sent it.

The email in question was over 300 words long, and “thank you” appeared only once, near the very end of the email. The person who created this email was clearly not interested in thanking me for my donation. In fact, they spent the beginning of the email talking about how giving to the organization makes them feel.


They were also not interested in personalizing the correspondence because everything about this email screamed form email.


Now, I’m not against using form emails. In fact, used properly form emails can save your organization a lot of time. But, you must put in the time to personalize every single email you send, especially thank you emails. This can be accomplished through a simple mail-merge process.


When personalizing thank you emails at least three things must be included:


  1. The donor should be addressed by name. 
  2. You should make reference to each donor's specific philanthropic interests. 
  3. You should mention at least a couple ways your donors dollars are being used. 

In the case of this email, the sender listed off three ways in which my dollars might have been used, none of which were the reason I give to this particular organization.

Finally, there’s an obvious typo near the end of the email. It should go without saying, but all materials produced by any organization should be proofread before being sent out. 


When it comes to thanking your donors, the details matter. Your email should be uniformly formatted and free of typos. It should address your donor personally and include references to their specific philanthropic interests. And most importantly, it should say thank you early and often.

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Are You Tricking Your Donors?

7/26/2019

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Right before I went away for winter break, I received an invitation in the mail to an end of the year luncheon for major donors. I opened it quickly and then looked at the invitation for about five minutes straight. I looked at it so long that my husband asked what I was reading. I told him, “This is the worst invitation I have ever received.” And it was. 

It was the perfect example of what not to do and how to mislead your donors.


There were many issues with this invitation, but the biggest issue was the RSVP card. The card had two checkboxes: One for “Yes, I will attend” and one for “No, I am unable to attend.” 


This is all well and good, except that when I read the entire invitation, it became clear that this was more than just a simple RSVP. By checking “Yes I will attend,” I was actually checking “Yes I will attend and recommit my yearly gift.” 


This luncheon is for
major donors, so these yearly gifts are not small. We’re talking about $5,000 donations, at a minimum.


Here’s the problem with asking for gift commitments this way: You are missing the chance to interact with your major donors and deepen your relationship. In my opinion, asks this large should
always be done in person. 


Always.


At this level of giving, donors should receive updates about the organization and how their money is being used on a regular basis. And they simply must be solicited in person. 


By as asking for a major gift on an RSVP card the organization missed a major donor cultivation opportunity. By taking the opportunity to build and preserve donor relationships, this organization could have secured increased gifts, rather than flat gifts. 


I also wondered what would have happened if I had not read the information carefully. Would I have committed to a gift of $5k or more? Was I the only one who was confused? What did other donors think? Did they check the RSVP box and not realize that they were committing to a gift to that year’s campaign?


When designing invitations to a special event, it’s important to make your donor’s feel special, rather than making them feel unappreciated. Take the time to cultivate your donors and be clear about what you need and want from them. You’re better off picking up the phone and having a quick chat than risking alienating a major donor and losing their donations for years to come.

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My Secret for Easy to Acquire Live Auction Destination Trips

7/22/2019

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Finding amazing auction items for your live auction is hard. It’s time consuming, it’s slow, and it’s not always easy to find something fresh and new for your donor community to bid on. 

People often ask me: What are the top sellers at your fundraising auctions? 


The answer is: The Live Auction Trinity

  1. Trips
  2. Dinners
  3. Experiences

Hands down, trips are the best-selling items at live charity auctions. Trips are also the hardest auction items to procure.

But not anymore. 


I’m sharing my secret for amazing vacation packages to include in your nonprofit’s next live auction, silent auction, or raffle. 


HGAFundraising.com
 


HGA Fundraising typically sells directly to charity auctioneers, like me. However, they recently started selling directly to nonprofits, which is great news for you and your organization.


HGA Fundraising’s trips are different from the typical consignment packages that many nonprofits use in their live auctions.

  • They’re low-priced. HGA Fundraising’s trips have RIDICULOUS margins. Since their trips cost anywhere from $89-$400 for a week long trip, your nonprofit can expect a 100% return. Compare that to a typical consignment package that most nonprofit’s sell for a 25%-50% return on their investment. Do the math. It is simple to see that HGA Fundraising makes your organization more money.
  • They don’t contain extras. I personally believe that travel packages do not need to include airfare. During my time as a charity auctioneer, I have found that airfare rarely affects the final selling price. HGA Fundraising’s trips do not include airfare (although they do offer it if you are interested in adding to any package) which means larger margins for your organization.
  • They’re multi-use. Because the price point of these trips is so phenomenal, many of my clients use trips purchased from HGA Fundraising as silent auction items, raffle prizes, and auction game prizes. 

The Fine Print
Head to 
HGAFundraising.com and peruse the trips. 

What would appeal to your audience? Cabo? Punta Cana? Las Vegas? Orlando? 


Purchase as many travel packages as you want/need.


HGA Fundraising will mail you certificates for each package. These certificates are what you give to the winning bidder. 


The winner of the package calls the HGA Fundraising concierge service to help them book their hotel.
These packages do not come attached to a specific hotel, instead they let you pick where you want to stay from a list of hotels in your chosen location.  


These packages are for two people. If you want to offer a trip for four people, you will need to buy two packages. 


Many auctioneers will try to sell you packages just like these. Know that they are going to mark them up to make a little extra money. If it is easier for your to purchase these through your auctioneer, great! Just know, that you can go straight to the website and buy them yourself. 

HGA Fundraising used to be a secret within the charity auctioneer community, but something this good shouldn’t be kept a secret. Head over to 
HGAFundraising.com and check it out for yourself. Tell them I sent you!
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Save Time and Money Buying These Services on Fiverr

7/19/2019

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Nonprofit organizations are notorious for being understaffed and overworked. Furthermore, we know many nonprofits only have one or two employees, and we can’t expect them to be able to fundraise and create beautiful marketing materials or set up Google’s G Suite. 

A great way to handle limited, overworked staff is to outsource the tasks that can be easily done by other professionals. This saves your organization time and money. It also ensures that your employees and volunteers are using their time as wisely as possible and using the skills they were hired for, rather than spending hours fiddling with creating marketing materials.

So where should a nonprofit turn to find an endless range of services provided by independent contractors with fixed rates? 

Fiverr.

Fiverr is the world's largest marketplace for digital services. A service offered on Fiverr is called a gig. Sellers have the option to choose their starting price point. With gig packages, contractors can offer buyers different service packages at different prices. Many gigs on Fiverr start at only $5.

Simply type the service you are looking for into the search bar. When you find a gig you like, click on it for more information on the contractor and the service they are advertising. Don’t forget to check the seller’s reviews to see if they are reputable. When you have found what you need, place your order and the product will be delivered in a few days.

Here’s my list of the top ten marketing and content creation tasks that your nonprofit can buy on Fiverr.

1. 2D animation video/explainer video
Creating videos and animations can be tedious, even for seasoned professionals. Stop wasting your time and search one of the most popular categories on Fiverr. Not sure what you would use an animated explainer video for? Here are some ideas:
  • Homepage video explaining what your nonprofit does
  • Volunteer recruitment video
  • Event promotion video
  • Giving Tuesday video
  • Introduce new staff/programs/facility 
  • Explain how a donation will be used

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers who create great explainer videos:
Weperfectionist, Gigblast 


2. Google Analytics, if not set up already

Unsure of how much traffic your nonprofit website is getting? Don’t know what your bounce rate is? How are people finding your organization? No idea? You need Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google. This is a service no organization should go without, but it is tricky and complicated to set up. Don’t waste time trying to figure it out - just purchase a gig and your google analytics will be set up in about 24 hours.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: georgecollins, luikangmk

3. Newsletter/marketing materials
Writing a newsletter and other marketing materials takes time. Lots and lots of time. Well-constructed written material makes all the difference in how people perceive your organization. If you don’t have a writer on staff, this is one area you should definitely consider outsourcing.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: iiqrubel, seatiel

4. Email marketing using constant contact or mailchimp
Managing your email list is another time-consuming task that can be easily outsourced.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: amyample, shmm097

5. Logo

An eye-catching logo can really set your organization apart from the pack. Don’t have one? Don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on a graphic designer to create you one? Consider a custom logo from  Fiverr. The best part about it? It will be ready to use in just a few days.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: skydesigner, bilalhaider23

6. Direct Mail brochures/fliers
Direct mail campaigns can be a breeze to write, but designing and formatting them can be time consuming, and often frustrating. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out Canva or Microsoft Word, head over the Fiverr and have it done in less than 24 hours.

Take a look at this top Fiverr freelancer: creative_clan

7. Banners for social media
Want your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to have custom banners at the top? It’s so simple, when you know how to do it. Hire an independent contractor each time you need to update your social media images.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: graphicsfox, supuntharaka225

8. Infographics about the work your nonprofit does
Infographics are a great way to communicate the impact of your nonprofit in a clear, concise manner. All donors love seeing how their donations make an impact. Thinking about creating an infographic yourself? Don’t. Leave it to the experts on Fiverr. Just send your verbiage and data and they will turn it into a presentable graphic.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: jenajenny, fasty93

9. Online research - SEO and market research
Doing market research and finessing your SEO can be time consuming. Are you planning on keeping up with all the monthly Google algorithm changes? In just 24-48 hours you can get a full spreadsheet of keywords for SEO usage. Don’t spend hours on tasks like these - outsource to a Fiverr contractor who has the time and expertise to deliver the information you need.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: ozzieuk, blboss

10. Annual reports
Get your annual report put together in an easy to read format before distributing it to your board and CEO.

Take a look at these top Fiverr freelancers: midoridesign, akilmazumder
​

Disclaimer: These are examples, not recommendations. Always vet all of your independent contractors individually.
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Should Your Next Hire Be a Virtual Assistant?

7/8/2019

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Every week I hop on a video conference call with someone that I have never met in person. She’s not a client, she’s my Virtual Assistant and she rocks.

Amberlee (my VA) and I have been working together since January 2018 and I couldn’t be happier. She’s not my first VA and she won’t be my last. I found her via
Upwork and manage all payments and logistics through their site.


Working with Amberlee has been simple, easy, and straightforward. She has skills that I lack and is completely focused on her tasks and goals for the week. 


If your organization is looking to hire a staff member you should absolutely consider hiring a Virtual Assistant.


And here’s why.


Nonprofits often struggle with hiring staff. It can be difficult to offer employees a competitive salary on a limited budget. Equally, it can be hard to find qualified employees in small towns or rural locations.


Enter the Virtual Assistant. 


Virtual Assistants are independent contractors who work for you remotely. They don’t come in to your office. They do not even need to live in the same state as you. In my opinion, the benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant cannot be ignored.


There’s a Virtual Assistant for every task.
They can help you respond to emails, create content for your blog or website, monitor and run your social media accounts, attend meetings (virtually), write grants, create solicitation letters, crunch data, etc. 


If there’s a task you want to outsource, there’s a freelancer who can handle it. 


Outsourcing the tasks your employees and volunteers normally do will free them up to spend more time cultivating donors, fundraising, and doing the actual work your nonprofit does in the community. 


Virtual Assistants can fill the holes in your skill set.
If, like me, you are not the best writer and writing feels more like a chore to you than anything, consider hiring a freelancer who specializes in writing. Maintaining a constant stream of content on your blog and social media pages is really important. Hiring a freelancer who can create the content with you, and take care of publishing it, can free up hours and hours of your week, not to mention increase your visibility and social media presence.


Virtual Assistants can keep you on track.
If your brain works a mile a minute and you have trouble keeping yourself organized or following a task to completion, having a person around to hold you accountable makes a huge difference to your own productivity. And you’ve got a second pair of eyes helping to make sure projects don’t get forgotten. 


Virtual Assistants often work on a per project basis.
This means you can hire them for a one-time project instead of committing to a long-term contract. Some freelancers accept payment per project or task, others prefer to be paid hourly for their time. With so much variety you are sure to find someone who fits your needs. 


Virtual Assistants will save your organization money.
Because they work remotely, your organization does not have any overhead admin costs when hiring a Virtual Assistant. You don’t have to provide them with an office, computer, phone, etc. You don’t have to provide insurance, paid time off, or other benefits.


Keep in Mind...
 


Here are some tips for fostering a healthy working relationship with your next Virtual Assistant, straight from mine.


Have a purpose for hiring.
Know exactly what you want from your freelancer. Are you open to a variety of roles they might fill or do you need someone specifically to stay on top of scheduling and emails? Be honest with yourself about what you need and what you are looking for. If you aren’t honest with yourself, you won’t find the best person for you. 


Many freelancers specialize in certain areas. Me? I’m a writer and editor. When hiring a freelancer, look for someone who specializes in what you need. Don’t hire a graphic designer and expect them to also take care of your scheduling and emails.


You get what you pay for.
Freelancers who charge a shockingly low rate are not going to provide the same level of service as those who charge more. They just aren’t. Even though you are hiring an independent contractor, you should still expect to pay them a decent rate for their time and expertise. 


We’re not mind readers.
Don’t expect your Virtual Assistant to nail everything on the first day. You will need to provide clear direction and training for them, just as you would any other employee or volunteer.


Similarly, if we’re not doing something correctly, tell us! Most of us want to do our best work for each and every client.


We’re people too.
Sure, we don’t have traditional office jobs (and hey, we might have one of those too!), but most of us have a lot of other stuff going on. Respect our time like we respect yours. If your freelancer gives you set hours during which they are available, honor that schedule. Don’t email them at 2:00 a.m. and expect them to turn something around for you in an hour. 

It all boils down to communication. Be upfront and honest when interviewing prospective hires. Let them know exactly what you’re looking for and what is expected of them. Really listen to any concerns they have about scheduling, pay, and workload. Then keep that line of communication open going forward. Honest conversation will ensure that you have a healthy, mutually beneficial working relationship with your Virtual Assistant or contractor from the beginning.  

Hiring a Virtual Assistant can be a boon to your nonprofit organization. Start small. Hire your first freelancer to complete a single project or to work for you for five hours a week. Communicate openly and honestly with them, and give them the tools they need to do the job you are requesting. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference outsourcing tasks and exposing your team to the expertise of others can make to your nonprofit.

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Does Your Nonprofit Need a Podcast?

5/27/2019

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Have you ever thought about starting a podcast for your nonprofit organization? I’ve been doing some research and a podcast could be just what your nonprofit needs to engage donors, attract millennials, and share information.

Since their inception around twelve years ago, podcasts have continued to grow in popularity. According to Edison Research, 44% of Americans have listened to a podcast at some point and 26% have listened in the last month. 48 million Americans listen to at least one podcast each week.

That’s a MASSIVE chunk of the population spending 30-60 minutes a week listening to podcasts!


What is a Podcast?
If you have been living under a rock, or are too intimidated to open the purple icon on your iPhone, podcasts are essentially free, on demand radio programs. There are podcasts on every subject imaginable, from politics and art to storytelling and video game strategy.

I can practically hear you saying, “That’s great Abra, but what could I possibly talk about on a podcast?”

Well, that depends on who you create the podcast for and how you want to use the medium.

If you want to share updates on programs, fundraising, and policies that affect your nonprofit organization, consider creating weekly or even monthly podcast episodes. Your podcast may not attract new donors, but it would be a great way for your organization to disperse information in a format that your audience can consume on their own schedule.

If you are interested in telling stories that highlight your organization’s work and beneficiary success stories, podcasting is a phenomenal medium. Some of the most popular podcasts (This American Life, RadioLab, etc) are story based.
Here are some fun podcast ideas that I know would attract an audience - including me. I even made up some fun podcast names that you are free to steal/use.
  • Bark, Bark, Meow, Meow - Nonprofit: Animal Shelter 

    Interviews with adoptive pet parents on the day they take home their new pet and then follow up with them six months later to talk about how having a pet has changed their lives.
  • Homeless - Nonprofit: Homeless Shelter 

    Tell the story of a different homeless person each week. What their life was like prior to being homeless, how/why they became homeless, what their homeless life is like, what steps they are taking to get a permanent home.
  • 10,000 Apples - Nonprofit: Food Pantry

    Present recipes using only items from the food pantry that day or week. Stories of people that have used or currently use the food pantry.
  • Lord’s Prayer - Nonprofit: Church

    Stories of how your church members found God and how it transformed their lives.
And this is just what I came up with in four minutes.
Your podcast doesn’t have to be long. Ten minutes or less is the perfect length for a short podcast that tells a great story.


What You Need to Get Started Podcasting
Surprisingly little!
To start a podcast you absolutely must have:
  • A computer
  • A decent microphone
  • Recording and editing software
  • An internet connection
  • A quiet place to record
  • Time

​That’s it.


That’s all you need.

When considering microphones, you don’t need to spend a fortune but you do want something more than your built-in microphone.

A myriad of technical sins can be mitigated by recording in a quiet environment. You want a room removed from your family or coworkers and without an echo. There are many tips and tricks on the internet for turning unused closets into recording spaces or for setting your space up to record the cleanest audio possible. That’s the key.

You’ll also need some recording and editing software. You can go all out and buy expensive software to record and edit your podcasts, but you can do all the basics using free programs like Audacity.

If you plan to interview people over the internet, you will also need call software like Skype.

Factor in any prep time you need and your actual recording time. Set aside three to four times your recording time for editing your podcast. It seems crazy, but that is how long it takes, especially when you are learning.

If your nonprofit has the financial means, you can also hire someone to edit your podcasts for you.

Before you jump in and start recording your first episode, let’s talk about the reasons why you should and shouldn’t start a podcast.

Your Nonprofit Should Start a Podcast If….
You want to build a community around your nonprofit and maybe reach a new audience. Podcasts are a great way to connect your organization with people across the country and even the world. Many times these are people who would never have learned of your organization any other way. Exposing a new group of people to your nonprofit and mission can help grow awareness of the issues facing the communities you serve. Establishing a consistent release schedule for your podcast content allows you to remain in consistent contact with your audience.

You want to encourage people to take action in their community. Podcasts are a great way to expose people to issues they may not know exist. Issuing a call to action over your podcast, encouraging people to donate their time either with your organization or locally to them, can increase the number of people involved in nonprofit work.

You want to be a part of the larger conversation. It’s so easy for each of us to live happily in our little bubbles. Podcasts expose people from all over the world to new ideas and ways of looking at things. Your podcast can be a jumping off point for building a larger online community. Using your podcast as a way to interview experts and other people involved in your industry can further extend the reach of your podcast and contribute to the larger conversation by exposing your listeners to people and ideas they may be unfamiliar with.

You want to reach younger demographics. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Millennials are the future of philanthropy. If you want to grow your donor base you need to cultivate millennial and next gen donors. The biggest consumers of podcasts, according to Edison Research, are 12-54 years old. This is your target audience!

You have stories to tell. Producing consistent (weekly or monthly) content for your listeners to consume means you’ll need stories to share week after week. Be sure that you have enough people who are willing to tell their story.

Your Nonprofit Should Not Start a Podcast if...
Your goal is to make money. Almost no one makes money podcasting. People do it as a hobby or to supplement their business. This doesn’t mean you can’t use your podcast to ask for donations to your organization. You absolutely can. And who knows, some of your listeners may very well turn into new long-term donors. However, you should not get into podcasting expecting it to have a significant impact on your donations.

You are already stretched in a million different directions. Let a board member or volunteer take this on if you think it could be an interesting idea. It’s not hard and you can learn the basics off of YouTube or by listening to one of the many podcasts about podcasting.

Podcasting may sound intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. The most important thing is to make sure that you are contributing something of value to the conversation with every episode. Tell an interesting story. Share a unique perspective. Teach your listeners something new.  

What would you name your nonprofit’s podcast and what would it be about? Comment below and share your ideas. Let’s see that creativity!
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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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