Taking Bids Fundraising

Taking Bids Fundraising Taking Bids Fundraising takes a vested interest in your organization’s goals and mission so that w Taking Bids Fundraising only conducts fundraising auctions.
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We work with nonprofit organizations across the country to create successful silent and live auctions.
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We take pride in helping service-minded organizations to raise funds at and market their event. After all, fundraising is a component of marketing. You can’t have one without the other. Our approach – to influence attendees to take ACTION – has a proven track record of maximizing bidding and be

nefiting an organization’s bottom line. Education and experience are priorities for all employees of Taking Bids Fundraising. Our team has more than 50 years combined experience in the auction industry. In addition, all ACTIONeers and bid assistants are professionally trained.

Look who is at tonight’s auction? Our favorite tight end for the and !!! Excited to have an amazing auction for Kan...
08/24/2024

Look who is at tonight’s auction? Our favorite tight end for the and !!! Excited to have an amazing auction for Kansas City nonprofits. Let’s raise more money than they’ve ever raised before!!!

07/02/2024

This is why donation cards on tables have less than a 2% return rate. Active asks are the way to go.

One of the best photo opportunities I’ve seen at a gala. Guests at the gala had their photos taken by Lindsay J. C. La...
02/23/2024

One of the best photo opportunities I’ve seen at a gala. Guests at the gala had their photos taken by Lindsay J. C. Lack Photo Studio. Guests were posed in what I describe as ‘high school dance photos.’ The photos were funny and awesome at the same time. And guests were lined up to get their photo taken. It was fun to watch the photographer put people into different poses and people got into it!!! So much fun and a great way to remember an impactful evening.

I can’t even believe what Taking Bids has grown into over the last 13 years. In 2010, I went to auction school, had no i...
02/09/2024

I can’t even believe what Taking Bids has grown into over the last 13 years. In 2010, I went to auction school, had no idea what I was doing, and here we are.

From my first year in business, I was able to help 5 nonprofits raise money. I worked tons of auctions for other people to get experience but only had 5 of my own clients.

This year, we will partner with over 100 nonprofits. How is this even real? I continue to be amazed at the trust you put in us to help with the most important part of any fundraising gala.

The Taking Bids team is growing and we welcome Michelle (pictured far left) and Sara (pictured far right) to the team. They both have a passion for the work we do. Let’s make 2024 your best fundraising year yet!

Newer trend alert: giant light-up balls. They add a cool glow to the room and can also serve as markers to direct guests...
01/26/2024

Newer trend alert: giant light-up balls. They add a cool glow to the room and can also serve as markers to direct guests on where to go.

Confetti cannons are a fun surprise to add to your fundraising event. The Taking Bids team pops them off during the live...
01/25/2024

Confetti cannons are a fun surprise to add to your fundraising event. The Taking Bids team pops them off during the live auction near a winning donors table. The confetti showers the donor and it adds a huge smile and makes for the best picture.

Happy Thursday! I’m out here helping wash our new van and put on our decals. We are excited to welcome the additional 40...
01/04/2024

Happy Thursday! I’m out here helping wash our new van and put on our decals. We are excited to welcome the additional 400 kiddos who will get to come to camp this summer. This would not have been possible without you! Thank you so much!!!

Put together a communication plan to highlight what your donors have helped to make possible.
01/02/2024

Put together a communication plan to highlight what your donors have helped to make possible.

Who’s ready for 2024? The Taking Bids team is ready! With over 50 fundraising events already on the calendar, it’s going...
12/27/2023

Who’s ready for 2024? The Taking Bids team is ready! With over 50 fundraising events already on the calendar, it’s going to be a great year helping our partners raise important funds to make our community a better place.

was my inspiration for sharing this idea. They posted an update on equipment purchased from funds raised at their gala....
12/21/2023

was my inspiration for sharing this idea. They posted an update on equipment purchased from funds raised at their gala. Genius idea. It shows your community what you are doing with their donations, it allows you to connect in a meaningful way to your community, and it creates excitement.

had a merch table with these shirts at their gala. Last week, I went to Iowa for a funeral, stopped at the mall, and fo...
12/20/2023

had a merch table with these shirts at their gala. Last week, I went to Iowa for a funeral, stopped at the mall, and four individuals commented on my shirt. One person said “like your shirt” and that’s all that needed to be said. Three people asked what it meant. It started a conversation. Granted, a quick one, but a conversation nonetheless. Three of the four people were men. I promote merch tables at galas because it’s a revenue stream. But it’s also a way to get your mission out. You never know the conversation a T-shirt can spark.

Read these screenshots from my LinkedIn feed. discussed her view on thank yous from nonprofits. It is frustrating to he...
12/14/2023

Read these screenshots from my LinkedIn feed. discussed her view on thank yous from nonprofits. It is frustrating to hear this!!!! Daniel commented about his first gift is a test. Folks - test gifts are real. Thank your donors every time they make a donation.

Everyone gets a bid number. Period. Don’t go asking them if they want one; just give them one.
12/11/2023

Everyone gets a bid number. Period. Don’t go asking them if they want one; just give them one.

Last event with for 2023!
12/08/2023

Last event with for 2023!

Sponsored centerpieces! sponsored these fantastic centerpieces for . Everything can your fundraising event can be spons...
12/06/2023

Sponsored centerpieces! sponsored these fantastic centerpieces for . Everything can your fundraising event can be sponsored!

Put a QR code next to centerpieces so donors can easily make a purchase to take one home.
11/16/2023

Put a QR code next to centerpieces so donors can easily make a purchase to take one home.

Have people outside of your nonprofit test the links you post for Giving Tuesday. Your social media posts should be spec...
11/15/2023

Have people outside of your nonprofit test the links you post for Giving Tuesday. Your social media posts should be specific for each platform. IG doesn’t link in comments so don’t post the link there. People check Facebook and IG on their phones so don’t post QR codes. Make it easy for people to give!

Have a business sponsor a match challenge. You can give lots of promotion to the business, the business can provide a sp...
11/13/2023

Have a business sponsor a match challenge. You can give lots of promotion to the business, the business can provide a special offer to everyone who donated (10% off a sale or a free gift with purchase) and matching gift incentives are proven to increase donations.

was a presenter at the Women’s Forum for the . It was great to spend time with amazing women, seeing old friends and ma...
11/08/2023

was a presenter at the Women’s Forum for the . It was great to spend time with amazing women, seeing old friends and making new!

Stop putting off what you know you need to do.
11/06/2023

Stop putting off what you know you need to do.

Use social media to share success stories. People are visual and engage with photos and video. Use that advantage and po...
11/03/2023

Use social media to share success stories. People are visual and engage with photos and video. Use that advantage and post photos/videos that grab attention and use text to share a story about the visuals in the post. Stories build trust and trust leads to support.

Talk to your donors. They want to help you succeed and create change. The conversation has to start somewhere and that r...
11/02/2023

Talk to your donors. They want to help you succeed and create change. The conversation has to start somewhere and that responsibility lies with you.

Challenge yourself to connect with ten donors this week. That’s two per day. Invite them out for coffee. Invite them to ...
10/30/2023

Challenge yourself to connect with ten donors this week. That’s two per day. Invite them out for coffee. Invite them to your location and show them a project. Ask how they are doing. Ask what they are passionate about concerning your mission. Talk to them. Make the calls and get face-to-face connections on the calendar between now and Dec 1. Get out from behind your computer. You can do it!!!

Donor behavior is shifting. Larger gifts are down and ‘transactional’ donations are on the rise. When two of your $5,000...
10/27/2023

Donor behavior is shifting. Larger gifts are down and ‘transactional’ donations are on the rise. When two of your $5,000 donors give at $250 instead this year (which I’ve seen happen time after time this year), making up that lost revenue at lower levels in a room with 500 (or fewer) donors becomes statistically improbable. This is the time for some real conversations. I’ll discuss more in my stories.

It’s okay; you can stop now.
10/24/2023

It’s okay; you can stop now.

❤️🤣🤣 to National WWI Museum and Memorial! Thank you for all you do for KC and the WORLD! It’s an honor to be part of you...
10/21/2023

❤️🤣🤣 to National WWI Museum and Memorial! Thank you for all you do for KC and the WORLD! It’s an honor to be part of your special night!

Special thanks to Trisha Brauer and her team from Taking Bids Fundraising!

Thank YOU for a wonderful night!!
10/21/2023

Thank YOU for a wonderful night!!

YOU created an incredible night of HOPE! 💛 And you will change children's lives!

One week ago our community came together and raised more than $250,000 for the kids we serve. Because of YOU, children will recieve the education, services and support they need and deserve!

Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, sponsored and donated to HOPE Uncorked.

Again, a huge THANK YOU to Dynamic Fastener for your leadership as the Event Sponsor.

And special thank you to Taking Bids Fundraising for creating the amazing energy for the auction!

If you were unable to attend but would still like to help change children's lives, you can make a gift here: https://marianhope.networkforgood.com/projects/38537-change-a-child-s-life

Rectangle tables can add a different look and vibe to your event.
10/20/2023

Rectangle tables can add a different look and vibe to your event.

‘Talking fast’ is the least important skill for a fundraising auctioneer. The most important skills are: Engagement, pre...
10/19/2023

‘Talking fast’ is the least important skill for a fundraising auctioneer. The most important skills are: Engagement, preparation, tone, pace, language, movement, facial expressions, and how they invest time into you and your event. The ‘talking fast’ is the most fun but really, anyone can do it with some practice. The other skills are developed by professional fundraising auctioneers.

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Roeland Park, KS
66205

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+19134818280

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Make one small change in how you ask for sponsors. Identify businesses who 1) you do business with professionally 2) share a similar mission/vision 3) businesses who work in the same area(s) as the work your NP does.

We’re thrilled to share that our team at Taking Bids Fundraising raised a whopping $100,000 MORE for one of our partners compared to the free auctioneer the previously used! 🚀💰 Why the big difference? It’s all about expertise, strategy, and experience. We invest time and energy into understanding your mission, crafting the perfect auction strategy, and driving results that truly make an impact. With our dedicated approach, we turn every donation into a meaningful contribution to your cause. 🙌✨ Ready to see what we can achieve together? Let’s make your next event extraordinary! 📞 DM us or visit www.TakingBidsFundraising.com to get started!

Your professional fundraising auctioneer is one of the most important vendors you will partner with for your fundraising gala. We are already booking 15 months in advance, especially for high-demand months. High demand months are: February, March, April, May (fist half), August, September , October and November. If you have a fundraising gala during one of those months, book your fundraising auctioneer ASAP.

If you look closely, you can see me trying oh so hard not to crack up laughing at the two kiddos who put on a show!!

Donors are emotional creatures who justify their actions with logical. I once auctioned a $25 gift card for $3,500. Why? Step 1: get people off of value of items and get them focused on mission. Step 2: conduct an activity that demonstrates social proof that proves value of items is irrelevant. Step 3: engage audience with opportunities to give regardless of value. Not sure how to achieve all of this? Let’s chat. This magic happened at @campencourage and tickets are on sale for this year’s event! DM me if you want two tickets on us (good for the first person to respond)

Super cute centerpiece idea! ✅ under 14” ✅ many options for colors ✅ easy to set up ✅ affordable. Your donors do not want their donations to go towards expensive centerpieces. Yes, it takes money to make money and when you spend it; spend in areas where you will get a return.

Perfect example of thank you gifts from @campencourage . These are mission focused, practical and adorable!! Donors don’t want you to spend their donations on expensive gifts; they want that money to go to the mission. Gifts created by those you serve are perfect!

Take the success of your raffle to the next level. Today’s tip is picking prizes that have mass appeal. The more people who want the prize or need the prize, the more raffle tickets you will sell.

When emotion meets energy, magic happens! Involve your staff, Board and committees by asking them to invest in the fund-a-need (and yes, you should be actually asking) and to be on the cheer squad. People want to be part of the excitement. By incorporating intentional emotion and energy, your fund-a-need results will increase.

Silent auctions are getting smaller. That does not mean you have to lose revenue. Silent auctions are a time suck. It’s time to work smarter. Turning your silent auction into a casino game raffle is one way to keep revenue up without as many items.

On auction items donated from Board members, display their motivation for their involvement. Guests can read why the mission is important to them! Put your mission on display!! So proud of @summitfuturefoundation for taking their displays to the next level!

Yes, galas are a lot of work. Yes, they drive you bonkers. Yes, you will consider quitting your job at least three times. BUT, galas are low-risk events for people to get to know you. New donors are at your gala. That is the long-term reason galas are critical to the pipeline of your future support. Share this with your peers!

Don’t fight human behavior. People pay attention when they are seated. Therefore, fundraising needs to happen when they are seated. Every guest should have a seat.

This is why donation cards on tables have less than a 2% return rate. Active asks are the way to go.

We can just write the numbers on their paper - wrong!! This is where mistakes happen. Tape your bid card to a wall, walk 50 feet and see if you can read it (I’m a dim room). If the answer is no, your bid cards are bad. They just are. No other way to say it.

I often get asked if thank you gifts are necessary. They are not, but if you do them, a best practice is to make them mission focused. @campencourage always has the best centerpieces and the best thank you gifts.

Clear instructions matter! Don’t assume people know what to do or what you expect. Even if it appears obvious to you, it might not be for your guests at your fundraising gala.

Perfectly set-up table. ✅ centerpieces under 14” ✅ mission focused gift ✅ envelope for each guests to use during the fund-a-need (more nonprofits should be doing this!)

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