Blog Post: Is Your Live Auction Strategy Built on Assumption or Action?
Are you planning to include a live auction in your next fundraising event? If so, strategy—not assumption—should be your guiding principle from day one.
Too often, organizations include a live auction simply because "that’s how we’ve always done it" or because they saw one work well at another gala. But in my experience conducting hundreds and hundreds of live auctions over the last decade, I’ve learned that a successful auction requires a much deeper level of strategic thinking.
Before you commit to your items or your lineup, I want you to watch this video and ask yourself four critical questions.
Watch the video: Why Your Live Auction Strategy Matters More Than You Think
1. Challenge the "Autopilot" Trap
The first question is simple: Why do you want a live auction? If your reflexive answer is that it's a tradition or someone on the board said you need one, you are operating on autopilot. That isn’t a strategy. Make sure you spend time identifying the true reason why you want a live auction because you want to ensure the live auction serves your current goals and isn’t just a habit that could potentially drain your team's energy.
2. Does Your Audience Have the Capacity (and the Interest)?
A live auction is, by its nature, an exclusive experience. However, you don’t want to make it more exclusive by offering items that only appeal to a tiny sliver of your guests.
You know your guests best. Do they have the bidding capacity at meaningful levels for the items you’re bringing to the stage? More importantly, do they have the interest? Live auctions work best when you have items with genuine aspirational value: unique travel and experiences, exclusive access, or one-of-a-kind packages that people cannot easily buy elsewhere and items that speak to your mission.
3. The "Less is More" Rule
In the world of live auctions, quality beats quantity every single time. One of the biggest mistakes I see is throwing 15 random donations into a live auction. This leads to donor fatigue and kills the energy in the room.
In my experience the "sweet spot" for a high-impact live auction is typically three to six high-quality items. A few strategic, highly-desired items will consistently outperform a long list of lower-value donations.
4. Your Auctioneer is a Consultant, Not Just a "Caller"
You might plan one or two galas a year, but a professional charity auctioneer does 40, 50, or even more. Because we are in these rooms every week, we know exactly what is performing well in the current market and just as importantly, what isn't.
Don’t wait until the night of the event to hand your auctioneer a list of items. Partner with them early in the planning process. They can help you determine if a live auction is right for your specific audience and help you identify the items that will drive the most profit.
The Bottom Line Strategic thinking beats wishful thinking every single time. A well-planned live auction is an incredible, high-energy experience that fuels your mission. A poorly planned one? That’s just a very expensive lesson learned.
Ready to Turn Your Auction Into a Profit-Generator?
Don't leave your gala's success to chance. If you're ready to stop the autopilot and start strategizing for your unique audience, let’s connect.
Click Here to Schedule Your Free Strategy Discovery Call
Let’s work together to make sure your next live auction is strategic, exclusive, and record-breaking.
Debbie Scheer is a licensed benefit auctioneer and live event fundraising consultant who specializes in helping non profit organizations maximize their paddle raise and live auction results. Based in Colorado and available nationwide.