The way you conduct yourself can improve your auction’s reputation over the long run, so it’s essential to be attentive to gestures such as sending thank-you cards. Auctions that raise money wouldn’t happen without donors, which is why it’s essential to show appreciation to them. Donor Management Software

 

Be aware that the donors, not the customers are the people who first stepped up to help the cause. Before invitations were handed to guests … ahead of when guests could decide on the they would wear for the event … even before the event began to put up the decorations for the evening .. A donor came in to help.

The auction begins by donating a gift. This gift is presented in the hope that the charity will auction it to the highest of their abilities and thus raise funds to support the cause. It’s a wonderful present.

I think you shouldn’t be able to be enough grateful to donors however, for the honest and “correct” method (if there’s any such thing) Here’s what I’m seeing most of the time.

Typically, the donor is thanked by a short thank you after the item has been received. They are then thanked again by sending the form of a letter (mailed … with a letterhead) following the auction has been concluded. Let’s dive a bit deeper.

The initial thank you message is usually sent by email.

If you do make a note of appreciation via email, it’s likely that you’ll get in touch with the donor since typically, the forms for donors don’t meet the level you require.

For example, how many times you’ve had to call the donor to obtain more details on the holiday home they provided? (I.E. “Hi Jim! Thank you for the generous donation of your beach home. I’ve got a question. On your form, you mentioned that your the house has four bedrooms. But , are 2 of those bedrooms full of bunk beds or are there really 4 master bedrooms within the home?”)

The locations of stores are frequently neglected. “Where is this salon situated?” is a frequently asked question in cases where the location isn’t stated in the form. Cities are usually identified by their neighborhood, so saying it’s located on “14th Street” is one thing to note … but stating it’s located in “Penn Quarter” of Washington, D.C.” can be helpful too. The details like this are essential as donors may overlook the details on the donor sheets and leave the responsibility of following up to the event’s manager. They can send a quick emails to thank the donor however, she can also ask about missing information in the donor’s description.

Once the auction ends an official than usual thank-you (mailed .. using letterhead) is delivered.

Write something like “Your $2000 wine case was sold at $2500!” What a great way to make a donor feel great! When you’ve proven that you’re taking good charge of the merchandise donated by your donor and are selling it effectively and efficiently, it will encourage the donor to give you more donations in the next year. Woo hoo!

If your donation was sold at an average amount I’d suggest writing something more general like “Your contribution helped NON PROFITXYZ exceed the goal we set / achieve our fundraising goals or was an increase over the previous year.” It is important to communicate your achievements with the donors.

I would also advise you to write a quick note or sentence in the letter. It could be: “The necklace was stunning!” or “Glad that you were able to be able to attend the gala.” and “Your donation was very lovely and appreciated this year.” A personal note, but sincere.