| Copyright (c) 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC | | | | is an effective way to help your bottom line, but it's not |
| Some of the fundraising auctions I conduct are large | | | | the only place to reduce expenses. If a budget |
| events with impressive auction catalogs to match. | | | | reduction is in order, reduce expenses in areas that |
| These auction catalogs can be expensive to print. In | | | | have hard-to-prove ROI. |
| fact, printing costs are one of the highest expenses | | | | In their auction planning, my clients have cut expenses |
| when producing a fundraising auction. Anything we can | | | | in the following areas over the last two years: |
| do to reduce unnecessary printing is good for your | | | | - Create your own floral arrangements versus using a |
| fundraiser's bottom line. | | | | florist |
| One of my clients was brilliant. She dropped her charity | | | | - Eliminate the auction catalog. (These groups offered |
| auction catalog production costs from $14,000 to | | | | it online.) |
| $7900. Impressive! | | | | - Redesign the benefit auction catalog to get more for |
| But how did she do it? | | | | less. |
| 1. Eliminated tabs in the benefit auction catalog Tabs | | | | - Use a DJ instead of a band. |
| are expensive. Although I think the tabs make it easier | | | | - One group eliminated the entertainment entirely, |
| to find a particular section, I do not think they are worth | | | | mentioning (after this organization and I worked |
| the added expense. Have the printer show you some | | | | together for a year) that the benefit auctioneer was |
| other options (heavier-weight paper) as an alternative. | | | | entertaining enough without the added cost of |
| 2. Take a look at layout and get more text on each | | | | entertainment. |
| page. You can reduce the font size to get more text | | | | You and your benefit auction committee should take |
| per page and you can completely change up the | | | | time to figure out budget priorities. |
| layout. One bit of caution, fundraising auction catalog | | | | Here are a few hints about what WON'T make you |
| text must remain large enough for someone over 40 | | | | money. |
| to read it. It doesn't need to be as large as the font | | | | - A killer local band will not help you make more |
| you might have on your website, but it needs to be a | | | | money. |
| comfortable reading size. To test the font size, have | | | | - Elaborate centerpieces will not help you make more |
| your committee read it. They are representative of | | | | money. |
| your guest population and can judge whether the font | | | | - Beautiful decor will not help you make more money. |
| will work for most people. | | | | - An expensive venue will not help make you more |
| Cutting costs by reshaping the charity auction catalog | | | | money. |