Sonoma Creates Champions

As the consultant for the Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction, I advised the auction team to focus on a strong audience development strategy. This world-class wine auction always sold out at 600 guests, which provided an interesting challenge: how to increase income from the same number of guests. The best way to do this was to engage the local Sonoma vintners and growers to do what they do best—cultivate—except this time I was asking them to cultivate donors, not grapes. We focused the vintners and other key stakeholders on cultivating guests and strategically inviting the right new supporters. As a result, the Sonoma team more than doubled the money raised from the previous year. The second year, they shattered that record again, raising over $4 million, nearly triple the amount of money raised in the prior year.

Why Don't People Attend Fundraising Events and Auctions?

There are three reasons people commonly don't attend fundraising auctions. First, they aren't personally asked. Can you believe it? The top way to get someone to come to your benefit auction event is to ask them personally. Second, people don't think that they will know anyone at the event. Third, they think they're not going to have any fun.

Make a quick phone call or invite someone to lunch to easily address all three concerns. Role-play with your auction team, board, and table host members. Practice describing how each member is connected to your organization and what your group means to each of them.

Leveraging Spheres of Influence

Leveraging your stakeholders' multiple spheres of influence is one of the most overlooked aspects of developing and engaging audiences at fundraising events. Consider drawing on every single person you know, as well as their personal, business, and social media contacts. Create a huge and expansive list of prospective donors that reaches far beyond your direct constituency. How? When you're working with all your teams, ask the following questions:

• Who has the buying power now?
• Who cares about us?
• Who are the influential leaders and who are their colleagues?

This is when your board volunteers and major donors can be very helpful, because they have strong community connections. They might not know potential guests personally, but they probably know someone who can invite them.

Then look at the next sphere of influence. Brainstorm lists of potential supporters with your staff members, volunteers, neighbors, business colleagues, and everyone else you know, to push the boundaries of your sphere of influence. It's said that each of us has at least 200 people in our sphere of influence, and it's probably much more than that. Tap into those circles to make a difference.

Honorary Chairs

Honorary chairs are individuals who lend their names, influence, and support to your event. Their gifts to you is their ability to leverage their spheres of influence to support you by inviting other influence leaders who will attend and/or contribute. They will then make introductions to more influence leaders.

Awardees

At many events, nonprofits present awards to individuals to honor their dedication and support. Awardees can make an exponential difference by inviting other guests who will contribute in order to honor their colleagues. They may also donate to the cause through bidding or give during the fund-a-need. Work closely with honorary chairs and ask them to fill a table or two, then invite your honorees to do the same. One year, the honoree for the Danbury Animal Welfare Society brought seven tables of supporters with guests who had the capacity to spend money at the benefit auction event. That not only translated to increased auction income, but also brought over 40 new potential animal lovers as donors.

Sponsors

Incorporate all of your corporate sponsors and media partners in to your audience development efforts. Sponsors have their own spheres of influence, and their collaboration will increase leadership, revenue, in-kind support, and visibility for your event.

A common question is, “What can we do to transform a potential ‘no’ into deeper sponsor support?” Fundraising is about relationships. You must cultivate long-term relationships over time. Sponsors really want to help you, but sometimes they can't do so at the same level as in the past. Be very kind to them. Ask, “You've been such a strong supporter—is there anything else you are able to do? Can you leverage your influence for new attendees at your table or for auction items or in-kind gifts? Can you help create an auction package equivalent to what you gave in the past? Are there other sponsors you know who care about our organization and our cause as much as you do?” This could include a monetary donation, in-kind support, premium items, a sponsor's participation on an auction committee, or much more.

Corporations may try to fill seats by sending representatives who don't have the capacity to spend money at your event. Here's a graceful way to help sponsors help you: “If you can't fill your table with the leaders of your organization, please return the tickets to us and we will be happy to resell them.”

Vendors

Vendors are one of the most overlooked yet viable sources for new guest and sponsor engagement. This is one of my favorite benefit auction prospect areas. Did you know you already have a list with all the contact information you need, right at your fingertips? Just work with your finance office to review the list of business partners in your accounts payable file. This is a group of potential supporters you may not have considered, and they're right under your nose. Just tell the finance office, “I'd like to have a list of everyone to whom we write a check.”

Your list might include a waste management company. There could be a printing company, a commercial management company, a lawyer, accountants, or a web designer. Invite them all. Then ask vendors about their second spheres of influence, the friends of friends, to maximize your fundraising efforts. Simply say, “I'd love to meet some of your vendors, friends, and business colleagues who care about our cause and our organization.” This is a huge opportunity to leverage a vastly underutilized area for audience development.

Neighborhood

Who are the geographic neighbors that abut your facilities and outreach services areas? It's time for a visit to share your impact in your community and invite their support. You'll be amazed. About 20 years ago, I directed a $1 million personalized brick campaign for Anchorage Town Square, selling personalized bricks to pave pathways. Armed with my three favorite fundraising tools—a brand new yellow pad, a mechanical pencil, and enthusiasm—I mapped out all of the businesses adjacent to the square. Then I personally visited each shop owner and talked about how this new park would bring more customers to his or her door. While sharing stories of how their gifts would positively impact their vibrant community, I made a lot of friends for the Downtown Anchorage Association and received an outpouring of sponsorships and brick sales. Today, Town Square stands as a stunning landmark built individual by individual with lasting pride. The lesson of Town Square is that people give to people for causes they care about, especially when the cause is local and they are asked personally.

Allied Professionals

Are you inviting other professionals with whom your organization shares a strategic alliance? Be sure to include anyone who's a professional allied with your profession. Consider those to whom you refer clients and those who refer clients to you. What about feeder schools or schools your students attend after graduation? Who hires the clients that you train, serve, or treat? Who attends the same professional conferences, hearings, and coalitions? Who is doing research, teaching, health care, or law in your area? In a philanthropic model, the goal is to connect people to your cause for long-term engagement and giving. Allied professionals are often overlooked. They're already there; just invite them in. This is a quick win!

Ask Unabashedly: Perfect Your Pitch

The first rule of fundraising—we'll keep repeating it—is that people give to people, for things they care about. When you're looking for the best way to invite people to your benefit auction event, you might use save-the-date cards and invitations. However, the most powerful, potent, and effective way is to make a personal ask—not by e-mail or text! In person, over a cup of coffee, or at the very least, by phone.

The personal ask makes a huge difference. It's about cultivating a relationship early—before your benefit auction—and continuing that relationship during and after the event. Remember, you are now building relationships with your guests so that you'll continue to raise funds after your benefit auction. This is because you've designed the event as a cultivation event as much as a fundraising event. With nurturing, the relationship you started will continue for the long term. People give to people for things they care about.

What to Say? How to Ask? A Powerful Primer

As a young professional in my early twenties, I volunteered for a St. Louis YWCA event that provided excellent fundraising training. The presenter, a senior advancement officer at Saint Louis University Hospital who had just raised $60 million for a capital campaign, taught us the powerful words to use when making an “ask.” He encouraged us to pass the wisdom forward.

Here's how I've adapted his invaluable words: “Would you be willing to consider donating (fill in the specific dollar amount) so that your gift will (fill in the impact of the donor's gift) for (fill in the name of your organization)?” Then, simply wait quietly. Don't interrupt. Hold the silence.

Use this model at your meeting and role-play with team members. Ask, “Would you be willing to consider purchasing two reservations for our fundraiser so that we can increase outreach at schools for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra?” Asking, “Would you be willing to consider” is not looking for a yes or no. You're just opening the door for the donor to consider the opportunity you've just graciously offered.

Mistake #1: Not Inviting Everyone

Many people think that if they don't receive an invitation, they're not invited. Because you know that dynamic exists, make sure that people know they are invited by leveraging the power of personal follow-up. Think of the ramifications of forgetting to invite a strong bidder. Be sure to invite every single guest who has bid on an item or participated in the fund-a-need in the past. If someone gives once, they will most likely give again, especially if you thank them with a personal follow-up phone call.

Mistake #2 Not Choosing the Right Date Early

Another common mistake is missing the window to get on the social calendar of major donors or top bidders. It's important to know who schedules the calendars of major donors, sponsors, and top bidders. Also, cross-check community calendars. If you don't do this, your event could be half empty. Schedule your benefit auction event on a date when you can draw major supporters. Avoid dates when other organizations have events. Many communities hold scheduling meetings just for this purpose. Schedule as soon as possible, ideally 11 or 12 months or more prior to your benefit auction event.

Mistake #3 Believing Celebrities Are the Draw

Many people think having a VIP or a celebrity attend the event will increase overall event attendance. Yes, this might increase attendance, but it might also entice people to attend only to see the celebrity, rather than to connect to your cause and contribute. There was a famous VIP at one benefit auction who attracted people just to see him. Guests didn't attend for the cause, they attended to gawk at the celebrity. Bidding was dismal.

A celebrity can distinctly impact fundraising, however, by unabashedly serving as a spokesperson before, during, and after the event. Be sure to work with the celebrity's agent and give the celebrity inspiring talking points, in writing, in advance. Communicate your desire for him to use his celebrity to invite generosity from the audience. Keep the focus on fundraising. Help the celebrity understand that the most important role he can play is to invite others who can bid and give generously. How do you do that? Coach him. Write him a script. Get great photos of him with major donors. Hold a VIP party with key stakeholders and leverage the celebrity. Ask him for a unique specialty live item.

Best-selling novelist Dennis Lehane attended the Massachusetts SPCA—Angell Animal Medical Center auction and offered attendees the opportunity to be a character in his next novel. He was incredibly generous with his time at the event. He came up on stage, spoke from his heart about helping animals, talked about the dog he rescued, and spoke about how everyone can make a difference. He described his wonderful auction item, and then, as the auctioneer, I sold it for more than $11,000. The key is to keep the celebrity's focus on the mission of the organization, so he's engaging your guests to bid high.

Mistake #4 Believing Items Will Draw Big Bidders to Your Event

There's a myth that big items draw big donors. What draws big donors and strong supporters is a personal ask by someone they know, especially if they care about the particular cause. Your auction is not about the auction items. The number one reason someone will attend your fundraiser auction is because they have been personally invited (by phone or in person) by someone they know and trust.

Mistake #5 Not Including All Bidders—Even If They Can't Come

Some people mistakenly think that if they don't come to the benefit auction, they can't bid. When you're promoting the event, invite everyone to participate in bidding by asking if they'd be willing to consider an absentee bid. If there are no auction items that interest them, encourage them to participate in the fund-a-need by saying, “We have another opportunity called the fund-a-need, where you can offer a cash contribution at a level that is meaningful to you. The funds are going to support (insert your program or activity).”