PAWS Chicago’s Post

Did you know? Charities work hard to get great items for their fundraising events, the best come from us, BW Unlimited. Instead of just simply using them, if charities get the costs sponsored, they keep 100% of the final bid. If no one bids, they still keep the sponsorship money. It’s a WIN WIN! https://lnkd.in/eXyMY-A4 #charity #fundraising

Last night Leanne & I attended our sons fundraising gala for his school There was a live auction mid way through the night. The biggest item was a $35K trip to South Africa: - 5 bed villa - infinity pool - private chef - unlimited game drives ….The works Leanne looked at me and didn’t even need to say anything… …my paddle went up. Of course we won after multiple bids: dropping 5 figures without needing to think, without going into the night thinking we were going to drop $13K on a trip to South Africa… (we had no idea what the items were until the auction started) The last time we were in South Africa was back in 2017. Leanne was pregnant with Beau and still in her corporate job. We had a life changing trip. And now we get to go back taking our kids and our entire family to have the most insane experience. We are a team 💯 We don’t even need to verbally communicate to know what each other are thinking. We know what we want and we move… - we don’t overthink - or worry about the outcome (when we decide, we decide it’s already done & we are rock solid in supporting each other in going after it) The way we moved last night is how we move in everything we do & it’s the same reason we have built insane amounts of wealth quickly. The fastest way to building wealth & creating a life that most people dream of? Stop thinking and moving the way everyone else does. Put yourself in rooms that challenge you to think bigger. To move differently. To see solutions where others see problems & road blocks. If you’re ready to move different & create illogical results that most people spend their life dreaming about… my work is for you

Last night Leanne & I attended our sons fundraising gala for his school There was a live auction mid way through the night. The biggest item was a $35K trip to South Africa: - 5 bed villa - infinity pool - private chef - unlimited game drives ….The works Leanne looked at me and didn’t even need to say anything… …my paddle went up. Of course we won after multiple bids: dropping 5 figures without needing to think, without going into the night thinking we were going to drop $13K on a trip to South Africa… (we had no idea what the items were until the auction started) The last time we were in South Africa was back in 2017. Leanne was pregnant with Beau and still in her corporate job. We had a life changing trip. And now we get to go back taking our kids and our entire family to have the most insane experience. We are a team 💯 We don’t even need to verbally communicate to know what each other are thinking. We know what we want and we move… - we don’t overthink - or worry about the outcome (when we decide, we decide it’s already done & we are rock solid in supporting each other in going after it) The way we moved last night is how we move in everything we do & it’s the same reason we have built insane amounts of wealth quickly. The fastest way to building wealth & creating a life that most people dream of? Stop thinking and moving the way everyone else does. Put yourself in rooms that challenge you to think bigger. To move differently. To see solutions where others see problems & road blocks. If you’re ready to move different & create illogical results that most people spend their life dreaming about… my work is for you

Save the Date

September is #NationalPreparednessMonth. We're all for stocking up on batteries and bottled water, but let's remember another kind of preparedness: the kind that turns your silent auction into a blockbuster hit, not a box office flop. Here's your survival kit for #silentauction success: 1️⃣ Your auction items tell a story. Make it compelling and aligned with your cause, not just random donations from Aunt Mildred's attic. 2️⃣ Don't let your auction turn into a noisy free-for-all. Transparent displays, ample space, and intuitive bidding make for happy guests (and more significant bids!). 3️⃣ Don't wait until the event to get people excited. Tease those top-tier items on social media to get those bidding fingers twitching. 4️⃣ A prompt thank-you and impact report turn one-time donors into lifelong supporters. Remember, it's about relationships, not just revenue. The takeaway? Preparedness isn't just about avoiding disaster; it's about seizing opportunities fully. A well-planned silent auction can be a watershed event for your organization, inspiring deeper engagement and propelling your cause forward. Get prepared for your next big event with Silent Auction Pro.

👨💻A message from Donald G. Evans I spent an hour today googling around 👖“what kind of trousers did men wear in the 20s?” ✂️“facial hair Jazz Age” 🎩Great Gatsby-style hats” I foraged around the house for a pocket watch I used to wear but has been AWOL since about 2003. (No luck yet). I chose the color “coffee” for my (vaguely) 20s-style vest, wavering only briefly before I hit “confirm order.”   The amazing Colvin House is helping us plan The Great Gimlet, which will start at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 24. Mike Burke came up with the idea for this fundraiser four years ago, when we were trying to navigate our way through the early days of the pandemic. The concept is simple: we pair Chicago literature with cocktails. Our mixologist Ryan Prindle shows us how to make the upscale cocktails (we also send each guest a pdf cocktail booklet so you can make them again later). Somebody really smart—this year scholar Michelle Moore—tells us about the connections between Chicago literature and the drinks. The esteemed magician Robert Charles along with Rita, joins Mike in leading us through these intermissions.   Mostly, though, it’s just a party that raises money for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame This is one of CLHOF’s two fundraisers for the year—most everything else we do is free and open to the public. Registration for this event is $125. Money raised goes towards our programming throughout the year. Always, people wait until the VERY last minute to commit. You watch: I’ll be getting phone calls and texts even as I’m enjoying my first cocktail, “Hey, for some reason, the website is saying registration is closed. Can you help?” NO—I can’t help—I’m busy DRINKING. Do the right thing here: https://lnkd.in/gPsjNvBG #CLHOF #ChicagoLiteraryHallOfFame #eventsinchicago #chicago #eventsinchi #roaringtwenties #chicagohistory #history

🎉 Unlock the secrets to successful silent auctions! 🎉 Our latest blog dives into proven strategies for maximizing bids and hitting your fundraising goals. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to organizing silent auctions, this is a must-read! Check it out now: #SilentAuction #Fundraising #EventProfs

9/11 💔 It's a date that still hits hard, no matter how many years pass. The images, the stories… they stay with us. Today, on #PatriotDay, it's not just about remembering the loss; it's about honoring the strength we found that day. That spirit of community, of resilience, that's what we need to carry forward. And #fundraising? It's a way to do something with that spirit. It's not just about the money. It's about coming together and showing support for those who serve and for the causes that make our country stronger. A silent auction is one way to do that. It's fun, gets people involved, and can raise serious funds. Think items that acknowledge our heroes, experiences that celebrate community... that's what makes it unique. Silent Auction Pro can help make it happen, taking the stress out of the logistics so you can focus on the meaning. This Patriot Day, let's turn remembrance into action. See how Silent Auction Pro can help you do so: #neverforget

Please allow me to stand on a soapbox for a moment. This PSA is to all nonprofit leaders, board members, and committee members who are planning a fundraising gala Please hire a professional auctioneer! I understand that you are trying to cut costs, and the goal is to raise as much money as possible and not spend money but the investment of having a professional auctioneer that knows how to effectively communicate and raise money without any awkward or uncomfortable moments will always make more money than you are spending for the auctioneer! News anchors and local celebrities are always suggested as emcees but please don’t ask them to be the ones to do the auction. I always suggest to try and find a sponsor for the auctioneer. You are already getting sponsors for the cocktail hour, the photo booth, the specialty drink, and the table centerpieces. Getting a sponsor for the auctioneer will actually give you a better rate of return than any of those items as a good auctioneer will mention the name of the sponsor a number of times during the auction! A professional auctioneer; specifically, a professional benefit auctioneer will have tips, tricks, and money making suggestions that you will have never thought of. All of these will make you so much more money than the cost of the auctioneer. It absolutely makes zero sense for a gala committee to say “we don’t have money in the budget to hire an auctioneer“. If you are doing a fundraising gala, the quote should really be “we can’t afford to not hire a professional auctioneer“. Thank you for reading and allowing me to stand on my soapbox! To find out more about what I can do for your nonprofit and your next gala, please visit www.voiceofgeoffrey.com #voiceofgeoffrey #eventemcee #FundraisingEvent #fundraiser #gala #nonprofit

Can we all agree that gala and nonprofit auction methods are beyond tired? Seth Godin thinks so too. And he built something about it. Get yourself to goodbids.org and see for yourself. Here's what I like about this project: 😮 Super unique prizes (I mean, how else do you get your name as a character in John Grisham’s next novel?). 💸 Every bid is a committed donation. So the value to the nonprofit is exponential. ⏳ The auction extends past the original deadline if people place another bid within a certain timeframe. 🎟️ If you share the auction with a friend and they end up bidding, you get a free bid to use in any auction of your choice. The #Goodbids platform just launched this month, so they’re only working with select nonprofits at this time. But if you're in the fundraising world, this is a story to follow. If nothing else, this work should inspire us to more innovation in traditional fundraising systems. And maybe even to place a bid on a Zoom lesson with baker @Claire Saffitz to support buildOn (please use my referral link if you do! https://lnkd.in/gF_42VTc 😉). #nonprofit #innovation #fundraising #development #auctions