By Juliet Davenport, Nonprofit Ambassador at DonationMatch
Do you remember being awed by the answering machine? (Does anyone still own one of those?) Or what about the cordless phone? Now it's all about smartphones and iPads. Millennials (those born between 1981 and 2000) are all about digital, and it can be challenging to keep them engaged with your cause or brand. As Cynthia Hamlin of B2C explains in her blog, "[d]espite Millennials' increased internet usage, when surveyed by Pew Research Center for MILLENNIALS A Portrait of Generation Next, there were no significant differences among Millennials, GenXers and Boomers when asked about the amount of email sent and received in the 24 hours prior to the survey. Millennials were more likely to have Tweeted, updated their online profile or sent a text message in that time period." Millennials are still using email, but in conjunction with social media and text. Here are some interesting numbers pointed out in her blog that are just as relevant now as they were then:
As the numbers show, incorporating social media into your email marketing is a smart way to keep Millennials engaged. Ms. Hamlin's blog shares tips on how to accomplish this. How have you incorporated social media into your email marketing?
Guest blog post by Sherry Truhlar of Red Apple Auctions.
I thought about writing on this topic a few months ago and decided, “Nope. I need to save this topic until January.”
The reason being is that January is the month that many stores -- Home Depot, Walmart, Kmart, Target, Staples, The Container Store (the annual Elfa® sale) -- advertise one particular theme.
Getting organized!
This is THE month that many stores promote organization.
Volunteer Auction Chairs need to be organized. They are often working with many volunteers to plan the fundraising auction. Keeping track of the big picture -- AND the details -- is part of the job.
Here are four organizational tools I’ve seen other Auction Chairs have success using:
Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar publishes "Benefit Auction Ideas," a bi-monthly e-zine for auction chairs seeking to improve the financial results of their charity auctions. Get your own copy - and a F'REE gift! - at www.RedAppleAuctions.com.
What other tools have you successfully used to keep yourself organized in the planning process? We'd love to know in the comments below!
[Sherry's blog post from last year is just as worth sharing now. Here's to your fundraising success! - Renee, Co-founder, DonationMatch] Courtesy of Sherry Truhlar, Red Apple Auctions
One of my clients held her school gala last month. A few days prior, she asked how she could ensure that new parents would feel welcome attending the charity auction.
It's a good question.
The reception you give to new attendees can make a difference in whether they buy, and certainly makes an impression on whether they want to return.
At another auction meeting, one of the co-chairs -- a divorced single Mom -- said that when she drove to the auction the previous year, she sat for several minutes in the parking garage, mustering up the courage to enter.
"I was debating as to whether I really wanted to do this," she told me. She knew everyone else would be attending with their spouse. As a single person, she wasn't sure she'd fit in or to whom she'd talk. "I didn't know anyone," she explained.
Once she made the decision to enter, she was so warmly received that she took a leadership role in the auction the following year.
Do you have guests new to the event coming? Here are some ways to welcome them.
STEP 1: Prior to the event, call them.
Point blank tell them you're looking forward to meeting them, perhaps mentioning something specific.
"I'm REALLY looking forward to meeting/visiting you," you'll say, "I'm seating you at my table." Say it with enthusiasm! These are new people prepared to learn about your cause. They deserve your energy, and it will help build the anticipation.
If you're not holding a sit-down dinner, offer to make introductions, "Find me at the raffle table because I have someone I'm eager for you to meet."
STEP 2: At the event, assign people to meet and greet.
At a recent hospice auction, staff were assigned in pairs to greet guests at the hotel door, right after they'd turned their car over to the valet. Staff briefly chatted with them before pointing them in the direction of the registration table.
Another client asks three people (two Board members and an outgoing woman who has been involved in the organization for years) to mingle with new guests, being sure to introduce the newbies to others and spending time getting to know them.
You might consider identifying new guests in a specific way, such as a "new parent" ribbon or a subtle star on a name badge.
I've seen this done successfully, though some guests might not appreciate the gesture and instead feel like a target. Decide what works for your group.
STEP 3: After the event, pick up the phone. Nothing says "Wow!" like a prompt thank you.
If you need a slam-dunk strategy for next year's donations, this is it.
The day after the auction, set aside receipts and written thank you's. Instead, pick up the phone and start dialing. Here's the proof.
Fundraising colleague Gail Perry introduced me to Penelope Burk's work. Penelope, a well-respected fundraising expert, shared some statistics on board member thank you calls back in 2004 at an AFP International Conference.
Donors who received a thank you phone call from a board member within 24 hours of making the gift were 39% more likely than other donors to give the next time they were solicited.
39%!
And after 14 months, they were giving 42% more.
Talk about a super strategy for improving your auction donations for the following year....
Engage your Board members. Anyone Board member who felt uncomfortable asking for an auction item or sponsorship money should be enlisted in this activity. Provide them a script. They can start dialing to say, "Thank you so much for your donation last night! We are so thrilled you attended."
Three simple steps and these new buyers can become lifelong auction supporters.
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Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar publishes "Benefit Auction Ideas," a bi-monthly e-zine for auction chairs seeking to improve the financial results of their charity auctions. Get your own copy -- and a F'REE gift! - at www.RedAppleAuctions.com.
By Renee Zau, Co-founder, DonationMatch The inevitable happened. I suspected it was a possibility, but it still took me by surprise. "I just don't think I have it in me." Just like that, my son's elementary school's annual fundraiser was cancelled.
This isn't the first time I've seen a leading volunteer burn out, nor will it be the last. Imagine how much work it is to organize the equivalent of a wedding every year, then DOUBLE it. That's how many hours the average charitable fundraising event takes to plan (about 600 hours!) This will drain even the most experienced volunteers year after year, and we found some advice on alleviating pain:
Get Help. "Auctions are best enjoyed – and planned – with others.... Believe it or not, a good number of your best volunteers may not even have personal ties to the nonprofit, but instead have ties to the auction chair!" - Sherry Truhlar, Red Apple Auctions, from "Five Steps to a Great Fundraising Auction"
Stop the (PTO) Drama. Tim Sullivan of PTO Today addressed this in a blog post where he acknowledged the difficulties of authority or leadership in volunteer situations. He tackled this head-on with several suggestions.
Show Appreciation. While your committees are already securing prizes for auctions and raffles, why not add an ask for volunteer gifts, too? I love that the San Diego Zoo does a raffle at each of their Food & Wine Celebration planning meetings. Another idea? The same companies providing goodies for event swag bags will also often be happy to include extras for volunteers. After all, they are potential customers, too, and a little goodwill goes a long way.
Value Their Time. This has more to do with the tools you provide. It could be an app, software, or updated equipment that can save MANY hours of work or headaches. New products to help with event fundraising are being introduced constantly, including Planana for event sharing and DonationMatch for in-kind donation procurement. The best ones will reduce repetitive tasks, increase sales, and/or stay organized (i.e. prevent busy people from being overwhelmed.)
What helps you stay motivated? What have you done to successfully retain volunteers? We'd love to know in the comments below!
By Renee Zau, Co-founder, DonationMatch A question posed in a LinkedIn group made me reflect on how many (typically small) businesses don't know how to use cause marketing, specifically in-kind (non-cash) marketing, to their advantage. If you have a great product or service, one experience is all you need to convert newbies into customers, even raving fans. How do you get yourself in front of more potential customers without "paying" for it?
These opportunities are all tied to nonprofit events, my favorite kind, but may be seasonal or harder to find. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post that gives more everyday ways to help in-kind.
Why not take one lunch break to reach out and explore possibilities with a particularly interesting local organization? And register on DonationMatch to be notified of event opportunities in your market - it's still free in many cities. I (and your local organizations) will love hearing from you!
REGISTRATION IS OPEN! What better way to kick off our DonationMatch blog than to announce our first local event! In partnership with San Diego Association of Nonprofits, DonationMatch is honored to host Sherry Truhlar of Red Apple Auctions in beautiful San Diego on November 9th at 8:30 a.m. She'll be bringing her award-winning expertise and experience on fundraising event and auction success to Neighborhood House Association's centrally located auditorium in Kearny Mesa. Who should attend? Volunteers of fundraising event committees, event planners, nonprofit development departments, business owners and managers who want an inside look at how your in-kind donations are promoted, and those interested in making more San Diego nonprofit industry connections. There will also be a free opportunity drawing for all attendees.
Admission is just $10, complimentary for SANDAN members and DonationMatch registered users (including staff and active volunteers). Register today!
