Is your school auction crowd obnoxiously loud? Though any auction crowd has the potential for being deafening, the loudest auctions tend to be Catholic schools. The parents know each other so quickly find their friends to chat. And let's be honest -- Catholics aren't timid about drinking alcohol, and that has a tendency to increase anyone's personal volume when consumed in excess. This past spring I had a new Catholic school group who prepared me for the worst. "Our crowd is loud," they ... Read On >
Audio/Visual
[Video] Model this sound system for a silent auction
One of the most difficult venues to hold an auction is in a gym. Though the venue often offers adequate space, it is a difficult place to control audio. By design, gyms are noisy venues. No one wants to sit through a quiet basketball game, so gyms are designed to deflect the slightest utterance. The shape of the building and the hard surfaces reverberate the sound, bouncing it around the room to make the noise louder and less clear. This presents a problem for fundraising ... Read On >
Auction sound systems are a must-have during your live auction; visuals aren’t … usually
When budgets are tight, a common question posed by clients is what audio-visual (A/V) equipment is essential for their live auction. "What can we live without?” they’ll query. Here's my opinion: A good auction sound system is a must-have for your live auction. A large screen projecting visuals of the live auction items as the auctioneer sells them is a nice-to-have. Audio is critical for a charity auction. Guests won't bid unless they can understand the numbers being called by the ... Read On >
VIDEO: Silence doesn’t sell! Q&A on sound systems for charity benefit auctions
Charity benefit auctions are unique in that the sound system required is different than what is needed for a band, singer, or a typical speaker. Learn all the specifics -- what, when, where, why and how -- in this great Q&A. I cover a lot of information about the type of system you need for your next gala. Watch the video below. ... Read On >
Funky sound systems match your benefit auction theme
My recent articles in Benefit Auction Ideas (my twice-a-month ezine) have focused on suggestions for great benefit auction themes. In this post, I'm moving this theme concept in a new direction. Some elements of your gala are optional; others are required. Having a theme is optional. Offering items that people want - and guests with money to buy them - is required. A sound system falls into that latter category. It's required, even for small crowds. (I once used an at-home "toy" karaoke ... Read On >