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You are here: Home / Blog Post / Video: Brand your fundraiser with a consistent gala auction theme
Oct 21

Video: Brand your fundraiser with a consistent gala auction theme

Sherry Truhlar Leave a Comment

A few years ago I worked with an American Heart Association chapter located in a less populated area. Because of their size and budget differences, they approached their gala differently than the larger chapter I worked with in Washington, D.C.

To conserve money on design and printing, they collaborated with two other regional AHA chapters. All three used the same gala theme each year in their respective locations. The marketing materials, forms, and even some decorative pieces of the ballroom were shared among them. They split the costs of a designer who created the invitation, sponsor packets, and other marketing materials.

It was an identical gala being carried out in three different locales.

For nonprofits who don’t have a sister chapter, you can save on expenses in another way. Consider branding your gala with a clever name you can use annually.

I talk about this concept in the video below.

Some nonprofits fall into a rut of calling their event “the annual gala and auction.” Although this might accurately describe your event, it lacks punch. It also opens the door for changing the theme every year, which can be expensive.

For instance, “the annual gala and auction” might have a Western theme this year, a beach theme the next, and a space theme the following year. Though a few props can be re-used in many gala auction themes, most decor elements are just one-off decorations.

What if you branded your event for a period of time, perhaps five years? You could budget with those expenses in mind.

Gala Auction Themes - last kiss

The front of the catalog / program is the same each year. Only the number changes.

I talked about three gala auction theme / brand concepts in the video.  Here’s a photo showing the most simplistic example of the three. 

This cover is from a nonprofit’s annual autumn event. The group uses an identical program cover every year, only changing the number: “Last kiss of summer 7.” “Last kiss of summer 8.” “Last kiss of summer 9.”

Once you’ve got a name you like, get a workable design to match it. Then use it for several years. You’ll reduce your expenses while building the brand of your gala.

Want more ideas related to this subject of gala auction themes? 

 I’ve developed a couple of training tools that tie into it.

First, you shouldn’t be talking about branding unless you’re also talking about marketing. These two subjects go hand-in-hand. 

marketing-your-auction-volume-3-book-4So for the volunteer managing your public relations and marketing, Marketing your Auction is the training tool for her. Learn more about this training (and the plush bonus that comes with it) on this page.

 

A second training shares themes, centerpiece and decor ideas from shabby chic / cheap to “over the top.”

More importantly, it plants the seeds of how your committee can be cost-effective with a decor budget and still have an event that impresses.

The program is called Creative School Auction Themes, Centerpieces, and Décor: Simple-to-sophisticated designs, ideas and activities that make ANY size auction memorable & profitable. Learn more and check out the opening minutes of the training on this page.

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Copyright © 2014 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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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
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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!

Diane Albano, Director of Development
St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School (St. Augustine, FL)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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)
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Sherry, 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! Some of the tidbits: You added EXCITEMENT and ENTERTAINMENT… You added EXPERTISE and FUN… You helped the evening FLOW, in a wonderful and positive direction… You were FUN,… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”

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Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple? 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.”

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You 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, … she got the bidders to bid without being rude/pushing, … I loved observing her, I just watched her, … she did a great job.’ It was… Read The Rest “Staci Meruvia”

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Geri said: “Great job of getting potential donors in the room to step up to the plate and not feel guilty or bad about it. They actually wanted to give more … and that’s not something I’ve seen in many other auctioneers.” The following year, she herself ‘stepped up’ and became one of the gala… Read The Rest “Geri”

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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. “I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal with people in a way that isn’t intimidating — men, women,… Read The Rest “Irene”

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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 off… Read The Rest “Carolyn Kahn-Hall and Andrea Del Vecchio”

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As a former Fox News Anchorwoman, I am often called on to perform at auctions. So, I know first-hand that auctioneering can be a difficult job. Sherry Truhlar is one of the best in the business. She is skillful at managing an audience and keeping them focused on the task at hand – which is… Read The Rest “Cynthia Steele Vance”

Cynthia Steele Vance
Guest at The Potomac School 2014 auction (McLean, VA)
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