Shake the Money Tree: How to Produce a Winning Fundraising Event with a Live and Silent Auction

Shake the Money Tree describes the four objectives that are achieved at every successful fundraising event and the tasks that need to be accomplished to make sure those objectives are met. There are over 160 tasks divided among 15 hypothetical committees for easy reference. Hi, I'm Richard O'Keef. And I wrote this book to help fundraisers everywhere raise more money to help more people. I have seen organizations actually double the amount of money raised over the previous year by implementing the principles taught in this book. This book will show you the tasks you need to accomplish to meet (and even exceed) your financial goals AND send guests home having had such a good time they'll want to attend again next year. The most common comment I hear from readers is, "I wish I had had this book years ago." I've discovered four objectives that are accomplished at every successful fundraiser. 1. Guests are made to feel important. 2. Guests gain a desire to support the cause at hand. 3. Guests want what is being sold. 4. If there is a live auction, guests get caught up in the thrill of bidding. This book describes the tasks that need to be accomplished to make sure the four objectives are met. To see a list of all the tasks, go to www.letsdoanauction.com/tasks.htm. Shake the Money Tree will also help you achieve the following: 1. You will form long-lasting relationships. 2. You will experience a deep satisfaction rather than becoming stressed and frazzled like so many organizers. 3. Your volunteers, donors, and guests will feel a connection to your organization, which will result in future donations of time, goods, services and money. Producing a successful fundraising event comes as a result of accomplishing the right tasks. Those who accomplish the right tasks have success; while those who leave them out, no matter how sincere they their desire, how hard they work, or how noble their cause, generally meet with less-than-desired results. If producing a successful fundraising event is a result of doing certain tasks, then anyone, regardless of their background or experience, can be successful. They just need to know the tasks. Shake the Money Tree will show you the tasks to accomplish to ensure a successful fundraising event. When People Offered to Buy the Incomplete Rough Draft, I Knew I Had Something. I was consulting with an event committee one afternoon, and one of the committee members said, "These are some great ideas. You really need to put them in a book and I'll be the first to buy it." This wasn't the first time the idea of a book had been suggested to me, but this particular request caused me to get started. When this book was about 90% complete, I started taking a copy of the unfinished rough draft to committee meetings just to get a feel for its value. When people offered to buy the incomplete rough draft, I knew I had something. I often meet with event organizers two or three weeks before their event. During that meeting I request that certain tasks be done that will help achieve The Four Objectives of a Successful Fundraiser. You see, when those objectives are met, it's easier for me, as the auctioneer, to conduct a successful live auction. In this chapter called Three-Week Countdown, I provide the material that I go over in that meeting just as if I were holding that meeting with you. To see the entire Three-Week Countdown chapter, go to www.letsdoanauction.com/countdown.htm Nothing currently published, remotely approaches Shake the Money Tree. You have never read anything like it. See if you don't agree that this is the most thorough and enlightening book about fundraising events on the market.