They may call them the "dog days of summer", but in our opinion, the summer months are a great time to hold a fundraising auction. It's always worth reminding people that the gift-giving season is right around the corner, so why not lock up some premium presents ASAP? Also, there are always birthdays and special occasions to consider. Any time is a good time to get your supporters pumped up about bidding on some amazing items, whether as gifts or just to treat themselves (for a good cause).
Don’t think that because the sun is high, the interest in your cause will be low - in fact, this could be the best time of year to run your charity auction. Here are six reasons why summer auctions have sizzle:
Smartphones are always in hand
Summertime may be vacation time, but even so, 75% of Americans report that they don’t take all their allotted vacation time during the year. Plus, even if they're away from their desks, they usually still have their devices with them - be they smartphones, laptops or tablets. Since they're never out of touch, it's the perfect setup to appeal to them with mobile-optimized online auctions.
Not as much competition for donation dollars
If it seems like the busier time of year for online fundraising is the spring, you'd be right - events in March through May are pretty heavy on the schedule. Although organizations are catching on that summertime is productive for online auctions, you'd still be appealing to supporters who might not otherwise be donating to other causes.
Get a change of scenery
We know that ballrooms are the traditional venue of fundraising galas and events, including ones that have auction components. But now that the weather's a little nicer, why not try mixing it up and holding your event at a golf course or on the grounds of a museum? Even stadiums can be amazing venues for auctions. Beautiful weather and scenery can definitely put people in a bidding mood.
Every cause can benefit
Although it makes sense that The Environmental Institute for Golf runs two summer fundraisers annually, your cause doesn't have to be outdoors-oriented to take advantage of summertime bidding. From Health to Human Services, from Community Service to Arts and Culture, online summer auctions have proven to bring out the donors to big success.
Mobile bidding + outdoor events = a perfect match
Remember what we said about smartphones and also changes of scenery? Put two and two together and you have a mobile auction that can go where your bidders do. It's easier than ever to bring smartphones to the sports field, the stadium, the park, the poolside, or the golf course. Put your auction online and bring mobile bidding to a fun new venue for a refreshing change.
Summer auction items are unique and fun
It's true - summer is fun and so are the items. From travel to dining to one-in-a-lifetime experiences, you've got plenty of choice when it comes to putting together a sizzling summer catalog of auction items.
For example, think about offering an al fresco dining experience with a celebrity chef. Or how about a golf-themed package with tickets to an event, or tours of different courses? There's also the option to auction off luxury travel experiences or sailing trips. The sky's definitely the limit!
Bring a little sunshine to your auction
Don’t hesitate to run an online summer fundraiser because you think nobody will pay attention to it in the busy summer months. People are always looking for fun experiences in the longer days, plus there are also sponsors who'll be wanting a little extra promotion and goodwill for their businesses over the summer.
Try running your auction fundraiser in the summer for a change - you could find a whole new bidding community that pushes your donations to the next level.
