15 Live Auction Tips

Benefit events are a wonderful way to raise money for schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations. There are many revenue strategies to consider for your event including silent auction tables, raffles, games, party boards, live auction, and special appeal/fund a need. 

Including a live auction as part of your benefit event is a great way to bring in significant money for your group. This post will focus specifically on tips for your live auction to ensure your success.

1. Hire a professional auctioneer.

• Utilize the auctioneer for pre-event consulting.
• Utilize the auctioneer’s professional staff such as auction clerks and bid spotters.

2. Use a great sound system with tech support staff present at the event.
3. Close the silent auction before the live auction begins (unless it's an online silent auction).

• You want guests focused on your program.

4. Have guests seated for the live program, preferably with a plated or family style dinner.

• If your guests are seated they are more likely to be attentive.

5. Turn up the lights during the live auction so that the auctioneer can see guests and guests can see each other.
6. Limit auction to 10 items or less.
7. Showcase items with powerpoint slides with most compelling bullet points.

• Use simple language in your program and powerpoints.
• Bullets not paragraphs.

8. Choose items that have mass appeal and that match your audience's interests.

• Experiences perform better than things.
• Items that are unique or one of a kind can do well too.
• Trips, especially local getaways, do well.
• Sell a seat experiences perform well too (special parties, group activities where several guests can raise paddle to buy).

9. Have short and engaging speakers. Long speeches and videos kill auction momentum.

• Speakers up on stage for less than 2-3 minutes.
• The purpose of any pre-fundraising speaker is to give the audience a compelling reason to give.
• Script all your speakers in advance and ensure they are made aware of timing and constraints.

10. Hold awards, gratitude, and longer speeches till after fundraising.
11. Include a special appeal in your live program.

• Special appeal is a direct ask for financial support to advance your mission

12. Use big bold numbers for your bid cards.
13. Keep table decorations low to avoid obstructing the view for your auctioneer and bid spotters.
14. Avoid minimum bids.

• Instead of discouraging low bids, it actually creates a psychological ceiling.
• Start low and end high!
• Don’t publish values or reserve amounts. 

15. Have fun, give thanks, and recognize your donors!

Be sure to check out my other blog posts on live auctions:

• HOW TO HAVE AN AMAZING LIVE AUCTION
• HOW TO BRING ATTENTION TO YOUR LIVE AUCTION