Last Man Standing

Last night I conducted an auction that included a fundraising strategy called Last Man Standing. Like Fund-a Program, it is meant to give guests an opportunity to donate money.

I’m not a fan of Last Man Standing. Here’s how it went:

“We believe that some of you here tonight would like to make a donation without buying anything at the auction… blah blah blah… yada yada… So let’s see what we can do. Everyone willing to give $50 or more please stand up. “

“Please remain standing if you are willing to give $100 or more. For those of you sitting down, please fill out the donation form at your table for $50.”

“Please remain standing if you are willing to give $250 or more. For those of you sitting down, please fill out the donation form at your table for $100.”

“Please remain standing if you are willing to give $500 or more. For those of you sitting down, please fill out the donation form at your table for $250.”

…and so on and so forth through $1000, $2500, $5000… you get the picture.

Here’s what I didn’t like:

1) We didn’t get the bid numbers of those who were standing and sat down. Some might change their mind and decide not fill out the donation form, or just forget to fill out the form, or forget to go to checkout before going home. It requires work on the part of the guests to fill out the donation form - and they are not there to work.

2)  Donors are not individually thanked as with Fund-a-Program and therefore do not get the validation they deserve. That might cause some to change their mind about donating.

3) It was hard for me to distinguish the donors who were standing from others who were also standing like volunteers, servers, Bid Spotters, and guests who were walking around. Twice, I had to say, “If you’re standing because you want to donate, please raise your hand”. It was awkward and possibly embarrassing for the donors.

Did we leave money on the table? Hard to tell. But I didn’t get the warm fuzzy feeling I get with Fund-a-Program.

Sound Systems

I remember auctioning at one particular fundraiser and while the next item was being described by the Item Describer, a lady approached the stage, got my attention, and said, “We can’t hear a thing being said.” She was frustranted to the point of anger. After all, she paid the same  admission as did everyone else and if she ever felt a desire to support the cause, it was long gone by now. I wonder how much money was lost because the sound system was cheap.

I remember more than a few occasions when the sound system cut out every few seconds. There have been auctions where the band or orchestra’s sound system was thought to be adequate but was clearly not. Muffled sound systems,  sound systems with too few or too small speakers, sound systems made for music and not voice are just a few of the problems I’ve had to deal with.

I do a seminar and at the end I list the “Top 10 reasons that cause a fundraiser to be less than successful”. I start at 10 and go down the list and what do you think number one is? It’s a bad sound system. Big speakers don’t necessarily make a sound system better. Big woofers are good for bass sounds but bad for voice clarity. As for some hotel ballroom speakers, they are made for quiet, sit-down audiences, but will not cut through the noise and constant “hum” of an audience socializing during the live auction.

If I could give just one piece of advice to all fundraising organizers, it would be this: Do not skimp on your sound system. The money you save will never make up for the money you lose that evening from unhappy guests, or from the guests who will never attend another of your fundraisers.

Why have a live auction at a fundraiser?

If a live auction is done right, it is… 1) good entertainment in and of itself. 2) a way to raise money by selling items, services and , experiences.

Those are the obvious reasons. But there are two more reasons to have a live auction that many fundraising organizers don’t realize. For these 2 strategies, all guests need to have been issued a bid number – which you’ve already done for the live auction.

Fund-a-Program

Oh, my gosh, I can’t tell you how fabulous I think Fund-a-Program is… IF DONE RIGHT. (Also called Fund-an-Item, Fund-a Scholarship, Paddle Raise - to name a few.) This is where guests are asked to donate money at various amount levels. During the Fund-a-Program portion of the live auction, the auctioneer asks, “Who will give $5,000? Please raise your bid cards now.” The auctioneer reads each bid number and thanks each donor. Then the auctioneer says, “Okay, let’s drop it down to $2,500… and so on until the last level is at $25 or $50 or $100.

An organization that does not include Fund-a-Program within it’s live auction is leaving money on the table – possibly a small fortune.

I’ve raised millions of dollars with this strategy – sometimes more than what is raised during the the live auction. BUT, and this is a BIG BUT, in order to have a successful Fund-a-Program, certain things need to be done, and certain things need to be said in order to get guest to feel generous. Why does Fund-a-Program work so well and how should it be done? Well – that’s a subject for another day. How’s that for a teaser?

Asking for Donations of Time

This is such a good idea I wish I had thought of it myself. Instead of asking guests to donate money, ask them to donate time. The auctioneer says, “Those of you who can spend two hours of your time as a tutor or to teach a skill (or read to a child or whatever you need) sometime over the next year, please raise your bid cards now.” Hands will go up all over the place.

Fundraising is all about growing relationships. This will give people a desire to support your cause.

Look what you get. Obviously it benefits those receiving help. BUT WAIT! There’s more… as they say. The people who donate their time get to become personally involved. They will feel the satisfaction that can only be felt by serving. Often when people become personally involved, their desire to support your organization increases. When that happens they are apt to agree to be on a committee, or invite their friends to the next fundraiser (maybe as a Table Host) , or spend more money at the next fundraiser.

Wow – this is starting to look like a book. *wink*