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 >
Video
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 >
Is this a live auction item or a silent auction item?
How do you know if an item is right for the live auction or is a better fit for the silent auction? Generally speaking, I encourage you to work with your auctioneer to determine that. But if you aren't working with one, consider these eight pointers to determine if a donation is worthy of the live auction. https://youtu.be/WLyejaEIL60 ... Read On >
Did you see it? Auction Item Guide™ released
Did you catch it earlier this year when I released the The Pandemic Years: 2020-2021 Auction Item Guide,™ covering item sales during COVID? Since starting my business in 2005, I’ve released an publication showcasing 100 of the top-selling items from events I’ve worked the prior year. These are the items the crowds most loved, paying over full price for each one. It's curated full of great auction item ideas for your next event. Since launching my Guide, a number of software ... Read On >
Latency is so last year. Now, we’re on to audio.
At least once a year, I’ll share tips about audio systems for fundraising auctions. (I include links to some past posts under the video.) The reason being is that good audio is a crucial element to a charity auction, but I personally find it difficult to convey its intricacies. Even so, I am giving it a shot in today's video. Over the last two years of virtual galas, our technology issues have been focused on connectivity, latency, and video -- NOT audio. With so much attention on ... Read On >