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Don’t lose your lots! You will receive more shipments than you care to count for your Key-to-the-Closet raffle. Designate someone to properly receive and inventory all incoming lot items. Then store them in a safe, long-term area. Some items may go missing (stolen or lost) so we suggest a receipt deadline of two weeks prior to the event date so everything can be accounted for in advance. For a Sample Inventory Spreadsheet, click here.
A great way to kick off your auction is before your event even starts! Auctions by Cellular is one company who can help get the bidding started for your event before the doors open. Auction Items are uploaded to the website and bidding takes place online. This is a great way to allow invitees who want to be at the event but can't attend bid on and win auction items.
Do not ask ALL of the Shoe Guys to sell raffle tickets. The point of the Shoe Guys is to flirt. As soon as they are selling something, it creates a barrier between the guest and the Guy. The guests grow cautious when a Shoe Guy approaches because they think he’s trying to sell something.
Should you find yourselves with unsold raffle tickets, use the beginning of your seated program as an opportunity to sell any remaining tickets. If you're selling out your raffle tickets, you can set 1 (unsold) ticket aside to be auctioned off during your program. This is a fun twist on the raffle programs, and we have seen both ideas successfully executed to increase revenue. Find details and instructions in our Great Ideas Archive.
Don't just let your auctioneer read your program--we saw this once and it was disastrous. Require them to read the materials in advance and get familiar with the lots. Then talk about the highlights of the item in bullet point format. Bes sure to get a sense that your auctioneer's style and delivery will work for your audience.
It's been a BIG HIT to auction off a magnum of champagne to kick off the show. A magnum of Veuve Clicquot or another prestige brand that has been thoroughly chilled can be sabered (safely, pointed away from the crowd and any people or breakables) from the stage after the bottle has been auctioned off. Even better, sabor the magnum and have it delivered to the winner's table right away! At our event in Sarasota, this auctioned off for $1700. Make it a festive, fun presentation to launch the Live Auction.
Buy a Spot Dinners are a terrific way to supplement your silent auction and create a focused bidding opportunity during the marketplace. You have limited time during your live auction, and incorporating these in your silent auction pulls big revenue generators out for a faster auction during your program. Check out our Great Ideas Archive for more details!
Firefighter Dinners have been one of the most popular live auction lots! Get more information here.
During the Live Auction, it's very important to have some hoopla for the winning bid once the gavel has come down. Plan for some music between lots, at least 5-10 seconds, and encourage raucous applause to keep the crowd energized. Review the Ideal Auction video on the Auction Committee Landing Page to get the idea.
Click here for our Great Ideas Archive.
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