We are always trying to strike a fine balance between “super fun party” and “successful fundraiser.” It is important that attendees to your fundraising auction have a good time and want to come back, but it’s also important that we raise enough money. No single element of an event symbolizes this struggle better than the dance floor.
The dance floor represents the good time to be had once the auction is over. The dance floor promises lively entertainment. The dance floor also takes up all of the most valuable real estate in a fundraising auction, pushing bidders further away from the stage. Furthermore, we often see a lot of energy and budget put into the dance floor and DJ/band, only to for the dance floor to be empty.
Putting a riser on the dance floor brings your auctioneer that much closer to your crowd, making it easier to see bids and engage bidders.
If you are considering hiring a DJ or a band and building a dance floor into your floor plan, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure it is helping (and not hindering) your cause. The most important thing is to know the culture of your event and lean into that. If you have a wild and partying group of school parents on a Saturday night, odds are they will appreciate the opportunity to dance and party after the auction. But if your event is on a weeknight, features a long program, or your crowd is on the mellower side, you might be wasting time, money, and potential.
Once you have made the decision to have a dance floor at your event, be sure to evaluate the space in advance from the auctioneer’s perspective. During the planning phase, go to your venue, stand on the stage, and have someone hold a paddle up in the very back of the room. If you are having a hard time seeing them, so will your auctioneer.
One solution is to bring the auctioneer closer to your crowd. You can do this by adding a runway to your stage, which provides your band with a fun performance space as well. Or you can have a riser (4’x8’ or larger) set in the middle of your dance floor for your auctioneer. The riser can be removed as soon as the auction is over, freeing up the dance floor for the party to come. Be sure to let your AV team know if you are planning to set a riser on the dance floor, so they can adjust sound and lighting if necessary.
Whatever you choose to do, always be collecting data. If a bunch of attendees complain about no music/dancing after the auction one year, add it next time. If you hire music, build a dance floor and only 11 people are dancing – maybe your party isn’t a dance party. Remember what works, and learn from what doesn’t.
