Virtual galas provide nonprofits an affordable alternative to an expensive in-person gala. By replacing ballrooms and dinners with online auction and event streaming technology, online fundraisers can engage supporters at a fraction of the cost. However, cost is only one side of the equation. Equally important to cost is revenue, and an important revenue driver to in-person […]
We’ve discussed earlier on this blog how to get donated silent auction items without cold calling. In short, you should leverage your charity auction committee’s existing connections before cold-calling businesses for donated auction items. But sometimes personal connections are not enough, and you need to build new connections to generous businesses through donation request letters. In this […]
In this post, you’ll learn the do’s and don’ts of getting sponsors for your fundraiser. DO: Ask Your Organizational Contacts and Personal Connections to Sponsor Your Event There’s no better place to start your list of target sponsors than with businesses that have previously contributed to your nonprofit. On the flip side, any businesses to which your […]
Charity auction organizers know the importance of connecting with generous businesses to find silent auction items. However, it’s cumbersome to write hundreds of online donation request letters (not to mention the cold-calling) hoping enough generous business owners say “yes.” How do you make your charity auction stand out when requesting donations? In this post, we cover the […]
The most important thing for a virtual gala fundraiser is not the scripting, the video, the hosts or the auction items. The most important thing is getting people to tune in, ready to open their wallets. In this post, I’m going to show you how to achieve just that using “living room captains.” What Is a Living […]
Do you have a bunch of smaller silent auction items that don’t really “pop” on their own? In this post, you’ll learn how to bundle your silent auction items into baskets so the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We’ll cover: Choosing items to bundle Setting the minimum bid Presenting the bundle Let’s dive […]
In decades past, perhaps you’ve sold tickets to your big gala through direct mailers and ticket tables. Over the last 20 years, you’ve incorporated email into your marketing campaigns. Now, there is a new dominant marketing channel that you cannot ignore for your fundraising event: Facebook In this post, you will learn the basics of Facebook event […]
When planning your benefit event, remember these words: “You are not your audience.” Translation: planning things that appeal to you may not result in the biggest donations. Rather, you must understand what your most important supporters value and deliver it to them. In this post, we explore how to segment your audience and then target your actions […]
Wouldn’t you love to tell donors that every dollar raised at your fundraising event will go directly to fund your school, church, or charity? This means having every dollar spent on the event covered by a sponsorship or in-kind donation. This is possible, regardless of the size of your organization or gala. Many of your supporters can’t […]
Your mother warned you, “Never talk to strangers!” But to get donated silent auction items, that is what you are asked to do. Anyone who has tried cold calling for auction items, however, knows that it rarely works. Why? You are asking a total stranger for something of value, to be given to someone they don’t know, […]
