Elevate Your Event

For younger generations, long gone are the fundraising days of the ballroom style, sit-down dinner with white tablecloths and full waitstaffs. As older generations pass the philanthropic torch, organizations must learn to adapt their approach to appeal to the new demographic of guests. Millennial and Gen Z donors appreciate meaningful experiences worthy of their social media pages over the traditional gala. They’re still willing to spend large amounts of money on charitable causes, but organizations must adapt to the changing dynamics by using different tactics for crowd engagement. Younger donors enjoy themed events, live entertainment, multiple food options such as stations or trucks, and fast paced competitive games. It’s a time for thinking outside the box and using creative approaches to increase donor interaction and offer experiences they’ll remember. Leveraging technology speaks to digital natives who prefer the ease and individuality of mobile bidding software. Upgrading the auction experience at every level ensures the next generation of donors will be equally as engaged and charitable as their predecessors.  

Main Topics

• The traditional gala (02:30)
• Appealing to younger generations (06:40)
• Creating experiences throughout the event (11:10)
• Interacting with the audience (14:30)
• Polling and live auction (16:35)
• Impact on traditional auctioneers (18:45)
• Using food trucks at large events (23:30)
• Themed and competitive events (27:10)
• Technology promotes guest interaction (31:00)

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In this special episode, listeners have the opportunity to tune into an insightful webinar on the trends for fundraising in the nonprofit sector moving into the new year. Moderated by Colleen Carroll, lead of NXUnite from Nexus Marketing, Jeff Porter joins the discussion with AJ Steinberg of Queen Bee Fundraising, Jennifer Rubin from 360 Philanthropy Group, and Tosha Anderson with The Charity CFO. This powerhouse of professionals with various experience in the nonprofit world delivers an abundance of information packed with wisdom and practical strategies for planning and executing successful events. 

Some of the key considerations for nonprofit fundraising for 2024 is to plan events at both a macro and micro level, clarifying the objective and integrating it into every aspect of the event. When it comes to long-term planning, it’s important to take into account diverse donor populations, technology developments and economic trends. Detailed yearly plans provide a holistic view so that events aren’t negatively impacting the success of other fundraisers. Working with board members can be both enriching and challenging. Clearly communicating an event’s objective to the board is an effective way to redirect less than helpful ideas and input.  Finally, utilizing analytics from each event is a strategic way to make necessary adjustments for future events. As the traditional gala is on its way out and new generations of donors seek more meaningful experiences, the approach to event planning must change. Building in flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing times provides the best environment for hosting an unforgettable fundraiser. 

Main Topics

• Key considerations for nonprofit fundraising for 2024 (04:00)
• Building a multi-year event plan (11:50)
• Lead time for event planning (19:00)
• Collaborating with board members in event planning (29:10)
• Role of data analytics (36:55)
• Fun ideas for Millenial or Gen Z events (42:40)
• Future projections for nonprofit events (48:40)

Episode Links

• https://nxunite.com/webinars-and-panels/
• https://www.queenbeefundraising.com/
• https://360philanthropygroup.com/
• https://thecharitycfo.com/

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The team at Handbid welcomes a new member to the podcast for this special episode—Chat GPT! They prompt the language bot to provide fun, creative, and informative questions for the team addressing all the topics listeners need to know to host an epic event. Shocking and comedic stories roll as they discuss their most memorable moments from the wide variety of events at which Handbid has worked. From public celebrity outbursts to outrageous items auctioned off, the scope and breadth of their experience has not only given them extensive knowledge for hosting fundraisers but also creative ways to increase profitability. Gamifying the auction experience creates an environment of competitive fun that increases revenue for the organization. Some other prompts asked the team to provide their top 5 historical auction attendees and the most interesting fictitious places or experiences offered to guests for bidding. Tune in to hear the juicy details of bids gone wrong, beer pong at auction events, and secret vacations for the highest bidder who is whisked away to surprise destinations. When you’ve been in the event industry as long as the Handbid team, there is no shortage of wild and unexpected experiences!

Main Topics

• Receiving podcast ideas from Chat GPT (02:00)
• Most interesting item for auction (03:10)
• Bidding war stories (11:05)
• Unique auction dream team (13:35)
• Dream location for silent auctions (16:45)
• Turning ordinary items into extraordinary auction items (20:00)
• Memorable fundraising tactics (25:25)
• Creative technology applications (35:25)
• Top 5 historical bidders (40:45)
• Auctioning off fictitious experiences (42:12)

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Lauren Batterby has built her career on ensuring events run as smoothly as possible for the greatest benefit of the organization. As founder and CEO of Life Event Staffing, Lauren and her team provide trained experts to run large events. Hiring professional event staff can make all the difference in the flow of the event and guests’ overall experience. The guests’ enjoyment can directly impact the amount of charitable donations received and their likelihood of returning for another event. The team at Life Event Staffing offer a variety of services tailored specifically for the needs of the client. They have extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of running an event, including guest relations, bidding technology, check-in procedures, and auction execution. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits to hiring professional staff is to integrate the network of volunteers also working the event. Volunteers want to help the organization succeed, but they sometimes lack the knowledge, experience and training required to do so. By pairing volunteers with expert staff, they gain necessary knowledge and training for optimal efficiency. The people working events are the heart of any organization, and onboarding professional staff to help get the job done is one of the best ways to set everyone up for success.  

Main Topics

• Early development of Lauren’s company (02:00)
• Current trends for mobile bidding agencies (07:45)
• Building profitability into event staffing (11:43)
• Training to build auction experience (14:00)
• Evaluate reasons for staffing (17:00)
• Optimizing volunteers at events (22:00)
• Strengths of professional event experts (23:50)
• Best ratio of staff vs. volunteers (25:15)
• Challenges with technology (32:00)
• Expertise to answer guest questions (35:20)

Episode Links

• https://lifeeventstaffing.com/

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At any event, the team of people making it all happen is the most important foundation for success. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Working Genius, the team at Handbid discuss the six different types of working styles and how to utilize them to maximize profitability. Typically people are innately gifted in two types, resistant to two types, and competent in the remaining types. Here is a breakdown of the working geniuses as applied to running a charitable event:

1. People with the Genius of Wonder push organizations towards change with a natural gift for pondering the possibilities in every situation. At planning meetings for events, they are constantly questioning how the program could be better in the future. 
2. Those with the Genius of Invention thrive on creatively solving problems and drafting plans to bring ideas into being. They love to think outside the box to make the impossible become a reality. 
3. Team members with the Genius of Discernment can intuitively discriminate between good and bad ideas and provide important checks and balances. They are especially good at pattern recognition and trend identification, ensuring that every aspect of the event aligns with purpose.
4. The Genius of Galvanizing usually manifests in team cheerleaders, those who are able to rally the troops with inspiration and a call to action. These people excel at coordinating volunteers, recruiting, and running check-in.
5. People with the Genius of Enablement provide encouragement and assistance for ideas and projects. These are the helpers and customer service team members who help set up and tear down an event. 
6. Finally, those with the Genius of Tenacity push projects to completion to achieve desired results, often doing the jobs no one else wants to do. They are all about the execution and are therefore great team members for acquiring auction items. 

An assessment of each team members’ working geniuses allows leaders to place people in optimal roles for their strengths. It can also reveal gaps in the team that need to be filled as it takes all six types for a team to function well. While many event teams are composed of any and all willing volunteers, knowing and understanding people’s strengths and weaknesses can make or break the success of an event. 

Main Topics

• Introduction to The Working Genius (03:47)
• 6 Types of working genius (05:30)
• Handbid team’s personal working geniuses (08:20)
• Genius of Wonder (10:40)
• Genius of Invention (13:15)
• Genius of Discernment (14:55)
• Genius of Galvanizing (20:00)
• Genius of Enablement (21:50)
• Genius of Tenacity (23:50)
• Mapping out your team (27:10)

Episode Links

• https://www.workinggenius.com 

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After playing many different roles within the nonprofit world, Carly Euler now serves as the marketing manager at Memory Fox. Memory Fox is a technology platform that helps nonprofits collect impact stories directly from the community and use them to meet their goals. While these goals are typically to raise more funds for the organization, Memory Fox helps clients think outside the box to use video testimonials for a wide variety of purposes. Videos from the population of people the nonprofit is directly working with makes a powerful impact on donors. Authentic videos versus well-polished videography done by professionals allows viewers to feel a stronger connection to the speaker. Some organizations even use video testimonials from events as part of their grant applications with great success. The team at Memory Fox is dedicated to helping nonprofits elevate their events by putting human faces to the name and mission of the organization. They offer barrier-free technology that allows nonprofits to gather large amounts of content in a short period of time. Innovative strategists and designers like Carly Euler are working diligently to support nonprofits in expanding their reach and global impact. 

Main Topics

• Memory Fox digitizes storytelling (02:36)
• Using stories at fundraising events (06:28)
• Nonprofit shift from videography to social content (08:45)
• Memory Fox’s equitable pricing scale (11:20)
• Using visual testimonies beyond the events (15:45)
• Effective tool for receiving feedback (19:15)
• “Why I support” campaigns (23:30)
• User-friendly technology for recording videos (26:05)
• Increasing nonprofits’ reach (28:25)

Episode Links

• https://www.memoryfox.io

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Jessica King is dedicated to helping nonprofits expand the reach of their mission by maximizing their marketing. She works for Getting Attention, an organization that uses optimal strategies for managing Google’s Ad Grant for nonprofits. From determining eligibility to applying and setting up campaigns, Getting Attention does it all for those working diligently to promote important causes. They help declutter websites and redesign them so that they are user-friendly and lead visitors to an action point, such as email sign-ups or donations. Jessica is an expert in building keyword strategies to help make information about nonprofit work more readily available in Google’s search engine. These strategies impact both organic and paid sponsorship advertising. Using AI is one way to brainstorm ideas for search engine optimization. Google Analytics is another tool for managing marketing campaigns, though it can be difficult for the layperson without a background in marketing to navigate. Because of all the tools and programs available for marketing, it’s best to hire a company like Getting Attention who can manage your campaigns, direct funds, and maximize your reach. By hiring someone to manage your grant expenditures, you are free to direct your energy towards the cause that brought you to the organization in the first place. 

Main Topics

• Google’s Ad Grant program (02:20)
• User-friendly website design (05:35)
• Eligibility for Ad Grant (10:20)
• Requirements for usage of funds (14:55)
• Organic vs. sponsored search results (19:05)
• Keyword research strategy (21:00)
• Using AI as a brainstorming tool (24:55)
• Google Ad Grant can help with events (26:08)
• Multiple websites for a single nonprofit (28:35)
• Ads for social impact (31:15)

Episode Links

• https://gettingattention.org

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The objective at most events is to make as much money as possible for the represented cause or organization. For this reason, coordinators must prioritize the donors’ experience over anything else. Several factors can lead to donor fatigue, which can negatively impact the overall success of the event. Some pitfalls to avoid are hosting an auction that runs too long and asking for financial transactions too frequently. Remember, guests are there to have fun as well as support a great cause. Therefore, it’s important to balance the evening with an appropriate amount of auction items and activities in proportion to the number of attendees. You also want to take into account the guests’ physical comfort. Walk the venue yourself before opening an event. Consider the distance from the parking lot to the door, how long guests will stand in line at check-in, and the convenience of the bar and bathrooms. Finally, keep it fresh by changing up the event theme and location. By considering the event through the eyes of a donor, hosts can be proactive about creating an experience that serves both the guests and the organization. 

Main Topics

• Different types of donor fatigue (02:30)
• Understanding your audience (06:55)
• Multi-day events (08:20)
• Paddle raise before live auction (13:05)
• Check-in as the first impression (16:00)
• Making your event physically accessible (17:50)
• Bringing variety to auction items (22:10)
• Change up the theme and location (25:45)

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Katherine Lacefield combines her gifts for strategic fundraising with her love for philanthropy, especially animal organizations. Founder of Just Be Cause consulting, she helps nonprofits weave intentional fundraising into their culture and everyday operations. In this way, she helps those with big hearts for vulnerable populations ensure financial stability and develop efficient fundraising. The best way to do this is by helping organizations maximize the return on their investment at charity events. 

One of the most important aspects of a successful event is ensuring that every detail aligns with the nonprofit’s and the donors’ values. Events are a special opportunity to not only raise money but also spread awareness. When events can both educate and entertain guests, organizations are building their donor base and expanding their reach. Some other strategies Katherine employs is personalizing auction items, games and giveaways so that they directly relate to the sponsored cause. She’s also seen the impact of storytelling draw an audience in and emotionally connect them to a cause. Even if the event is for a challenging cause, it’s important to make guests feel comfortable and leave them on an inspirational note at the end of the evening. With over 15 years of experience, Katherine uses her skills in niche ways to ensure organizations’ fundraising systems reflect their most core values. 

Main Topics

• Fundraising for Just Be Cause consulting (04:00)
• Animals at charity events (06:00)
• Aligning event details with donor values (12:15)
• Using events to raise awareness (18:55)
• How to make your event unique (22:45)
• Immersing donors in charitable causes (27:00)
• Thinking outside the box with money-generating activities (31:20)
• Ending events with inspiration (36:45)

Episode Links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-mac-donald/

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It’s 2023 and time to upgrade your donors’ bidding experience! In the past, event coordinators used paper bid sheets for each item. But as mobile bidding apps continue to improve their efficiency and effectiveness, the team at Handbid discuss a variety of reasons paper actually decreases revenue at auction events. While mobile bidding allows for real-time updates on items, establishes fairness and anonymity, and provides scalable data from each event, some people still need convincing that paper bid sheets are a thing of the past. 

Physical bid sheets limit the window of time attendees have to bid on items since they have to be present in order to participate. Once someone bids on an item, they must continue checking the sheet to ensure their bid is still the highest. Including remote bidders opens up opportunities for greater participation, which leads to an increase in donations. Using bid sheets also allows room for error, whether it’s because of cheating, bidder intimidation, poor handwriting or miscommunication. One of the most important aspects of the event is making sure bidders enjoy their experience. Using paper bid sheets can create conflict and confusion that ultimately impact charitable organizations in negative ways. Making the switch to a mobile bidding system frees hosts and guests to enjoy socializing while staying connected to the auction. Overall, more money is raised for the organization, attendees enjoy themselves, and human error is eliminated when it comes time to close the auction. 

Main Topics

• What is a paper bid sheet? (05:05)
• Paper creates higher bid increments (09:00)
• Limited windows for bidding (13:40)
• Inviting remote bidders to your auction (17:45)
• Cheating and stealing at auctions (21:30)
• Bid intimidation impacts charities’ revenue (28:00)
• Poor handwriting creates confusion (29:35)
• Bidders can change the bid increment (30:40)
• Paper bid sheets negatively affect donor experience (31:30)
• Performance data is inaccessible (36:00)
• Keeping the auction personal (38:30)
• Mobile bidding increases revenue (42:15) 

Episode Links

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