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How To Attract Donors

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When you want to get others involved, and you need them to provide help or donate money, there are a few areas you’ll want to focus in order to succeed.

  • Share Your Story – A compelling story will allow your donors and volunteers to become emotionally connected. By telling them about what you do and why you do it, your story provides an opportunity to arouse their emotion, and to motivate them to act upon those emotions. Therefore, make sure to share your passion, and the moving tales from those who have benefitted from your work.
  • Effective Social Media Usage – Potent, targeted social media can exponentially increase your visibility in order to boost board and volunteer engagement. Social media can be used to advise them of your mission, inspire them to join you, keep them connected, and grow your audience. Additionally, social media can provide an outlet for sharing events and successes, extending opportunities, and for educational purposes.
  • Community Inclusion – Your local community is an essential resource for fundraising and volunteer recruitment. Enlisting small businesses and others within your community to partner with you in your mission can offer them an opportunity to make a significant impact through both donor and volunteer opportunities. In return, these same opportunities can offer small businesses benefits such as increased brand awareness, enhanced public opinion within the community, and employee engagement. A little research can help you and your partners be assured your goals are aligned.
  • PR – Good public relations practices can help you build and maintain your positive public image, so knowing how to communicate your message is vital. Numerous avenues are available, including your website, videos, and the various social media platforms. Use them to offer biographies of your staff, and the stories from volunteers, donors, and those who have derived benefit from your organization. Share major campaigns, events, awareness raising dates, and tie your mission to current events either nationally or within your community.

At WEDO Charity Auctions, we help organizations exceed their fundraising goals. Our team is made up of passionate, dedicated and experienced fundraising professionals, who specialize in simple, insightful and creative fundraising event solutions. WEDO Charity Auctions utilizes technology and expertise to grow your mission.

If you would like more information on how WEDO Charity Auctions can help you raise money, build relationships or celebrate your successes, please call 844-315-1060 or visit us today at www.wedocharityauctions.com.

 

 

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What You Need To Know About Developing Your Story

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The creation of a story is one of the most powerful tools a nonprofit organization can utilize, and that story must be exceptional. A story is an integral part of a nonprofit’s branding, providing an opportunity to not only arouse emotion, but to motivate others to act upon those emotions.

In fact, stories influence decisions much more effectively than facts or statistics, which are typically difficult to retain. Think of the story as a way that fundraisers can assist donors to visualize expressing their own values through the work that the organization does. Then, consider these areas in order to tell the most powerful story.

What Your Story Should Include

  • Mission – A mission statement should ideally state an organization’s purpose, goals, and who it serves, in a brief, but informative declaration. This statement should be reviewed periodically to ensure that the statement stays properly aligned at all times with its current vision.
  • Testimonials – There may be nothing more valuable than hearing from others about their experiences with your organization, its services or programs. These positive testimonials function as trustworthy referrals, inspiring confidence, in addition to building credibility and interest. Endorsements should express the benefit your organization has provided, along with the recipient’s name, title and photograph whenever possible. Consider asking volunteers, donors, and recipients for these recommendations, and make certain they’re refreshed on a regular basis.
  • Video – A video can bring a story to life in an entirely unique way, and should encapsulate the spirit of the organization. Videos can eloquently vocalize and simultaneously present imagery that expresses the organization’s mission, demonstrates its impact upon individuals, and then includes a call to action. It’s important to thoroughly understand and effectively communicate the organization’s message, remembering that a video is all about emotional responses. A highly compelling video can be used and reused in many ways such as for website content or social media posts, or for showing at recruitment events, among many other applications.
  • Goals – Goals are essential for motivating both donors and volunteers. Although long-term goals emphasize a program’s performance in fulfilling its mission, its short-term goals consist of the time specific tasks that must be completed in order to experience success in its long-term goals. Both long and short-term goals should always be realistic and quantifiable.

At WEDO Charity Auctions, we help organizations exceed their fundraising goals. Our team is made up of passionate, dedicated and experienced fundraising professionals, who specialize in simple, insightful and creative fundraising event solutions. WEDO Charity Auctions utilizes technology and expertise to grow your mission.

If you would like more information on how WEDO Charity Auctions can help you raise money, build relationships or celebrate your successes, please call 844-315-1060 or visit us today at www.wedocharityauctions.com.

Why Auctions Work

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From fine art auctioned at Christie’s to a pair of second-hand slippers auctioned on Ebay, the truth is that people love the thrill of bidding. Even though in the end, they have to hand over cold, hard cash for a purchase, their psyche is still celebrating because they “won”. Everyone likes to be a winner and that is why auctions are so successful.

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Auctions Today

Today, registered auctioneers report that one-third of the events they host are for charity. That translates to charitable auctions ranking number four in the auction industry today.

Two-thirds of registered auctioneers report that they conduct at least one charity auction on an annual basis.

Bidding Psychology

Interesting things happen when an item is auctioned. More often than not a product sells for a grossly inflated price compared to its actual value. What causes this phenomenon to happen? Economists suggest it is because of the element of competition.

Humans loathe taking risks when it comes to spending their money. However, once another human indicates through a competitive bid that they believe the item has greater value, the other human feels compelled to match and raise the bid. As this matching and raising continues, those survival skills etched into human DNA kick in, motivating a person to stay in the bidding until they win. Winning an event is a proxy to surviving a threat. Auctions are brain-games.

Recipe For Great Auctions

Hallmarks of successful charitable auctions are:

  • Items: Have what donors want as well as interesting, curious and intriguing items that are irresistible.
  • Anticipation: Pre-event marketing should be titillating, with the event promoted far enough in advance to allow interested bidders the opportunity to plan to attend, gather their resources and invite their friends.
  • Sneak Peeks: Without giving too much away, a preview of a few tasty items will seal the deal for those who might have had second thoughts about attending.

Venue With Most Potential

To maximize audience potential, there is no better opportunity than online auctions. With the obvious success of online auction venues like Ebay, there can be no doubt for success for online charity auctions. Creating a stellar event is as easy as six simple steps:

  1. Go live.
  2. Research your audience and deliver the items they want.
  3. Expand your reach with novelty items.
  4. Inspire interest with intriguing introductions about each item.
  5. Price point range should offer items affordable for every donor budget.
  6. Quality images make a difference.

Building An Audience

Without an audience, however, even the most exceptionally prepared online auction will be a flop. Marketing and promotion are a must. Promoting successfully means developing and performing the following:

  • Clear Message: What is the purpose of the fundraiser? How will the donations be used?
  • Organization Introduction: Introduce the non-profit organization behind the fundraiser.
  • Kick-Off: Launch promotion campaign in advance of an auction. 30 days is a typical promotion period.
  • Graduate Intensity: Promotional messages should increase with frequency as the auction date approaches.
  • Versatility: Create several promotional strategies that will appeal to the unique differences of benefactors. Social media promotion, traditional outlets like press releases or radio spots, and formal promotion through local Chamber of Commerce.

Making Auctions Easy

All the necessary details of promoting and hosting a charity auction may seem overwhelming. Some non-profits may lack the right tools to make the auction process go as smoothly as possible.  Mobile bidding software has revolutionized the non-profit sector and made auction events for non-profits a breeze.

Taking your event to the next level and maximizing donations as simple as contacting the correct people and utilizing the right tools. 2017 may be THE year that online charity auctions claim their spot on the non-profit map. This form of fund-raising will grow in popularity not just because it is convenient for everyone involved, but because it retains that competitive element that bidders crave.

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Mobile Bidding Is King

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Mobile bidding is the future of charity auction fundraising. The pairing of non-profits and technology has crowned mobile bidding apps “king” in the realm of raising money for charities. Not only do people enjoy the excitement of bidding competition but they also can do it conveniently and, in the end, feel good about what they are doing. Here is the psychology low-down on auction bidding and why it works and the future of mobile bidding.

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The Psychology Of Bidding

There is no doubt that people love the competitive nature of ascending-bid auction models. Just look at the success of eBay. Non-profits can tap into this human nature to generate success for their own charitable auctions. But why is it that human beings are willing to pay more than an object is worth, which is often the case in auction scenarios?

In studies of auction winners on eBay, it is reported that they do not use the “max bid” feature. Auction winners on eBay will go past the threshold of what might be a logical maximum bid in order to win. This is because of the psychology at play. What happens in the human psyche when another bidder outbids you is that, rather than think that they simply want the object more, the response is akin to how a person feels when they have been robbed. In other words, the bidder goes on the defensive, determined to take back what they perceive to be “theirs”. Being out-bid is offensive, an outrage. How dare such a thing occur! It triggers the deeply conditioned belief that losing at anything, even a bidding war, is shameful. So, in other words, in an auction, often the winner is the most irrational person! Or, at least irrational as the competition is raging.

The Strongest Seller

Time and time again it is the unique travel adventure that raises more money at a charity auction than any other offer. Why might that be? Surely it’s not simply due to a moment of madness overwhelming a person as they compete with other bidders. The dear reader would be correct in that assumption. Temporary bidding madness is only part of the formula. For one thing, bidders see an opportunity to take a vacation they otherwise could not afford. Consider the average price tags of some of the most expensive vacations:

  • A luxury stay in Austria or France can cost about $2,000 per night.
  • To cruise on the Queen Mary 2 will set a person back a minimum of about $4,000
  • A top-rated stay in Switzerland can be accompanied with a $5,000 nightly price tag
  • There are weekly luxury packages to Italy that can cost upwards of $100,000

A charity travel package auction poses the possibility that a more economically minded traveler might be able to snag the trip of a lifetime at a steal. The future of bidding for these luxury travel hopefuls is actually happening now.

The Rise Of Digital Auctions

Digital platforms connecting charities with donors and bidders is happening now. Charity travel auctions are no exception to the worldwide trend of technology users performing virtually every lifestyle task via mobile app. Online auction activity for users makes bidding available anywhere, at any time. No matter what they have going on in their life, with a portable smart device they can take a break and tune in to a live event. Someone who otherwise might not have participated can be drawn into the excitement simply because they logged on during a moment of boredom while experiencing some down time.

Get Connected

The first step to optimize online capabilities for non-profit organizations is to get connected with an online auction platform that makes every detail easier.

Let us help you with your fundraising goals.

How 2016’s Business Giving Trends Affect 2017

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With 2016 entering the end of its final quarter, a new fiscal year is just days away for businesses. What were the strongest business giving trends of 2016 thus far? It seems that non-profits continue to experience the effects of an economy rebounding from recession. Analysts of charitable giving trends report that just as donations were trending upward throughout 2015, that trajectory has been sustained in 2016. Non-profits reported an overall growth rate of 1.6 percent. Things are looking good for charitable organizations in 2017. To determine a direction for the upcoming year, let’s examine what was behind the strongest growth that occurred in 2016.

Going Big

Perhaps no one went bigger than Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. In December of 2015, Zuckerberg celebrated the birth of his first child by pledging to donate 99% of the net worth of he and his wife over their lifetime. At the time of the pledge the pair were worth an estimated $45 billion. Making good on that promise, the couple started with a $600 million donation to a San Francisco facility that conducts research on childhood diseases. When such a phenomenal gesture is made in such a public way, it encourages imitation. Non-profits can expect similar big moves by Zuckerberg’s peers.

Consumer Modeling

Today’s successful charitable organizations are taking their cues from the business sector. Consumerism drives business. Shrewd marketers are some of the most coveted employees, especially in the retail and service industries. By knowing who their target market is, what they want and how they are inspired to buy, businesses are able to fine tune their advertising and marketing strategies for maximum potential. Non-profits who come around to model their own approach to visualizing potential donors as consumers are seeing the benefit of this perspective. In February of this year Jay Ferro, CIO of the American Cancer Society, coined the phrase “360” view with regard to how non-profits should see their potential donor market.

Personal & Now

It has often been the case that a philanthropic person has chosen a cause and funded it until the day they die. There is a growing trend where benefactors give to different causes that they personally identify with. One other condition that determines where they put their donor dollars is the possibility of being able to see results within their lifetime. Many modern donors want their giving to be deeply meaningful on a personal level and transformative in the here and now.

Social Change

Social movement organizations are on the receiving end of a Millennial generation that is energized by a worldview dominated by social awareness and fairness. Organizations that provide support for the effects of inequality, such as non-profits that are a safety net for the underprivileged and underserved, are also competing with organizations that are striving to change the source cause of those conditions.

What It All Means

When you tie together the strongest trends of 2016, it is easy to see that the priorities of donors have not necessarily changed. What has changed is their expectations and how they operate. Non-profits need to recognize a consumer group that are accustomed to being highly regarded in the consumer market arena where they put their spending dollars. This same esteem must be extended by charitable organizations in order to garner the confidence of the donor.

Just as consumers expect to see immediate results when they spend consumer dollars, they expect to see results when they donate. They are practical enough to not expect immediate results. However, they have a minimal expectation to see enough rapid progress to become confident that their goal could be realized within their lifetime.

There is a vast non-digitally connected donor market to tap into. Non-profits should focus efforts on reaching this market and assisting them in getting connected. This, in and of itself, is also part of the dynamic of bringing about positive social change. In today’s digital age, it is practically impossible to consider one’s self as living a life of equality on a level playing field if one does not have Internet access.

The trends going into 2017 are all connected through connectivity, digital, and human alike. Groups like SimpliGiv help donor and non-profit organizations achieve their connectivity and charitable goals. By meeting the demands of this common thread of 2016’s business giving trends, this type of non-profit model may be the strongest trend to come in 2017.

The Importance of Subject Lines

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Sending succesful emails is an important part of any industry. But why are email subject lines so important? That is the begging question. Whether you are sending a campaign email to your clients or a one-off party invitation email; the entire message relies on the effectiveness of your subject line.

In this day in age, we are all victims of email overload at some point. The average time that someone looks at a subject line is 1 second before making the decision that they want to continue to read it or not. How can YOU stand out along side of your competitiors to have your message be read and not just thrown in the trash? Here are 3 things you must know about email subject lines:

  1. Keep it simple. The more brief the subject line, the better. To ensure high open-rates, you must first have an attention-grabbing subject line. Don’t be spammy! Look at your own emails, which do you avoid opening & why?
  2. Add value. Being able to not taint your message before opening is an art. Convince the reader that they are opening it for a purpose & will help them or their business in some way or another.
  3. Create trust. Build trust with the reader by containing information in the message that corresponded to the subject line.

Creative School Fundraisers

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Winter break is over! Your kids are back in school. Now you want to help give back to that school and help raise some money. Well, here are some of the most successful school fundraiser ideas that we have come up with to help you on your money-making endeavors:

Raffle: Sell those tickets! Take the time to think of a great prize that everyone would be interested in. Whether this is a draw for cash, a school-related item, or a gift basket.

Bake Sale: This one is fun for everyone! Parents can have the opportunity to bond with their children while baking some goodies and the staff can contribute as well.

Pancake Breakfast: Have the students be a part of a delicious one-day breakfast event. They could sell tickets for food and drinks. This makes all the students come together.

Craft Sale: Let’s get crafty! Not only will this promote parents and children to create some fun crafts but it will let the students’ creativity fly. This could be done individually or as a classroom.

Dance-A-Thon: These are very popular! Take pledges based on how long a student will stay on the 24-hour dance floor. And the most important part? Good music to groove to and plenty of drinks & treats throughout the event.

Not only are these all wonderful fundraiser ideas, but you could turn them into something more and have each one of them be utilizing mobile bidding as well.

How Texting Can Increase Engagement During Your Event

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In a world where technology is the focal point of any event, it is no wonder why incorporating SMS into your fundraising strategy is an A+ idea. Not only does including text messages raise engagement with the crowd, it also drives more contributions for your great cause. Mass text messaging is a must-have tool for any fundraiser or gala – note to self – Use. Mass. Texting.

You may be asking yourself.. What is the simplest way to have texting become a part of your event? To start, sending out a reminder to donate can be easily done in a texting fashion with the WEDO Charity Auctions platform. Completing this via text message not only is  a simple way to get the message across, but is also a great way to start to raise money for your organization (aka, WEDO’s main priority).

It is very well-known that the less steps that a patron has to take to donate, the happier the camper will be. So, we make it simple for you to include a link that you would like your crowd to be directed to. For example, if you would like to send a link to a website, all you have to do is send it via text in our easy-to-use platform, and they will see it instantly. 

By using this channel and taking the text message route during your mobile bidding war, you will soon begin to see all of the benefits. Open rates, quick responses, building engagement, more donations, & more. Taking advantage of mass messaging for your nonprofit is definitely something that every fundraising event should be taking part of in order to increase participation and raise more money.

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New Years Resolutions; Nonprofit Style

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Pop the champagne and write down your reso’s. 2015 is coming to a close, which means it’s a great time for your nonprofit to re-evaluate your year and start planning some goals for 2k16.

Every business (nonprofit or not) needs resolutions, so don’t feel silly for doing so. You’ll be ahead of the curve. Of course, being realistic about those goals is important too. It’s wonderful to aim high, but don’t aim TOO high where you know you will not be able to accomplish anything, but rather, set goals that are more obtainable for your organization.

  1. Bring on a new board member. Looking for a fresh face? Post a job listing and search the web for that perfect-someone. Word of mouth is also a great way to add potential staff to help your cause. Spread the word and see if anyone’s son or daughter is looking to get their foot in the door with the nonprofit industry. Don’t be afraid to use your resourcse! There are plenty of ways to find individuals to be a part of your organization.
  2. Revamp your website. Tired of the same old layout on your website? Time for a clean-up! Take the time to completely redo your website to make it looking more fresh & fun for the new year. You’d be surprised with how much a font or color change can make a difference by appealing to new eyes. A little change goes a long way.
  3. Thank your sponsors and volunteers. Go out of your way to personally thank all volunteers and sponsors within your organization. People want to know that they are doing a good job, they want the attention of a “thank you”. If it’s not a face-to-face communication, then a heartfelt, hand-written note is personable as well.
  4. Stay connected. A lot can happen in a year and it’s easy to forget about a certain achievement or situation. Be sure to stay connected to everyone involved in your organization; from your clients to your cleaning crew. No one gets left behind.
  5. Make a personal goal. Lastly, make a checklist of personal resolutions for yourself. Whether it’s learning more about other organizations or going to more networking events; whatever the case may be, in turn, this will help you grow with yourself and in your nonprofit field.

There is change coming! Get ready for a clean slate and new beginnings. Cheers to mobile bidding!

How To Promote Your Next Fundraising Event

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Ok. You decided that you are going to put together a fundraising event but now you have to make it happen! There are so many different stages of planning that need to be completed in order to have a successful fundraiser. From the location (we’ll get to that next week), the food & beverage, how to entice people, etc. If you’re new to event planning (or even if you’re not) it can be overwhelming trying to put it all together all while raising awarenes so people will actually come to the event. Well, not to worry. We have narrowed down the top 5 ways to promote your fundraising event to make sure you have a full house!

  1. Social Media: It’s no secret that social media is taking over the internet in strides. If you don’t already have a Facebook page for your Cause/Organization, then making one would be a good idea. Posting on your Facebook with daily reminders about your fundraiser will get people talking.
  2. Print Advertising: It’s time to get some coverage! Send out some key information about your fundraiser that you want to get out ot the public to your local newspapers and magazines. Think outside of the box on how to cover every important detail of your event.
  3. Flyers: If your fundraiser is not invite-only then flyers could be very beneficial to spread the word. It may be 2015, but print advertising is still in style. Post your flyers in popular destinations throughout the area.
  4. Powerful Partnerships: The more connections you make in your efforts to promote your event, the more success you will have with expanding your audience. If you have speakers coming to your event, make sure to let people know! Think locally when finding a partnership.
  5. Photography/Video: A photograph says a million words. Well, if that’s true then a video says a billion! Spread the word about your fundraiser by means of photos and professional videos posted on the web. Photographs can be used to document important details about your event. Photos and videos can be a very useful tool if done correctly.