Five ways to refresh a tired fundraising auction

This 1994 photo shows me holding a wombat in Australia. A wombat is not a groundhog, but as I lack a photo of me holding a groundhog, this will suffice.

The 1993 movie Groundhog Day is one of my favorites. The lead character finds himself stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over.  At first he enjoys it, giving in to his base desires hour and hour, knowing that the clock resets at midnight. Eventually he becomes bored with his selfish ways and finds greater satisfaction in helping others.  His new attitude breaks the spell and he returns to a normal life.

Some fundraising galas are a lot like the concept in that movie.  Nonprofits just repeat last year’s event, year after year.

If you want to keep your gala interesting to guests, keep it fresh.

Here are the top five areas that most often need a refresh.

1. Live auction items: Don’t sell the same live auction items year after year.

School auctions seem to be at greater risk in this area than many nonprofit benefit auctions.

“Name the Lane?” “Head of School for the Day?”  Enough said.

Maybe you consistently get the same beach house donated.  We love the donation the first year, but by year 3 or 4, it needs to be used in a different way.

For fresh ideas, download the current and free Auction Item Guide™ which lists the top 100 items I sold over value last year.

2. Raffles: Update your raffles and games, and review ticket pricing.

There are dozens of fun raffles and interactive games that can be used at a gala.  If you still use the same 50-50 raffle and Heads & Tails game you’ve used for several years, consider changing it.

Some nonprofits still sell raffle tickets for $20 because “that’s the bill an ATM dispenses.”  I understand the original rationale when many galas were collecting cash.  But nowadays, many galas use auction software; cash isn’t needed at the gala because all purchases are applied to a credit card.  If this sounds like your event, it’s likely time for you to increase your ticket pricing.

3. Venue: Move the event to a new facility.  

Changing a venue isn’t always easy as it often involves learning new venue rules and working with new caterers or A/V companies, but it can be one of the best for freshening up an event.

Guests often get excited to experience an event in a new space.  If your nonprofit just built a new space or building, consider holding the fundraiser in your new facility to show it to guests.

4. Special Appeal / Fund a Need: Review your strategy for raising money.

Do you offer matches every year?  Maybe it’s time to change how you offer it.

If you always have a speaker, maybe try a video.  If you offer an incentive, maybe try another activity to see if it increases the number of donations.

5. Theme: Update your theme, decor, colors, etc.

If you have branded your auction by calling it the same name each year (such as the “Annual Fundraising Auction for Scholarships”), I can accept that.

But let’s make sure that we change the theme, colors, and invitation. Let’s keep the look fresh. The name can remain, but let’s ensure it feels new and interesting to guests.

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To be clear, I love consistent branding in benefit auctions. But branding doesn’t mean every year the auction is the same.

P.S. If you’re lacking for ideas on new auction games, raffles, and the like, check out Charity Auction Bells & Whistles*.  You’ll learn 22 different interactive activities to reinvigorate your event, your volunteers, and you. (*Note: We change programs every so often, and this program is no longer available. Check out the “Store” for what’s current.)