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You are here: Home / Audience Development / Not a headline I like to read: Auction fundraiser attendance falls
May 09

Not a headline I like to read: Auction fundraiser attendance falls

Sherry Truhlar 3 Comments

auction fundraiser ideas during controversy

Last week across the newswire, I read an article about an Idaho athletic booster auction fundraiser that was small in size, but not by design:  Blackfoot Broncos Annual Fundraiser Attendance Falls.

The school’s Booster Club, located in Blackfoot, ID (population ~11,000) was raising money for athletic programs.  The booster auction usually brings in several thousand dollars.

The Booster Club President suggests that the economy is to blame for the lower attendance and fewer donations, but a  hazing controversy within the boys basketball program might have also darkened the event.  In a video, the judge talks about the polarizing effect on the small community.  That trial might have colored the mood of the auction fundraiser, especially as it was held to raise money for athletic programs.

So what do you do when you’re in a swirl of negativity and sense your event will feel the effects?

Here are some auction fundraiser ideas for when controversy comes:
  • If lower attendance will be expected, plan accordingly and reduce the number of items for sale. We don’t want your event to become a garage sale with guests toting home bargain-basement deals.  Keep it small and slick.
  • Procure from donors not involved in the controversy. If Mr. Smith usually donates an item, but the controversy swirls around his family, give him a rest this year.  Unless you really enjoy pushing the envelope, allowing some time to pass might be a smart decision.
  • Offer items not related to the hot button. Last year I sold a week’s stay at a stunning vacation home along the beach.   When there is no controversy, this is a top-selling item.  But in this case, the home happened to be located on the Gulf, and the auction was during the height of the news coverage for the gushing oil spill.  The controversy was regional, but it had a local effect.
  • Call, call, call. Personal invitations to encourage people to attend your shindig can help mend fences.

Although it’s not easy conducting a gala amidst challenges, it can be done.  Your event and efforts may be the shining beacon of light your community needs to get everyone rowing in sync once again.

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Copyright © 2011 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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VIDEO: Encouraging youth to attend your benefit gala
PODCAST: Not a good headline: Fundraiser attendance falls

Comments

  1. Ann Rosato says

    May 25, 2011 at 9:18 PM

    I run an auction for a small school in Los Angeles. We had our annual silent auction r=two weeks ago. We have had no controversy and still our attendance was way low this year! We offer music, food and the auction. We send out catalogs the week ahead so people can start looking and someone called every parent to invte them and still only about 30% of the current parents attended. What to do?!
    Ann

    Reply
    • Sherry Truhlar says

      May 26, 2011 at 11:15 AM

      Have you read this post on auction surveys, Ann?

      Consider expanding the survey to include last year’s supporters. Have a section that says, “If you didn’t attend, please share why.” Spend some time creating a subject line that will be opened. Maybe not this but something like: “Even if you weren’t there, we NEED your two-cents on our school auction.”

      I also work with some clients who weave auction advertising into everything they do. (We cover marketing like this in my Profitable Auction Blueprint class, too.) It’s constant reinforcement.

      Reply
  2. Betsy Baker says

    May 17, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Sherry, great points! It still can be successful – just add a few twists.

    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!

Krystal Fenwick

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!

Diane Albano, Director of Development
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Sherry is flexible and easy to work with. She gives honest feedback and advice throughout the planning and implementation process. Without a doubt, Sherry and Red Apple Auctions has helped take our annual fundraising event to the next level.

Beckie Middendorf, Development Director and Janet Gulla, Development Coordinator
St. Henry District High School (Erlanger, KY)

Sherry is “on board” from day one of auction planning, works closely with our steering committee and is only just a phone call away. The night of the auction, we toss her the keys and let her drive the event! We are never disappointed!

Charly Ryan, Director of Institutional Advancement
The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD)

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.

Erin Banda
2016 NYUMBANI Board member

The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.

Darrell, a long-time attendee

We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.

Nicole Carr, Director of Grants and Special Events
The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)

2012 Oakcrest Anne and CarolinaSherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year!… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”

Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple? PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiIHNyYz0iaHR0cDovL3JlZGFwcGxlLmV2c3VpdGUuY29tL3BsYXllci9NakF4TWkxSGRXVnpkSE10UW5Wc2JHbHpMVXRMTFdGdVpDMU5hV05vWVdWc0xVcHZjMlZ3YUM1dGNEUT0vP2NvbnRhaW5lcj1ldnAtV0JBVTkwTlVBUyI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+PGRpdiBpZD0iZXZwLVdCQVU5ME5VQVMiIGRhdGEtcm9sZT0iZXZwLXZpZGVvIiBkYXRhLWV2cC1pZD0iTWpBeE1pMUhkV1Z6ZEhNdFFuVnNiR2x6TFV0TExXRnVaQzFOYVdOb1lXVnNMVXB2YzJWd2FDNXRjRFE9Ij48L2Rpdj4= They liked that I “moved the crowd along … kept the crowd engaged but wasn’t obtrusive or invasive. We were able to talk but still keep track of what was going on.”

Staci Meruvia 150 ptYou have NO idea of how many people came up to me (I know Julie as well) and said, ‘That auctioneer was incredible … she engaged the crowd, …… Read The Rest “Staci Meruvia”

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Irene attended one of my New Hampshire auctions and assumed I must be a radio personality — until I started to chant that fast talk. PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiIHNyYz0iaHR0cDovL3JlZGFwcGxlLmV2c3VpdGUuY29tL3BsYXllci9SM1ZsYzNRdE1qQXhNUzFPU0ZOUVEwRXRTWEpsYm1VdWJYQTBMVEU9Lz9jb250YWluZXI9ZXZwLTVHMlVHQlFGN1YiPjwvc2NyaXB0PjxkaXYgaWQ9ImV2cC01RzJVR0JRRjdWIiBkYXRhLXJvbGU9ImV2cC12aWRlbyIgZGF0YS1ldnAtaWQ9IlIzVmxjM1F0TWpBeE1TMU9TRk5RUTBFdFNYSmxibVV1YlhBMExURT0iPjwvZGl2Pg== “I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal… Read The Rest “Irene”

Most product & consulting remarks are found on their respective webpages, but I’ve listed two below so you’re assured my products are as spot-on as my auctioneering.   Not only was our 2013 auction a blast, but our Washington, D.C. public school raised $67,000 — that’s $25,000 more than last year! The evening went… Read The Rest “Carolyn Kahn-Hall and Andrea Del Vecchio”

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