How to Get Them Engaged

Board members may give you the names of colleagues they believe are interested in your cause, but that doesn't mean they know how to approach those folks. Tell your board, “We have an event coming up. Invite John to be your guest at the event, and then we can talk to him after the event.” When you do speak to this individual after the event, share a moving story, your mission, and the focus of your fundraising auction event. It's easy to do, and he will then understand what your nonprofit is all about.

Start with a Discussion

Fundraising is a dialogue about something people care about. It's about values, and it's about philanthropy. Raising funds for your charity involves much more than money. Philanthropy gets at the core of what is value-driven in all of us. So instead of talking about the money needed for the benefit auction event itself, board members should talk to potential sponsors in different terms. If they're at a meeting, on the golf course, or out to dinner with friends, it's easy for them to say, “I was just at my favorite nonprofit this morning. I learned the most important thing about this nonprofit organization (or about the people they are serving, or about an upcoming activity they're doing in the community).…”

They can talk about why they're on the board, what the board means to them, and the things that they're doing. The other person will likely say, “Oh, I'd love to learn more about that!”

“Terrific! Why don't you join me at the fundraising auction event we are having next month? Come as my guest.”

This exchange flows much more naturally than the awkward, “Would you do this for me?” It lets board members share something that means a lot to them and hear what others think. It's a shift from the typical “fundraising ask” to a conversation about the vision, mission, and core purpose of the nonprofit they serve.

How do you help board members begin a dialogue about fundraising? The first step is to identify friends and colleagues who might be interested in the organization. Second, they should spend at least three minutes in the next six months talking with these individuals about something special that happens at the organization. They can do this in the course of their social life: when they are out to dinner, at a gathering of friends, in any kind of a social setting. The key is to have the conversation for at least three minutes. It's about setting an expectation.

Some board members worry about asking for money from people who have already paid for a ticket to the event or become a sponsor. None of us has the right to assume what someone else wants to do. In a fund-a-need, you'll be amazed who raises their hands. No one twists anyone's arm to give, but people everywhere are waiting to be asked to make a difference. Many have come to that event prepared to do so.

Today's donors are far, far different than they were even a few years ago. Donors want to come to an event where they are moved. They want a cathartic experience; they want to feel their actions will have an impact. As you communicate with board members and design your fundraiser, be sure to provide an experience that engages your donors in meaningful ways. Don't shortchange your guests by not allowing them to become the philanthropists they want to be. Finding out what impassions your supporters in a simple dialogue can make a powerful difference. Everyone who is engaged in a conversation should be paying attention to generational differences in people's motivation for attending the event.

Kick Off Your Benefit Auction Event

The kick-off is a mini-event in itself, designed to motivate, inspire, and recruit team members for your main benefit auction event. You'll want to invite as many people as you can. Make sure your board attends, especially the key individuals who are going to lead each team. This is a great way to generate enthusiasm. People want to have fun!

To build attendance, send out an e-mail blast encouraging people to come to the kick-off event. Explain that this is an opportunity to learn how an event is planned. Serve hors d'oeuvres and adult beverages to create a party-like atmosphere. Make sure that everyone is socializing and having a good time, but also offer a program as strong and inspirational as your main auction event.

Consultant Sharon Danosky recalls a fun and engaging kick-off party:

One year, I remember doing a kick-off party for an organization that had just finished a video. We had decided we were going to preview this fabulous video at the kick-off party, but we didn't want people going around and talking about the video, because we wanted to show it at the benefit auction event itself. We set up a whole mock security thing. We had a couple of guys dressed up like the Blues Brothers with dark suits and glasses, perched at each side of the stage looking out at the audience to make sure no one was pirating it or going to spoil it.

We had a lot of fun with this. The video was so powerful and moving that when we asked, “Who wants to get involved and who wants to serve on a committee for the actual benefit auction event?” The answer was “I do!” People were motivated. We touched their hearts and, if you touch someone's heart, he or she will want to give. In this case, they wanted to give their time to volunteer to help with the benefit auction event.

Danosky had the whole room decorated with Monopoly money as part of the fundraising theme. Board members were greeters, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. A kick-off party is a terrific way to jump-start your benefit auction event.

Don't Underestimate the Potential for Fundraising

In my experience, a common mistake many board members make is to underestimate both the audience and the potential for donations. I was the speaker consultant for a special kick-off party for Ability Beyond. Board members, both honorees, other volunteers, and staff attended. There were 37 people—a very nice turnout on a snowy evening. We enjoyed delicious appetizers and wine and showcased a heartwarming success story about a client. As part of my consulting role, I was asked to conduct an interactive presentation to the nonprofit's leaders about how they could make a greater impact for fundraising and donor development. I always enjoy warming up the group by auctioning off something. However, I forgot to bring a small gift to sell. When the executive director asked me, “Kathy, what are you doing to auction off?” I drew a blank. Then I reached into my purse and exclaimed, “This tangy tangerine can change someone's life. Who will make a difference tonight?”

The next thing I knew, the bids went up and up: five dollars, 10 dollars, a hundred dollars, two hundred,…finally the winning bidder paid $2,500 for the tangerine, and we all cheered him. Then, I pulled out a second tangerine and said, “Would the next bidder like this one?” Everyone's mouth was on the floor. We sold two tangy tangerines for $5,000. People want to donate and make a difference. They're just waiting to be asked.

Kathy's Magic Question

How can event guests at your benefit auction really make a difference? The first rule of fundraising is that people give to people first. They're motivated by causes they really care about. How do you engage your board members and volunteers to make that happen?

After conducting fundraising auctions and all types of events for almost 30 years, I have found my Magic Question to be one of the most effective and quickest ways to more deeply engage leaders and donors around an organization's mission. And better yet, it allows you to share a quick personal conversation about the impact of the organization for them. I designed and tested my Magic Question as an auctioneer during cocktail hours and silent auctions, because I wanted to quickly and meaningfully engage as many guests as I could.

It's simple; just ask, “How are you connected to (fill in the name of your organization)?”

Set the Tone—Invite Conversation

At your cocktail reception, invite your leaders to strategically walk around and personally engage at least three guests each that they don't already know. Have them ask my Magic Question, “How are you connected to (fill in the name of your organization)?”

That simple question will engage and guide your leaders, and it's the fastest, most compelling way to inspire your guests and solidify their relationship with the organization. The stories shared in those 30-second exchanges are powerful. And that power is multiplied exponentially when your board members and volunteers bring this information back, so that you can incorporate the stories into your messaging. This also actively prepares your audience to become more personally connected to your cause. Now, during your reception and silent auction, everyone will be talking about your organization and its mission, not their new shoes or where they're going on their next vacation. When they are ready to bid at your live auction, the auctioneer will say, “It's not really about taking a trip to Tuscany or going on a fishing trip. It's really about making a difference for the organization.” Your guests will understand your impact at a deeper level, because they've engaged in this 30-second warm-up about your organization's cause.

There is a second important part to the Magic Question. Ask everyone to memorize what guests share with them at your event. You'll want to have a debrief to capture all the interaction from these rich conversations. Further, like many of my clients, you may find new volunteers, board members, auction item donors, and even major donors by using this simple yet powerful donor engagement strategy.

Use this strategy as a discussion point during board and stakeholder meetings, then invite your board to practice at your next auction.

Never Too Many Thank Yous

Nonprofits often take a fragmented approach to benefit auction events. There are certain things you must do after the event to make your fundraising year a blowout success. For example, there's nothing more powerful than an executive director or chief development officer calling volunteers the next day. This is a great opportunity to rehash the night, but the main purpose is to say, “Thank you” and, “By the way, we raised this much money, and we could not have done it without you.”

Volunteers absolutely love these phone calls, and they don't want to wait a week wondering how successful the event was. They want to know how much money they raised—not how much money raised by the organization, but how much money they raised for you. Call team chairs, thank everyone, and also be sure to follow the IRS regulations in terms of thanking people. That means a “thank you” has to go out, stating how much the person gave, and whether or not any goods or services were received. This is a legal compliance matter. But you'll also want board members to pick up the phone and personally call people who gave. It's a great way to get them involved. All they have to do is say thank you.

A board Thank-a-Thon the week after the benefit auction event is a great way to do this. Board members get together, pick up their phones, and call people. If they reach people live, that's great. If not, they can leave a heartfelt voicemail. This is another training opportunity for board members, because they'll get to hear how excited people were to be able to give. They thank you for the privilege, and that's important for board members to hear.

For a thank-a-thon, include people who chose to give during the fund-a-need, even if they donated at the lower levels. There's no reason not to! And don't stop saying thank you at the thousand dollar level. You can easily call a couple of hundred people in an evening with five or six board members. That is not a hard thing to do, and it means so much to your donors. When you make the effort to say thank you in a meaningful way, it can brighten someone's day. By thanking someone for a contribution, you show great kindness to that donor.

Personalize Your Benefit Auction Volunteer Recognition

Recently I had an exciting opportunity to volunteer at the Provincetown International Film Festival. What a great way to support this fantastic event! Their volunteer training and recognition were impressive. I loved my volunteer jobs: counting and ripping tickets, greeting film aficionados, and my favorite—sweeping up popcorn off the theater floor. Really. Why? It's simple—there was a beginning, a middle, and an end!

In my case, I was thrilled to help out with simple duties where I didn't have to organize, fundraise, or be in charge of an event—things I do all the time. When I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, my volunteer work for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race entailed shoveling snow back into the street so mushers had plenty of white stuff on the ground during the ceremonial start.

So here's my first big tip for working with volunteers. Engage each volunteer personally. Ask each person what they would like to do before each event. Don't randomly assign tasks or assume they would like to do the same volunteer job each time. Sometimes a volunteer would like to perform or learn a new task that is completely different than what she does in her regular life.

Secondly, ask your leaders to engage volunteers. During the Provincetown film festival, I was impressed that board members, filmmakers, and producers made a point to thank me personally for lending a hand—even when that hand only held a broom! From the volunteer side, it meant the world to me. What a great reminder for me about the power of personal acknowledgments for auction volunteers, too.

So keep up the enthusiasm throughout the many months of auction planning. Give lots of recognition, say thank you, and feed your volunteers plenty of healthy, delicious food!

Vendors Are Part of the Team, Too

To create a culture of philanthropy, you'll want to take a strategic look at teams, by getting all the key players involved, including auction co-chairs, a board liaison, sponsors, honorees, event planners, venue managers, caterers and their staffs, bartenders, audio visual professionals…and of course your auctioneer.

Why? Even though event planners, caterers, and audio-visual professionals have outstanding expertise in planning and serving events, their skills and experience may not include those considerations that are unique to fundraising auctions and benefits. You're moving away from the old transactional method, focused primarily on party planning, to a new model of fundraising and donor engagement. You'll want to intentionally involve all the key players, making sure they understand that your auction fundraiser needs to be designed quite differently than a party or wedding. Naturally, you want to focus on a high quality guest experience with food, beverages, and atmosphere; however, some event planners and caterers can unknowingly destroy your ability to raise money.

Here are a few examples. I've seen molten lava cake served right in the middle of an inspiring, emotional fund-a-need story—causing the entire audience to dive into liquid chocolate and stop giving. I've seen a caterer feature a glistening ice carving of a group's logo in the center of a silent auction room, surrounded by tables filled with mounds of delectable appetizers, where almost all of the guests gathered. The new wine pull raffle was relegated to the corner, where it drew scant attention. I've seen a venue place the bar right inside the door to an event, causing a log-jam before guests even caught a glimpse of the silent auction items. I've seen audio-visual teams set up two big speakers at the front of the venue and, in order for guests in the back to hear, crank the volume so high that the VIPs, honoree, and sponsors plugged their ears and left early—without bidding in the live auction or giving to the fund-a-need.

That's why you need a team approach!

Event planners and venue/hotel managers bring expertise in creating themes, designing and tracking event details, creating event budgets and timelines, coordinating logistics, navigating and negotiating with vendors and suppliers, planning meals and themes, and managing food, beverages, entertainment, and safety.

Caterers provide professional expertise in food and beverage planning, creating unique and distinctive menus and presentations. They think of every minute detail, from glasses and dishes to the proper ratio of food and beverages to the number of guests. Caterers provide professional wait staff and bartenders, and, of course, they set up before and clean up after your event.

Audio-visual professionals provide expertise, equipment, and technical ability for events and production, including sound, lighting, video, staging, and special effects. They can also design and manage the event production.

A professional fundraising auctioneer can consult with your organization, using specialized expertise to help you focus on things that make you money and engage donors. Be sure to retain and involve your auctioneer first. An auctioneer who specializes in fundraising will give you expert advice on how to design your timeline, lay out the venue, and handle sound and lighting design. This valuable strategic consultation can return from thousands to millions more dollars for your organization. Use your auctioneer's event-planning perspective and insights to help you avoid costly pitfalls and maximize your fundraising from the start.

Engage Your Volunteers, Too

From a strategic perspective, you'll want to make it as easy as possible for your volunteers to stay enthusiastic and involved. My favorite organizing secret is to advise teams to take time at their first meeting to set the meeting schedule for the entire year. Find a time then and there that everyone actually agrees to and places on their calendars. Ask everyone to lock in these meetings and conference calls. Publish this information for volunteers and send out regular reminders. This tip alone will make you super-productive!

To energize volunteers, focus your dedicated volunteers on tasks that really matter for fundraising and donor engagement. Don't waste the precious resource of volunteer time on decor, dessert, and dancing. Concentrate on getting the right people in the room, on getting high-performance live auction items, and, especially, on adding to the quality of the donor's experience.

The key to energizing your board members and event and auction teams is to serve great nutritious food at all of your meetings. (No, this is not subs and pizza!) Be sure to serve salads and protein, like chicken or steak tips. Also, be sensitive to special needs, such as gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, kosher, or halal. It's easy to secure a food sponsor to make your volunteers feel appreciated and keep that energy flowing.

Volunteers Give More Than You Think

Here's a fact that might surprise you. Research shows that 79 percent of volunteers donate money to charity, compared to 40 percent of non-volunteers.¹ Be sure to recognize this amazing fact. Your volunteers are donors, too. Treat them as donors, and ask for their generous support beyond volunteering their time.