On Saturday night we had a near flawless run of show and we had nearly 500 guests! It was not perfect but here’s a few insights from it.

4:30-5:30

Air Conditioning check

Cater check for timings: salads drop, entrees drop, stop service during FAN video and FAN speaker

Pre-event check in team is ready

Auctioneer bid spotter training with 20 local police academy cadets on ballroom floor

AV check with AV team, auctioneer designated mic

5:30-7:00

champagne welcome drink in the small and efficient check in line

2 bars with 4 to 6 bartenders

Silent auction room with pen and paper bidding (this varies event to event)

Raffle revenue enhancer (this varies event to event)

1 Photo Booth & a separate step & repeat photo op

Table map on video screens as guests trickle in (we didn’t have this but good to have with scrolling sponsor logos). Also good to have table map on easels at entrance of ballroom. And very important to have table signs on each table with sponsors name, VIP name or Board members name with table number

AV controlling background music and scheduled VOG announcements

ED & DD relaxed and connecting with donors

Event coordinator relaxed and keeping things in check

Check in coordinator overseeing check in team (4 to 8 team members at check in)

Ronald McDonald mascot walking around for photo ops with guests (mission focused connection)

6:45

salads drop on tables (we actually missed this mark and salads dropped actually at 7)

7:00-7:05

Ronald McDonald welcomed guests, gave brief overview of mission (guests were 50% engaged, most of the time guests talk over welcome emcees. A opening video is typically the best way to engage an audience and to get them quiet and centered.)

7:05-7:08

Director of development welcomed guests (she was newly hired so it was nice for her to make the connection with guests, she introduced Executive Director

7:08-7:12

ED gave brief overview of prior years mission impact and how org has been good stewards of funds raised since last year’s fundraising event

7:12-7:15

Video showed prior years mission impact impact with numbers of impact and showed the Ronald McDonald House (guests were now 90% engaged)

7:15

ED introduced President of the Board of Directors (at this point Director of Event and auctioneer connected because we noticed salads came out late… more to come)

7:16-7:20

President of BOD, thanked and recognized sponsors, BOD members, staff, volunteers and introduced beloved Director of this event (now the room was nearly 100% engaged)

7:20-7:24

Director of Event introduced Hero Award for 1 partner who has gone above and beyond in the past year

7:24-7:27

Video from members of Hero Award speaking and sharing why mission means so much to them (at this point during the video director of event let auctioneer make the call on what to do next since entrees weren’t coming out…more to come)

7:27-7:28

Hero awardee came to stage and took a photo with nonprofit leadership (awardee did not speak just a photo op)

7:28-7:32

Auctioneer came up brought the energy, engaged the room and said let’s get this party started. We auctioned off a round of drinks for the table that sold for $4,500 twice!! (during this auctioneer was reading the room and entrees still hadn’t started to come out so after the sell of drinks auctioneer decided to give guests a short dinner break)

7:32-7:45

Dinner break happened (during this moment auctioneer and director of event checked on catering, they were good, dinner started coming out, the challenge now is crowd control and getting guests back into their seats because once you give the dinner break you lose the room only until they decide to get back into their seats to enjoy their dinner. 25% guests got up to go to the bar, bathroom, see friends, go to Photo Booth, etc… dinner started to come out swiftly and once about 75% of the room had entrees we got started with live auction… serving 500 guests takes an experienced catering team, we did it!)

7:45-8:20

11 live auction lots. We knew we could double down only 1 live auction lot but when lots were going well, donors of lots were in the room so they let us double down on 2 additional live auction lots resulting in an extra $16,000 fundraised from double downs)

8:20-8:25

Auctioneer switched gears and re-engaged room for FAN

FAN video (fund-a-need… paddle raise… video was 3 mins and 30 seconds but takes time to quiet room and setup new engagement)

8:26-8:27

Auctioneer introduced family that was in video

8:27-8:30

Family from video said a few words

8:30-8:45

FAN with a paddle drop at the end

8:45-8:47

Auctioneer shared final scripted closing announcements

8:48-10:30

Band performed, dancing, guests collected items/lots they won at checkout

Checkout was only for guests who won something, if they just gave to FAN their card was automatically charged

Video & Photos from event: