Tip: Hire a Professional Auctioneer for Your Non-Profit Auction

It may seem counter-productive to spend a portion of your auction profits to hire a professional auctioneer, but their value and income potential more than makes up for their fees.

Professional benefit auctioneers (different than traditional auctioneers) will become involved with the planning and spend time with you to get to know your organization, your cause, and the audience who will attend the auction. They know how to sell, they know how to motivate and encourage bidding, and they are passionate.

Check your local Yellow Pages or perform a Google search for a professional benefit auctioneer in your area and arrange for a free consultation to see how they can help make the most of your next charity auction!

Tip: Dinners - From Ordinary to Extraordinary!

If you’re hosting a fundraising dinner, take it to the next level and make it extra special!

Here are some ideas:

• Make sure you have people opening doors for guests arriving and leaving. Don’t let anyone leave without a “Thank-You!”
• Provide a complimentary coat-check room. It’s fun and may bring in an extra couple of bucks in tips at the end of the night.
• Have someone fill the role of maître d’ and provide hosts/hostesses to escort people to their seats.
• Go with candlelight and low level lighting.
• Play classical music or jazz in the background for some delightful ambiance.
• Hosting a spaghetti dinner? Have some fun and go with an all-out Italian theme, speaking in over-the-top Italian accents and fake mustaches for all staff.  Make it a playful caricature… ensure that you don’t offend any of your guests.
• Don’t overlook the details… nicely folded napkins, mints, flowers on tables (that guests can take home), waiters floating around refilling glasses, etc.
• Fun for the kids: learn how to make some basic balloon animals and travel around the room making them for the kids attending.

Tip: Approaching Donors When Selling

• Before you start selling, make up a list of as many potential donors as possible. Start out with family and friends and use them as opportunities to build up confidence and perfect your technique. Then proceed to your neighbors and other people whom you feel would be interested in your cause.
• Make sure you know why your group is running this fundraiser and make sure you can communicate it clearly to your potential donors. For example: “Our group is raising money in order to finance our trip to the annual dodgeball tournament in Sandusky, Ohio.”
• Smile, be polite, speak clearly, and most importantly, be enthusiastic about your cause.
• If possible, always carry around your fundraising products with you.