Flowers are blooming, and bees are buzzing—it’s springtime, and that means the nonprofit event season for spring and summer is upon us. Depending on the target date for your event, your organization might still be in various stages of the planning phase, from brainstorming to coordination. If your plans include executing an auction at your event or hosting an auction as your main spring or summer event, successful execution will require meticulous planning, the right technology, creativity, and coordination. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you prepare for your nonprofit spring event with an auction, ensuring it’s not only memorable but also a substantial fundraising success.
1. Define Your Event and Auction Goals and Objectives
Before diving into the details, it’s crucial to define your event’s goals clearly. Are you aiming to raise a specific amount of money? Do you want to increase awareness about your cause? Or is it about engaging with your community and gaining new supporters? Setting clear objectives will guide all your subsequent planning decisions, from the choice of venue to the type of nonprofit auction to the selection of auction items.
2. Assemble an Event Planning Committee
Organizing a large event can be overwhelming for one person. To manage this, form a planning committee comprising individuals with diverse strengths, from fundraising and event planning to marketing. This team will be responsible for key tasks such as sourcing auction items, marketing the event, and coordinating volunteers. An initial meeting involving your Event Manager, Development Director, and Volunteer or Community Impact Manager is a good starting point. They should discuss what each team needs to contribute to ensure the event’s success. Additionally, consider which volunteers or board members have the skills or connections that could help bring the event to life and invite them to join the committee.
3. Choose the Right Venue
The venue plays a pivotal role in setting the tone for your event. It needs to accommodate your expected number of guests comfortably and have the facilities required for an auction, such as audio/visual equipment and space for displaying auction items. Consider accessibility, parking, and proximity to public transport to ensure it’s convenient for all attendees.
4. Procure Nonprofit Auction Items
The auction’s success heavily depends on the appeal of the items up for bid. Begin by identifying items that resonate with your audience’s interests, from experiential prizes like a dinner with a local celebrity or a hot air balloon ride to tangible items like artwork or signed memorabilia. Consider bundling items under a fun, thematic name to create more valuable packages than the individual items alone. For example, a ‘Ladies’ Night Out’ package might include a blowout, a manicure, and dinner for four at a popular local restaurant.
Do not hesitate to reach out to local businesses for donations; they often welcome community engagement and promotion opportunities. At this stage, your committee and volunteers are crucial. Draft a donation request letter and share it with your committee members to distribute to local businesses such as restaurants, salons, gyms, or even their employers. Although reaching out to national brands or companies for auction items is possible, it’s essential to make these requests early due to typically lengthy approval processes.
5. Promote Your Event and Your Auction
Effective promotion is crucial to attracting a large audience to your event. Utilize every available channel to spread the word, including email newsletters, direct mail, email marketing, social media, local media, and community bulletin boards. Tailor your messages to highlight the unique aspects of your event, especially the auction items and the impact of attendees’ contributions on your cause. When it comes to nonprofit email marketing, personalization at scale is key. Use segmentation to directly email supporters likely interested in attending an event or participating in an auction. For instance, if you’ve held similar events in the past, utilize your CRM to identify supporters who meet such criteria. Ideally, you should have been segmenting your supporters over time. If your email and marketing tools are integrated with your nonprofit CRM, such as with Giveffect, sending customized emails to these groups is just a few clicks away without ever leaving the platform.
6. Set Up Your Online and In-Person Auction Bidding
Set up an online auction on your event campaign page to centralize all auction and event-related activities. Your online auction page should display auction item/package images, descriptions (including value and starting bid), and bidding options for each item or package. On the backend, your team should have access to comprehensive auction management tools that streamline the process. Essential features should include bulk item entry, automated data entry, bidding notifications, bid extensions, winner confirmation, payment fulfillment, tax receipts, and thank you letters. Ensure the platform you choose is user-friendly and secure.
With Giveffect, you can easily create your campaign page and integrate your auction. Add call-to-action buttons for ticket purchasing, volunteer sign-ups, and sponsorship opportunities all in one place. Having everything on one page not only promotes the event and auction by providing details of the items or packages to generate excitement but also facilitates early bidding. This approach increases participation by enabling those who cannot attend in person to bid on items. With text-to-bid options, bidding can seamlessly continue at the event using your supporters’ mobile devices.
Here’s an example of an event campaign page with an auction created on Giveffect from Hope 4 Youth and their A Night 4 Hope event.
Check out our article on how to pick the right online auction platform for nonprofits for additional information.
7. Plan the Logistics of the Day
Event day logistics are crucial. Plan the venue layout to ensure a smooth flow of movement for attendees, with easy access to everything from food stations to auction item displays. This should also include a streamlined check-in process for the auction, where supporters can add their payment information. Allowing supporters to provide bidding and payment information in advance can prevent bottlenecks at check-in. Moreover, pre-entering payment details into your auction software ensure that funds can be seamlessly collected post-auction without locating winning bidders, a process that can be automated with systems like Giveffect. In addition, determine the sequence of auction items and plan the presentation of each item. Ensure there are sufficient volunteers on hand to ensure the event runs smoothly.
8. Engage Attendees During the Event and Nonprofit Auction
On the day of the event, your focus should shift to attendee engagement. Ensure your MC or auctioneer is charismatic and can connect with the audience. Plan short, impactful presentations about your nonprofit’s work and the difference the funds raised will make. Use multimedia, such as videos or photo slideshows, to convey the impact of donations visually.
9. Follow Up After the Event
The end of the event is just the beginning of the next phase. Prompt follow-up is essential. Be sure to thank your attendees, sponsors, and volunteers, send receipts, and collect any outstanding payments. It’s also beneficial to gather feedback through surveys to gain insights to improve future events. Much of this process can be automated. With platforms like Giveffect, you can use automation to ensure timely thank-yous are sent to everyone involved. Additionally, automatically add supporters to your CRM, report on fundraising outcomes, and set up groups for segmentation to enhance future stewardship communications.
10. Review and Reflect
Finally, meet with your committee to review the event. Discuss what went well and what could be improved. Evaluate whether the event met its objectives and how much was raised compared to the target. This reflection will be invaluable in planning future events.
Organizing a nonprofit event with an auction is no small feat, but with careful planning and execution, it can be a spectacular success. By following these steps, you ensure not just a great event but also a significant contribution to your nonprofit’s mission.
Ready to elevate your next event or auction? Discover how Giveffect can streamline your management and boost your fundraising efforts. Schedule your personalized demo today and start making a bigger impact!