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►Don’t Make This Critical Mistake With Your Schedule

 May 10, 2013
Clock Face Microsoft Clipart

The Trick You MUST Know About Benefit Auction Timing

Today I got an e-mail from a client stating,

“we will be advertising the event as starting at 7pm and ending at 10pm”

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,” my brain screams, as I scramble to hit the “Reply” button before I read even one word further.

This is one of the MOST important tidbits I share with Benefit Auction clients:  the 30-1 Rule.

 

Here’s my hastily typed plea:

Ooh, ooh, ooh, this is one of those things I must speak up about :)

 

If you want people to be engaged in the event between the hours of 7:00-10:00, then you must must must advertise as 6:30-11:00, because people never arrive right when doors open, but 15-20 minutes after, and then have to park, walk, register, etc., so the earliest folks are beginning to engage in the event just before 7, with the majority trickling in AFTER that.

 

And then at the end, people mentally check out of an event when they believe they have experienced all that was included in their ticket price. If we say it runs until 11:00 BUT we internally plan to have all money raised and everything wrapped up by 10:00, then they feel they are getting home “early” and leave with a good impression that we were efficient.

 

If you advertise that the event ends at 10:00, people will be looking to leave by 9:00-9:15, hoping to let the babysitter go early or perhaps to beat the line at valet, and those departures before our event goals are wrapped up can really create a bunch of problems for checkout and put a damper on the evening.

 

Please please please add the 30-minute cushion to the front and 1-hour cushion to the end :) I promise you that doing this will allow us to have guests engaged and content to be in attendance during the “action” hours of 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

 

Jenelle

Categories: Auctioneers, Better Buyers, Charity, Consulting, Event Logistics, Other Money Makers

►Congrats to the Red Wagon Gala Committee

 April 22, 2013
Red Wagon Gala Christ Child Society Naples

GALA GAL Jenelle Taylor conducts the 2013 Red Wagon Gala for Christ Child Society Naples

Here’s a quick example of great post-event press coverage, Red Wagon Gala in the Naples Daily News.

This nice summary and accompanying photos ran just days after the event, and serves multiple purposes:

  • appreciating those who just attended
  • publicly thanking major sponsors
  • recognizing the hard work of the committee and volunteers
  •  and raising visibility for the organization.

This kind of coverage has to be arranged in advance, so that a reporter and photographer are in attendance.

For your next event, take the time, no – make the time –  to reach out to local papers, TV stations, society magazines, or even area event website managers to get a commitment for coverage for this 1 Night, Once a Year event you’re pulling off!

After all, we all know that once it begins your event whirls by so fast that you’ll probably need  to read about how it all went too :)

Categories: Charity, Event Logistics, Live Auctions, Sponsors

►Sponsor Recognition

 March 19, 2013

What else can you do to thank your event sponsors and cost underwriters besides just listing them in the program?

It’s good to do more, since your guests may never open those programs you spent so many hours (and dollars) on. Since you want your sponsors to feel honored and appreciated, consider adding as many of these other recognition tactics as you can:

  • Offer a Patron Party with auction preview and menu tasting one month prior
  • VIP reception an hour before general admission
  • VIP post-auction reception with gelato, decaf cappuccino and swag bags
  • Give sponsor tables Auction Bucks (incentive bidder credits) for their guests
  • Provide champagne, a dedicated server for the dining table, premier seating
  • Make sponsor thank you foam core boards and place on easels at the entrance
  • Project sponsor logos on the wall
  • Make a Power Point slide show which loops during dinner of sponsor logos
  • Have a parting gift with a sponsor thank you card attached, such as:

Sponsor Thank You card tied with ribbon to some kind of parting gift, like a mini bag of chocolates. This recognition piece might say…

“Please join us in thanking these sponsors for their generosity. When you support them, ______________ benefits!”

or

“Tonight’s festivities made possible by these fine sponsors. Please consider supporting them with your business!”

or

“Thank you for supporting ___________this evening. Please consider patronizing these sponsors who made tonight possible”

 

What other sponsor recognition ideas have you seen? Please share in the comments!

Categories: Charity, Consulting, Event Logistics, Sponsors

►Donation Card Designing

 March 15, 2013
Photo of Jenelle Taylor GALA GAL

A benefit auctioneer should conduct your Donation Appeal

I was talking with a fundraising auctioneer pal yesterday about “donation cards” – the little cards that are either placed at each seat or peeking out of the program.

 

As your fundraising consultants, benefit auctioneers work with you to raise the most money for your cause. Donation cards are one option, but that approach lacks both urgency and peer encouragement. Your guests might never pick up that donation card, or may take it home with good intentions and no follow through.

Since auctioneers know how to handle a microphone and a stage, we are always going to recommend a traditional “direct appeal”, meaning a well planned part of your evening with an inspiring testimonial and the call to the “raise your paddle”.

In fact, a structured, auctioneer-led ask routinely raises $20,000, $60,000, $100,000 and up with professional auctioneers across the country. Whether you call it Fund a Need, Fund a Cure, Fund a Cause, Paddle Raise, Call for Donations, Cash Call, Donation Appeal, Direct Appeal, Planned Appeal, Bid to Give, or any other name, we believe that nothing connects your mission to your audience more than a straightforward but tactful conversation with your supporters, all working together toward a common financial goal. Then, when you add in Challenge Matches and similar giving incentives…the Paddle Raise concept is very hard to best.

However, if for whatever reason you still want to stick to donation cards on the table, I did a Google Image search of Donation Card and found tons of examples to help you plan and design! Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/DonationCardSamples

Categories: Auctioneers, Charity, Consulting, Live Auctions, Other Money Makers

►Voting with Dollars – Genius Quick Tip!

 March 14, 2013

Image Credit depositphotos.com

Does your event have a contest component where guests “vote with dollars” such as a costume contest or dance contest?

 

Typically, guests purchase lengths or bundles of tickets, and then they “vote” by putting tickets into containers (paper bags, glass bowls) for their favorite contestants. As the night goes on, they can purchase tickets again and again to help a particular candidate win with the largest number of tickets.

(As a side note, the same process works for the Bucket Chance to Win, previously called Chinese Raffle.)

 

So, hundreds of people have been piling tickets into containers for hours, and now you have to quickly count them up to announce the winner. What if you have a bunch of contestants and tons of tickets? How can you count all that super fast, you ask?

 

Thanks to seasoned Orlando fundraiser and Femmes de Coeur President Judy Conrad for the solution:  Borrow a super-sensitive and perfectly calibrated gold measuring scale from a local jeweler…and simply compare ticket weights to find the winner, no counting necessary!

 

GENIUS! Thanks, Judy :)

Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Grab Bag, Other Money Makers, Raffles/Chance Drawings

►Get the AUCTION! bible, 1 Week Sale!

 March 1, 2013
Cover image of the 250-page Charity Auction Manual called AUCTION! The 98 Solutions to Every Charity Auction Challenge by GALA GAL Jenelle Taylor CAI BAS

Write-in workbook to plan your Benefit Auction, step-by-step, used by Professional Fundraising Auctioneers and their clients across the country

Save $100 off the regular online price! It’s the March Madness sale at GALA GAL, so snatch up your 250-page AUCTION! manual by March 7th, 2013. Get “The 98 Solutions to Every Charity Auction Challenge” at your fingertips.

Read a detailed and helpful “Questions to Ask” excerpt here, and just shoot me a message with your e-mail and I’ll send you our mailing address for a check, use a credit card via secure server with discount code Sale49 here.

                 This is the first sale since last July (8 months ago!) so get your copy now :)

Money-back guarantee of course.

Categories: Board members, Charity, Consulting, Event Logistics, Live Auctions, Other Money Makers, Raffles/Chance Drawings, Silent auctions, Templates

►How’s Your Charity’s Reputation?

 February 27, 2013
What Are They Saying About You?

Protect your charity’s reputation with the public

What’s the public perception about non-profit organizations, and, by extension, your non-profit?

Yesterday’s headline on Slate.com “Why America’s Charities Are So Uncharitable”  http://tinyurl.com/YourCharity immediately tightened my stomach. ‘Arrgh, bad press,’ I thought, worried before I’d even read a word. Arguably, that’s part of the problem. Is it possible, even likely, that thousands (or millions) of Americans will read only that headline?

How can you proactively address any negative press about charities and turn it to your advantage?

In the text, author Ken Stern (long-time nonprofit executive) comments on the number of nationwide charities (1.1 million, not counting congregations) and the sometimes questionable causes the IRS approves for 501(c)3 status. He sees problems with lost revenue, increased competition, and yes, damage to the public perception of non-profits in general. He provides several examples of nonprofit organizations which seem to be benefiting their profit margins more than the public good.

“When so much of the American charitable sector seems so uncharitable, it is perhaps time we remind ourselves what a charity is really supposed to be.”

So, what can you do to protect and enhance your charity’s reputation?

Show and tell your story:  the behind-the-scenes actions you are taking, impacts you are making, lives you are changing. Get photos onto your Facebook page (several times a week!), put 1-2 minute video clips up on YouTube, and write longer content on your web pages.

Want to earn the public trust? Show and tell your way to greater visibility and transparency. If you don’t, those supporter dollars could go to another organization.

Categories: Consulting

►Google says ‘Content is King’

 February 19, 2013

Image credit skookummonkey.com

Your mission. Your good works. Your non-profit org.

Without a doubt, Google IS the key to getting found online, and it’s about to get easier for you! After years of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tricks, industry buzz says Google ranking methods have changed.

According to Geekless Tech blogger Alex Clifford,

Google is ranking people by who has the best content. They’re trying to put the best content at the top. Now you’re in a battle with your competitors to create the best content! There are no more underhanded tricks (and if there were Google will soon eliminate them).

The 2 pillars of Content Marketing Optimization (CMO)?

  1. More “long form content” means adding longer, meaty, helpful and valuable text to your website
  2. More “rich media content” means photos and videos

Read the brief article here http://geeklesstech.com/step-aside-seo-you-need-to-think-about-cmo-now/, including a great resource of 11 content optimization tips from Jason Acidre.

Write something fresh (and in depth) about what amazing things your org is doing this month. And don’t forget to boost your visibility with VISUALS.

See you online!

 

Categories: Consulting, Technology

►Black Tie Events…for Free? Auction Underwriting for the New Millennium

 February 14, 2013

Have you seen this? http://www.dodgedartregistry.com/

Underwrite your Benefit Auction just like the new Dodge Dart Registry idea

Crowd-funding idea for your next auction?

The website reads, ”

NEW RULES FOR BUYING YOUR CAR. Pick out the features you want in your new Dart and then invite friends and family to sponsor individual parts of the car.

You can raise a portion of the cost of a new Dart or the full price. Then all you have to do is go to a dealership and pick it up.”

 

How clever! Not only does this speak to a hip, Millennial generation, it offers a solution to funding a major cost –  by crowd-sourcing.

What a great idea to change up how you offer sponsorships this year for your event. Sure, most events already ask for sponsors, but typically at generic dollar amounts not tied to anything specific. Anyone else bored with the “Sponsorships available at $25,000, $10,000, $5,000 and $2500″ approach?

This year, be forward thinking and socially savvy. Post a great photo from last year and offer opportunities to underwrite parts of the event at all different price levels. Instead of funding the engine on a future Dodge Dart, your supporters can fund the venue, the food, the bar, the linens, the decorations, the invitations, the technology…even pay for your professional auctioneer!

Just like chipping in to buy a beloved and deserving person a new car, your benefactors will feel good about helping fund something concrete, and empowered by being given a real choice. Come to think of it, isn’t that exactly the feeling we want to give our non-profit supporters all the time?

Categories: Auctioneers, Charity, Event Logistics, Other Money Makers

►It Pays – Awesome Live Auction Donated Experience!

 August 8, 2012

How partnering with a true fundraising auctioneer pays

Image of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy’s Parade Tickets are an Awesome Auction Item!

So excited to find out that one of my groups scored Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade passes from a lead I shared with them during our consultation!

That’s right, on September 15th we’ll get to find out which lucky folks will be in the heart of iconic Manhattan for the chance-of-a-lifetime viewing of The Rockettes!! Oh, and the balloons, of course, and the celebrities, the excitement, the Instagram photos…

And as exciting as it will be to see who donates the most and ends up the high bidder, it’s JUST AS EXCITING to be the auctioneer who gets to deliver to good news, “SOLD! You did it! You’re the winner!”

I’m delighted for them, for all the attendees who will witness the excitement, and for the Alzheimer caregivers and their families who will benefit from the funds raised from this 100% pure donation.

Yep, it pays to partner with a professional. I love my job!

P.S. Want to place a reserve bid on these Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade passes? E-mail me at Info@GalaGal.com and I’ll get you the absentee bid form or online link :)

Categories: Auctioneers, Charity, Consulting, Live Auctions

►Don’t Risk Your Revenue

 July 18, 2012
Danger Symbol- choose an auctioneer wisely

Don’t Risk Your 1-Night, Once-a-Year Event with just any Auctioneer

Whether you’re the Development Director of a non-profit or a volunteer on the planning committee for a gala fundraiser, you’ve got hundreds of decisions hanging over you.

Buffet or sit-down dinner?

Cocktail or black tie?

Band for background, or dancing?

Online silent auction or traditional?

All of these decisions affect your event, it’s true. But if the money matters, then give at least as much weight to your choice to conduct the fundraising.

That’s a big choice. A weighty choice. A choice with ramifications, no doubt. So you’re not just asking someone. If it was that simple, it’d be no big deal. In fact, if your choice didn’t really matter, you might look to cut costs, perhaps even look for someone to do this for (gasp!) free.Since this particular event (this event you’ve worked on for months) only happens 1 Night, Once-a-Year…well, everything, EVERYTHING, is riding on that person, that night.

No, what you’re really doing is entrusting the financial outcome of your event to one individual. (more…)

Categories: Auctioneers, Board members, Consulting, Event Logistics, Live Auctions, Other Money Makers

►Pique interest with Sneak Peek

 July 16, 2012
Fundraising Consultant GALA GAL Jenelle Taylor Auctioneer

Send an e-blast Sneak Peek of best auction items a few days prior to event

Ever have one of those days?

(Hang with me for a moment, Sneak Peek Template link below!)

I was just typing an e-mail and used the phrase, “The Board’s interest was piqued,” and I KNEW “piqued” was the right usage, but then…

I’ve found that blogging makes me ultra self-conscious about what and how I write.

In case you’ve ever run across someone (incorrectly) trying to “peak” or “peek” someone’s interest, I’ll expose my Grammar Geek self for a moment.

Anyway, here’s the Auction Sneak Peek Template I mentioned. I share this with non-profits (in fact, I typically create, edit and format it for them) so that we can promote a sharp, 1-page PDF attachment showcasing the best auction items and getting everyone prepared to “attend and spend.” This can be used as an e-mail attachment,  added to the website, uploaded to a Facebook page, Tweeted, or even saved as a .jpg.

Using this template can

1) save you time, and

2) make you money.

Oh, and one more thing. Would you believe that the first time I named this template I wrote  Sneak PEAK Template?

(shaking my head) One of those days!

Categories: Better Buyers, Consulting, Event Logistics, Templates

►Charity on “Cracked”

 July 13, 2012

It’s Friday the 13th, a perfect day for a bit of controversy on a bed of comedy!

Controversy, you say?

I’m happy to pass along an opinion piece with nearly 900,000 views, “5 Popular Forms of Charity (That Aren’t Helping)” with the caveat that it’s a bit salty in tone. That’s likely because it’s featured on the most visited humor website in the world, with 300 million monthly page views.

Logo Cracked.com So, whether or not you agree that drinking “breast cancer vodka” makes people less likely to donate cash, at least by clicking over to read this Top 5 List, you’ll have a good excuse when you boss finds you’ve blown 3 hours reading “10 Baffling Romance Tips” and “Why Journalism is Obsessed with Dinosaur Sex.”

Happy Friday the 13th!

 

 

Categories: Charity, Consulting, Grab Bag, Other Money Makers

►A Soundbite that Sizzles

 July 10, 2012

Earlier I wrote a post about an article I’d read explaining how to introduce yourself or your organization to someone new:

  1. Explain how you provide a solution to a problem.
  2. Tell a brief anecdote that illustrates why you choose to do this or how you’re exceptional.
  3. Invite your listener to engage further with you by asking an open-ended question.
Here’s another approach to selling your sizzle that’s designed to attract the ideal match:

Categories: Auctioneers, Board members, Consulting, Other Money Makers

►Sell Your SIZZLE!

 July 9, 2012

Summer gives me time to catch up on all the reading I wish I made time for during the year. In an October 2011 article in Toastmaster magazine entitled ‘The Elevator Speech,” I saw some good reminders about summing up your essence to get people’s attention.

Why should you care about an Elevator Speech?

Image of Elevator

Elevator Pitch – Sell Your SIZZLE in 1 Minute!

Because every day, your non-profit is competing for the attention – and dollars – of the public. Being able to wow folks with WHAT you do, WHY you do it, and HOW you’re the best will help others see the value in helping you and your cause.

The article (more…)

Categories: Board members, Consulting, Other Money Makers

►MC or not MC?

 July 3, 2012
Emcee for your event

Who’s your MC?

I got cc’d on an e-mail that one of my November events confirmed a local TV anchor to emcee (or MC, if you prefer) their gala. This is a common practice which you’ve no doubt seen or done.

There are so many logistics to juggle when you’re planning a fundraising event:

which venue, what entertainment, ticket pricing, getting folks to attend, staffing, auction items and on and on. And who’s going to run this thing??

If your event has a live auction or Fund-a-Need appeal for donations, there’s just too much riding on your 1-Night, Once-a-Year event to risk with just Joe Anybody. Hire a professional who does fundraising for a living, all year long. Once your fundraising is safeguarded, consider asking this auctioneer to serve as MC for you. Benefit Auction specialists will be charismatic and able to command the crowd’s attention. Doubling up like this will save you time and money, since you won’t have to do the back-and-forth to confirm and manage another person or pay for another meal.

If you want a different voice to host your event for whatever reason, then certainly invite a community dignitary,  involve your Board president, a TV news anchor, or even a celebrity in your program.

But whatever you do, don’t hand over your fundraising

to anyone who is a professional something-else!

 

Those well meaning folks can leverage their personalities and knowledge of the crowd in a support role. Use your special guest in direct interaction with your attendees, but leave the auction psychology to the fundraising pro.

Your celebrity or community dignitary can best benefit your event by:

  1. Donating a Chance-of-a-Lifetime opportunity to the auction. (Actress Cheryl Hines   donated a private poker party with her to her favorite central Florida gala!)
  2. Hosting his/her own table for the dinner portion and inviting folks to bid for the chance to move to that VIP table
  3. Working the Live Auction on the floor, shaking hands and encouraging those who bid
  4. Drawing attention to your high-end items by visiting with folks at the Live Auction table during the 90-minute preview time

Your Board president can best benefit your event by:

  1. Hosting a pre-event VIP reception for last year’s big spenders and this year’s sponsors and special guests, giving them an initial hour to sip champagne, schmooze, and shop the auction unencumbered by the masses. These guests might even get a mini live auction with 3-5 things that are only offered to this elite VIP group.
  2. Promote the importance of fundraising by escorting VIPs and likely deep pockets personally to the Live Auction display table and facilitating an introduction with the auctioneer. This serves your guests by making them aware of the opportunities only available that night, and it initiates the rapport important to getting more bidding.
  3. Thanking the event sponsors and really explaining how their large gifts allow you to provide services.

Your TV news anchor (or Board member, CEO, staff member, or services recipient) can best benefit your event by:

1. Sharing the emotional appeal of your mission by putting faces and personal stories to the services you deliver. Getting the right person to introduce the video, deliver a keynote, or set up the Fund-a-Need appeal is crucial.

2. Being available to the guests throughout the night, mingling and adding a welcoming warmth to the festivities.

While several folks are appropriate for various aspects of MC hosting, the money you need to operate for months will come from the auction and appeal proceeds, so entrust the opening bids, the increments, the snap and sizzle of the numbers to a benefit auction specialist.

Categories: Better Buyers, Board members, Consulting, Event Logistics, Live Auctions

►Board-erline Frustrated?

 July 1, 2012
Photo of GALA GAL Jenelle Taylor

Avoid this at your non-profit!

Are you frustrated with your Board members?

Are your Board members frustrated with you? or your expectations?

A colleague from NSA-CF (National Speakers Association, Central Florida chapter) recently broached this topic in his newsletter and blog.

You know how they say that

(more…)

Categories: Board members, Consulting

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