Fundraising Jam Sessions

We’re bringing you on-demand fundraising insights! From silent auction best practices to communicating with your board to follow-up techniques, our team shares their expertise in various elements of fundraising. Each Fundraising Jam Session episode below is less than ten minutes.

July 10, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 1 – Follow Up by Generation

Episode 1: Following Up With The Different Generations of Donors We know it’s important to thank our…

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July 11, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 2 – Smooth Check-In

Episode 2: Smooth Check-In Check-in. The moment all the guests arrive, ready to give, ready…

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July 11, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 3 – Get Buy In: Mobile Bidding

Episode 3: Getting Donors to Buy in on Mobile Bidding The switch to mobile bidding…

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July 11, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 4 – Games of Chance: Wine/Cork Pull

Games of chance are a great way to drive extra revenue at your event. Our Director of Client Services, Erin Phillips, takes us through the wine pull.

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July 11, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 5 – Turning Event Donor into Year-Round

The goal of any event is to turn guests into donors. But what if we could turn one-time donors into year-round donors? Someone who attended an event once, now gives monthly, or annually. Senior Account Executive, Michael Lenzi, tells us how to encourage donors to stick around.

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July 11, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 6 – Engaging Donors via Text Message

Ah, the ole text message. It’s time to take that text message further by engaging your donors…with a text. Perhaps they’ve been outbid at an event. Text. Perhaps you’d like to offer an opportunity to donate. Text. Senior Account Executive, Nicole Barbara, unveils how this can be most effective.

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July 12, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 7 – The Live Appeal

We’re going to have a live appeal (cash call, donation moment, fund-a-need, paddle raise), but when, during the event, should we have it? Customer Success Manager, Shelby Scraper, gives us the 411.

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July 15, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 8 – Smooth Checkout

Checkout. Often the most dreaded moment of an evening for fundraisers with a silent auction. Fear no more. Director of Client Services, Amy Gainsford, lends her expertise on running a smooth and painless checkout for your auction. 

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July 15, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 9 – Games of Chance: Gift Card Tree

Episode 9: Games of Chance – Gift Card Tree A gift card tree might sound…

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July 23, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 10 – Enabling Your Board to go Mobile

It can be tricky when the development team and board don’t see eye-to-eye. Senior Account Executive, Tracy Varchetto, take us through ways you can enable yourself to help the board see why it’s critical to go mobile with your fundraising.

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July 23, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 11 – The Live Appeal: How to Use a Plant

Episode 11: The Live Appeal – How to use a plant Having a live appeal…

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July 23, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 12 – Table Placement

Episode 12: Table placement at your event Customer Success Manager, Chi Tran, unfolds the importance…

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 13 – Picking a Live Auctioneer

Trying to find your next live auctioneer? Brittany discloses key communication tips and ways to determine the right fit.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 14 – Event Themes

Do we need an event theme? Should the event theme always be the same? What if people don’t want to participate? We’re tackling these questions and getting to the bottom of event themes…and whether they’re worth having.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 15 – The Unexpected Donor

When an anonymous donation comes in, how do you figure out who this unexpected donor is? Frank tells us about his 95-year-old boyfriend, The Unexpected Donor, and how one person can have such a touching impact on an organization. 

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 16 – Raffles

What are raffles? What’s the difference between a raffle and a silent auction? Will raffles generate revenue? Let’s discuss.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 17 – Leverage Your Board

Engage your board members as business leaders, and leverage them to raise more and fulfill your mission. Your board is one of your organization’s most valuable assets! 

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 18 – Creative Packaging for Auctions

It can be tricky to come up with creative packaging for auction items. Do the items fit together? What’s their collective value? Zoe breaks down components of creative and successful packages in live and silent auctions.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 19 – Last Paddle Standing

Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up at the end of your live appeal (cash call, donation moment, etc.) and a game like last paddle standing is the way to go. Kristine takes us through how exactly it goes down.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 20 – Top Silent Auction Items: Los Angeles

We looked at all of the fundraising events run on GiveSmart’s platform across Los Angeles to determine which silent auction items showed the highest return. Matt also talks about the most popular silent auction items in LA county.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 21 – Last-Minute Auction Items

Episode 21: Last-Minute Auction Items
Last-minute auction items…ahhh! Have no fear, the strategy to fitting them into your live or silent auction is here.

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August 9, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 22 – When to close the silent auction

Episode 22: When to close the silent auction
Determining when to close the silent auction can be a tough question, depending on the other fundraising elements you might have going on at your event. Taylor takes us through best practices and how to spot signs that might suggest closing earlier or sooner than planned.

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September 4, 2019

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 23 – Capturing Gustav (Guest of)

Episode 23: Capturing Gustav (Guest of) Likely you know the name of your sponsor or…

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February 4, 2020

Summer Jam Sessions – Episode 24 – Holding Your Board Accountable

Your board is a critical piece to your nonprofit. However, holding board members accountable is always a task, and sometimes it can get tricky. Nikki Berti, Co-Founder and CEO of Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, shares with us how she holds her board accountable from meeting attendance to their guests’ participation at the annual gala.

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