Friends With Benefit Auctions

The Five Essential Elements for Every Fundraising Event

According to Keith McLane, Founder and Lead Auctioneer at KLM Auctions, there are “five basic programming elements, at a minimum, that every fundraising event needs to have.” Number one, he says, is Event 101. This is the “Welcome, Thanks for coming, Thanks to the sponsors.” These are the foundational remarks that kick off the event and set the tone. Number two is the Informational Appeal. “'Here's who we are. Here's what we do. Here's how we've effectively spent your money in the past. Here's what we want to do with your money going forward. And basically, here's how we're planning to spend your money very carefully on things you care deeply about'," says McLane. After a quick dinner break, the event moves into number three, the Live Auction—a high-energy segment that gets guests engaged and competitively bidding - much of the actual funds of the evening are raised in this portion. Number four is the Emotional Appeal, which McLane describes as “the most important three to five minutes of your night.” This can take the form of a speaker or a compelling video. “That's where we really try to move the emotional needle and build on the information people have to get people feeling something.” Number five is when the auctioneer takes center stage, in which you have “The live auctioneer, in a skilled way, doing the fund-a-need - doing the 'ask', the 'appeal', the 'call to the heart', the 'pledge', the 'raise the paddle.'” Depending on the event, it can also be beneficial to add supplementary slideshows, awards, keynote speakers, games or entertainment. But these five elements, McLane emphasizes, form the core of any successful fundraising program. Watch KLM Auctions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions [https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions] Connect with KLM Auctions: https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us [https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us] #benefitauction #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofit #liveauction #eventprogramming #fundaneed #KLMauctions #friendswithbenefitauctions #galaplanning #fundraisingevent #auction

Securing Commitments from Potential Donors

What’s the best way to secure commitments from well-to-do, potentially generous donors before your Fund-a-Need even begins? “Everybody knows that to start your fund-a-need, it's just incredibly advantageous to have one or several people who are pre-committed to making a big donation at the top, says Keith McLane, Founder and Lead Auctioneer at KLM Auctions. McLane recommends starting with your most likely prospects: “you want to approach your people who have donated in the past--your high net worth people, your people with capacity--and ask them if they can make this donation.” The way you frame the ask can make all the difference. “I always tell people to use my four favorite words, 'honorary donor, leadership gift.'” According to McLane, “Giving fancy titles to those things can really make a difference when people are considering what they want to do for you.” “Probably no one's ever asked them to be THE 'honorary donor' or to make THE 'leadership gift'. I found that this can be really helpful language to encourage people to make those kickoff donations.” Watch KLM Auctions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions [https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions] Contact KLM Auctions here: https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us [https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us] #fundaneed #benefitauction #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofitfundraising #honorarydonor #auction #leadershipgift #charityevent #KLMauctions #friendswithbenefitauctions

Quiet a noisy room without killing the vibe

At a live event, how can you quiet a noisy room without killing the vibe? It’s a common problem at large auctions and fundraising events: the energy in the room is high, but no one in the audience is listening to what’s happening on stage. According to KLM Auctions [https://www.linkedin.com/company/klm-auctions/] Founder and Lead Auctioneer auctioneer Keith McLane, there are two key strategies for bringing the volume down and keeping the program moving without creating an awkward moment. “First, you need to make sure the sound system is loud enough,” Keith says. Clear, strong audio is essential to command attention. But it’s not just about decibels—it’s just much about delivery. “Two, you want to do a friendly, funny, quiet-the-room,” he explains. The worst approach? Pleading with the crowd. “What you don’t want to do is be the guy on stage going, ‘Excuse me, excuse me. Can everyone please quiet down?’ Everybody hates that. Don’t do that.” Instead, try a tone that’s warm and playful: “Hey, if everybody could just drop the noise level about 10%, we can keep moving forward here.” This light-touch approach resets the room without scolding the audience or derailing the momentum. Watch KLM Auctions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions/videoshttps://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions/videos] Contact KLM Auctions here: Contact KLM Auctions here: https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us [https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us] #fundaneed #benefitauction #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofitfundraising #liveevent #charityevent #KLMauctions #friendswithbenefitauctions #crowdwork #crowdmanagement

How Do You Actually Get Guests to end Conversations and move to a Different Area?

One of the biggest time delayers at fundraising events is trying to get guests to transition from the cocktail area to the main dining area when starting the program. According to KLM Auctions Founder and Lead Auctioneer Keith McLane, there’s really only one approach that works—and it’s not fancy.“I’ve tried this a million ways here,” Keith says of crowd management. “The only way that works is to have an army of volunteers going up to people, breaking up individual conversations by saying something like, ‘Hey folks, we’re about to start our main program. If you could just make your way into the main dining area, we can get started.’”But here’s the catch: the volunteer has to stay put until guests actually migrate.“The key is—they’ve got to stand there like an idiot until the people start moving,” Keith explains. “Otherwise, if you ask them to move and then move on yourself, they won’t do it.”It’s a simple, solution that works because it creates gentle social pressure. When someone’s standing there expectantly, guests feel more compelled to act—quickly - and you can keep the evening event moving.This approach consistently gets the room seated in 5 to 10 minutes, without needing to bark at the crowd or delay the program.Watch KLM Auctions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions [https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions]Contact KLM Auctions here: https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us [https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us]#fundaneed #benefitauction #fundraisingstrategy #nonprofitfundraising #liveevent #charityevent #KLMauctions #friendswithbenefitauctions #crowdwork #crowdmanagement

It's a Fundraiser, Not Just a Fun Party

If your gala guests show up thinking they’re just attending a fun party — and not a fundraising event — that’s not on them. That’s on you.According to Keith McLane, Founder and Lead Auctioneer at KLM Auctions, being clear and upfront about your event’s purpose--raising money for the organization--is one of the most critical things you can do for fundraising success. “We always say that if people show up to your event not expecting to give you more money, that's not their fault. That's your fault.”In this clip, Keith shares why the language you use to market your event matters just as much as the planning that goes into it. Calling your event something like a “Fundraising Gala” or a “Gala and Auction” helps set the tone early — and ensures your guests arrive with the right expectations (and generosity) in mind.Watch KLM Auctions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions [https://www.youtube.com/@KLMAuctions] Get in touch with KLM Auctions here: https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us [https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithmclane/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithmclane/]#benefitauction #fundraisinggala #nonprofitfundraising #liveauction #fundaneed #charityevent #friendswithbenefitauctions #KLMauctions