Most nonprofits spend months curating the perfect live auction lineup — and then assume their guests will figure it out when they get to the event.

Claire Murad of Murad Auctions joins Trevor to make the case that this is leaving serious money on the table. With 26 years in the auction space, Claire breaks down what she calls the 6-touch rule: your guests need to see your live auction items at least six times before they sit down for the live auction. Anything less and the light bulb doesn't go off in time.

In this episode: why 75% of your event revenue is riding on a marketing problem most orgs ignore, the exact timeline for teasing items (two weeks out — not earlier, not later), why text messages outperform emails and what time of day to actually hit send, how to make your pre-event messaging short and on-theme instead of stuffed with restrictions, and the creative night-of tactics Claire has seen work — from Vanna White-style placard walkers in cocktail hour to 10-foot lit display boards to custom bid paddles with QR codes linking to the auction catalog.

Plus: why your auctioneer should be working the cocktail hour, not warming up backstage.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:36 Successful Auction Promotion

05:30 Timing for Teaser Campaigns

06:55 Keeping Messages Brief and Engaging

07:35 Creative Promotional Ideas During Your Event

09:00 Using Visual Displays and On-Site Promotion

12:13 Educating Bidders Early

13:30 Using Social Media and Digital Tools

14:29 Where to Find More Resources and Connect

Have a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know https://hgafundraising.com/ask-your-questions/

🔗 *CONNECT WITH US* 🔗

Marketing Your Live Auction Blog: https://muradauctions.com/how-to-promote-your-live-auction-for-maximum-revenue/

Live Auction eBook: https://muradauctions.com/auction-resources/live-auction-theme-playbook/

Book Murad Auctions for Your Event: https://muradauctions.com

Schedule a Meeting with Claire: https://calendly.com/clairemurad

Connect with Claire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-murad-strategic-growth-for-nonprofit-fundraising-events/

Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-nelson-b8922a167/

Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hey-non-profits-raise-more-money/

💙 *ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING* 💙

This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY.

To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-experiences/

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Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers:

https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-coaching/