You are a month out from your event and still struggling to acquire live auction lots. Heck you are a week out! Or maybe your event just needs a refresh on your live auction. Here are 10 live auction lots that have made us tens of thousands with little to no effort! First think about the people who are in the room and begin to create around them, here’s how. Enjoy and let us know how it goes!

Who is in the room? Nonprofit Leadership, School Staff, Board/Trustee’s, Dignitaries, Donors, Awardees/Honorees, Vendors and yes even… Bartenders!!

1. A Day with the CEO
   • “A Fulfilling Day with United Way” – We auction off breakfast, lunch and happy hour for 4 to 6 guests to spend the day with the CEO (think “ride along”). After breakfast, your guests will experience the mission first hand. You’ll visit the nonprofit in action helping clients with job skills training in the morning and read to a class during our after school tutoring classes. This auctions off for close to $3,000!
2. A Night with a VIP
   • We have auctioned this off many different ways and it’s always a hit! This is dinner and/or drinks at a board members home or VIP’s home. The more personal you get the better! For example, the Executive Director is very into her greek heritage so we auction off a 4 course greek dinner on her patio that sells for $4,000 (bonus examples Paella and Indian dinners). Another nonprofit CEO loves his bourbon and cigars so we auction off Bourbon, Cigars and BBQ at his home for $6,000 and sell it twice! One board member has a cool private wine cellar in a underground cave, we sell it for thousands and double down!
3. Awardee/Honorees
   • Many events give out awards or have an honoree at the gala that is being recognized. This is a perfect way to bring more funds to your organization! Last week, we partnered on an event that was honoring a “Person of the Year” to represent that nonprofits mission. In our auction, we auctioned off dinner at his families home and it sold for $11,000 and we sold it twice… $22,000!!! Another time, we auctioned off happy hour at the honorees family home. The honorees family had a whole bunch of chickens so we threw in the opportunity to feed the chickens during happy hour too… that sold for $6,000 twice!!
4. Vendors
   • Many times one of the most overlooked opportunities that creates a win win for everyone! Most events are catered or have vendors with very unique talents! Many times our partners ask whomever is catering the meal at your auction if they’ll also donate a catered dinner in someones home. Guests are enjoying their meal and the cater also gets maximum exposure in the program with a live auction lot. A cater meal by the cater that evening usually sells for $2,500 or more. One time, we brought in all our vendors and made a “Party of a Lifetime!” Here is was… a party for 50 at a beautiful home on a bluff overlooking a view which included catered BBQ, live DJ, table/chair rentals, bathroom rentals and more (all of which were the events auction vendors) this auction lot sold for $25,000!!
   • For how many live auction lots should you have click here.
5. Drinks for the Table
   • You knew it was coming! It’s time to give the bartenders some love! Find a craft cocktail that is not available at the bar and we start the live auction with it! “Everyone, to get this party started we are going to auction off (insert cocktail) drinks for the table!” The more you lean into it the better it goes! For example, one partner decided to have the mixologist come to your table with a custom wood tray and flames and make an over the top cocktail (think Benihana’s presentation style). Many times a go to easy drink is Margaritas because everyone loves a a good marg! Old Fashions and Moscow Mules (must have the copper mugs) go well too. In addition to Drinks for the Table, desserts for the table go well too (think local well known bakery).
6. Table for Next Year
   • Your donors are at your event and they’re having a great time! Now’s a great time to secure their table for next year! We auction off a VIP table at next year’s auction! Again the more you lean into it the better! Think “white glove” service and “red carpet” experience. Your table will be decorated different, located prominently, and it will have its very own bartender and servers. It will come with the finest wines and maybe even have a red carpet! It will include a limo to and from the event and so much more. The sky is the limit! The bigger and better the more it goes for and it will become a live auction lot every year guests will want to win for more and more money!
7. Dates for a Year
   • Fairly easy and highly profitable! Collect gift cards (utilize committee, BOD and staff to source) to local restaurants and local favorites! The value is usually around $1,500 FMV and it typically sells for $2,500 or more! In addition, one time we asked guests to pull out unused and still valid gift cards out of their wallets and purses… we collect them, tallied them up and made a live auction lot out of all them together that sold for double their value… on the spot!!
   • For over a dozen more live auction lot examples click here.
8. Consignment Trips
   • Consult with your auctioneer on the best trips to enhance your live auction. There is no upfront cost and many times you can add these in last minute (if needed). Done well, these can generate tens of thousands in net! These aren’t for every live auction but are highly effective at maximizing funds raised!
   • For access to our consignment trips click here.
9. A Mission Object with a Story
   • A head of cabbage! You read that correctly, a head of cabbage pulled out of the garden sold for $1,200! Prior to our fund-a-need benefitting the local food bank, we showed a video highlighting the food banks garden that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to clients of the food bank. Our first live auction lot was a head of cabbage pulled that afternoon from the garden. There was a powerful story and it was mission centric. We did the same for a Make-A-Wish event where the fund-a-need child was great at art so we auctioned off her art for $12,000!
10. Sponsor a Child
    • We saved the best for last! We love this one and it rocks!! We auctioned off the first 20 paddles in the air get to send 20 kids to the beach for the first time in their lives and experience a college visit with lunch! Again the more you lean into this the more your auctioneer can help you profit! For the Boys and Girls Club we auctioned off sending 20 kids on a bus to experience the beach and ocean for the first time in their lives!! Breathe in that ocean air, feel the mist of the sea, and bring back sand in their shoes! they also got to visit a local college and have lunch on the football field with the college mascot! It was an unforgettable day and we raised over $20,000!! Immediately we had 20 bid numbers in the air at $1,000 each. Then we had 4 more donors say they wanted to send 4 more kids, so we did for $24,000!
    • For more reasons why to hire a professional benefit auctioneer click here.

Try these next time you are struggling to acquire live auction lots and watch tens of thousands come in to support your mission!! Let us know how it goes or better yet inquire to book us for your next event by emailing freddie@FSAauctions.com

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freddie@FSAauctions.com

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