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May 31, 2022 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
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Benefit Auction Summit 2024
September 3, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
It’s that time again!
If you’ve followed along with me over the years, you may remember that there’s only one national conference for fundraising auctioneers, and it takes place a few days before Labor Day weekend.
It’s always a sort of family reunion of fundraising professionals, and this year was no exception, with friends from CA, MN, TX, NH and many other states (and even Canada!)
This year we had speakers reminding us to listen more to our nonprofit clients before offering solutions, to be more compelling in our storytelling, and to organize the steps we take during the several months of pre-event planning.
I got several good takeaways to bring to you this fall and into next spring. Continuing education keeps me fresh and able to share the latest and best ideas with you. Let’s chat!
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, Auctioneers, Continuing Education
Auction in the Round
August 8, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Have you seen this? Done it?
Occasionally I’ll get a nonprofit client who wants to put the stage in the center of the ballroom with tables on all four sides.
The advantages? It’s an uncommon layout, making your gala look and feel different; it puts more tables close to the stage, thus providing more “front row” sponsor seating; it puts your auctioneer in closer proximity to more tables versus the stage at the narrow end of a long room.
The disadvantage? (And this is a big one!) – Your speakers and your auctioneer will have their backs to 50% of the audience at all times! This can’t be emphasized too much: you are disenfranchising half of your audience the entire program. This can negatively impact both your live auction and your Fund-a-Need paddle raise donations, since your auctioneer must be constantly spinning onstage to catch and acknowledge the bid cards. These extra seconds give time for the patrons to change their minds, hesitate, and put that bid card down.
While it might look intriguing, if you decide to auction in the round, plan ahead to have confident, outgoing bid spotters in all 4 quadrants to help catch those raised paddles and ensure you capture every intended dollar for your org.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Live Auctions
Easy Uses for AI
July 9, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
So, are you using AI for your nonprofit? If so, are you enjoying it? Finding it helpful, or just confusing? Or, are you freaked out yet?
Two easy uses I’ve found so far:
- With the Auctria online auction software, there’s built in AI to rewrite your auction package descriptions to make them more compelling
- Use https://designer.microsoft.com/image-creator to create free AI images in seconds for posts or when you need an image for an online auction entry.
There are myriad other AI uses for nonprofits. Remember when using it to write long-form text, go back and tweak it to make it your own message in your own voice.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Online Auctions, Technology
Auctioning a dog
June 8, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
It’s the end of the spring season, and as I reflect back on the many great galas we had, I find my thoughts lingering on an auction from January where they had a dog as a live auction opportunity.
I tried to talk them out of it, sharing my concerns about whether or not a winning bidder (possibly caught up in the excitement) would be prepared for an immediate and lifelong commitment as a pet owner.
Pets (typically dogs, but occasionally cats) are auctioned at charity events around the country quite often, with bids sometimes exceeding $10,000. In some circumstances, the pet up for auction has already been semi-adopted by someone, including having the pet in a their home before the event. Then those folks are fully prepared to buy the animal at whatever price and bring it back into their home.
If you’re going to auction an animal, think long and hard about the potential downsides. What if the animal isn’t accepted by other pets? What if it needs more time or attention (quite often with puppies) than the buyer is able to give it? What if the pet ends up being donated to a shelter? How will that reflect on your nonprofit? Even worse, what if the animal is treated poorly?
In this case, the event was for a private school, so all the attendees were known by the organizers. This dog ended up selling to a school employee.
Considering allllllll of the possible auction items out there, I’d say you’ve always got another good option other than auctioning an animal.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Live Auctions
►Spa Creative!
May 18, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Shout out to my Orlando friends for their oh-so-creative daytime fundraiser…Spa Invitational! A play on traditional golf tournaments, instead these foursomes indulge in spa activities all day long, with a luncheon fundraising auction and donation appeal. It’s fun, it’s relaxed, and it’s so refreshing, in every way. Well done!!
Comments are closed - Categories: GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas
►National Auctioneers’ Day
May 4, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, Auctioneers, Consulting, Continuing Education
►100% Participation
April 14, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Shout out to the Heart Ball for a terrific technique they use across the country. There is one large (maybe 18″ or 24″?) paddle on the table that is to be raised when and only when the entire table gives something in the Fund A Need donation appeal. There’s a lot of hype during the ask about everyone giving something, and celebrating each table as their large paddle goes up in the air! At the one I did, they even had pull-and-pop streamers. You could even use noisemakers, or confetti cannons if your venue will allow. Kudos for a great audience participation incentive!
Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas
►How to wow a crowd
April 7, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
I see a lot of great decorations and theming at galas, but this was a first! This Delray Beach gala had the initial reception outside around the pool, and wow was everyone surprised and delighted by the woman in the ball! She was beautiful and elegant, moving gracefully while floating, and dressed in beautiful old Florida style. It was quite a sight!
How can you up your game and wow your crowd?
Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas
►Can you set a Max Bid?
March 24, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
I work with a lot of software programs for online bidding, and I recommend that you make sure your software choice makes it easy for guests to set a maximum bid and let the system bid for them up to their requested amount. You’ll see here in Auctria (an affordable online and live event software) that guests can choose how much they want to bid right now AND how much is their limit for this item. You can easily set the system to send alerts each time someone tries to outbid them and thus their bid has been raised to keep them winning. If the bid goes beyond their set limit, they’ll get an outbid notification. Setting a Max Bid is the easiest way for guests to enjoy the night AND win the items they want.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas, Silent auctions
►No bid cards?
February 26, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
I worked a beautiful, high-profile event recently that surprised me in one key way: they didn’t want to use bid cards. It’s been years since I’ve done a fundraiser without bid cards. In fact, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever done a live auction or Paddle Raise – without the bid paddles.
Why would an org decide against giving attendees some sort of bid card or bid paddle? They didn’t want to come across as pushy. They wanted to focus on the party. There are many great events that are fabulous parties.
One of the first questions I ask groups during the discovery phase is, “Are you having a party, or are you having a fundraiser?” The answer to that question determines how decisions are made.
It was still a great party, and I helped them get creative with their programs so we could identify who was bidding and who wanted to donate.
But next year I hope we have bid cards 🙂
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Fund a Need, GALA GAL Case Study, Live Auctions
►Roarin’ ’20s
January 30, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
The best part about a Roarin’ ’20s theme (besides the fabulous flapper dresses!) is that we can do it alllll decade!
Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics
►Churches too!
December 10, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Not all galas are annual events. I just had an absolutely awesome time working with the Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota. They were celebrating a 40th Anniversary and wanted to do something big to commemorate this milestone. And big they did!
It’s always fun when it’s an intimate venue and everyone knows each other. We joked and laughed all through the auction, and friends bid against friends, higher and higher, to cheers of delight.
So, if you’re celebrating a one-off special event, or you’re a church, or you plan on having a crowd under 150 people, I just might be your perfect match! Lillie and Marrie would be happy to tell you about their experience working with me 🙂
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, Event Logistics, Live Auctions
►Worse than Whoops!
November 19, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Something happened recently that has NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I created Clerking Sheets for a gala and emailed them to the client ahead of time. They printed those sheets and put them on 3 clipboards. Check and check. They had staff members lined up to fill in the sheets during the live auction and Paddle Raise (on another sheet).
We did the fundraising and sold 4 live auction items (some with multiples) and then got many Fund-a-Need donations at multiple levels.
After the auction I asked to see one copy of the clerking sheets so I could take a photo for my records.
NO ONE WROTE ANYTHING DOWN.
For the first time ever, somehow the clipboards never got into the hands of the 3 staff members told to do it.
Don’t let this happen to you. Make certain to put the clipboards into the recorders’ hands early in the evening and explain their critical role and what time the fundraising will take place. Having 3 individuals assigned to the job has always worked up to this point. (You can also record the fundraising portion to have as a backup.) Plan ahead. And triple check.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Fund a Need, GALA GAL Case Study, Live Auctions
►I do Online Auctions too!
October 26, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
There’s a wonderful group I work with, Jewish Pavilion. I did their gala for many years, but when Covid happened we switched to an online auction, and it’s been so successful that we’ve never looked back.
While they have staff who maintain the spreadsheet of auction donations, I manage the Auctria online auction platform for them, and it’s a big job!
This year we had 370 items! It not only ensures that there are lots of items to interest everyone, but we hold back 100+ items initially and add 20+ new items each day the auction is open. This allows us to email the registered bidders (and those on the email list not yet registered) that “New Items were Just Added!”
Need help with your online auction? I can do that, too.
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, GALA GAL Case Study, Online Auctions
Licensed in North Carolina
October 15, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
It’s been a great pleasure these past 2 years to serve as the auctioneer and ambassador for The Humane Society of Charlotte. Their event is filled with beloved dogs attending the evening, and everyone has such a great time!
Just a reminder that I’m licensed in North Carolina and look forward to working with more nonprofits there in the future.
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, Auctioneers, Live Auctions
Summit 2023
September 1, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Every year there’s just one special gathering of many of the top-tier benefit auctioneers each August. It’s a fabulously fun family reunion of sorts, the only time each year that we all get to see each other and catch up. We chat long into the night, not only about our lives, but always about what’s happening with benefit auctions across the country.
This year I was in charge of putting together a team to present about consultation topics and the various systems we use, from spreadsheets to Google docs to CRMs.
Many thanks to the amazing co-presenters for all of the time and effort (and hours!) they put in to make is such a huge success!
Comments are closed - Categories: Auctioneers, Consulting, Continuing Education
LuxGive trips
July 31, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
I want to give a shout out to LuxGive, a consignment trip provider specializing primarily in luxury private homes instead of hotels or resorts.
I was fortunate enough to go to one of their properties (shown here, St. Maarten within walking distance of Maho Beach) and thus got to experience their entire customer service process for myself.
They were exceptionally flexible in helping me find just the right property from their many gorgeous options. I was pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable and helpful my booking assistant was. They helped to set up airport transfers and a meeting with the concierge.
Once we arrived, our concierge was fantastic, helping with meal bookings, recommendations and any questions we had. She gave us her cell phone number to chat anytime via Whats App, and that was a very nice personal touch.
The property was exactly as promoted and just as gorgeous as the photos, and we ended up having a wonderful guest experience.
If you’re looking for a trip for your live auction, do give LuxGive a look.
Comments are closed - Categories: About GALA GAL, Consulting, GALA GAL Case Study, Live Auctions
Centerpieces
June 1, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
You might be surprised to know that one of the topics auctioneers around the country talk about the most is centerpieces! We see sooooo many, and every week someone shares the good (or bad!) centerpieces they’ve seen in our national private fundraising forum.
This is a gorgeous example of centerpieces done well. The height lifts the eyes up and helps fill a big space, yet it’s easy for guests to see and converse with each other, and easy for your auctioneer to see both guests’ faces and their all-important bid paddles for the live auction and donation appeal.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics
An easy Live Auction display
May 13, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
While the best Live Auction display is large (36″ x 48″) foamcore posters on easels in a high-traffic area, sometimes you won’t have the space or the budget for that (though your printer may be able to include the few posters for free – just ask!).
For a simple, straightforward and still effective display, simply print the power point slides and attach with spray adhesive to 11″ x 14″ posterboard backed by a 12″ easelback. Both of those can be found on Amazon for less than $25.
Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics
Private home fundraiser
April 23, 2023 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
So a wealthy supporter offers to host a fundraiser at their lux private home? This can add a fresh fundraising opportunity to your annual lineup, but it has its pros and cons.
Yes, it’s a destination venue, as many will want to see the home and rub shoulders with the (sometimes famous) attendees. And typically, the host would cover some or all of the costs to use the space, maybe even cover the cost of the catering.
But private home events are often more of a party with some fundraising thrown in, rather than a focused fundraiser that’s a great party. Typically there isn’t seating for everyone, there’s no easy way to gather everyone to a focal point for any program, auction, or appeal, and the sound quality can be a real issue.
Make sure to spend sufficient planning time on sound, lighting (very important if the program will be outside!), bid paddles (yes, they must have bid paddles) and crowd control options.
And hopefully, the crowd invited to a private home event will have both the means and the intention to support your cause that night and into the future.
Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study