How To Create An Online Auction Fundraiser
Online auction fundraisers have become an accessible and creative way to engage supporters while raising funds for a good cause. However, like any fundraiser, successful execution requires proper planning and strategy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you plan, organize, and deliver an online auction will help you reach your fundraising goals.
Why Choose To Host Your Auction Fundraiser Online?
Hosting your auction fundraiser online can be advantageous and more accessible, especially for those that can’t make it in person or live in the, but are able to join online. Here are some reasons why an online auction may be good for your next fundraising event.
Broader reach
Online auctions allow participation from people worldwide, not just those in your local area. This significantly increases the pool of potential bidders.
Convent and flexible
Unlike traditional auctions, online events can run for days or even weeks, giving participants more opportunities to bid.
Cost-effective
Not having a venue rental, catering costs, and other in-person event costs means your fundraiser can generate higher returns with lower overhead expenses.
Online auction fundraisers are a great way to engage a large group of supporters, while raising funds for a good cause. To execute a successful online auction, you need to set goals, define metrics, plan auction items, and more, so here’s a step by step guide to follow.
1. Define Your Goals
Every successful fundraiser starts with clear and measurable goals. Here are some key questions to answer:
How much money do you aim to raise?
What is your timeline?
Who is your target audience?
Will there be additional activities connected to the auction (e.g., raffles or online events)?
Having clear objectives will guide the entire process, from selecting items to promoting your auction.
2. Choosing An Auction Platform
To run an online auction, you’ll need to choose a platform that can facilitate the creation, management, and execution of your fundraiser. They often include features to simplify bidder participation, payment processing, and auction analytics. We recommend using one of these fundraising platforms: BetterWorld, GalaBid, or Givergy.
3. Choosing Auction Items
The quality and uniqueness of your auction items play a large role in attracting bidders and raising funds. Curate items that will resonate with your audience. Here are some auction item ideas:
Check out our auction catalog for all the amazing experiences you can choose from.
4. Promote The Auction
A strong marketing plan is essential to maximize participation and generate buzz. Create email marketing campaigns to announce the auction to your mailing list and share details about the cause, and some auction items to build excitement. Post high-quality photos with good descriptions of the items. Use countdown timers, post videos, or live streams to share details leading up to the auction. Also, encourage board members, volunteers, and businesses involved to share your auction with their networks.
5. Set Up and Launch Your Auction
Once you’ve finalized the details, it’s time to launch your auction. Here are tips for your launch:
Create compelling item listings
Include high-quality photos, accurate descriptions, and clear start/end times for bidding. Highlight any exclusive or rare features of the item.
Set bidding rules
Clearly communicate the starting bid, bid increments, and auction policies to participants.
Enable notifications
Be sure the online auction platform you choose supports email or SMS notifications to inform bidders of updates, outbid alerts, and auction closures.
Get creative on the day of your launch and hold a live stream to announce the auction and highlight popular items.
6. Keep Participants Engaged During The Auction
Engagement doesn’t end once the auction is live. Keep the energy going and bids coming in by interacting with participants throughout the auction period.
Here are some tips for engagement:
Highlight popular items
Use emails or social media to spotlight items receiving a lot of bids.
Run flash sales
Offer time-limited promotions like reduced starting bids or exclusive items available for a certain amount of hours.
Share progress
Update your supporters on your fundraising target and how close you are to reaching your goal.
Foster community
Encourage bidders to share their experiences on social media and tag your event.
7. Closing The Auction
When the final bids are in, announce the winners and then notify them via email, outlining payment instructions. Fulfill and ship (if applicable), auction items quickly to maintain a positive experience for your supporters. Lastly, thank-you emails to both bidders and item donors are a great way to express your gratitude, share the total amount raised, and what the funds will go toward helping.
8. Evaluate and Improve
Once your fundraiser is complete, take the time to assess its outcomes. Question ideas to answer:
Did you meet your fundraising goal?
Which items received the highest bids?
Was the platform user-friendly for both bidders and organizers?
Gathering data and feedback will help you refine your future fundraising efforts.
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful and fun auction to raise money for a good cause. The key to success lies in preparation, thoughtful execution, and meaningful engagement with your supporters.
For more auction ideas that will make your event epic, contact us today!