Marketing your live auction items to maximize your fundraising

The event was a prestigious fundraising golf day the Monday, with a big pre-event party the night before. There was a great Live Auction line up and we wanted to be sure that guests were informed about what would be offered.

Social Media posts highlighting each Live Auction item were posted a few days before the party date. One of the items was an tailor-made South African travel package with all the bells and whistles, including first-class flights on Delta, a Safari package that would take the winners to a luxury lodge in one of the best wildlife viewing areas in the country; wine tastings in the vineyards of Cape Town and a hot air balloon ride over a national park with a view of Africa’s plains beneath. It was valued at over $50,000, and although we knew there was money in the room, we were not sure how close we could get to value.

One of the guests who was playing in the golf day, but not planning on attending the party, saw the post about the trip on Social Media two days before. He immediately RSVPed for him and his wife for the sole purpose of being able to bid on that specific item in the Live Auction.

There were two bidding parties that took the bidding to over $50,000. The winning bidders ended up being the couple that weren’t even planning on attending two days before.

And the moral of the story is….

Market those live auction items to your guests!

Some practical tips:

• Social Media posts in week leading up to event.

• Include information about the Live Auction items in your Information package (email) to guests prior to the event.

• Use quality photos – visual sells.

• Live auction display areas in Cocktail hour / Silent Auction venue - posters are an effective resource to relay information. Physical items in the display should be moved to stage display for the live auction.

• Clear and detailed descriptions on your mobile bidding platform.

• Use the text resource of your Mobile Bidding platform to send messages to registered bidders directing them to the Live Auction.

• Detailed information, including terms and conditions of sale in your printed program (if you print one).

• Attractive and easy-to-read slides, with pertinent information and pics, looping on screen before the start of the program and during the Live Auction with pertinent information.

One of the best pieces of advice that I have received in my fundraising and event career is never assume knowledge.

Ensure that your guests are informed about the live auction, how it works, what is up for offer; and maximize participation in the bidding.