Today I saw a commercial created by the Salvation Army called “Amazing Grace”. What a heartwarming video that really pulls at the heart! If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you look it up on You Tube. But of course, we’ve all seen heartwarming videos that have touched us before. Think of the events in our history that have been etched into our minds. How did those images affect you? Video images motivate us, impact our lives, and make us buy things, go places, or serve our country. I can still imagine 18-month-old “Baby Jessica” McClure who captured the nation’s attention when she fell into an old well in her aunt’s backyard. Do you remember a single Chinese man standing alone to block a line of tanks heading toward Tiananmen Square, or coverage of the miners’ rescue attempt at the collapsed mine in Sago, West Virginia, or of course, the footage September 11? People responded to all these events with incredible donations or even joined the military. Some even found a way to get there and volunteer in such large numbers that many times they were turned away. They wanted to DO something. Don’t you remember that feeling? What incredible responses to images that capture our minds. Nothing motivates us as much as seeing it for ourselves. Think of late-night television commercials for organizations that feed children in Africa. I bet you can now imagine one of those children. When it snows in Denver during a nationally televised game, calls to make reservations at Colorado ski resorts increase by 50 percent. Using a simple two minute video influences your audience in a similar way and generates better results at your next profit auction.

So can a charity use this effective tool inexpensively? Definitely! Auctioneers work with many companies that make professional videos for this purpose. If you’re on a tight budget, a DIY video is better than none. You Tube is full of amateur videos that are sent all over the world. Hundreds of millions of videos are viewed daily and hundreds of thousands of videos are uploaded daily. In fact, every 60 seconds that pass, 10 hours of new video images are posted on You Tube. Your video doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need special equipment. These days, most digital cameras are equipped with video capabilities and there are many tips online that will allow you to create your own video in minutes. It can be as basic as some moving still images with or without a simple background song that tells a story about what your organization has done. Or it could be a comforting testimony.
 
Seeing is believing. Make your donors feel like they are part of the big picture rather than just sitting in their seats. It’s another important, easy-to-bring tool to your next fundraising auction. Your guests will feel the same feelings that we have all felt and will raise their hands, saying “count on me.”