Introducing Contests
Auction longevity is certainly a sign of success, but it can also lead to stagnation. After a few years of hosting the same event, your auctions can start to feel a little stale - there’s nothing new or exciting for guests to look forward to, and you may find yourself seeking a change of pace. Fortunately, we have introduced a new feature called Contests that can help you to expand or restructure your event.
There are countless ways in which Contests can be utilized to add excitement to an auction and boost revenue: any game show or talent contest that involves audience votes can be incorporated into your event. One example of a successful contest we’ve seen so far is the San Miguel School of Tulsa’s Dancing With The Stars dinner and dancing fundraiser, which raised over $35,000 by having guests purchase paper and electronic ballots in order to vote for their favorite contestants. According to organizer Mark Whitmire of the Tulsa Community Foundation, this feature was engaging and successful primarily because it allowed guests to directly support people they knew in a quick and easy way.
It’s also exciting for guests to be able to see their votes in real time - with this feature, you can project the contest results right into the room as the votes come in and see results immediately.
The new Contests feature, included in the Plus or Premium annual plan, is straightforward and easy to customize for your event. You’ll find everything you need under the Contest tab within your fundraiser site, where you can set up and name your contest ahead of time as well as create the specific teams whom guests can purchase votes for.
If you think your event could use some reinvigoration, Contests may well be a great, fun way to add some variety and excitement. We hope to be able to work with you to incorporate this new feature into your auction!
