Step By Step Fundraising » Fundraising Events

Holiday Shops Can Be A Win-Win For Students And Fundraising Groups

Howard Gottlieb — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:27:05 +0000

December is that time of year when it seems like everyone is running as fast as they can, but the list of “things to do” never ends. A holiday shop at your school or church may be the answer to shorten that endless list.

Here is what I have seen as a result of running a holiday shop from various perspectives: Students love it!

For many students it may be the first time they experience the thrill of picking out their own gifts for family and friends. The excitement leading up to the day of the shop is contagious. I truly believe there is nothing that can replace the joy in a child’s eye as he or she selects gifts for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and even pets!

Parents love it! As parents try to complete their own holiday chores what a relief it is for them to know that their child is shopping in a safe, non-commercial setting. A holiday shop is truly a great help during such a hectic time.

I believe most parents would agree that this fundraising event is irreplaceable!

Teachers love it! Many faculty members have used the holiday shop to teach their students about budgeting and spending wisely, but at the same time emphasizing the joy of giving. Our economy has experienced so much turbulence and teaching students the value of money is certainly a necessity.

Fundraising companies may offer the holiday shop to parent groups as either a service to the students or as a fundraiser. In either case, many shop providers offer the gifts on a consignment basis.

However, there are several important questions to have answered before you sign that contract.

1. Who is responsible for the shipping costs?

2. What is the price range of the gifts?

3. Are the items price coded to provide a fast checkout?

4. What is the profitability as a service vs. fundraiser?

5. What additional supplies are provided for free? (gift bags, parent letter, budget envelopes)

Something to consider when exploring school fundraising ideas!

Big Sports Team Fundraising Ideas

Howard Gottlieb — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:44:03 +0000

When you want to make a difference at your high school, you might have decided that holding a sports team fundraiser is the way to go. After all, there are many benefits to sports team fundraising ideas, from bringing in extra money to the school that will go toward paying for new sports team equipment, to just having everybody involved working together as a team to help a cause in need.

If you really want to succeed with your sports team fundraising ideas, and have the budget to cater for a larger event then why not hold a carnival for all of the students and parents to attend. Team fundraising ideas come in all shapes and sizes.

You may have heard that holding a traditional bake sale or lemonade stall is the best way to go to raise money. But what will really get people excited is something fun and different that everybody can enjoy. If you’ve decided to go with a carnival to help raise money for your sports team, then you have certainly got your work cut out for you.

The best way to organize your event is by recruiting a committee of other organizers to help implement your ideas. Holding a carnival is a huge task, so you shouldn’t feel shy about delegating some of the work to others. This will allow you to take a step back and take a broader look at the work that has to be done.

When you have your plan worked out, you will want to promote your carnival through banners and posters, and handing out flyers. You carnival doesn’t just have to be for students at your school either. Since you are going for a huge-scale event, you should invite everybody in the local area in order to raise the maximum amount of money for your sports team.

Golf Fundraising Suggestions

Howard Gottlieb — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:27:19 +0000

When you really want to make a difference at your school and bring in some extra funding that will help go towards making a better environment for the students, you might have considered holding a fundraiser to help reach your targets.

There are many different sports teams within the school that could use some extra funding, but with golf fundraising you will be doing something good for a group that is often left in the dark. The golf club often needs money for things like golf clubs and transport costs to the local golf green, and with golf fundraising you can really make a difference.

So let’s get started.

If you are part of the school’s golf team, it might be a good idea to rally together the support of your peers in helping to organize your golf fundraising event. This is a great way to get other people’s perspectives on the whole event and may bring some ideas to the table that you hadn’t thought of. It is very important that you plan out every aspect of your event before putting more time and money into it.

Taking care to note the budget and time frame you have to work with is a good way to making your plans run smoothly. If you feel that you have planned out your golf fundraising ideas sufficiently and are ready to get started in raising money, you might like to consider selling some golf fundraising products to help you reach those financial goals.

A Golf Scratch Card Fundraiser is a perfect option for fans of golfing and offer great profit margins (up to 90%). If you want to go with something sweet, you might prefer our $2 Chocolate Fundraiser, which is also incredibly easy to set up. Simply visit our product pages to get started.

Getting your Charity Auction Volunteers to Buy-in and Work, by Sherry Truhlar

Sherry Truhlar — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:26:45 +0000

Getting your charity auction volunteers to buy-in and work

Got problems getting event volunteers energized to do what is needed to be done?

Here’s one tip: Give volunteers something new and creative to learn which simultaneously solves a problem your charity auction is experiencing.

Volunteers will remain engaged if they believe the solution you are sharing is 1) fun and 2) will solve the problem. When it’s fun to solve the problem, your volunteers will do it.

Watch my video to hear four tips I have for getting volunteers fired up.

About the Author
Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar’s entertaining stories and advice is often picked up by publications (e.g. Town & Country, The Washington Post Magazine, AUCTIONEER, The Eleusis, The Virginia Auctioneer) and television (e.g. E! Style, TLC) where she inspires and teaches volunteers how to hit new fundraising records in their auction galas. Enjoy her FREE Auction Item Guide(listing the 100 best-selling items to sell in your benefit auction) at www.RedAppleAuctions.com

Insurance for your benefit auction ain’t a bad idea, by Sherry Truhlar

Sherry Truhlar — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:27 +0000

Last year, a 2010 Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle was stolen. The bike was painted pink and signed by a number of country music stars, such as Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw, and Taylor Swift.

Here’s the kicker: It had been donated to be sold in a benefit auction to benefit the Lexington affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The bike had been stored inside a trailer secured by chains in the organization’s parking lot. When employees returned to the office after the weekend, they noticed it was gone.

Sad.

The bike sounds irreplaceable, but I hope at least they had some insurance.

From my event management days, here are some types of event-specific insurance you can consider as you plan your benefit auction.

Property Damage Insurance

Covers the damage or loss of the property of the policy owner. For instance, if you have your auction set-up the night before and a thief slips in during the night and steals a registration laptop and some items, the typical Property Damage Insurance policy would cover those items.

Commercial General Liability (CGL) or Comprehensive General Liability

This is a basic business policy and covers major risks, including property damage and injury to people. Usually higher-risk activities (serving alcohol comes to mind) require an additional policy or rider.

Fire Legal Liability

I once worked at a benefit auction where a centerpiece started to burn. Thankfully, it was only starting to smoke when it was extinguished by the startled guests! A fire legal liability insurance policy is for such instances. Assume your auction volunteers accidentally bump a table and cause a can of sterno to ignite nearby curtains and burn down the venue. This is the policy to have on hand.

Event Cancellation

If you are holding a benefit auction outdoors and fear bad weather might cause the cancellation of the event, this policy protects against unforeseen circumstances such as that. It may also cover labor disputes or damage to the event facility or venue. (Imagine if you’d scheduled to hold your benefit auction in the Opryland Hotel in Nashville in late May 2010. The flood waters of May 3 would have prohibited you from holding the gala.)

Here’s an easy charity auction tip: Use surveys, by Sherry Truhlar

Sherry Truhlar — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:43:34 +0000

When it comes to incorporating a simple auction idea into your fundraising gala, don’t forget about one of the easiest ways to get feedback from your charity auction: surveying your auction guests. I was reminded of this recently while listening to the radio.

On a recent morning show, the DJ was asking his co-hosts and callers about their preferred superhero power. “If you could have one superhuman power,” he’d ask, “What would it be?”

Flying and invisibility were popular, but so was the ability to read minds.

The ability to read minds would be handy at a benefit auction. You could finally learn what guests really thought about your creation. Did they notice the theme? Did they understand where the money was going? Did they mind the cash bar? From a planner’s perspective, we want to know what the guests preferred. Knowing our guests preferences helps us plan a better event.

Some guests will comment about the gala when they check-out. Others will complain to an administrator. Some folks will make an effort to find and compliment the Auction Chair before they leave. But all three of these methods are haphazard ways to track data.

Surveys are an excellent yet underutilized charity auction tool. If you’ve collected email addresses as guests registered, it’s easy to send out an electronic survey to capture quick data about their take on the gala.

Here are some of the questions you might ask:
• Did you attend the gala as a sponsor, as a guest, or as an individual ticket holder?
• What city / suburb is most convenient for you to attend a fundraiser?
• How many fundraisers do you attend in a year?
• What night of the week are you most likely to attend a fundraiser?
• Where did the proceeds of the gala go?

You can also ask guests to rate elements of the night. For instance, on a 5-point scale, you might ask them to rate the registration, check-out, food, dress code, location, facility, benefit auctioneer, auction items, or entertainment.

For high participation in your survey, keep it short. And send your survey promptly, preferably within three to four days of the auction. That way, the gala is still easy for them to remember.

To create your survey, consider SurveyMonkey. It’s a popular service because the format is straightforward and the tool is free, as long as you work within the company’s designated parameters.

If you’ve got an event coming up, I advocate that you design and write your survey now, prior to the auction. Then the survey link will be ready to email the day after the event.

Outside of reading your guests’ minds, a survey is your best method for finding out what your guests most enjoyed about your benefit auction.

Raise More Money Selling Sponsorships, Not Tickets, by Amy Eisenstein

Amy Eisenstein — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:49:58 +0000

Greetings! Today, I have another terrific guest article to share with you. This time, author of 50 Asks in 50 Weeks and certified fundraising consultant Amy Eisenstein, (pictured at left) has been kind enough to share one of her recent blog posts with us.

If you’ve never visited Amy’s site, TriPointFundraising, I highly suggest that you take a few minutes, when you’re done reading this piece, to click on over. She has a wealth of useful information for people actively engaged in raising money for non-profits.

I want to thank Amy for her generosity in sharing this very valuable information about grant writing with us. I hope you enjoy this post and get to know Amy better! ~ Jim Berigan

Raise More Money Selling Sponsorships, Not Tickets

BY AMY EISENSTEIN

“Should we lower the ticket price to our event?” is the question I have been asked over and over by clients and colleagues this year. My answer is an emphatic NO!

There are two primary reasons: First, there are people who have the ability to continue to pay the regular ticket price (or sponsorship level). By lowering ticket prices (and sponsorship levels,) you are leaving money on the table. Second, you are lowering expectations for subsequent years.

So, if some individuals and companies won’t be able to participate at their usual levels due to the economy, what do you do? Call them. Talk to them. Tell them how much you appreciate their past support of your event. Explain that you noticed that they had not renewed for this year, and ask if it was an oversight (just in case it was). If not, ask at what level they might be able to participate again this year. Welcome them back at any level, and offer to give them the benefits and perks of their normal, higher level, with the expectation that they will be able to come back at higher levels in future years. Do this with companies and individuals, for sponsorships and individual tickets.

My advice: Do not leave money on the table or lower expectations for your event. Do not lower ticket prices this year.

Why Have Events?

Events are the most time intensive and expensive type of fundraising, so why do we have them? Events are an opportunity to:

Showcase your organization to your current supporters and members of the community,
Make a lot of money from companies and people who might not otherwise give,
Build your database, and
Raise unrestricted, operating dollars, which are difficult to raise in other ways.

I believe every small development shop should have events, but only one annual one, or two at the most. (Planning more than two events per year will not leave time for other important components of fundraising, such as individual cultivation and solicitation, grant writing, bulk mail, etc.) Despite the drawbacks of events, if you have the staffing capacity to hold an event (or two,) it should be well worth the effort.

Event Committees are for Fundraising, Not for Planning

When planning your event, the first step is to form a committee of board and non-board members to serve as your event committee. Ideally, you should have lots of people on your committee with various positions, titles, and connection in the community. Let each committee member know up front that you expect them to buy or sell at least one table, as a condition of serving on the committee. Lay out additional expectations, like attending occasional meetings and sending invitations with personal notes to friends and colleagues.

An event committee is a fundraising committee, and should not be expected to (or expect to) plan the details of the event. The first time I ever ran a major event, I made the mistake of including the committee on decisions like table cloth colors and dinner menu selection. While you may have one committee member who wants to be involved with event details, (and you may need to let them, for political reasons,) this should not be the primary focus of the committee. The committee exists to help you fundraise!

Event committee members have four key responsibilities:

Determining the type of event,
Selecting honorees and speakers,
Setting sponsorship levels, and
Selling tickets and tables.

Always make important decisions, such as selecting honorees and sponsorship levels, as a committee, (with staff recommendations and input, of course). This will ensure committee member involvement and “buy-in.”

Setting the Stage to Fundraise: Putting Your Committee to Work

1. Determining the Type of Event

Once the event committee is formed, the first order of business is to select the type of event. Staff should have one or two suggestions in mind to help guide the conversation. You may want to start the conversation via email ahead of the first meeting, so committee members can have ideas when they arrive, and you can move forward quickly.

One of the most common events among non-profits is the awards dinner event. It works well, because it serves as a friend-raiser and fundraiser. There are many other popular events such as golf outings, and dinner dances or galas.

While there are a variety of types of events to choose from, focus on events that easily lend themselves to sponsorship opportunities. I believe that any fundraiser where you sell things one at a time, are bad fundraisers. For example, cookie sales (except for in the case of the girl scouts). Likewise, magazine sales, wrapping paper sales, bake sales, car washes, etc., are bad fundraising events for any small organization. (Schools are perhaps the exception to this rule, because they have huge labor pools – students – to do the selling). Sponsorships are key to successful fundraising events, and you should stay away from events where things are sold one at a time (be it a ticket, or a box of cookies).

2. Selecting Honorees

If you are having an awards dinner or gala, selecting the right honorees is a critical step, because honorees can buy and sell sponsorships for you. Make a list of companies, individuals, foundations, and groups that support your organization. Which would you like to honor, and have the ability, and have the ability to buy and sell sponsorships. Utilize your committee member’s contacts in the community to secure the best honorees possible.

Most organizations opt to have more than one honoree, to leverage as many sponsorships and tables as possible. My rule of thumb is no more than three to four honorees. If you have more than four, it dilutes the meaning of the honor, both on the invitation and at the event. Having too many honorees also creates a long and boring program.

Just a note: having a politician as an honoree is always a fine idea (assuming you’re having more than one honoree,) but s/he will rarely (almost never) generate any ticket sales or sponsorships.

3. Setting Sponsorship Levels

The key to a successful event is to sell sponsorships, not (only) tickets. I always have a ticket price for the few individuals who will want to buy them, but the main focus should be on selling tables or sponsorship packages. Event revenue is raised in a traditional fundraising pyramid (ten percent of the people give ninety percent of the gifts, and ninety percent of the people give ten percent of the gifts). So start where the money is and solicit sponsorships.

To finish reading this article, please click here.

Will Your Non-Profit Hold a Raffle in 2011 or 2012? Read Raffle Secrets by Sandra Sims and Jim Berigan

Jim Berigan — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:39:46 +0000

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you certainly are aware of its founder, Sandra Sims. Sandra has written dozens of outstanding articles posted here and many high-quality e-books, which have helped non-profits all over the world earn more money. Jim Berigan has also written dozens of fundraising articles on this site, as well as at TopSchoolFundraisers and FundraisingIdeas.org.

Now, Jim and Sandra have teamed up to write a brand new e-book, called Raffle Secrets, The Complete Raffle Fundraising System. This fifty page e-book dives into the nitty-gritty of how to plan and execute a highly successful raffle event.

Whether your raffle is just part of a larger fundraising event or it stands alone with a mega-prize, this book will answer your most pressing questions and concerns.

After years of blogging about fundraising and working for numerous non-profit organizations, Jim and Sandra know what you’re looking for.

Here are just a few of the topics found in Raffle Secrets:

How to decide if a raffle is right for your group (includes checklist)
How to keep your raffle legal
The top 5 most attractive prizes and how to get them at low -or no- cost
5 ideas to add revenue with ticket-buying incentives
How to set the ideal length of time for ticket sales
Create an event schedule so you’ll stay on track (includes a sample!)
How to set the price for the tickets
How to estimate costs (includes sample budget)
The formula for creating the perfect ticket price
Where to get your raffle tickets printed
Promoting your raffle: advertising and publicity
The #1 way to sell the most tickets
10 tips for selling tickets at a public booth
Incentives and contests to motive volunteer ticket sellers
Marketing techniques to build excitement
How to give away the raffle prizes with a big event

In addition to the fifty page e-book, we are also including three FREE bonus e-books. These are:

18 Unusual and Amazing Raffles You Can Do to Raise Money for Your Cause
Drive into Fundraising Success with a Car Raffle
House Raffles – The Big Time Prize

If you have ever benefited from the articles that Jim or Sandra have posted here at StepByStepFundraising, then you’ve got to check Raffle Secrets out. They have put the same level of creativity, solid information, and personal experience into this e-book as they have each one of the articles on this blog. You’ll want to check this out now!

Delivering the Goods: Use This Crafty Corporate Marketing Concept to Present Your Auction Gala Gift Bags, by Sherry Truhlar

Sherry Truhlar — Fri, 06 May 2011 17:53:12 +0000

I’d like to welcome Sherry Truhlar back to to Step By Step Fundraising! Sherry’s written a number of great articles for us on the topic of fundraising auctions, and she has a great site at Red Apple Auctions that you should definitely check out.

She also has a FREE Auction Item Guide (listing the 100 best-selling items to sell in your benefit auction) here.

Thanks, Sherry, for sharing your time and knowledge with us! – Jim Berigan

A shoe store surprised me with a clever marketing message AFTER I got home.

You likely have a story about poor customer service. Many of us do.

But I’ve noticed some companies creatively finding ways to make their customers feel extra-special, even after purchasing a product. These ideas leave a positive, lasting impression.

Here’s one clever marketing technique you might adapt for use at your charity auction to ensure your gala keeps guests smiling, even after they’ve left.

By way of example, here are two stories from my old stomping grounds of corporate marketing.

Story #1

I bought a pair of shoes at a store called “Shoe Woo.” Once home, I pulled the shoebox out of the bag. A black message on the inside bottom of the white bag caught my eye: “You’ve been WOOed!”

I didn’t expect that at the bottom of the bag, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Story #2

While attending a sales-related conference, I heard a speaker share a similar experience. She had purchased a jacket from an outdoor apparel company.

The first time she wore the jacket, she put her hand inside the pocket and felt a small piece of paper. She assumed it was an inspection sticker. When she pulled it out to throw it away, she glanced at the paper and some words caught her eye:

“You are a goddess.”

Whoa, a goddess!? Her day was instantly brightened.

Key point #1: Ideas don’t need to add cost.

Shoe Woo has to print bags anyway. The outdoor apparel company has to package those coats for shipping anyway. Adding a message to the shopping bag or slipping a tag into a jacket pocket are minor tasks that leave major impressions.

Key point #2: The element of surprise.

Instead of giving guests your auction gift bag in a predictable way at the end of the night, what if the contents of that gift bag were delivered in a different way?

Gift bags are often handed to patrons as they leave the building. If guests must valet park, consider giving the valet the responsibility of leaving one gift bag in each car. What a nice surprise for your auction guests to find a gift in their car as they head home!

Although I’ve not seen this idea used at a benefit auction, I personally have been the recipient of the tactic.

A few years ago when I was still working in corporate marketing, I attended the opening of Fairmont’s Gold level in Washington, D.C. At the end of the night, the valet brought me my car.

As I was driving away, I noticed a lovely wine opener with a bow sitting in my cup holder.

I was excited to get home and take a closer look. The experience of the evening lingered with me beyond the hours of the party.

What other ideas do you have to ensure your charity auction lingers in each guest’s mind?

About the Author

Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar’s advice has been seen in print (e.g. Town & Country, The Washington Post Magazine, AUCTIONEER) and on television (e.g. E! Style, TLC) where she inspires and teaches volunteers how to hit new fundraising records in their auction galas. Enjoy her FREE Auction Item Guide (listing the 100 best-selling items to sell in your benefit auction) at http://www.RedAppleAuctions.com .

Previous articles published on SBSF:

Shrink those floral centerpieces at your benefit auction, by Sherry Truhlar

Benefit auction ideas: The “correct” way to thank donors by Sherry Truhlar

Shrink those floral centerpieces at your benefit auction, by Sherry Truhlar

Sherry Truhlar — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:42:00 +0000

This low, Balinese-inspired auction centerpiece worked well.

Once again, I’d like to welcome Sherry Truhlar to Step By Step Fundraising! Sherry’s written a number of great articles for us on the topic of fundraising auctions, and she has a great site at Red Apple Auctions that you should definitely check out. She also has a FREE Auction Item Guide (listing the 100 best-selling items to sell in your benefit auction) here . Thanks, Sherry, for sharing your time and knowledge with us! – Jim Berigan

Shrink those floral centerpieces at your benefit auction

When I was a corporate event planner, deciding on centerpieces for special events was one of the creative aspects of my work. Part of the process was making them functional and fun.

As an auctioneer, I have definite ideas on what makes for a good centerpiece! To keep this post short, I’m only going to talk about fresh floral centerpieces.

Here are three auction tips for selecting a good floral centerpiece for your auction fundraiser.

Keep them inexpensive.

I’ve noticed a trend that the centerpieces are being scaled down in this economy — smart move! Even when the economy is booming I’d prefer if the centerpieces were inexpensive.

Keep them small.

The auctioneer needs to be able to see around and over them. Both bidders and auctioneers get frustrated when they can’t see each other.

If you aren’t selling them (or borrowing them), give ‘em away.

Guests love taking centerpieces home! If you think there’s going to be a swarm of people clamoring for your centerpiece, create a process so guests know the correct pecking order. Mark one of the wine glasses with a gold star, or tell the group that the person with the shortest hair at the table gets first dibs on the centerpiece.

For other auction tips on centerpieces, you might want to read about:

About the author

Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar’s stories and advice has been published in publications (e.g. Town & Country, The Washington Post Magazine, AUCTIONEER, The Eleusis, The Virginia Auctioneer) and heard on television (e.g. E! Style, TLC) where she inspires and teaches volunteers how to hit new fundraising records in their auction galas. Enjoy her FREE Auction Item Guide (listing the 100 best-selling items to sell in your benefit auction) here .