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How Important is Audio/Visual at a Fundraising Auction Event?


Having great, not good, not okay, but great sound is imperative to your fundraising auction event’s success.  Here are some tips regarding audio/visual at your fundraising event:
  • Never use the in-ceiling house system.
  • Always surround the room with speakers (Don’t leave out the attendees in the back). 
  • Always have screens with auction items displayed during live auction. 
  • Don’t forget to have high quality sound in your silent auction area as well (If located in a different area). 
  • Don’t have too much treble or too much bass. 
  • Have a professional A/V company handle it!

I am no expert in designing or setting up the A/V equipment and I’m assuming you are not either, so have a professional do this step… it can make thousands of dollars difference in your bottom line!  Just picture yourself at a fundraising auction sitting at one of the tables in the back of the room when there are only two speakers in the front and people around you are chatting with each other.  All you can hear is a rumbling sound but you can’t quite make out what the auctioneer is saying… you can’t bid if you can’t hear so the result to the non-profit or school is less money.

Not only is it important to have enough speakers but it is equally important to have enough amperage to power the speakers.  You want rich, deep sound when the auctioneer is chanting or your emcee is speaking.  I leave you with one final thought: “Is it worth paying a fee to an A/V company if you can make significantly more at your event?”

Mike Grigg, AARE, BAS
Chief Auctioneer/Consultant
Elite Auctions & Fundraising Services
http://www.EliteFundraisingAuctions.com
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Checking In/Out Guests & Seating

When guests arrive at your event make the check in process simple by dividing them alphabetically by last name or company name in about five to seven different check in areas.  This will help cut down on long lines and crowd size.

I highly recommend collecting credit card numbers upfront at check in and assigning bidder numbers to each person/couple.  This will make check out much easier and more efficient.  If people are not willing to give credit card numbers upfront explain to them that their check out process may take a little longer.  You can even have VIP check out for those that submit credit cards upfront as an incentive.  Come up with a perk that VIP check out can offer your guests.  You could deliver their items to their tables or they could simply have a special checkout line.

reservedIn order to have the most successful fund-a-need, silent auction and live auction, assigning bidder numbers is a must.  It will help tremendously to have everyone identifiable by bidder number rather than name, and it will dramatically cut down on the amount of runners and people having to collect information throughout the event.  The fund-a-need alone can almost not be done with a big group if bidder numbers are not assigned to each person/couple.

“High rollers” or the guests that are known to be high donors should be strategically placed at the front of a room or near the auctioneer.  These guests will more than likely bid several times and it helps to keep the flow of the auction if the auctioneer can easily find them.  Let the auctioneer know where the high rollers will be sitting prior to the start of the auction, and don’t hesitate to introduce the auctioneer to the high rollers so he can build some rapport with them.

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Why is consulting necessary prior to a fundraiser for non-profits?

Consulting from your fundraising/auction professional can help non profits maximize their outcome. There are many tricks of the trade that a fundraising professional has been trained to execute on the night of your event. Not only should the auctioneer conduct an exciting, fun filled auction but he or she should be able to bring your results to an entirely new level with a properly conducted fund a need. A great fund a need can many times double, triple or even bring your proceeds to that sought after level that only non profits dream about!

In addition, a true fundraising professional will bring in revenue enhancers that can be scattered throughout your program to boost your results in those down times when your guests are transitioning to the next segment. Listen to your professional fundraising consultant when it comes to making money at your event or you just might leave dollars on the table that will be given to the next charity event that your guests attend. Visit elitefundraisingauctions.com for all of your fundraising needs.

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Auctioneer, Mike Grigg assists Solutions For Change to Raise $1.7 Million at Event w/ Rudy Giuliani

Online PR News – 25-September-2012 –An event benefiting North San Diego County Solutions For Change was held on September 22, 2012 to help solve family homelessness. Professional charity auctioneer, Mike Grigg assisted in raising $1.7 million in a single night event held at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA. 703 attendees were present to view Rudy Giuliani speak and to bid on silent and live auction items. Mike Grigg also headed the fund a need segment where guests were encouraged to give donations at different amounts including $250,000, $150,000, $7,500 and all the way down to $100. The fund a need raised $700,000 and will directly benefit homeless families and a 1,000 day program to get them off the streets and on their feet again as productive citizens. Last year’s event yielded a result of $1.3 million which was absolutely incredible and this year’s event surpassed last year by a staggering $400,000.

The model, now known as the Solutions University, blends affordable housing, educational opportunities, employment training and health related solutions all within one cohesive strategic partnership. There is but one goal: work with this community to solve family homelessness for kids and communities, permanently. By doing so, the futures for kids could be transformed. Read more about Solutions for Change at www.solutionsforchange.org.
Professional charity auctioneer, Mike Grigg has been conducting auctions for over a decade and can add humor, excitment and fun that your auction event needs to maximize profits and keep the interest of your attendees! Mike was crowned the 2009 California State Auctioneer Champion. Read more about Mike Grigg Auctions at https://elitefundraisingauctions.com.

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Do you want to EXCEED your fundraiser’s goal beyond your wildest dreams?

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We offer a spectacular consulting package that will bring your charity/fundraising event to a whole new level!

“They helped us triple our live auction goal”  Corie Rundle (Junior League)

Learn how to…

  • Market your event to the best possible audience
  • Develop your audience
  • Procure for auction items
  • Select the best selling items (and which items are not so good)
  • Put your items in the best order for the most BANG
  • Mix in revenue enhancers
  • Maximize your Fund-A-Need
  • Boost your live auction results
  • Properly train your volunteer loggers/recorders
  • Utilize professional ringmen to increase the amount each item brings
  • INCREASE YOUR BOTTOM LINE!