Charity Silent Auction – How the Economy is Affecting Nonprofit Fundraising

With many corporations trying to cut costs, and with printed materials accounting for a huge percent of any auction gala price range, it is well worth taking a look at a way to get the maximum bang on your greenback in terms of printing.

Here’s my opinion on while to splurge and while to keep.

Auction Invitation: WORTH IT, relying on price tag charge

The formal revealed invitation has no longer yet been Silent Auction Donation Request made obsolete with the aid of the “evite” and many visitors will count on to get hold of their reproduction inside the mail (specially if you have a greater highly-priced price ticket price).

But ensure to have an digital version handy, especially for corporate donors who increasingly do commercial enterprise with the aid of electronic mail simplest. This will help to cut down the quantity of invitations that should be published and mailed, saving you postage prices (which is another high priced portion of any public sale finances).

Dinner Program: WORTH IT, in a ‘lite’ version

If a guest is enjoying themselves at an event, they won’t read lengthy software cover-to-cowl. The reality is only a few visitors do.

You can cut unnecessary narrative and letters and stick to the gadgets visitors need to recognize that night time, including the order of the night, the menu (some guests have hypersensitive reactions), and a description of stay public sale items.

Auction Catalog: NOT WORTH IT, UNLESS…

…You are distributing those in advance. If not, save your pennies. When a full-period auction catalog is sent on the occasion, your guests may not read it till the event is over. That would not help your backside line.

Save the Date: PROBABLY NOT WORTH IT

For maximum agencies, a store the date card is redundant information because the date is normally announced in a e-newsletter, brochure, or different mailing already despatched to buyers. If it’s far vital, bear in mind an email blast alternatively. (You do gather emails… Proper?)

Auction Signage: WORTH IT

Anything that surely directs visitors to the public sale objects they want to bid on will always be worth the cash.

Large symptoms simply marking every segment and clean-to-geared up show signs are essential.

Another alternative is to display or distribute maps of the silent auction layout. One of my clients went to date as to colour code every segment at the map to suit the bid sheets, desk cloths and symptoms, making every section instantly identifiable.

Pinch your pennies on the printing and you will have extra money to devote to different elements of the auction if you want to go back a stronger ROI (return-on-funding) for you.

(c) 2005 – 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC through Sherry Truhlar

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