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You are here: Home / Audience Development / How to plan your auction fundraiser for Gen X and Gen Y guests
Apr 05

How to plan your auction fundraiser for Gen X and Gen Y guests

Sherry Truhlar 3 Comments

Who is giving you the big bucks at your auction fundraiser?

If your auction trends the way of many groups, your largest donors are likely 45+ years old. They are at least Baby Boomers, but most may be older. Certainly many of the most successful auctions I conduct are filled with 45+ year old guests.

So what are you supposed to do if you’re trying to hit a $40,000 goal and your room is filled with Gen X and Gen Y buyers? 
Can you hit your mark when young professionals dominate your crowd?

I’ve got a suggestion, thanks to some data published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s recent post on How Americans of Different Generations Give to Charity.

Here’s a snippet of what the research shows.

Gen X: born 1965-1980

  • Of those who give, 32% give less than $100
  • 37% give between $100 and $500
  • Average amount to top charity: $272 

Gen Y: born 1981 to 1991

  • Of the 54% who give, most of them — 58% — are giving less than $100
  • 28% of them give between $100 and $500.
  • Average amount to top charity $161

If the average donated amount from Gen X and Gen Y is $161 to $272, you need to fill your event with low-valued items.

Lots of ’em.

These folks will buy (the majority of them are giving to multiple charities already), but if you are hoping to sell a $4000 condo in Beaver Creek, CO, reconsider.

(Unless the condo will sleep 10 comfortably and you’ve advertised in advance. If you’ve done that, it would allow your Gen Ys and Gen Xers to pool their cash and buy it together.)

Think twice before you package items in the silent auction.

Keep the price point within reason … don’t build enormous baskets worth $900 when Gen X and Gen Y are filling your silent auction.

Offer more items, but at lower price points.

For your cash appeal/ Fund a Need, consider dropping the levels.

Offer lower levels of giving at the $50, $25, or even $10 point. Better to get just a little cash and be able to capture that donor’s address for your records.

You’ll be able to continue to market to him or her with your passionate stories, and that $10 donor could develop into a much bigger donor ten years later.

Keep your Gen Xs and Gen Ys information in mind, and you’ll have a great auction, regardless of the age of your younger attendees.

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Copyright © 2010 Red Apple Auctions Co. All Rights Reserved

About Sherry Truhlar

Fundraising auctioneer and educator, helping schools and nonprofits plan more profitable benefit auctions. A prolific writer for her own blog and other fundraising sites, she’s been covered in The Beacon-News, Town & Country Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Wiley's Special Events Galore!, AUCTIONEER, and other publications.

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Comments

  1. Sherry says

    May 20, 2010 at 10:25 AM

    Sounds like you had a great auction, Darron. Keep at it!

    Reply
  2. Darron Meares says

    May 20, 2010 at 7:55 AM

    This is why you are my hero! HA HA HA… I just conducted an auction with a room full of Gen X and Gen Y folks. You could hear crickets chirping in the background when we started the live auction – funny thing is, it was Baby Boomers and Generation Jones that stepped up to the plate… as always!

    Reply
  3. admin says

    April 6, 2010 at 1:21 PM

    Thanks for reading, Dick.

    Reply

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Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!

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Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!

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I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!

Pete Goldlust, Director of Development
Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)

If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.

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