Guide your next silent auction to success with the most up-to-date data available
When planning a fundraising event, every tiny detail matters, and has the potential to make or break the experience for your guests.
From the types of items available at your silent auction, to the ambiance of your venue and how well-managed your schedule is on the day of your event, there are a number of factors that contribute to how well-received and profitable your fundraiser will be.
For this reason, it is highly recommended that event hosts and organizers do their research before starting the event planning process.
Arming your team with the most relevant, up-to-the-minute information available ensures that you will make informed, perceptive decisions about the direction your event should take— increasing the likelihood that your attendees will be thoroughly impressed.
Thus, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most recent and compelling fundraising statistics, and sharing our thoughts on what makes them so pertinent to event planning.
Here Are Some Statistics On Fundraising That All Event Planners Should Be Aware Of:
1. 54% of donors prefer to donate online
This may not come as a surprise, since online donations have been on the rise for a number of years now. But what is important for those who are event planning to consider is how convenient their online donation process is currently, and whether or not it can be improved.
Long, cumbersome online forms and multiple-step donation pages could actually be hindering the profitability of your fundraising initiatives rather than leveraging it.
Additionally, the number of people who use their mobile devices to access the internet and contribute to fundraising initiatives is rising, so it is important for supporters to be able to easily and conveniently access your website or online donation page from their cell phone.
We highly recommend reviewing your online donation form and reducing the number of fields required, if you haven’t in awhile.
Investing in an online silent auction software like Bid Beacon for your next event is a fantastic way to make donating a breeze during your fundraiser. Guests can bid on items directly from their mobile device and receive instant notifications when another guest has outbid them.
2. 64% of all donations are made by women
This is one of our favorite fundraising statistics, since it is one that is often overlooked.
Women are a major driving force behind philanthropic giving, and are the most actively involved in contributing to their communities.
Thus, it’s essential to make sure you are catering to this demographic during the event planning phase.
Some ideas for enhancing the overall guest experience for your female guests include:
- Select silent auction items that female guests will find appealing (i.e. Spa packages, a $500 shopping spree, a designer handbag, etc.)
- Include items with an emotional connection, such as a gift certificate for a family photoshoot, or a painting by a local female artist.
- Encourage social interaction amongst your female guests by strategically planning your seating arrangements (Know two business-savvy women who have common interests? Why not seat them together?)
- Include entertainment options that appeal to all, like photo booths, musical performances, or expert mixologists who can prepare drink orders with flair
3. 42.7% of people give more during the holidays than the rest of the year
This is one of the statistics on fundraising that every business and organization should be aware of.
Holiday giving is a massive contributor to the success of non-profit organizations and fundraising initiatives.
In fact, nearly one-third of all charitable giving occurs in December.
Thus, planning a holiday-centric fundraiser should be an established part of any charity’s event planning strategy.
Some tips for hitting your holiday event out of the park include:
- Begin promoting well in advance, before people commit to other plans
- Use a bidding app like Bid Beacon to encourage mobile donations
- Include holiday images, graphics, and visuals in the promotion of your event (Photos of your volunteers engaging in holiday activities are always a great idea.)
- Create a gift catalog so your donors can see exactly what their funds will be used for
- Be specific and transparent in communicating your holiday fundraising goals
4. People who earn the least, give the highest percentage of their income
No, that’s not a typo. It’s a surprising fundraising statistic, but it’s also completely accurate.
In fact, people who earn $25,000 per year donate the largest share of their income at 16.6 percent, while those who make $500,000+ contribute 2.8 percent of their income.
Thus, it’s important not to overlook low-to-mid income individuals when planning a charitable event.
Be sure to select silent auction items that range in value, to encourage bids from guests with varying budgets.
Additionally, always make information available at your events regarding volunteer opportunities. Lower-income Canadian volunteers contributed an average of 161 hours of volunteer work in 2010, which was 18 percent more than the highest income volunteers (136 hours).
By connecting with supporters from all walks of life, you can expand the success of your fundraising efforts, growing a larger circle of people who want to help you achieve your vision.
5. The number of donations completed through desktop browsers decreased by 10% in 2018
If this isn’t a sign that it’s time to invest in a mobile bidding app, we don’t know what is.
More and more people are using their cell phones as their primary device, conducting all of their major online tasks conveniently from the palm of their hand.
So, why not meet your donors where they already are?
After all, the number of transactions completed through mobile devices increased by 50 percent over the last 12 months.
With an online silent auction software like Bid Beacon, your guests are able to donate with just a few taps of their thumb. They also benefit from push notifications that inform them when they’ve been outbid, and discussion forums where they can chat with other attendees without having to physically approach another table.
Not to mention event organizers also gain some convenient advantages, like simple, straightforward auction setup and detailed analytics.
If you haven’t made the move to a mobile bidding app, now is the time to capitalize on this trend.
