In a fundraising auction catalog, most groups list the donor of an item. It acknowledges and thanks the person or company who gave the item to the nonprofit. In some cases, knowing who donated the item is also important for guests. As I stand near live auction displays talking with passersby, I frequently have conversations with them about the vacation homes available in the auction. “You can talk with the donor tonight,” I’ve said, “The donor is attending this event, too!” I’ve even ... Read On >
Catalogs & Programs
Can you ditch the paper auction catalog?
In an effort to cut costs and save time, some nonprofits nix paper catalogs. Guests are encouraged to go online to read about auction packages. I dislike this, and strongly advise an old-school approach: print a catalog. Paper catalogs are easier for guests to use (picking up a paper catalog is more convenient than logging into a phone), more reliable (if WiFi crashes, the paper catalog still works), put package restrictions front-and-center (which eases guests minds for bidding higher), ... Read On >
Yes, still print an auction catalog
Printed catalogs disappeared during the pandemic when virtual galas emerged, and some of my clients have questioned whether they need to produce one now that they've returned to in-person events. "They are laborious," they complain, "Can't guests just look at their phone if they want to read about an item?" For live auction items, I'm a believer in having a hard-copy written description -- but it doesn't need to be fancy. (You'll see 3 widely differing examples in the video.) That ... Read On >
What to include in your auction item description
Send this video over to the volunteer/s writing your auction item descriptions. They can follow this format to ensure no key information is missed when writing the online or printed catalog descriptions. There are six areas to cover in your standard auction item description. In the video, I talk about each and provide examples. 1. Clear titles instead of cute ones 2. Description 3. Restrictions - all of 'em 4. Donor 5. Fair market value 6. Photo/s https://youtu.be/xTidzCniJwk ... Read On >
Using QR codes in your auction catalog
During the pandemic, restaurants taught many of us how to use our smartphone camera to access a menu, using a QR code. That idea is now popping up in auction catalogs, too. QR codes posted around your gala venue can direct guests to registration pages, online auctions, or donation pages. QR codes are also now appearing in auction catalogs. In today’s vlog, you'll see how two nonprofits incorporated QR codes into their auction catalogs. https://youtu.be/AAeXXijjS3w ... Read On >