I wanted to share a few helpful hints that I have learned throughout my 20 plus years of fundraising, volunteering, and running auctions.
When organizing a raffle or tricky tray:
* Use boxes or containers that are a solid color, that you cannot see-through and are not clear. Using a box where your attendees cannot see the tickets inside can increase your raffle income.
* Women LOVE cute baskets. The prettier the better. They focus on the small details and the items inside. Men seem to LOVE large baskets, not really focusing on the items themselves but on one particular item that may be inside.
* The best selling baskets will include electronics, jewelry, hard to find/unique items, trips, specially designed items from students, experiences involving the teachers/staff, and baskets with alcohol!
* Organize your boxes and items with corresponding numbers so there are no mishaps with someone placing their tickets in the wrong box.
* Create each basket with care, and take the time to wrap it beautifully with a colorful bow. The idea is to make each basket look like it has a high perceived value when in reality it only costs a fraction of the value.
* Display is just as important as the items themselves. Use boxes or glass blocks to create height, use lights for drama. Bring in vines to wrap around wine, or rolls of velvet to enhance your display. This will make everything look much more expensive and desirable.
* When calling out the winners, tape the winning ticket onto the actual item won, then take it to the check-out area and place it in numerical order using the last 2 or 3 digits of the tickets.
* Once your raffle is done, count the number of tickets in each box and add 1 for the winning ticket. Keep records of your raffle baskets, it's value, and the number of tickets included to find out what baskets are the most popular in your school.
* Send thank you cards to donors, but also to big-spenders who have helped support your raffle/auction. (And if they spent a certain amount, or donated a large amount send them a free ticket for next year's event.)
When organizing an auction:
(Many of the hints above will also work for an auction.)
* Start planning your event 6 months prior and begin soliciting donations immediately.
* Your most important decision, and frankly will decide whether your fundraiser is profitable or not, is who will be on your committee.
* The BEST auction committees always have a mixture of men and women. Couples work best. They back each other up at home, at work, and volunteering and always come back the following year.
* Keep in touch with your donors, and support their business throughout the year.
* The better looking your item is displayed the more money you will make. GUARANTEED!!
* Attach corresponding numbers to your description sheet, bid sheet and item.
* Pay the additional amount and get a professional auctioneer.
* Add in your auction rules in the event of a bidding war on a particular lot or item, the lot or item in question will go immediately to LIVE AUCTION after the Silent Auction closes. This takes care of the people who are angrily standing side by side continuously bidding. No matter what someone yells at the auction volunteer for yanking the bid sheet, and this will force them to put their money where their mouth is!
These are just some helpful hints. I hope they work for you.
Good luck in your fundraising efforts!
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