Silent Auctions on a Shoestring Dunes Learning Center Michelle Krueger Grant Specialist Heather Hahn Sullivan Director of Development & Marketing DunesLearningCenter.org Dunes Learning Center Education Partner of Indiana Dunes National Park Inspire lasting curiosity and stewardship with nature Fiscal Year 2018 Impact ❏ 12, 479 Participants ❏ 92,905 Hours Outside ❏ 8,903 Nights in a National Park ❏ 7,640 Stewardship Hours ❏ 18 Acres Restored School Year Programs Residential Offsite - in schools and local parks Summer Camp Adult & Continuing Education Frog in the Bog ❏ 4-6th grade ❏ 3 day, 2 night program ❏ Fall and Spring ❏ Natural and cultural history of the dunes ❏ Interconnection of human and natural environments ❏ Biodiversity in the southern Lake Michigan region Summer Camp ❏ Dunes Discovery ❏ Ages 9-13, Overnight Camp ❏ June 24-28; July 15-19; July 22-26 ❏ Hike through dunes, cool off in Lake Michigan, laugh with new friends, and sing around the campfire. Silent Auctions Deciding Event Components ❏ What else is happening? ❏ Dinner ❏ Awards/Speeches/Programs ❏ Entertainment ❏ Games/Raffles/Activities ❏ Timing ❏ Buy In from guests ❏ Event cost ❏ Is it clear this is a fundraiser? Event Plan: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions Auction Timeline ❏ 4 months ahead ❏ Prep solicitation materials ❏ ID auction chairperson ❏ Mailing to likely institutional donors ❏ Decide group efforts ❏ 2 months ahead ❏ Listing in invitation ❏ Start online promotion via email & web ❏ 1 month ahead ❏ Final solicitations ❏ Start packaging, ID gaps ❏ Go shopping ❏ Items ❏ Baskets, decor ❏ Display tools (easels, clipboards, etc.) Auction Timeline (cont.) ❏ Week of the Event ❏ Prep recognition list ❏ Bid sheets ❏ Signs ❏ Day of ❏ Bidder numbers (if needed) ❏ Set up ❏ Recognition & Thank yous ❏ Signs ❏ Annual report ❏ Thank you email post event ❏ Formal letters ❏ What else? Publicity ❏ Emails to full constituency - e-news, etc. ❏ Emails to target audience, or ticket purchasers ❏ Invitation ❏ Press release Setting Up for Solicitation ❏ Recruit a committee ❏ Enlist your board ❏ Materials ❏ Brochure or flyer explaining the org and event ❏ Letter/text for email ❏ Form - must match Google form! ❏ Instructions for committee ❏ Ideas of items - more on this later! Sample Materials: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions How to Solicit ❏ Suggested items + group ideas ❏ Maintain a list, identifying who will ask for popular items ❏ Mailing to local cultural organizations ❏ Museums ❏ Theaters ❏ Attractions ❏ Prior gift certificate donors ❏ Ask in your Enews ❏ Hit the streets! Solicitation Tips: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions Themes ❏ Depends on your organization - connect it to your mission ❏ Adventure ❏ National Parks ❏ Sports ❏ Colors (good for schools) What to Solicit - Ideas ❏ Handmade (priceless!) ❏ One-of-a-kind ❏ Baskets (something for everyone) ❏ Local products and services ❏ Travel packages (lodging, tour, airfare) ❏ Things that tie to your mission ❏ Focus on experiences, not stuff Lists of Ideas: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions What to Solicit - Ideas ❏ Gift Cards - plan to bundle ❏ Plants & Perishables ❏ Used items are ok - books, etc. ❏ HORROR STORIES What to Solicit - Organization Tie-Ins ❏ Group baskets around various themes - a class can do one together, etc. ❏ Artwork made by your participants - group project or individually ❏ Services your organization offers ❏ Camp program ❏ Birthday party ❏ Not Membership ❏ What programs do you typically offer? ❏ Guided hikes ❏ Behind-the-scenes tour ❏ “Star” of the organization? Participant/Kids Artwork What to Solicit - Auction Companies ❏ Trips ❏ Unique experiences - but think about your audience ❏ You set the price, pay company after the event ❏ Memorabilia ❏ Be careful - can come across as generic ❏ Can be pricey - $450 for Bird/Magic ❏ Not too many items! ❏ Companies ❏ Winspire ❏ Go Charity ❏ Many others What to solicit - Considerations ❏ Who is your main audience? ❏ Variety of price points and items ❏ If you can’t afford anything, it’s not fun! ❏ Everyone wants a deal ❏ Gift cards - no one pays more than face value, so bundle them ❏ Impulse buys - low barrier to entry, flexible packages Record Keeping the Easy Way ❏ Google Forms! ❏ Copy into another sheet to add columns, like the marketing description, packaging Sample forms: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions Setting up Bid Sheets - Formulas ❏ State value at top ❏ Start bidding at ~40% of value (round up) ❏ Minimum raise - based on starting bid ❏ <$50 - $5 ❏ <$150 - $10 ❏ <$400 - $25 ❏ $50 or $100 for higher values ❏ Buy It Now ~150% of value, or more depending on desirability ❏ Merge from your list Sample forms: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions Auction Signs ❏ Thank donors ❏ Communicate value ❏ Explain packages or restrictions ❏ Title, Description, Value, Thanks to ❏ Merge, then go through and add pictures Live Auction ❏ Limit the number of items - around 5 ❏ Higher end items, unique experiences ❏ Advertise these items ❏ In the program ❏ Display in the lobby ❏ $100 raise (or maybe $50) ❏ Re-sell an item if you can - #2 bidder matches the winning bid ❏ May not need a professional auctioneer Fund a Need/Paddle Raise ❏ The EASIEST way to get donations! ❏ Fund a compelling need, something easy to understand ❏ Seed the crowd (board and/or proxy) ❏ Start high, work down ❏ Ask for 100% participation ❏ Gifts of any size are helpful ❏ “Maybe you didn’t find anything in the auction - no problem!” ❏ Send staff around to collect paddles at the end of each level Sample paddle: www. DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions Event Games ❏ Heads or Tails ❏ Pin the tail on the _______ ❏ Cork Pull/Wine Pull ❏ Check venue restrictions re alcohol ❏ Scholarship funding ❏ Fill a cabin, bus, etc. ❏ Others? Raffles ❏ Make sure you have a license - state laws vary ❏ Know the penalty if you take a chance ❏ Game of skill vs. game of chance ❏ Date night restaurant raffle ❏ Use up any random gift cards ❏ 50/50 ❏ Will they donate it back? ❏ Bucket Raffles Quick Draw Entertainment & Auction ❏ Several artists sketch same subject ❏ Have a naturalist interpret for guests ❏ Sell the sketches in a live auction Supplies on the Cheap ❏ Make your own clipboards (cardboard + binder clip) ❏ Carbonless paper (office supply/Amazon) ❏ Bid Sheets ❏ Receipts ❏ Easels for signs - tape them up (blue painter’s tape) ❏ Buy baskets at the thrift store ❏ Tissue paper & clear plastic - party store Physical Set Up ❏ Categories or no? ❏ Pro: Helps you stay organized ❏ Con: Guests can skip a whole category, may reduce impulse buys ❏ Oddball items ❏ Don’t want a whole corner of weird stuff! ❏ Visually pleasing ❏ Consider aisle space and table height for people with mobility challenges Technology ❏ What features do you need? ❏ Online auction ❏ Mobile bidding during the event ❏ Check out ❏ Auction software ❏ Click Bid ❏ Bidding for Good ❏ Many others! Technology - Square ❏ Create items in Square “store” ❏ Upload list ❏ Walk around and snap a picture of each item ❏ Add variable item for donations ❏ Add raffle tickets, wine pull, etc. ❏ Pre-swipe credit cards as people arrive ❏ Create a customer ❏ Add a card ❏ Create an invoice after auction closes ❏ Checkout from invoice evening of, or next day Stats to Track ❏ Total value of items donated ❏ Total # items sold (should be ALL!) ❏ Expenses (for supplies, additions, etc.) ❏ Total amount raised from the auction (gross/net) ❏ Average # of bids per item ❏ Hot items (more than 5 bids), or Buy it Now ❏ Plus any event metrics (ROI, cost to raise a $1, etc.) Questions? Resources: www.DunesLearningCenter.org/auctions.