Browsing through auction catalogs is a solid way to get fresh ideas for your own gala -- and it's a lot cheaper than flying across the country to attend an event. In this video, I dissect three auction catalogs from different associations. Each gala was held at the annual conference of the association. Members of the association attended the gala and could participate in the auction. You'll hear examples of how each association altered its items to match the budget and interest of ... Read On >
Benefit Auctions Blog
What to call your special appeal (Fund a Need vs. Raise the paddle, etc.)
One way to confuse volunteers (and your guests) is to use different names for the same activities. You call it a bucket raffle. They call it a tricky tray. You call it a Last Man Standing. They call it Popcorn. You call it a silent auction. They call it an online auction. Tip: Now that many silent auctions are using mobile bidding (that is, they are now "online,"), I'm seeing a shift to calling them 'online silent auctions.' One auction activity with dozens of names is the ... Read On >
Do’s and Don’ts of live auction slideshows
Oftentimes the slideshow for the live auction is handed off to a volunteer to create at the last minute. Other times, a staff member is asked to pull one together. Send this video to them. You'll see examples of what you should NOT model, as well as an example of one you could for your fundraiser. https://youtu.be/pVgE8NDhK3Y ... Read On >
Guidelines for ordering your live auction items
Generally speaking, the sale order of the live auction items is best left to your professional fundraising auctioneer. Ordering is both an art and a science, and I personally like to "feel" the flow a bit, shifting items in the spreadsheet to sense if a particular order flows better. But if you are using a volunteer auctioneer at your gala (perhaps a gregarious Board member or other proponent of your nonprofit), this task might fall to you. If so, here are a few guidelines to consider ... Read On >
When to close the silent auction (and other tips for post-pandemic galas)
Silent auctions are nearly all online auctions now, using mobile bidding. This launches a question in our post-pandemic world: When is the best time to close the silent auction – before or after the live auction / appeal? After all, with mobile bidding checkout isn't as difficult (guests are charged automatically for purchases), items often aren't at the venue (guests get them later), and mobile bidding allows for wider participation (guests not attending can still participate). In ... Read On >