Lately there’s been a bunch of buzz in the charitable online auction universe regarding what to call the non-online fundraising event:
Is it a Gala? A Gaveled Auction? What about silent event items?
Surely there are many non-profit organizations out there that don’t have that Black-Tie gala, but do have some form of a silent auction event [...]

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If you’re lucky enough to get a donation from a famous Major League Baseball player such as David Ortiz, you have a great story that the media will love to tell the world.

But even if you don’t have that sexy celebrity item in your catalog, you can package your auction in a way that will appeal to shoppers.

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Events of the last few weeks have highlighted a number of significant issues with the US economy that will likely impact anyone who is conducting a fundraiser in the next 12 months.

These events signal systemic change and will impact anyone who strives to extract dollars from consumers/donors.

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Up Close and Local is a phrase used to describe auction items of highly personal – and often priceless – appeal to local communities.

These types of items generate lots of excitement… and even more bidding activity! With a few special requests to the right folks, Up Close and Local catalog items can make all the difference to your auction’s bottom line.

Schools are perfect ecosystems for these items. Here’s a roundup of 25 popular Up Close and Local Items – and Item Descriptions – for K-12 Schools. What would they be worth to your community?

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Do you think it’s true that only 7 degrees of separation divides each and every one of us? Consider this concept when seeking auction items, and use every connection possible!

The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) online auction was able to get some highly unique “up close and local” theater-inspired donations…simply by drawing upon their talents, resources, and community members. Some wicked good items they acquired include:

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Training is critical to any highly functioning team. Put in the time, and you’ll reap the benefits.

Here are 10 reasons why training shouldn’t be an afterthought for your organization:

1. If using a new technology, your team will gain an understanding of its most important features and functions. The knowledge gained – be it a new feature or best practice – may shape the face of your fundraiser!

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Running an online auction just got cooler.
In an earlier post about adding videos to an online auction, we pointed out that due to current web standards and how our HTML tool handles objects (e.g. videos, Flash movies), we could not allow our users to enter videos into article texts.
With cMarket’s most recent upgrade, version 4.4, [...]

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Pacing in a benefit auction is as important as pacing in everyday life!

A key factor in a great auction event is that YOU control your auction timeline. Momentum is everything to keep your guests in the room, focused on your cause, enjoying themselves AND bidding!

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As a potential auction sponsor, which pitch would pique your interest enough to open your wallet?

A. “Won’t you donate to/sponsor our auction in support of our worthy mission and cause?”

B. “In thanks for your donation or sponsorship, your business’ name, logo and link will be represented on catalog item pages, auction site pages, and outbound communications resulting in [X] impressions on our community of [#] bidders. At the culmination of our auction, we will report back to you the web traffic – the discrete number of pageviews and clickthroughs – your participation yielded.”

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In terms of running an online auction, project management can be challenging. Pair the online auction management with a live event and you’ve got double the trouble… but, double the fundraising opportunity!

A gaveled auction offers a unique advantage to a Professional Benefit Auctioneer to use their bag’o'tricks to stimulate in-room bidding. One particular activity is often described as: Fund-a-Cause. It works like this:

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