Appreciation.

How to Give Your Supporters What the Most Desire.

The Holiday Season is full of reasons and opportunities to show our gratitude to people in our lives.  The season kicks off with Thanksgiving, where appreciation to others is shown through a shared meal and some kind sentiments.  As we move into December, we enter a time to acknowledge others through cards, emails and gift giving.

One of the most special parts of this time of year is the idea that we are focused on giving without any expectation of reciprocity.  This selfless care certainly strengthens the bonds between people.

In the non-profit world, asking from others is an occupational reality.  Organizations are built and thrive based on the generosity of others’ time, intelligence, monies, resources, etc..  In many cases, the only correspondence or contact people will have with a non-profit includes some type of ask.

It is essential to recognize the importance of showing your supporters how much you appreciate them, just as we do during the holidays – with no expectation of reciprocity.  This gesture is not only earned by your supporters, but is often the single thing they crave most… to be appreciated for their efforts.

As the following tips will suggest, appreciation does not only come in the form of gifts and words,  but also in the action of treating people with thought, care and compassion.

Consider the following tips on appreciating your guests, volunteers, supporters, donors, etc. throughout the year.

1. Find ways to give at your events.Often, we are so busy chasing every dollar, we are hesitant to ‘give’ something away.  This can be frustrating for guests, when every activity at the event has a price tag.  Rather, find ways to give.  For instance:
   • Greet guests with a complimentary drink,
   • Consider an open bar (at least for a portion of the evening) if the ticket price warrants it,
   • Provide a token gift at each place setting,
   • Consider a clever way to give away centerpieces instead of selling them.
   • Provide a complimentary coffee, tea and cookie station while guests wait for their cars at the valet.

   Build your budget so you can achieve your goals, while still doing the above and your guests will feel appreciated.

2. Appreciate your volunteers and committee members before, during and after the event.So often I hear the complaint of how difficult it is to build a volunteer committee.  The reason is simple… it is not because people don’t want to help or do the work.  It is because most people walk away from their committee work feeling unappreciated.  Set a tone of appreciation from the start and your team will have fun, excel and want to return again.
   • Consider the length, location and style of your meetings.
   • Keep your meetings reasonably short and well organized.
   • Create and distribute an agenda so people know what will be discussed and how much time to allocate.
   • Only invite those that need to be at a meeting, so you don’t waste peoples time or elongate the meeting with opinions you’re not interested in hearing.
   • Be sure to provide the opportunity for any one who is in attendance to be heard.
   • Consider surprising committee members with a meeting that is social in nature, with the agenda to better get to no each other; Perhaps include wine a cheese.
   • Do a dry run training prior to your event so all volunteer staff know their jobs and responsibilities.
   • Make sure you think through volunteer breaks and meals.  Also consider where your volunteers will be able to put any personal items (i.e. purses, coats, etc.).  You want them to feel comfortable from the moment they arrive.
   • Consider sending your volunteers home with something, whether its’ the same gift provided to guest or something else as simple as a sweet treat they can snack on on their way home.
   • Plan a post event appreciation campaign for your volunteers, from letters and/or certificates of appreciation to a lunch, dinner or other gathering.
   • Personalize all forms of appreciation.  Do not use form letters.
3. Why saying “Thank You” to supporters isn’t good enough.Most organizations do a pretty good job of following up their events with thank you cards or letters, but could they do more?  Consider that it is polite to say thank you when someone gives a gift, so the thank you card or letter is expected.  Therefore, are you really leaving your supporters feeling appreciated?  Also realize that many supporters are giving more than money…they are giving their heart to the cause…what’s the best way to appreciate that?
   • Consider a VIP reception for top financial supporters at your event.  This can be a very simple pre-event gathering and can feature any of the following:
     • a specialty drink, i.e. champagne
     • an intimate thank you from the event chair,
     • an award presentation to key supporters
     • a performance or speech from an honored celebrity guest
   • Consider a post-event thank you party.  This can be a simple gathering, allowing people to come relaxed and casual.  Awards can be presented, gifts can be given, etc. Often, remaining silent auction items are given away at events such as these. This is ideal for volunteers and more internal supporters.
   • Showcase your accomplishments to all supporters after your Thank You card and before you begin asking for next year’s support.  Again, remember your top financial supporters have stepped up because they believe in your cause.  Be sure to find a way to show them where their money is going.  This can be done through a special invitation only gathering, a uniquely prepared DVD presentation or by gathering a distributing photos, letters and/or other materials that tell the story of what’s being accomplished.
4. Making the Holidays ‘Solicitation Free’I have seen many organizations distribute holiday cards or newsletters or throw parties, in which case an ask for donations was made.  With 11 other months in the year dedicated to fund raising, consider making the Holiday Season ‘Solicitation Free’.  Rather, use the Holiday Season to show your appreciation for all of the money, time, hard work and compassion that you have received throughout the year.

These Tips are my New Years Gift to You!  Thank you for all that you do to make a difference in the lives of others.

The Economics of Purpose

HOW TO MAINTAIN FUNDRAISING SUCCESS IN SPITE OF THE ECONOMY

There is no more prevalent concern being raised in my consultations than the impact of our current economy on fund raising events…

Well, here’s the good news.   On October 10, hours after the newspapers were describing the stock markets worst decline since Black Monday, Rock the Gavel achieved its clients’ auction revenue goals on the first of two consecutive nights of successes.

How is this possible and what can you do to achieve similar success in spite of the economy?  Here are a few essential tips…

Connect with and communicate your organization’s purpose.
The most important thing to remember at a time like this, is that the people who support your organization do so because they believe in your cause and your approach to service the cause.  When times are tough for most, they are typically tougher for the causes we are supporting.  This is often a call to action for supporters, often in spite of their own personal hardships.  But to ensure this, is to communicate your organization’s needs and re-inspire your supporters by communicating your purpose.  Here are a few ways to do so:

• Clarify your purpose in a single inspiring and telling statement.
• Distribute this purpose statement to all involved in your event planning to convey when procuring, selling ads or sponsorships, inviting friends/family, etc.
• Ensure this purpose is communicated in verbal, written, non-verbal and non-written ways throughout the event (i.e. use of photos, presenters, carefully crafted themes, thoughtfully selected honorees and emcees, etc.)
• Tell your story and the support will follow…

Be an Effective Marketer.
To market effectively means to create your event to cater to the specific interests of the market that you are serving.  This requires thought and planning far in advance of your event, and may require some changes to ‘how things have been done.’  Consider the following:

• Who will be attending the event
• Who is the primary support base of the organization
• What is the economic climate of supporters and attendees
• What are current needs and interests of supporters and attendees
• Factor this information in determining your events theme, location, timing, etc.
• Consider more carefully the items you will be including to cater more precisely to buying interests.  Big spenders will still step up, but they may be more inclined towards items that fit their particular interests and less inclined towards spontaneous, frivolous expenditures.

Bring your ‘A’ Game.
Regardless of the market, non-profit organizations do compete for the hearts and pocket books of their support base.  When times are tough, like everything else, this competitive reality is more noticeable.  So how do you compete? It’s easier than you think, just show your supporters you care…

• Spend money wisely at your events.  This does not mean ‘skimp’, but be cautious not to appear frivolous in your event spending.  In the minds of supporters, frivolous spending at events may translate into frivolous use of their donations.
• Show appreciation.  Greet your guests, pamper your guests, communicate the night’s agenda, be respectful of their time, provide a smooth evening from check-in through check-out, thank them and thank them again.
• Pay attention to details.  There are many small details that add up to success for both silent and live auctions.  Be careful not to miss some of the details.  When times are good and everyone has money to ‘throw around’, it’s easy to take some of the small stuff for granted, but as money tightens up, you cannot risk missing some of the details.  These include bid sheet best practices, description best practices, auction closing best practices, use of proper sound systems, creation of an effective event timeline, etc.

For more information on Charity Auction Best Practices, read previous blog posts, go to the Rock the Gavel website and/or contact us for consultation, services or referral to an auctioneer near you.

Fund-A-Need Fundamentals

If you have not yet seen a successful Fund-A-Need program in action, you have no idea what you’re missing out on.

A Fund-A-Need program is a means of generating revenues for a specific organizational need. Ideally included as one of the live auction items, the Fund-A-Need is an exceptional way to raise thousands or tens of thousands of dollars (if not more), year after year, in an energetic and often inspiring way.

While Fund-A-Need doesn not fit every event (i.e. conflicts with the organization or event priorities), I have yet to encounter a client who has regretted using one.

As to ‘why they work?’, consider this…

Guests who attend your event either come with the intention of supporting the cause, or are hopefully moved to do so while there. By the time you have neared the end (but not completed) the live auction, you will have many “losing bidders” – whether from the live auction or perhaps a silent auction – who still want a way to support the cause. You may also have guests who found nothing of interest or in their price range, but likewise want to support the cause. This is why a Fund-A-Need works.

Like all business strategies, though, success can be contingent on some basic fundamentals. Consider the following:

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Identify an organizational need. Select a need and describe the need based on the benefit that will be achieved. For example: A scholarship fund would be described in terms of the educational opportunity it will provide the recipient. A building fund would be described in terms of the people that would receive the benefits of the building’s existence.
2. Associate 3 defined funding levels for the need. For example: $1,000 will provide a child with a 6 month enrollment in the program, $500 will provide 10 children with access to a computer workstation, $100 will provide a child with supplies and food for 1 month.
3. Make your lowest level an amount that most people in attendance could participate in.
4. Create levels that cater to quantity bids. For example: When the auctioneer asks for $1,000 to provide a child with a 6 month program enrollment, they can easily ask the bidder, “how many children would you like to support?”. This opens the opportunity to multiply bids at each level.
5. Conduct the Fund-A-Need during the live auction. This ensures people are still in a frenetic paddle raising mindset; conducting it afterwards implies a separate fund raising event and often provides just enough energy shift to dilute results.
6. Include a complete description of the Fund-A-Need in the program as one of the live auction items. Proper sequence within the auction should be determined by your professional auctioneer.
7. Use bidders’ paddles to track bids and to inspire participation.
8. If you have received donations for these amounts prior to the event from those that cannot attend, ask the donors if you can have them represented at the event to help generate initial bidding response during the ask.
9. Invite a poignant and relevant speaker to introduce the ask, but always use a professional charity auctioneer to make the ask. This can be one of the highest revenue generating activities of the night. Use a professional that understands proper implementation of the program and ensure great success!

Auction Procurement Mastery

I wish I could direct you to a web link or a 2-step process that would take away the hard work associated with auction procurement; unfortunately, there is no ‘easy’ solution.

However, by setting clear goals, creating a solid plan and employing the following proven strategies, you will make efforts more effective and more manageable, ultimately making you more money with less stress. These are the steps used by those who have mastered the process of auction item procurement.

1. Start Early – The best time to start planning next year is BEFORE this year’s event. Clear record keeping and next year’s chair serving as this year’s co-chair will allow next year’s team an easy transition with no loss of momentum
.

2. Nurture your Donors – Between thanking donors for last year’s contributions and asking for next year’s, be sure to communicate what was accomplished with the monies they helped you raise, including the difference they helped make in the lives of others.

3. Clarify the value donors will receive – Be sure your entire team can articulate your organization’s purpose clearly. Also, make certain you can illustrate in which ways you will expose your donors’ information to your audience (i.e. website, event program, signage, etc.)

4. Know your audience – Take the time to understand who your audience will be and what they like to purchase by reviewing the previous year’s sales data and bidding habits.

5. Create a Procurement Wish List – The more specific the wish list is, the better. “Travel packages” may not inspire action. However, “Accommodations in Napa Valley” may capture the attention of the person with access to a guest home there. Distribute the wish list to board members, committees, staff and any other interested and vested individuals.

6. Send an Ask Letter – Prepare an “Ask Letter” that communicates your purpose, restates your previous year accomplishments and makes specific requests (consider including your wish list). Send these letters out far enough in advance that organizations can include your event in their annual allocation of donations.

7. Build a Procurement Team – Use your goals to establish clear, reasonable and manageable expectations for your team. Consider a 100 item procurement goal. With a 10 person team, each member would only need to procure 10 items to achieve success. With 10 months advanced planning, this equates to one item per person, per month. With 5 months advanced planning, this equates to two items per person, per month.

8. Hold Brainstorming Sessions – Hold meetings specifically for procurement brainstorming. Keep them fun, interactive and creative. Invite procurement team members, as well as board members, staff and any other interested or vested individuals. Help people in attendance to “connect the dots” between themselves and the items you have targeted for procurement.

9. Create Auction Items – Some of the best items sold at events are those generated out of the organization or the organization’s board members. Here are a few examples: A reserved parking space, A wine dinner at the home of a respected board member, Principal for a Day (at a school), A wine collector’s dream – created with the donation of 1-2 high end bottles from each member of a board, etc..

10. Consider Consignments– When considering consignments, though, consider how guests might feel about bidding on items for which monies raised will be shared with a third party…and be certain to disclose the fact. Also, limit consignments to items that have a profit margin greater than the cost of the item. With these factors in mind, consignments can be a great way to fill holes in the live auction or to supplement entire silent auction categories (i.e. jewelry, sports memorabilia, etc.).

11. End Early – Nobody likes to turn down items which may turn into dollars. However, last minute donations can play havoc on planning and put unnecessary pressure on a committee. When following the above tips, you can confidently set a procurement deadline far enough prior to the event. Simply plant the deadline date in everyone’s mind from day one, as opposed to the event date.