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It’s Genius, SignUp Genius

 October 20, 2025 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
a logo for SignUp Genius

This week a terrific nonprofit in Orlando is hosting their 6th annual online auction benefiting programs for seniors. This is no ordinary online auction – there are over 300 items to bid on! Unlike an online auction happening during a gala where people just grab their winnings that night, this online-only event means there are over 300 baskets and certificates that will need to be picked up next week at their office!

HOW do they manage smooth and organized item handovers the easy way? With SignUp Genius. Setting it up is fast, easy and can even be free to use. Simply add the link to your winning invoices and you’re all set to have all their purchases together before their appointment. Give this handy tool a try.

Comments are closed - Categories: Charity, Event Logistics, Online Auctions, Technology

Large Live Auction Handout

 February 12, 2025 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
a handout with text and small images

When I teach my 3-day BOOTCAMP for Benefit Auctioneers class to aspiring fundraisers across the country, one part of Tab 1 is an entire seminar condensed into a few pages called “65 Ways to Create Prepared Bidders.” Yes, there are literally at least 65 ways that you and your auctioneer can creatively promote your live auction items and get your attendees educated and excited for what’s next.

One of the simplest, cheapest and most effective is a large Live Auction Handout. The one shown fully explains 10 items and has an image for each. We choose to do this on a 11″ x 14″ sheet so that the text is actually readable, but you could use both sides of a smaller size. This is inexpensive and practical because it can be edited up to the final day for accuracy (instead of catalog descriptions written 2 weeks prior).

THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO PREPARING YOUR GUESTS TO GIVE. Seriously, a little louder for those in the back, as they say. You get one night, once a year. Do everything you can to create prepared bidders who are excited about the upcoming opportunities instead of dreading your auction.

Comments are closed - Categories: Better Buyers, Consulting, Event Logistics, Great Ideas, Live Auctions

A better way to do Desserts

 December 10, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
A platter of bite-size desserts

One Best Practice I always recommend is to HOLD DESSERT until after the fundraising is completed. There’s a lot of psychology and methodology behind this strategic decision.

1) Having a pre-plated dessert already on the tables is anti-climactic. It takes away from your centerpieces, mission messaging and place settings you’ve worked so hard to design. Plus, it’s cluttered.

2) Dessert can be used as a carrot, the big reveal you dangle to generate anticipation. Your auctioneer can say, “Right now our chefs are preparing a fantastic array of desserts behind the scenes, so in the meantime let’s do some fundraising…” It’s been shown many times that some people will leave early once they feel they’ve gotten all the components of the event they paid for. In other words, once they’ve had dessert, a portion of your folks don’t anticipate trying to bid in the live auction (or don’t have the money to give at that level) and will think it’s ok to “beat the line at valet” and leave before your Fund-a-Need appeal gets a chance to stir their hearts.

3) Holding dessert and serving it IMMEDIATELY – as in, within seconds – of the end of the live auction or Paddle Raise or Last Hero or Paddle Drop or raffle winner gives everyone a reason to stay in their seats, get hooked in by the band’s first song, relax and enjoy more aspects of the event you worked so hard to plan.

4) Smaller desserts make more sense, and holding them off for a while gives people a break to digest their entrees without feeling rushed by waitstaff eager to clear plates.

So, think about changing to bite-sized desserts to celebrate all the money you just raised and continue enjoying the evening!

Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Great Ideas

Add a Countdown Clock

 October 10, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Image of a Countdown Clock

Here it is, the fastest, easiest, most effective addition I’m seeing lately: adding a bold countdown on your big screen(s) at the front of the room to alert the audience that in exactly 12 minutes and 34 seconds you’re expecting their complete attention. Your emcee, auctioneer, or Voice of God announcer can make periodic reminders during this time as well. I like a 10- or 15-minute countdown (enough time for folks to refresh their drinks, wrap up conversations, find their tables, place a few more auction bids, etc.) On YouTube you will find many different themed styles, or you can make your own in Canva. It’s best to embed the timer rather than link to it, as a live link might have ads pop up. This visual cue has proven to be very effective at preparing an unfocused crowd to now give their attention to the stage and speakers.

Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Great Ideas, Technology

Auction in the Round

 August 8, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
A stage in the center of a ballroom

Have you seen this? Done it?

Occasionally I’ll get a nonprofit client who wants to put the stage in the center of the ballroom with tables on all four sides.

The advantages? It’s an uncommon layout, making your gala look and feel different; it puts more tables close to the stage, thus providing more “front row” sponsor seating; it puts your auctioneer in closer proximity to more tables versus the stage at the narrow end of a long room.

The disadvantage? (And this is a big one!) – Your speakers and your auctioneer will have their backs to 50% of the audience at all times! This can’t be emphasized too much: you are disenfranchising half of your audience the entire program. This can negatively impact both your live auction and your Fund-a-Need paddle raise donations, since your auctioneer must be constantly spinning onstage to catch and acknowledge the bid cards. These extra seconds give time for the patrons to change their minds, hesitate, and put that bid card down.

While it might look intriguing, if you decide to auction in the round, plan ahead to have confident, outgoing bid spotters in all 4 quadrants to help catch those raised paddles and ensure you capture every intended dollar for your org.

Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Live Auctions

►100% Participation

 April 14, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
American Heart Association

Shout out to the Heart Ball for a terrific technique they use across the country. There is one large (maybe 18″ or 24″?) paddle on the table that is to be raised when and only when the entire table gives something in the Fund A Need donation appeal. There’s a lot of hype during the ask about everyone giving something, and celebrating each table as their large paddle goes up in the air! At the one I did, they even had pull-and-pop streamers. You could even use noisemakers, or confetti cannons if your venue will allow. Kudos for a great audience participation incentive!

Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas

►How to wow a crowd

 April 7, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
Woman in a ball in a pool

I see a lot of great decorations and theming at galas, but this was a first! This Delray Beach gala had the initial reception outside around the pool, and wow was everyone surprised and delighted by the woman in the ball! She was beautiful and elegant, moving gracefully while floating, and dressed in beautiful old Florida style. It was quite a sight!

How can you up your game and wow your crowd?

Comments are closed - Categories: Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas

►Can you set a Max Bid?

 March 24, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
a photo of online bidding

I work with a lot of software programs for online bidding, and I recommend that you make sure your software choice makes it easy for guests to set a maximum bid and let the system bid for them up to their requested amount. You’ll see here in Auctria (an affordable online and live event software) that guests can choose how much they want to bid right now AND how much is their limit for this item. You can easily set the system to send alerts each time someone tries to outbid them and thus their bid has been raised to keep them winning. If the bid goes beyond their set limit, they’ll get an outbid notification. Setting a Max Bid is the easiest way for guests to enjoy the night AND win the items they want.

Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, GALA GAL Case Study, Great Ideas, Silent auctions

►No bid cards?

 February 26, 2024 - Author: Jenelle Taylor, CAI BAS
beautiful table

I worked a beautiful, high-profile event recently that surprised me in one key way: they didn’t want to use bid cards. It’s been years since I’ve done a fundraiser without bid cards. In fact, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever done a live auction or Paddle Raise – without the bid paddles.

Why would an org decide against giving attendees some sort of bid card or bid paddle? They didn’t want to come across as pushy. They wanted to focus on the party. There are many great events that are fabulous parties.

One of the first questions I ask groups during the discovery phase is, “Are you having a party, or are you having a fundraiser?” The answer to that question determines how decisions are made.

It was still a great party, and I helped them get creative with their programs so we could identify who was bidding and who wanted to donate.

But next year I hope we have bid cards 🙂

Comments are closed - Categories: Consulting, Event Logistics, Fund a Need, GALA GAL Case Study, Live Auctions

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