The Top 10 Most Exciting Auction Lots of 2019

The list of this year’s most exciting auction lots includes a combination of tried and true access lots, high-end buy-ins, and one incredibly unique organization-centric art piece. Much like years past, “exciting” is a purely arbitrary assignation focused on each lot’s uniqueness, creativity, and the buzz generated at the event.

Sale price weighs into the decision, but only in comparison to how other items sold at that same event. The capacity of crowds varies and comparing maximum sale price between different organizations’ events is an unhealthy and unrealistic exercise. Where I do mention price, I use it within the context of the event in which that lot was placed as a manner of highlighting how exciting that lot was.

The goal is to inspire you to create your own stellar lots, so I can include them in my next best-of list! So here are my most exciting fundraising auction lots of 2019, presented in no particular order.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Experience

Your two VIP passes will give you full access to the annual Conversations with Exceptional Women conference featuring Nobel Laureates, astronauts, best-selling authors, media personalities, and the featured 2020 speaker, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg! The notorious RBG will be in conversation with her daughter and granddaughter. Three generations of change makers!

Your VIP passes will give you access to an intimate dinner with Justice Ginsburg. Accommodations in a grand deluxe room will be provided for three nights at the Limelight Hotel in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Sun Valley is a picturesque ski resort city in Idaho, which became a nationally known destination with the arrival of Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. Since then, Sun Valley has been a seasonal home for luminaries, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Demi Moore, and many others.

Pack Your Suitcase to See the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

The Packers have been sold out since 1960 and there is currently a 30-year waiting list to get season tickets. But now you and three of your friends or family will have front row seats to see a Packers game AND get coveted (and priceless!) Field Passes for pre-game festivities, including a photo op with Aaron Rodgers.

Make it a three-day adventure with two nights of lodging for four at a fine hotel in Green Bay’s Stadium District, nearby Lambeau Field. Cap off your Green Bay Packer excursion with dinner for four at Aaron Rodger’s favorite restaurant, Chives.

[Editor’s note: This was sold at a San Francisco charity event and was wildly successful by any measure.]

The Ultimate Disneyland Experience

Host an extraordinary dinner party in the heart of Disneyland Park, at a private residence once envisioned by Walt and Lillian Disney as a secluded family retreat and a luxurious oasis to host celebrities and dignitaries. Hailed by Modern Luxury Orange County as an “exquisite adventure of flavor, texture, and artful presentation punctuated by fresh and high-quality ingredients,” you won’t want to miss the true magic of 21 Royal.

You and your guests will be treated like royalty at this one-of-a kind Disneyland Resort experience that was described by the Robb Report, a luxury-lifestyle magazine, as “an evening spent in an incomparable setting” and an experience where storytelling and attention to detail are “elevated to their highest level.”

Your experience includes:
• Private party for up to 12 guests at 21 Royal
• A VIP escort to the site of the evening’s festivities
• Multi-course seasonal menu created by a culinary team of Disneyland Resort signature chefs paired with wines by an expert sommelier
• Park admission for all 12 guests is included on the day of the 21 Royal Experience
• Multi -night stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Fly, My Pretties, Fly!

Let Cal and Irving take your group of four people for a fly-fishing excursion! Select from one of Cal and Irving’s bucket list of places to fly-fish in the U.S.

• Enjoy 2 - 3 days of guided fly-fishing, cuisine and lodge accommodations
• Destinations include “fabled waters” like the Fall River in California, the Big Hole, Beaverhead and Missouri Rivers in Montana
• Experienced local guides will take you to some of the best fishing in the area
• All experience levels are welcome (no prior experience necessary!) and all fly-fishing gear provided

Restrictions: Number of days fishing dependent upon location selected. Transportation not included. Valid from May to November 2020 on a mutually agreed upon date, subject to availability.

[Editor’s note: this lot has been the most popular lot at this auction five years running. It has sold twice every year and raised over $300,000 in that time. Cal is the CEO of the organization, and his celebrity makes this lot perennially popular – I included it to exemplify how a longstanding lot, that doubles every year no less, can still be exciting.]

A Little Night Music with Cyrille Pannier

Hosted by [Organization] Board members Jennifer & Chris with The San Francisco Four Seasons Chef Cyrille Pannier, this is an evening you won't want to miss! Leave your digital world behind as you join this only-in-San Francisco-style salon held at Jennifer & Chris’ San Francisco home.

You’ll enjoy cocktails in the downstairs speakeasy, followed by a private live performance by San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows.

Your magical night continues with a magnificent dinner by Chef Cyrille, and perfectly paired wines of course! A celebration of beautiful music, fabulous food & libations, and excellent company, this will be an unforgettable night!

[This was sold as a buy-in lot for eight couples. The opening bid was $500 per couple, and it sold for over $1,200 per couple.]

Dorothy G’s Surgical Tape Art

We have a surprise for you this evening from Dr. Dorothy G: Yale University Hospital pediatric anesthesiologist! Dorothy has been a volunteer with ReSurge for over 20 years and been on 36 Resurge trips. Dr. Gaal uses surgical tape to make playful creations that keep kids distracted and at ease. She has made hundreds of these artistic creations over the years, and tonight she made this one especially for you.

It’s a celebration of 50 years of Resurge and a representation of hope for what is to come. It has the Stanford logo, in honor of ReSurge founder Dr. Don Laub; a dove, because we all want world peace; the tree of life; an eternal knot; ohm and more!

[This was meant to act as a warm-up opening lot. The opening bid was $100 and the final sale price was over $5,000. It did so well that the next lot was challenged by the buzz in the room.]

Whiskey Business

Mark Twain said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” We agree. Bolster your home bar or host a tasting for friends – 16 bottles of whiskey can be yours tonight. Raise your paddle for many nights of whiskey to come!

Package includes :
• The Glenlivet 18-year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
• Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
• Oban 14-year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
• Woodford Reserve Single Barrel Whiskey
• Bookers Whiskey
• Two bottles of Macallan 12
• Pendleton 1910 Rye
• Four Roses Bourbon Whiskey
• Johnnie Walker Black Label
• R&R Canadian Whiskey
• Jack Daniels Gentleman’s Jack
• Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Lock, Stock and Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
• Noah's Mill Whiskey
• George T. Stagg Bourbon Whiskey

[This variation on the “Instant Wine Cellar” sparked a lot of interests and is a good reminder that variety is valuable.]

Live From New York: It’s Saturday Night in the Big Apple!

Whether you are seeking laughs from an original political satire with Alec Baldwin, a little Kate McKinnon, or the Weekend Update, experiencing the live taping of Saturday Night Live is sure to deliver!

You and your guest will have house tickets to a taping of SNL for the Spring 2020 season. Plus, if available, you will have the chance to go behind the scenes for a meet and greet with the cast and crew.

While in New York, experience the Big Apple like a local with dinner for two at Nobu Fifty Seven in Manhattan, which showcases the signature new-style Japanese cuisine of legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa in a chic Midtown setting. Stroll the city and visit the Lotte New York Palace Hotel for cocktails and appetizers in the Gold Room, which invites guests to experience the glamour and opulence of the Gilded Age in a space that transports them back in time.

Your stay in New York includes accommodations for three nights in a centrally located 4-star property, and airfare is included courtesy of American Airlines, the Official Airline of our auction.

James Beard Nominees with Williams Selyem Wines Buy-In

Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 1, 2020. This is a must-eat buy-in dinner prepared by top-notch, preeminent chefs in San Francisco. If you tried to count on your hands all the major awards their work has been nominated for, you would run out fingers before you even got started.

To complete each course Jeff Mangahas, Vice President of Winemaking for William Selyem Winery,  will collaborate with your chefs and hand-select each and every wine including coveted wines from their library selection.  A perfect night out with friends, this once-in-a-lifetime evening is one that you will not soon forget.

Participating chefs include:
David Barzelay of Lazy Bear
Stuart Brioza of State Bird Provisions
Val Cantu of Californios
Ravi Kapur of Liholiho Yacht Club
Pam Mazolla of Prospect
Thomas McNaughton of flour+water & Central Kitchen
Nancy Oakes of Boulevard
Gayle Pirie & John Clark of Foreign Cinema
Charles Phan of The Slanted Door
Staffan Terje of Perbacco

Preset Date | 40 Couples |$5,000 per couple | All food and wine costs are included

Get Satisfaction with the Rolling Stones for Six

Wild horses couldn’t keep you away! Six people enjoy section C141 row 13 seats for the Rolling Stones “No Filter” tour at Levi’s Stadium. You’ll have a limousine to and from the concert with a champagne picnic to enjoy en-route or at the stadium.

Bonus Lot Idea: The Centerpiece Auction

Editor: The Centerpiece Auction was popular fifteen years ago but fell out of favor in ‘08/’09. Searching for additional revenue enhancers last year, we dug the Centerpiece Auction out of the vault, with wild success.

The Centerpiece Auction is dependent on two factors: 1) You want to sell your centerpieces, and 2) You have a single prize that you can offer to the person who spends more on their centerpiece than anyone else in the room.

At some point during the auction the auctioneer announces that it is time for the Centerpiece Auction. One person at each table stands up and auctions their centerpiece to their table.  Each table has a method for recording the results of the sale, like a small piece of paper and a pen or pencil, and staff or volunteers scoop up the results as soon as each table is finished.

Once the results have been tallied, we announce who won to the entire crowd, and at the end of the night the highest bidder at each table takes their centerpiece home: win/win!

To help each table determine who will be their auctioneer, you can havie the youngest person stand up, put a red dot on the back of one chair at each table, or some other random method. The prize that you offer for the person who spends the most should be borderline between silent and live auction – something attractive enough to get people’s interest but still make a profit. Your auctioneer should tell each Table Auctioneer where to start the bidding.

The centerpiece auction can be very chaotic, but it is fun and it can be extremely profitable. At an event where the highest selling auction lot raised $6,000 the centerpiece auction for a wine tasting party for 20 people raised over $13,000 for 24 centerpieces. The highest single bid for a centerpiece was over $1,500 and the average sale price was $540!

How to: Sequence Your Live Auction

Once you have successfully solicited the lots for your live auction, the next big challenge is deciding on a sequence for them. The order in which you sell your auction items is equally as important as the items you are selling.

Every decision you make has the potential to earn or cost you money. Lead or end with the wrong lot, and you will not realize the full potential of those lots. Put too many similar items in a row, and you run the risk of alienating the bidders who aren’t interested in that type of lot. Lump all of your highest-valued items together, and one of those items is going to underperform.

The right sequence creates an auction that flows with a sense of narrative, that builds to high points, and embraces downbeats. Most importantly, the right sequence ensures that you make the most money with the items your team has worked so hard to secure.

We could spend hours discussing this topic, and sometimes spend hours working on the sequence for one of our client’s auctions. There is too much information to try and convey in this single blog post. So we’ll cover some easy to implement points.

An auction is like a locomotive: it takes time to build momentum

Do not lead with your most expensive lot

Do not kick off your auction with your biggest lot, or even your third or fifth most expensive lot. The first lot in any fundraising auction is challenged. The crowd hasn’t settled down and people haven’t warmed up to the process yet. You need to build momentum, like accelerating a steam locomotive. Your first lot should be something that has a low retail value, but hopefully a high perceptual value. Or, at the very least, is one of your lower-end lots that is appealing, but won’t be disappointing no matter what it sells for.

Do not end with your most expensive lot

While it can be exciting to end an auction with a really expensive lot that raises more money than anything else at your auction, I guarantee that if you do so you are costing yourself money.  The person who comes in second on your most expensive lot is trying to give you money. More money than anyone else in the room. If the most expensive lot is last, they have no more opportunities to give you that money.

But if there are more lots after the most expensive lot, that second-place bidder will have opportunities to spend more. More times than not, they will wind up bidding over value on a less expensive lot. I observed one bidder stop bidding at $10,000 on an item, only to come back a few lots later and spend $6,000 on a lot that was valued $4,000. To top it off, she turned to her table and said, “I just saved $4,000!”

Give your donors as many opportunities to give you as much money as possible.

 Separate types of lots

Unless your auction is comprised solely of trips, do not place all the trips in a row. Spreading them out in your auction will ensure that the people who want the trips have ample opportunities to buy them, and that the people who don’t want trips won’t be bored by a parade of trips.

Alternate values

The most successful method of ordering an auction is to build momentum, like accelerating a locomotive. Once you have momentum, you can’t expect every lot to sell at a high value. Every time something sells for a bunch of money, there is a buzz in the room that makes the next lot challenging. Embrace that buzz by alternating values, so you have mid- or low-level lots following expensive lots.

This creates a flow that embraces the natural tendencies of your crowd, and, most importantly, helps realize the full potential of the auction lots in your auction.

Stellar offers new Catalog Copy Writing Service

Stellar Fundraising Auctions has partnered with copy writer Chaia Milstein to launch our new catalog copywriting service. Any fundraising auction team looking for clean, crisp, well-researched catalog descriptions of their live auction items can now get Stellar copy delivered on time and on budget.

Some solicitation teams love to write the descriptions for all of the auction lots they have worked so hard to acquire, and we totally get it. We say more power to you! But sometimes, the act of getting the lots is enough – you still have to line up potential bidders, let alone plan the rest of the event – and writing each of the catalog descriptions is just one thing too many.

Stellar can provide professional copy for all of your live auction items. We thoroughly research each auction lot, seeking the hidden “sizzle” that will engage potential buyers, and assure your donors you are handling their donation with aplomb.

We thoroughly understand the intricacies of the planning process, and will work with your team to establish a timeline that works with your needs. Bringing in a successful auction is enough work, let us make it sound great for you!

For more information about our Catalog Copy Writing Service, or to request a quote for services, please contact us here. Whether you are an existing Stellar client, or simply looking for help with your catalog, we'd love to chat with you.

Gamblers like to know the odds

Raffles are an important revenue generator for most fundraising events. They provide a low-cost entry point for attendees to participate while simultaneously helping raise significant amounts. We consistently see raffles that raise $5,000 - $10,000 and occasionally see them in the $15,000 - $25,000 range.

Most people think the prize is the most important piece of a raffle and focus all of their attention on finding something they think will have universal appeal. While the prize is important, I argue that the number of tickets you are going to make available is even more crucial. 

Gamblers like to know the odds before they put down their money. When you limit the number of available tickets for a raffle, you are giving people a clear understanding of their odds. And a perceived “good chance” encourages people to pay a higher price to play.

Unlimited $25 raffle tickets aren’t as appealing – from a gambling standpoint – as 1 of 100 tickets at $50 each. Who knows how many people are going to buy one of those $25 tickets? But the $50 ticket? There are only 100 of those, and odds resonate with gamblers.

By limiting supply you also enable your staff or volunteers to create a sense of urgency: “Do you want a 1 in 100 chance to win this trip to Hawaii? There are only 50 chances left…” Tickets will run out. Buy yours now. For a limited time only.

There are a number of calculations that go into deciding how many tickets you should make available for a particular raffle and how much you should charge per ticket. First and foremost, you need to determine how much you want to raise in your raffle. Our recommendation is that any raffle should raise at least double the value of the donation.

Then you have to calculate how many tickets you think you could sell. If you’ve never done a raffle before and have no data to rely on, just know that you can’t expect 100% of your attendees to buy raffle tickets. Between 15% and 20% of your attendees is a reasonable assumption, if the raffle is compelling.

It is always preferable to have more demand than supply, so people will rush to get their tickets next year. Limit the number of tickets and increase the amount you raise in your raffle. People who participate in raffles are gamblers, and every gambler likes to think they are getting good odds.

The Keys to Going Out on a Limb in Fund-A-Need

For years, one of our recommended strategies for a successful fund-a-need has been to begin asking for pledges at the highest level with a lead donor lined-up in advance. In other words, start asking for money at a level you know will be immediately successful.

Even the most impromptu moments are the result of tons of planning, and your fund-a-need is no different. 

We had a lot of rationalizations for this: It forces events to have important conversations with donors pre-event; it pre-determines whether or not key supporters believe in what you’re asking them to help fund; and the night-of the event, it ensures that the fund-a-need starts off with immediate momentum.

In the past few years, however, we’ve had some phenomenal successes starting the fund-a-need “out on a limb,” at a higher level than our lead donor commitment. At one event we had a $10,000 donor identified in advance, but we went out on a limb and another donor offered to pledge $100,000. He was followed by two more donors at $100,000, including a woman who was completely new to the organization.

We’ve also had some abysmal failures, which are difficult to recover from. At a recent event, I was sent out on a limb at $50,000 and told to ask for $25,000 next. We received zero pledges at those two levels, killing most of the momentum the testimonial had generated. 

We have, therefore, identified four keys that will determine whether going out on a limb in the fund-a-need is appropriate for your event.

1)  Can you justify starting higher? It seems like a silly question to ask, but do you need more money? If so, you need to be able to tell that story the night of your event in a way that empowers people to support you at a higher level. If you are going to send your auctioneer out on a limb, make sure you have tied that limb to the change you are asking people to fund.

Example: You normally start your fund-a-need at $5,000 but this year you’d like to ask for $10,000. Prepare some examples of what $10,000 will help you do and utilize them as a reason for asking for more money.

2) Determine if your existing lead donor(s) will be upset by you asking for more than they agreed to pledge. Sometimes ego comes into play with high-dollar donors. I’ve seen instances where lead donors felt slighted because they thought they were going to be the top dog in the fund-a-need, and then we asked for more.

3) If you go out on a limb at a specific amount, make sure you have a *guaranteed* donor committed at the next level down. A fund-a-need that starts off with no pledges at one level can recover quickly if there is an immediate pledge at the next level down. Two levels of zero pledges can have a significantly negative impact on the momentum of your appeal and the amount you raise.

4) Do you have donors in the room who have the capacity to support you at a higher level? The $100,000 example above was set into motion the previous year, when a donor came to us after the event and assured us we had started the fund-a-need too low. He was right, as he was one of the donors who stepped up at $100,000.

You may not know all of the donors in your room and may not know the individual capacity of all of them, but you should have a good sense of the potential capacity – or at least know someone who does. When in doubt, ask your supporters – your table captains or board members – for a reality check. You may have untapped potential in your crowd, and you’ll never know if you never ask.

Let a previous winner sell the lot for you!

 One of the ways to generate excitement for a recurring auction lot at your event is to have a live testimonial from someone who won it previously as a part of the lot description. 

 Last year I was reminded of how powerful a well-placed testimonial can be.  The organization for whom I was working was auctioning off an African Safari that promised to be a challenging lot for several reasons.  First, it was a high-dollar trip that did not include any of the travel between the U.S. and the wilderness reserve in Africa.  Second, it was a consignment, meaning that while it could be doubled, it had a substantial reserve price.  If it sold for just over than the reserve, the organization would make very little money.  And third, it was through a company that, while highly rated, did only consignments for benefit and fundraising auctions, meaning that the winning bidder’s fellow guests on the safari all paid wildly differing prices for the exact same trip. 

Challenges notwithstanding, we decided to try to sell it in the live auction.

During the reception that preceded the live program, the auction chair told me she wanted me to meet somebody.  He was a guest at the gala who had won the same trip at an auction for a different organization the previous year and had already gone on the safari with his spouse.  We chatted about his experience, and his review was glowing and heartfelt -- so much so that I asked him if he would say a few words about the trip before we sold that lot.  He agreed.

We arranged for a wireless mic to be ready at his table when the description of that lot started.  I introduced him as a previous winner of the trip; and he stood up and gave the crowd the same positive review he had given me, full of humor and personal details.  He even described the situation of his fellow travelers all having won the trip at auction in the most wonderful, unexpected way.  He said it was a great positive, being on safari exclusively with fellow fundraising/benefit auction winners, because it meant traveling with ‘people who shared our values.’

As he spoke I could see the crowd becoming more animated and excited.  The bidding action was strong right out of the gate, and we ended up selling it for over twice the reserve and doubled the lot as well.  And the credit for the success of that lot goes to the gentleman who shared his actual experience, making the trip much more attractive and accessible to the audience.  That lot benefitted greatly from his testimonial – a real, human moment and a great reminder of why an organization has a live event in the first place.  

A testimonial can also be as simple as the auctioneer giving a previous winner a shout out and/or telling some of their story for them.  “Mr. and Mrs. X, who are here tonight, took this trip last year and loved it.” 

Not everyone is amenable to, or necessarily good at, talking about their experience in front of a crowd.  But if there is a previous winner of a lot at your event, and they have a positive story to tell about it, it’s a resource worth exploring.

Auction lot idea: “The Wine Spectator Top 100”

Wine is consistently one of the top-selling categories of auction lots in fundraising auctions, and the vast majority of charity auctions we conduct feature at least one or two “wine lots.” People like their wine and are often more than willing to overpay for it in support of a good cause.

But not every committee is comprised of wine lovers with expansive wine cellars, and sometimes coming up with a good wine lot is a daunting challenge. Committee members often don’t have the wines and don’t know which wines they should purchase to donate.

We’ve worked with a number of committees to come up with ideas for lots that can be achieved without necessitating a deep and expensive cellar. Lots that can be assembled at minimal expense to your individual committee members, but for which the collective perceptual value is very high. One lot that is the easy to replicate and consistently yields solid results is “The Wine Spectator Top 100.”

Every year Wine Spectator releases its list of the top 100 wines of the year. It isn’t simply a list of the 100 highest scoring wines from the previous year; the editors of Wine Spectator base their list on “quality, value, availability and excitement.” All important criteria when assembling an auction lot!

Wine is perennially popular, especially wine with provenance. 

What this means is the wines on the Wine Spectator Top 100 are readily available and relatively affordable. Thirteen of the top twenty wines on the list have a retail value of $50 or less. Only eight of the entire list cost $100 or more.

I recommend creating a lot of at least ten bottles. “Ten of the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines” has a nice ring to it and is an achievable goal for most committees. Avoid duplication by agreeing as a group which wines you’ll be targeting individually. This ensures people have a clear direction and clearly defines the goals of the lot.

Here’s a dirty little secret: although it is nice to target the top ten wines on the Wine Spectator list, you really don’t have to have all wines from the top of the list. Wines from anywhere in the top 100 will work – as long as a few of them sniff the rarified air of the top of the list.

From a bidder’s perspective, the fact that someone else has pre-assembled a group of highly qualified wines makes this lot appealing. If the retail value is relatively low it, great! That gives people the opportunity to earn a higher tax deduction if they pay over value. And the many times I’ve sold variations of this lot, the final sale price has outperformed retail value.

Have a favorite go-to wine lot for your fundraising auction? Let us know in the comments below!

The multiplier effect of good sponsorship

Event sponsorship can have many potentially positive and negative impacts on an event, but the natural tendency is to focus solely on the positive. Planning committees tend to look at the amount sponsorship raised pre-event or the number of tables pre-sold. People seldom focus on, let alone proactively work to mitigate, the potentially negative impacts sponsors can have.

Good sponsors do more than "just" buy tables, good sponsors bring qualified guests who are prepared to engage with your event.

Obviously, sponsorships help generate income pre-event and can guarantee profitability before the doors open. Table sponsorships are an integral part of every large gala I work with and account for a significant percentage of the seats sold at many events. Raising money before the doors open is a good thing, but it is meant to be a means, not an end.

Challenges arise when sponsors make their pre-event contribution and then count their job as done. We see it frequently: the sponsor who uses their table as a chance to reward employees, clients, or some friends with a “fun party.” Or the worst-case scenario: the sponsor who doesn’t even bother to fill their table and lets it sit there, empty.

The opposite of this is when sponsors see their contribution as an opportunity and leverage their donation to help generate more donations. We need sponsors to commit to utilizing their position of influence to help create more supporters for your organization by bringing people of potential to the table.

The way they do this is by strategically seeding their table with individuals who have capacity and making sure that those individuals understand their role at the event. It doesn’t have to be as brash as, “I’m expecting you to come spend money and support this cause.” But sponsors believe in your cause for a reason, and if they share their passion for your work with potential supporters in their network, it will yield short-term and long-term benefits.

When sponsors take this approach, they apply a multiplier to their initial donation that can be felt the night-of your event. In this way, a $10,000 table sponsorship can yield $25,000 in contributions – if the right bidders join the sponsor at their table.

This approach also helps fill your donor development pipeline with potential long-term donors. Once a potential donor is “in the room,” it is up to you to meaningfully engage them, motivate them to contribute, and cultivate them for future support. But it only works if they are qualified individuals who come open to being engaged.

These sponsor conversations are not always easy to have – no sponsor wants to hear that their cash gift isn’t enough. It is important that the right person discusses it with your sponsors and that the message is couched in utilizing their generosity to help create even more success for your organization.

Sponsors support you because they believe in your work and they want to help you change the world. Engage them on a deeper level, it will be more rewarding for all involved.

The top 10 most exciting lots of 2016

At the end of each year I comb through every auction lot I sold and compile a list of the “most exciting” lots I sold that year. It’s an arbitrary assessment, based on the uniqueness of each lot, the creativity that went into the lot, the buzz generated at the event, and how much it sold for. A lot doesn’t have to be a huge seller to be included here; it just has to be exciting.

In 2016 the Warriors remained one of the best-selling tickets in the Bay Area, Hamilton became understandably hot, and chefs and vintners remained the rockstars of fundraising auctions.

One interesting trend was the continued growth of buy-in parties. As buy-ins gain acceptance at more and more fundraising auctions, committees and donors are becoming better at assembling creative buy-in experiences. This year three buy-in experiences made the top 10, including a SWAT team experience that generated over $50,000!

Once again, the goal of this post isn’t to inspire you to duplicate these lots. My goal is to inspire you to create your own stellar lots, so I can include them in my next best-of list!

So here are my most exciting fundraising auction lots of 2016, presented in no particular order.

On Broadway

Enjoy a trip to New York City to see Broadway’s most sought after show, Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway.

This package includes two round-trip main cabin seats to New York on Virgin America, accommodations for two people for two nights and three days in New York. A collection of Kendra Scott jewelry to get you ready for the show, and two tickets to see Hamilton on May 13th at 8:00 pm at Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Escape From Alcatraz! 

Experience one of San Francisco’s great unsolved mysteries for yourself! Join Water World Swim and First Graduate’s Ann S. on an adventure that people rarely have the opportunity to explore—an Alcatraz to San Francisco swim. Perfect for those in triathlon training, or just another day in the life of the average thrill-seeker, this package includes transportation by boat to Alcatraz. Before the main event, you’ll receive one private swimming lesson, along with one group practice. Then set out on the San Francisco Bay for the most memorable journey of your life!

Buy-In Lot: Napa County Sheriff SWAT Team Adventure!

This daylong session is as real as it gets without being in harm’s way. Ten adults will live out their fantasies and partake in a day of heart-pounding adventure with tactical training, demonstrations, instruction in the use of special weapons, and SWAT Team assault exercises.

This truly unique opportunity includes Sheriff’s Department transportation from a central point to and from the SWAT training site in Napa County.

Firearms instruction will include a variety of specially selected weapons under the supervision of SWAT team experts. Besides sharpening your aim, our “good guys” will expose you to a simulated SWAT team invasion where you will be asked to play a role that will test your instincts and judgment under pressure.

Travel lunches will be prepared, but water will be the only drink served. Only the guns can be loaded during the exercise!

Following your heroic day on the range and at the assault building, you’ll unwind at a special reception at Trinchero Family Estates in St. Helena. Fine wines and tasty food will be served so that the whole team and your instructors can raise a toast to your bravery and valor! Your performance will be critiqued and awards will be presented by Napa’s finest, including Sheriff John Robertson himself.

We recommend you get a good night’s sleep the night before this exercise!

Opening bid: $5,000 per person

Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski with Peay Wines – Dinner for Eight in Your Home

Chef Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of San Francisco’s James Beard award-winning State Bird Provisions and The Progress will bring their modern, original culinary sensibilities to the table as they collaborate on a five course feast for eight guests in your home.  The unique and delicious dishes are sure to have your guests talking about Old World traditions and New World inventions as if they are natural companions – much like these talented chef-proprietors themselves! And, of course, a special dinner calls for a special wine.  Andy Peay will introduce his handcrafted wines.  Peay wines come from a vineyard ideally located to produce superior fruit to which the Peay family adds their wine making knowledge. 

PLUS! Stuart is throwing in guaranteed reservations at State Bird Provisions for the next year. Any time you want to eat dinner, give them a call and you’ll be in!

 “Sully”– New York Movie Premier and After-Party

Walk the red carpet like a star at the New York premier and after-party of the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures film, “Sully,” from Director Clint Eastwood, starring Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney.  Not only was Sully the inspiring keynote speaker at our gala last year, you may also remember him for serving as Captain during what has been called the “miracle on the Hudson.”  This upcoming film details Captain “Sully’s” once in a lifetime experience, and this package is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The winner of this package will receive:
● First class roundtrip airfare for two (2) to New York
● Two (2) tickets to the movie premier & after party, date TBD
● A 3-day, 2-night stay at the Marriott Marquis

Luxuries in the Wild

The ten lucky travelers who snag this lot will escape the realities of everyday life and spend four memorable days floating down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness with the best outfitter in the Northwest, Far and Away Adventures. This unique experience is like a deluxe safari on the river … high-end luxury “glamping” with exceptional, personalized service in some of the most remote and stunning terrain in the country. Accompanying you will be your favorite rock stars of wine, Kosta Browne. Dan Kosta himself will be in attendance to keep you satiated with some of the most sought-after selections from their vineyards.

Start each morning with a tasty breakfast cooked and served by your guides. Spend the day however you wish. Maybe enjoy a few hours each day fly fishing under the direction of an expert guide, or explore the hiking trails and old mining cabins along the shore. Cool off with a swim alongside the rafts. Paddle your own kayak for kicks. Marvel at the wildlife in Impassable Canyon. Or just float along in peace, basking in the pleasures of such an awe-inspiring place.

As the light fades each day and you lounge by the banks of this gorgeous river, glass of your preferred Kosta Browne wine in hand, Steve Lentz, chef extraordinaire from Far and Away Adventures, will delight you with delectable organic gourmet dinners. After your meal and more outstanding wines, share stories and laughs around the campfire before falling into bed under a blanket of stars, tired and fully satisfied, only to wake up and do it again the next day. Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?

[Editor’s note: The Warriors were so hot in 2016 that I had to cheat and include two of their lots, just for contrast]

Warriors #1: Everybody Say...“WARRIORS!” Playoff Tickets!

Make a big splash with Steph and Klay and three of your friends

Head to Warrior’s ground for round 2 of the NBA playoffs with three of your blue and gold wearing friends! Golden State is having an epic, record setting season and is well on its way to another NBA Championship! You’ll take a limousine to and from the game from your home and have awesome lower level seats in the Oracle Arena. And you won’t even have to worry about what to wear—included in this package is an official Steph Curry All-Star Jersey!

Warriors #2: Warriors Game in Style: Helicopter Ride to Warriors Game for Four

Talk about arriving in style! Four people will enjoy a scenic helicopter ride from the Santa Rosa Airport to the Oakland Airport and a short limo ride to your seats at the Golden State Warriors game! You’ll sip on libations from Jackson Family Wines on your way there and enjoy the Jackson Family Wines wine area on the mezzanine.

Name Our Red-Tailed Hawk & Enjoy a High Desert Adventure for Four

The High Desert Museum’s most recent addition to the wildlife collection is a two month old red-tailed hawk that will be part of our stellar Raptors of the Desert Sky outdoor flight show. You can name this magnificent bird and learn about it and other soaring species during a field trip led by our Curator of Natural History and Curator of Western History. They will both accompany you on a two-day journey through eastern Oregon’s sagebrush steppe. It is a landscape rich with history—the ancient homeland of Native Americans once traversed by lost emigrant wagon trains, the scene of conflict between U.S. Cavalry and desert tribes and, for a time, the domain of California cattlemen and their buckaroos.

Naming opportunities often make for extremely engaging auction lots, especially with a program as beloved as the High Desert Museum's "Raptors in Flight".

You’ll venture to Steens Mountain where subalpine landscapes of aspen-fringed meadows rise above the desert, with a spectacular view from the summit. There you will enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking glacial-carved canyons. We’ll visit places like Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, the chain of desert lakes in Warner Valley, the Warner Mountains, and Paradise Valley. This trip will take place during the late spring or early summer of 2017.

Your chosen name will be publicized on the Museum’s website and in our member newsletter. You will also receive a certificate of naming with a photo.

Buy-In Lot: Lunch with the Leading Ladies of Napa Valley

Back by popular demand! Beth Nickel of Far Niente Winery invites 25 ladies to join her and other Leading Ladies of Napa Valley in Beth’s lush garden on the grounds of Far Niente Winery. Joining Beth will be none other than Margaret Duckhorn, co-founder of Duckhorn Vineyards; Emma Swain, CEO of St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery; and Delia Viader, founder of Viader Vineyards & Winery. Be ready for a lavish afternoon of wining, dining and entertaining tales of their Napa Valley histories. With each course of the meal, the wines will flow and these ladies will dish, divulging wine country secrets and stories.

In addition, each will bring a favorite wine from her winery to give each guest as a memento of this most magical afternoon. Remember, what’s heard in the garden stays in the garden! This is a $1,000 per-person buy-in lot for 25 women. Date is not changeable.

Buy-In: Wing & Barrel Ranch Clay Shooting and Lunch with Charlie Palmer for 16

Escape to an exclusive and incomparable private hunting club in the heart of the wine country with 15 of your friends for a day of shooting, exceptional food, and fine wines at Wing & Barrel Ranch. Life-long friends Darius Anderson and Mike Sutsos, Jr. have spent their lives traveling the world following their passions, and these experiences are where the vision for this extraordinary club was born—combining a passion for the sporting life and all that surrounds it. Wing & Barrel Ranch brings together the best of shooting, food, wine and the wine country lifestyle. As renowned shooting coach Chris Batha’s only West Coast Sporting Clays Course, it features 15 fully automated fields, each containing three shooting stations. Please note that no experience is necessary and that everything (ammunition, guns and instruction) will be provided for you and your guests.

Guests will also sit down to an unforgettable lunch prepared by the legendary Charlie Palmer, Wing & Barrel Ranch’s Culinary Advisor and one of the most highly regarded chefs in America, critically acclaimed for his signature Progressive American Cooking. Lunch will be accompanied by delicious wines from Kosta Browne and CIRQ. You are invited to embrace a way of life, share the experience and surround yourself in this private setting created to make legendary memories. Join us on your journey towards realizing your finest passions.

Suggested Opening Bid: $1,000 per person

Bonus Lot: Escape to Vegas for Three Nights

Las Vegas and Elton John for Two
Your stylish Las Vegas escape begins at the modern, upscale five star Vdara Hotel and Spa, an all-suite, gaming-free hotel located in the new City Center complex, near the Bellagio Hotel.  Indulge in your grand luxurious suite located on the 53rd floor with a large spa-style soaking tub. The highlight of your escape will be the Elton John concert at Caesars Place on February 18th.  Sir Elton himself is providing you with his personal seats, plus two backstage passes to the green room.  End your escape with a dinner at the award winning Michael Mina Restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel, a gift certificate of $250 provided.  Plus we are including a $500 gift card on Southwest Airlines.  What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!  

Happy Holidays!