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Auctions are a popular spring fundraiser for a reason. They can raise big money for your group while keeping your supporters super engaged. So, what does it take to put together a successful auction?
Whether you’re a beginner or have organized an auction for your K-12 group or nonprofit before, these tips will help you maximize your fundraising potential while creating an unforgettable experience.
The first thing you need to think about is the type of auction you’ll run. Do you want an in-person auction, online auction, or combination of both?
Will you run it as a traditional auction with open bidding or a silent auction? Once you’ve made these decisions, you’ll be ready to start planning your auction fundraiser.
If you’re looking for the best auction to raise the most money, hold an online silent auction! An online silent auction can have an exponentially larger reach than an in-person one, which means more competition for items, driving bids higher.
In-person silent auctions have their benefits too. They bring your community together which creates a memorable, joyful experience.
For the best of both worlds, hold a hybrid silent auction that combines the in-person experience with online bidding for supporters who can’t attend.
Putting together a large mix of items that appeal to lots of different people might seem obvious, but it really is a critical factor for your auction. It’s the big difference-maker when it comes to how much your items will raise, how engaged people will be with their bidding, and how many people will get involved in your fundraiser.
Make sure your auction committee puts in brainstorming time around the types of items that will be most popular and offers items that range from low-to-high bid value.
Here are a few different categories of items that should be part of your mix:
Once you’ve got a wish list of auction items, you’ll be able to more easily identify donors and ask for their support. You might be surprised at how generous (and talented!) people in your community are when it comes to supporting your school, but you’ll only find out if you ask.
When you’re ready to put together your auction catalog, make sure you:
Picking the right fundraising platform to run your silent auction on can make all the difference to your success, especially if you’re focusing on an online event. From presenting your auction catalog to processing winning bidder’s payments for items, the right platform will make running your fundraiser easy.
Some things you should expect out of the best fundraising platform for an online auction are the ability to set minimum bids and increments, process payments automatically, and provide auction organizers with bid notifications.
Use all the tools you have available to share your auction fundraiser as widely as possible. That means sharing your event page through email newsletters to your supporters, social posts on every platform throughout your promotional period, posting flyers throughout the community, and working with local media to tell people about your fundraiser.
Be sure to promote not just your auction, but also any cool, unique, and exciting auction items that will draw people in and create even more buzz.
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