Hosting a successful online charity auction is a must if you hope to raise the funds you need to help your cause. However, knowing what you need to achieve and actually doing it are two different things.
Fortunately, because we’ve been in the industry for so long, it’s safe to say we know a thing or two. Without further ado, here’s how to run a successful online charity auction.
Use these steps and tips to simplify and streamline your next online charity auction.
A competent and invested team is the key to a successful online charity auction. It’s essential that you gather a small team that can help you with behind-the-scenes work, like marketing and item soliciting. If you don’t already have a full team ready to set up your online auction, recruit some volunteers to help out as needed.
Next, set your auction goals. This includes how much money you want to raise and what project you want to use the money for.
Knowing what you want to achieve is a great way to provide direction during the planning phase. A clear goal and cause are also necessary when marketing your online charity auction. If people don’t know what they’re supporting, they’re not as likely to participate.
Online auction software streamlines and simplifies the online auctioning process. Dedicated charity or nonprofit auction software like BiddingOwl is especially fitting, as it comes with all the features you need and more to run a successful online auction.
So, choose a top online charity auction software solution to maximize participation and bids, and reach your goals sooner.
A budget is a must for any auction, but it’s especially important for an online charity auction. The whole point of the auction is to raise money (and as much of it as possible). That means limiting expenses and maximizing income.
Create a strict budget and only purchase what you need. Make sure to always adhere to your budget unless unavoidable expenses pop up.
Work with local businesses to secure sponsorships and auction items. Local businesses are often more than willing to sponsor money or auction items in exchange for business exposure. Artists, carpenters, chandlers, and other craftsmen might also be willing to donate art pieces for your online charity auction.
Keep the energy and bid amounts high by bundling smaller items. Bundling smaller items allows you to auction off items quicker and to keep your bid amounts higher.
So, if you have small items that don’t have much appeal on their own or you want to create an atmosphere that encourages high bids, create packages of items that complement each other.
Increase appeal around your bid items by creating in-depth and good-looking profiles. Add quick but detailed descriptions and highlight what makes the bid item unique.
Also, always use well-lit, high-quality pictures. If you don’t have the budget for a photographer, enlist the help of a volunteer and utilize natural lighting for sharp visuals.
Don’t stop at physical auction items. Use the ‘online’ aspect of the online charity auction to your advantage and offer online products and services as bid items. From gift cards to virtual experiences, there are a lot of creative online auction items to choose from.
An auction should have a logical and feel-good flow. In other words, cheaper items should be sold first while the auctioneer builds toward the bigger, more unique items. Creating a natural flow between items is also important.
Create categories, like art, travel, and online items, and sell them accordingly.
Social media is a free way to share your auction with a large audience. Utilize large platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X to share auction dates, auction items, live updates, and high-quality pictures of the items.
Registration and bidding can be a bit confusing for bidders new to the online auction format. To avoid confusion and dropouts, provide detailed instructions that clearly outline how people should register, login, bid, and pay.
Always keep an eye on engagement. Before the online charity auction, track marketing engagement. Are enough people showing interest in your auction? Is there an increase in your KPIs or is it stagnant? Use these insights to adjust and improve your marketing efforts.
It’s also important to track engagement during the online auction itself. If you notice a lag over a certain product, service, or category, adjust the auction to keep the bid momentum going.
Whether it be emails asking questions about the bidding process or a live chat where bidders can interact, make sure you engage with bidders as much as possible. Engagement builds trust and influence with audiences and encourages participation.
Create a sense of urgency during your online charity auction. When bidders feel a sense of urgency, they pay instant attention and prioritize the item within a time limit. It’s a highly effective way to build momentum during an auction.
As for creating this sense of urgency, create limited-time auction offers and utilize timers or countdowns to spur on participation.
Lastly, remember to thank bidders, sponsors, and volunteers for their participation with a short note or email. It’s the right thing to do, as their participation is helping your cause.
It’s also an effective strategy for building long-term relationships with participants. If you have a good bond with your bidders, sponsors, and volunteers, they’re much more likely to participate in future online charity auctions.
Hosting an online charity auction can seem like a daunting task. However, there are tried and true methods you can utilize to ensure a successful online charity auction.
From setting clear goals to using countdowns, these tips and steps will help you master online charity auctions.
For guaranteed success, partner with BiddingOwl. We offer a full suite of auction management tools guaranteed to improve your non-profit returns. Create your first auction today!