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How many People should attend a Fundraising Auction Event to ensure SUCCESS?

Every nonprofit and school want to have hundreds of people attend their fundraiser, but is this really the measure of a successful event?

The question should be: “How many people will give and at what levels will they give?”

Just because an event has 800 people in attendance does not necessarily mean that the event is a success on the revenue side of things.  This is where mining your database of past attendees comes in extremely handy and really is an absolute must before you send out your invitations.  Look at past event records and see who is giving and who is not; it should become very apparent who you want to fill your seats with for your next charity auction gala.  I would rather have 100 people with the means to support your cause in the seats then 500 people who are there to simply party.  Not only will it cost the nonprofit a lot more to provide a venue large enough to house 500 people but it will cost immensely more to feed 500 people versus 100.

As an example: A room full of 100 power bidders may generate an average of $1,000 per person of revenue which equates to a gross of $100,000 versus a room of 500 people who generally came to party which may equate to an average of $100 per person or $50,000 gross with a much higher expense to house and feed them.

Your homework should be done several months in advance using data from the past 3 years of events to determine who should receive invitations.  I’m not saying that all events should have lighter attendance because if you happen to have 500 loyal supporters that plan on giving then invite all of them.

Don’t forget to hire an experienced, professional fundraising auctioneer and consultant like Elite Auctions and Fundraising Services to help insure your event’s success.  The results far outweigh the investment!

Written by Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS of Elite Auctions and Fundraising Services

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What Should Your Nonprofit Organization be doing in the “Off-Season”?

Drawing out a plan

We all know that the Fall fundraising season just came to a close and everyone is in holiday mode now.  All I can say is DO NOT wait to start planning, procuring and cultivating your donor list until the last 2 months prior to your next benefit auction event!  Here are three simple things you can do in the “off-season” to start planning for your next charity auction event:

1.  Cultivate your donor list – Start making those important phone calls and contacts to your donors that generously gave at your last event.  You don’t have to start asking for more at this point, just thank them for their donation and start to develop a relationship with them.  Don’t just call them when your next event is approaching and ask for money or items; this looks like you only care about them when you need something!  Really try to get to know them and take some notes as you talk to them to remind you for future calls.

2.  Hire your professional fundraising auctioneer and consultant – Good auctioneers book up extremely quickly, many times 8 months to a year in advance!  DO NOT WAIT TO BOOK THEM OR YOU MIGHT NOT GET TO WORK WITH YOUR FAVORITE AUCTIONEER!  I recommend booking your benefit auctioneer immediately following your last event if you were happy with the service they provided.

3.  Start to procure for items – It’s never too early to start procuring items for your next event.  In fact, you have a great opportunity to ask for items or help getting items for your next event as you stay in touch with your donors and build those relationships (not necessarily the first phone call thanking them for their participation).

There are obviously many things you should be prepping for in regards to your next fundraising auction event, but these are three simple things that you absolutely should be doing well in advance to ease the panic when your event is right around the corner.  

Written by Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS of Elite Auctions and Fundraising Services

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What’s in it for them… and you?

When it comes to creating outreach materials it is so easy to become overwhelmed by the pressure of meeting and exceeding goals that one can forget about the receiver of the solicitation.  Here are a few donor focused tips to ponder as you take a swim in the ocean this summer:

1.  Ask yourself, if this was sent to me how would I respond?

2.  Get into their heads, their hearts, and what makes their world spin (Yes, you have to do homework on this one).

3.  Make sure you’re offering a solution to the problem as the donor understands it, not as you do.

4.  Make sure this applies to all of your outreach, not just the written word.

5.  Now, go for a swim, climb a mountain, read a good book, or just unplug at least once this summer.  You need to re-energize your batteries too.

Written by Tracy Karbus Fundraising Consultant with Elite Auctions & Fundraising Services

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Have a Thank-A-Thon with Your Donors After Your Fundraising Auction Event


We all understand, or should understand, that thanking your donors after your fundraising auction event has concluded is an absolute must.  However, the way that you thank your donors for their generous contributions to help your cause is so very important.  Many organizations simply send out a form letter showing what was purchased/donated and a generic message thanking the donor for their contribution.  This is obviously a good idea for their tax purposes, but how personal is this for the donor and does it make them feel special?

Imagine being a donor that just gave $5,000 or $1,000 or $250 of your hard-earned money to a cause that you believe in and just receiving this form letter, which is really a must for tax purposes anyway.  Do you feel special in any way?  Do you feel that the organization values your participation in such an important event?  Do you have any excitement or feeling of obligation to attend their next event?  In some cases yes, but in most cases not really.

I suggest that you get together your entire board and staff and have a Thank-A-Thon party.  Provide some food and beverages for your board and staff and start calling your donors on the phone.  Spend 30 seconds to a minute explaining how thankful your organization is for their donation and how the funds will be utilized to better your cause.  The purpose of this call is not to ask for anything but to simply thank your donors and inform them of how the funds will be or are being utilized to better your cause.  If the donor does not answer just leave them a message, no need to keep calling until they answer.   If you had 150 people give at your event then a board and staff of 10 people have to spend about 15-20 minutes each or about 15 phone calls each. 

Most organizations do not do this simple step, so imagine how much this will put you in the minds’ of your donors versus other organizations that they give to throughout the year.  Simply put, it makes them feel special and valued which can many times equate to future support.

Written by Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS 
EliteFundraisingAuctions.com
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Motivational Speakers at Your Fundraising Auction Event


Condoleezza Rice speaks at the Solutions for Change Auction
There are two very important segments of the event that a good motivational speaker is needed… before the live auction and before the fund-a-need.  The speaker prior to the start of the live auction should be someone that can somewhat educate the crowd about the cause and share a personal experience to get the crowd emotional.  Getting members of the crowd to “tear up” is always a good thing.  This speech should not exceed 2-3 minutes and the live auction should begin promptly following.  Videos are okay to utilize for this but they have to be great not good.  

The second speaker should come on following the live auction just prior to the fund-a-need.  This speaker needs to be extremely passionate, as the crowd is many times drained from the live auction that just took place.  The speaker must re-energize the crowd and talk about what specifically the fund-a-need dollars will represent (i.e. building a new structure for the organization to help kids, funding a specific cause, etc.).  I have found that younger teenagers or children that are good in front of people and have a personal impact experience to share are excellent for this speech.  Once again, a video can be used here but it must be great not good.  If you used a video for the first slot then try to have a live speaker for the second and vice versa. 

Motivational speakers are imperative to the success of your live auction and fund-a-need.  You can do without them but don’t expect incredible results.  As you can see so far, there are a lot of small elements that all add up to a big result.
Written by Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS
EliteFundraisingAuctions.com
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How to hire a professional fundraising auctioneer… What should I ask when determining which auctioneer to hire?


DON’T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR AUCTIONEER’S ADVICE WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING MONEY AT YOUR EVENT!
Hiring a professional auctioneer for your charity, benefit or fundraising event is an essential element to maximizing your organization’s profit.
www.elitefundraisingauctions.com
Here are some questions that can be asked to determine whether or not the auctioneer is reputable…
1.  Do you specialize in charity auctions?
Auctioneers that specialize in charity, benefit and fundraising auctions are going to be best equipped to handle all aspects of your event from the silent auction, live auction and the fund-a-need or appeal.  There are many proven “tricks of the trade” that a professional charity auctioneer will know vs. a volunteer or non-charity auctioneer.
2.  Are you bonded as an auctioneer in the State of California?
Auctioneers that conduct business in the State of California are required by law to be bonded by the state.  If the company you are interviewing is not bonded by the State of California be very cautious to proceed with them.  Check your state laws regarding auctioneers if you are not conducting your auction in California.
3.  Are you a member of the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) and your State Auctioneers Association?
It is not manditory that auctioneers be members of the NAA or their state associations, but all auctioneers that are members of both associations are required to follow a code of ethics while practicing as a legitimate auction company.  Do not do business with auctioneers that aren’t members of both associations because they may not be looking out for your best interests.
4.  How many successful auctions have you completed and how many years have you been in the business?
Choosing an auctioneer that has not conducted more than 50 successful auctions and been in the auction business for at least 5 years may not be in your best interests.  In order for auctions to have a positive outcome they must be handled by an auctioneer that has the
proper knowledge and experience, which can only be gained by conducting a multitude of successful auctions over a legitimate time period.  (Pictured right: Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS of Elite Auctions and Fundraising Services on stage taken by Henry A. Barrios The Californian)
5.  Do you have any auction videos that I can view?
An auctioneer should be able to show you videos of him/her in action.  If he/she does not have videos, request to attend one of his/her upcoming auctions so that you can see how he/she works with the crowd to entertain, raise money and how his/her overall personality will mesh with your organization.
6.  What type of training have you had regarding benefit auctions?
There are several different training courses and designations that an auction can complete.  The National Auctioneers Association has the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS) designation that less than 1% of fundraising auctioneers hold.  It would be a huge bonus if your auctioneer had this designation.  Ask them if they attended auction school to learn his or her chant as well.  An auctioneer that is new to benefit auctions or doesn’t have any training might not be the best choice for your event.
7.  Do you charge for your services?
Auctioneers that don’t charge for their services are not going to take your event seriously.  Many times they are not charging because they don’t value their ability to maximize your profit.  Ask the auctioneer what their fees are and use your judgment in determining if their cost is fair.  Remember, good charity auctioneers are the line item in the budget that make you money… It does not cost, it pays to have a professional benefit auctioneer.  They will pay for themselves with the extra revenue they will achieve vs. a volunteer.  Volunteers, weathermen, comedians, etc. are not trained as auctioneers and will lose thousands of dollars for your cause… they will cost you far more than hiring a professional with their lack of experience and consulting knowledge.  “Having a volunteer or unqualified auctioneer handle your event is like having your accountant work on your car.”

*Remember, a good charity auctioneer has a lot of tips that can maximize your event’s profits using a multitude of different techniques.  Auctioneers that have conducted a lot of auctions have seen many different money-making ideas and know what works and what doesn’t work (i.e. timeline, types of auctions, what order to put your items in, fund-a-need, etc.) 

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What You and Your Board Should Consider when Having a Fundraising Auction

I.              Evaluation
a.    What do you hope to accomplish with a fundraising auction?
                                          i.    Thank donors and volunteers
                                        ii.    Raise needed funds
                                       iii.    Increase donor base
                                       iv.    Increase volunteer base
                                        v.    Increase community awareness for your cause
b.    Does your organization have the necessary resources?
                                          i.    Start-up capital
                                        ii.    Staffing
                                       iii.    Volunteer support
                                       iv.    Time
                                        v.    Will you need input from other organizations
                                       vi.    Professional consultation
c.    Does an auction compliment the mission of your organization?
II.            Plan and Name Your Goal
a.    Establish a realistic financial plan
                                          i.    Consider all possible expenses and revenue
                                        ii.    Estimate attendance figures
                                       iii.    Be realistic in your assessment of participation
                                       iv.    Set an expense budget and stick to it
                                        v.    Outline the worst case scenario
                                       vi.    Establish the break-even point
b.    Develop a step-by-step action plan
                                          i.    Plan training for volunteer needs and know your sources
                                        ii.    Evaluate possible locations for your auction gala
                                       iii.    Layout a game plan for reaching your target audience
                                       iv.    Plan for publicity
                                        v.    Recruit a planning committee and solicit their input on the plan
III.           Get the Word Out
a.    Involve as many as possible in the planning process.  Let others share ownership of the event so you will get more support and have a more successful auction.
                                          i.    Sell  your board on becoming involved
                                        ii.    Contact current constituents and volunteers
b.    Recruit new volunteers
c.    Reach out to the media
                                          i.    Personal invitations
                                        ii.    Write press releases
                                       iii.    Organization newsletter
IV.          Post Event Evaluation
a.    Goal Evaluation
                                          i.    Did the auction accomplish the goals you established (financial, new donors, community awareness)?  Why or why not?
b.    Support Evaluation
                                          i.    Did you have the support you needed from constituents, your board, the media, and volunteers?  Why or why not?
                                        ii.    Did you have the sponsorship support you planned?  Why or why not?
c.    What would you have done differently?
d.    Layout a skeleton action plan based on your evaluation to refer to when planning the next auction.
                                          i.    Have committee chairs give written reports
                                        ii.    Should this be an annual event?
Visit https://elitefundraisingauctions.com for more information.