3 Ways To Boost Bidding At Your Next Fundraising Event

Posted by Ben Crook on 12 September 2018

When you’ve spent the best part of a year planning a fundraising event for your organisation, whether its a gala dinner, golf day, or silent auction, the last thing you want is to struggle to meet your fundraising goal. Here are three key tips that can dramatically increase bidding and help you raise more at your next fundraising event!

1. Hold bidders engagement throughout the night

You need to keep guests engaged and willing to help your cause throughout the event; if the event has too many elements and isn’t focused on the act of donating, you risk losing potential bids.

A great way to keep engagement is to hire an MC or auctioneer. They are trained specialists who can hold the guests attention, provide entertainment for your guests, and more importantly get them to dig deep into their pockets.

In addition, start bidding early at the event and make the guests aware of the platforms available to place a bid and pledge. Data has shown that if you start fundraising half way through your event, you’re less likely to receive donations than if you started fundraising at the beginning. At the beginning of the event guests are excited to be there and therefore naturally more engaged. As the event progresses they will suffer from fatigue which will affect their motivation to donate.

2. Incorporate a varied selection of auction items

The main incentive for your guests besides being able to help a fantastic cause will be the auction item / experience they receive if they win.

To drive competition, incorporate a varied selection of auction items and experiences. Take the time to understand the different demographics you will have in the room and create a collection of items and experiences that will appeal to them. In addition, fight the urge to include too many items and experiences as it will decrease the amount you raise per item.

3. Use fundraising technology

Fundraising technology will help to bring your event to life and make bidding infinitely easier and fun. Guests can bid on auction items and experiences from their phone or tablet and keep an eye on the leaderboard for updates on whos bidding and donating. Guests can engage with the technology as and when they please throughout the evening which gives them every opportunity to continue bidding! In addition, you can use the data that is captured through the technology to improve the following year, measure who was engaged in the auction and collect new data to target if they opt-in.

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Ben Crook

Chief Operating Officer

Ben is at the forefront of every project in Givergy, listing and actioning constant improvements across the business. With over a decade of experience in the charity and events sector he brings a deep understanding of what the fundraising industry needs to operate effectively and efficiently.