Upgrade to Pro — share decks privately, control downloads, hide ads and more …

Finding Auction Items featuring DonationMatch

Auctria
February 24, 2020
370

Finding Auction Items featuring DonationMatch

Finding Auction Items featuring Renee Zau from DonationMatch

Auctria

February 24, 2020
Tweet

Transcript

  1. Finding Items for Your Auction Fundraiser
    Guest presenter Renee Zau

    View Slide

  2. Agenda: Finding Items for Your Auction
    Fundraiser
    Where to Find the Good Stuff
    1. Understand Your Auction Audience
    2. Procurement Basics
    3. Who, When, and HOW to Ask
    4. Online Request Resources
    5. Consignment/No-risk Items
    6. Q&A

    View Slide

  3. About Auctria
    ● 28.6K auctions
    ● 3.3 million bidders
    ● 1.8 million items
    ● Over $170 million
    raised

    View Slide

  4. About
    DonationMatch
    ● Over $70 Million in
    donations facilitated
    ● To 30,000 nonprofits
    & schools
    ● From 300 companies
    102,000 Donations Approved in 2019

    View Slide

  5. 1. Understand Your Auction Audience

    View Slide

  6. Auction Audience
    Focus on what your auction audience will bid upon based on:
    ● Past Event Data: Bestsellers (Most bids, most $ raised, highest $
    raised-to-value ratio)
    ● Uses: Live auction vs. silent auction vs. raffle
    ● Goals: Amount to raise (# auction items & value)
    Use your procurement time wisely!

    View Slide

  7. Renee’s Top 10 Auction Packages
    Priceless:
    ● Cannot normally purchase (class art, chef’s table, VIP seats, parking spots)
    ● Requires special access/status to procure (The Magic Castle tour)
    ● Sold out/very limited availability (Hamilton tickets, parking spaces)
    Bucket List Experiences:
    ● Travel (staycations, popular destinations)
    ● Learning a new skill (surfing, deep sea fishing, flying a plane, photography)

    View Slide

  8. Renee’s Top 10 Auction Packages (continued)
    Gift-Worthy:
    ● Outings (amusement parks, escape rooms, museums, birthday parties)
    ● Date nights (restaurant gift cards, tickets to theatre or festivals, special events)
    ● Splurges (spa treatments, day off activities, jewelry, electronics)
    ● Children and fur-children items (toys, shower gift baskets, new products)
    Practical:
    ● Everyday spending (store gift cards, personal services, summer camps &
    classes)

    View Slide

  9. Class Art
    Great for auction promotion to encourage participation. Create display pages,
    send targeted emails to the niche audience/class parents.
    P.S.-These items sold for over $350!

    View Slide

  10. Priceless Auction Item Examples
    Priceless, Unique, One-of-a-Kind
    Generate value out of experiences that are not available for purchase

    View Slide

  11. Auction Audience
    BEWARE OF:
    ● Assuming every bidder has same interests as you--have diverse offerings
    ● Hidden terms and conditions (make sure bidders are aware of fine print)
    ● Collectibles/items with small target market
    ● Businesses with poor reviews (i.e. Yelp < 3 stars)
    ● Home parties (ensure first-hand experience, no-strings donation)
    ● Too many of the same item
    ● High ratio of # packages to ”buyer units”
    Every audience is different, especially if event theme or type of event changes.

    View Slide

  12. 2. Procurement Basics

    View Slide

  13. Procurement Letters
    Answer the question “What does the donor get out of it?”
    ● Be nice
    ● Be direct
    ● Single page
    ● Include ALL key information - contact info, deadlines, how donations
    used and promoted, expected impact of funds raised
    ● Link to a website that shows how your event will elevate their
    business - event photos, lists/logos of donors and sponsors
    ● Easy call to action on letter and website, i.e. “Call xxx-xxx-xxxx for
    pickup; email to [email protected], mail to….

    View Slide

  14. Stay Organized
    Make accessible to your committee (Google Folder):
    ● Printable/email-ready request letters (PDF)
    ● Media kit with logo, website URL, IRS determination
    letter, mission, event details to copy/paste into online
    forms
    ● Prior event photos, media coverage (should be on
    website already)
    ● Spreadsheet of past donors, current asks/who, &
    responses updated in real-time, i.e. Google Sheet

    View Slide

  15. 3. Who, When, and HOW to Ask

    View Slide

  16. Who, When, and HOW to Ask for Auction Donations
    WHO
    ● Past donors/sponsors
    ● Board of directors, members, supporters… and their employers
    ● Your organization’s own vendors, partners, and sponsors
    ● Wherever you shop/eat out (grocery stores, local shops)
    ● Aggregated lists: Blogs (Fundraiser Help), Pinterest boards
    (Auctria, DonationMatch), Facebook Groups (PTO Today Parent
    Group Leaders)
    ● Donor networks (DonationMatch, HARO for Giftbag item pitches)

    View Slide

  17. Who, When, and HOW to Ask for Auction Donations
    WHEN
    ● ASAP - As soon as event details are finalized
    ○ Larger national companies may need 60+ days lead time
    ○ Some companies have inventory only at certain times of year
    ● May limit frequency of donations, i.e. once per year or every two
    years

    View Slide

  18. Who, When, and HOW to Ask for Auction Donations
    HOW
    ● Look up on websites and reach out the way each company prefers
    ○ Online form/DonationMatch: Information ready to copy/paste
    ○ Email: Use an official org email address whenever possible
    ○ In person: Have letter to leave with manager
    *Avoid duplication whenever possible, respect donor preferences and
    instructions, don’t get internally flagged!
    Keep track of changes on spreadsheets to remember!

    View Slide

  19. 4. Online Request Resources

    View Slide

  20. Online Requests
    TIPS
    ● Have org and event details ready
    ○ Federal EIN
    ○ Contact information
    ○ Website

    View Slide

  21. Common Donation Requests Online
    Sports-Related:
    ● All professional teams donate: NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB
    ● Most collegiate and minor league teams donate
    ● Many locally loved sports establishments donate, think high school, tennis
    center golf courses, batting cage
    ● Local kids recreational leagues may donate a seasonal registration
    Family Activities:
    ● Theme Parks and Amusement: Seasonal, local and large chains donate
    ● Live & local theatres, cinema
    Retail Services & Restaurants

    View Slide

  22. Online Donation Request Lists
    Follow Auctria Pinterest boards for 500+ links to online donation
    request forms
    Pinterest: Auctria’s Mega Donations Board
    Pinterest: Auctria’s Mega Sports Board
    Pinterest: Auctria’s Keepsakes & Priceless Board
    DonationMatch provides shortcuts within platform &
    Pinterest: DonationMatch’s “Charitable Companies” Board

    View Slide

  23. Online Request Resource - DonationMatch
    DonationMatch.com
    "One-stop shop" access to donated
    products from companies for silent
    auctions, raffles, giveaways
    ● Pros: Free to use and secure at least 3
    items, one application, e-delivery of
    printable gift certificates
    ● Cons: Selection limited in
    some areas

    View Slide

  24. Online Request Resource - DonationMatch
    How It Works
    1. Create a DonationMatch login
    2. Add your organization profile
    3. When verified, add event details
    4. Go to “Find Donations” to see eligible
    items and make requests
    5. Will be notified when a donation is
    approved, how to collect it, how the donor
    company wants to be thanked
    6. Repeat steps 3-5 for future events
    EXAM
    PLE

    View Slide

  25. 5. Consignment/No-risk Items

    View Slide

  26. Consignment/No-Risk Auction Items
    No-Risk Auction Items
    ● Sports memorabilia, collectibles, vacation & luxury packages
    ● Not normally able to be donated
    ● No deposit or obligation to pay for unless sold
    ● Can work as raffles/opportunity drawing prizes, too!
    *Get details in writing: shipping, airfare, blackout dates, valid dates, fees
    expected to be paid by winner (hotel taxes common)
    i.e. Winspire, DSC Consulting, Villa Encanto, Ezulwini Photo Safari Lodges

    View Slide

  27. Wrap-up, Next Steps
    Procurement is greatly enhanced by early promotion
    ● List donors on your website as items arrive
    ● Start social media early, tag companies
    ● Promoting items attracts bidders AND other
    donors
    ● Track all donors and items in real time with
    committee (including donor websites)
    ● Set starting bids strategically moderate for
    engagement and “emotional” attachment

    View Slide

  28. Wrap-up, Next Steps with the Auctria Platform
    ● Track all donors & donations
    ● Dedicated website to promote items
    and donors
    ● Set starting bids systematically in
    the Auctria platform, no calculator
    required
    ● Use integrated credit card solutions
    so bidders swiftly move through
    registration→ bidding → closeout &
    payment
    ● Send receipts & statements to both
    donors and bidders

    View Slide

  29. Resources Links
    Complete Catalog How to Run an Auction
    Fundraiser
    Solicit Auction Items Online Auctria
    Auctria on Pinterest
    ● Pinterest: Auctria’s Mega Donations Board
    ● Pinterest: Auctria’s Mega Sports Board
    ● Pinterest: Auctria’s Keepsakes & Priceless
    Board
    Procurement Letter: How to & Examples
    Do and Don’t Do: Asking for Auction Donations
    Donation Request Reference Form
    Donation Procurement Tracking Sheet
    DonationMatch on Pinterest
    ● Pinterest: DonationMatch’s “Charitable
    Companies” Board
    ● Pinterest: DonationMatch’s “Crafty School
    Fundraising” Board
    ● Pinterest: DonationMatch’s “Auction
    Attractions” Board
    Podcast: Events With Benefits®

    View Slide

  30. Stay in Touch
    https://www.facebook.com/donationmatch
    [email protected]
    http://pinterest.com/donationmatch
    https://twitter.com/DonationMatch
    Q & A
    https://www.donationmatch.com
    https://www.instagram.com/donationmatch

    View Slide

  31. Stay in Touch
    with Auctria
    Facebook @auctria
    Email: [email protected]
    Pinterest @auctria
    Twitter @auctria
    Q & A
    Demo:
    www.auctria.com/DEMO

    View Slide