IT ALL STARTED WITH Mrs. Butterworth.

In St. Louis in 1986, I was the auctioneer for my first antiques auction. Near the end of the auction, I heard loud outbursts as two men engaged in heated disagreement over an old, empty Mrs. Butterworth's maple syrup bottle. This was not a valuable item—it had been included as part of a box lot that sold for less than a dollar.

What am I doing? I wondered. There's got to be a better way to conduct auctions. At the time, I had a job as the director of the Saint Louis University Recreation Center. I had just used all my vacation to attend auction school and to set up for that antiques auction. I knew I absolutely loved being an auctioneer, but two men fighting over an empty maple syrup bottle? Really?

I've been raising money for good causes since I was eight years old, when I set up a penny carnival in my backyard to support Easter Seals. I enlisted my friends and invited the whole neighborhood, and we raised a whopping $38! What sticks with me to this day was the handwritten letter I got from the director telling me what a difference the money I'd raised would make to those inner-city kids who would now be able to go to Easter Seals summer camp. When I read her warm letter and, later, saw a photo of happy kids splashing in their lake—I was hooked.

The week after the Mrs. Butterworth's fiasco, I received a phone call from a local school that needed help with a fundraising auction. Here was the chance to do two things I loved: be an auctioneer and help a worthy organization raise money. I jumped at the opportunity.

That was nearly 30 years ago. Since then, I've conducted thousands of auctions and raised millions of dollars all across the country for amazing causes. I know and feel the power of the auction method of fundraising. It's not about selling exotic trips and fancy dinners. It's about communicating the impact of a donor's gift for a cause he or she believes in and loves. It's about engaging supporters to become dedicated donors, now and in the future.

That's why I wrote A Higher Bid. I wanted to share my strategies, insights, methods, and, most of all, my passion for using auction fundraisers as a catalyst to create a community of champions for your cause—all the while maximizing fundraising, having fun, and inspiring a culture of philanthropy.

I wrote this book for nonprofit and educational organizations, charities, associations, boards of directors, volunteers, sponsors, kids, executives, auctioneers, event planners, caterers, librarians, development professionals, fundraising consultants, students in nonprofit management and philanthropy programs—and, of course, our generous donors, bidders, and guests. It's also for anybody who commonly uses auctions and events to raise funds, advance a cause, and engage donors.

If that seems like just about everyone, well, actually, it is.

You see, for 29 years I've conducted my own mini-survey whenever I meet someone new. When they ask me what I do, I tell them, “I ignite generosity as a fundraising auctioneer and consultant.”

So far, about 70 percent of new people that I meet have been involved in some kind of auction fundraiser—from a complete stranger on a plane who serves on several boards to the owner of a wild bird specialty shop who donates auction items to a new neighbor who volunteers at her kid's school auction.

My next mini-survey question is: How did your fundraiser go?

Without hesitation, people launch into a litany of problems: too much work, burnout, the program was boring, the auctioneer dragged on and on, low bids, people were embarrassed to bid, there were too many items, no one could hear, guests left early, and we didn't make much money. Sometimes I hear confessions: This was not any fun. I hate auctions. I hate events.

Yet auction fundraising is thriving. Billions of dollars are raised annually at charity auctions. In fact, the National Auctioneers Association research shows that over $16.3 billion is raised at benefit auctions annually.¹ Unfortunately, I've heard these same challenges over and over for almost three decades, and not just from auction newcomers. Veteran auction chairpersons and guests make the same remarks. That's because so many organizations are using old tools when they should upgrade to new and innovative approaches that are far more strategic. The old methods leave money in the room and fail to employ a long-term donor engagement strategy.

The truth is, organizations can strategically raise billions more every year with a new approach that focuses first and foremost on connecting people to your cause. When designed and conducted strategically, benefit auctions are one of the most powerful ways to raise significantly more charitable dollars annually. Strategic benefit auctions are catalysts for donors to make long-term impacts on causes that impassion them.

It's not what people get; it's how much people give that makes a difference. That's my core message to charity auction clients and audiences. (Hint: That's how I sold a tangy tangerine for $2,500 in an audience of 37 people. See Chapter 3 for the full story.)

Sadly, many organizers unknowingly misunderstand the power and potential of fundraisers and benefit auctions to be more than just one-time event parties. As a result, they leave untold thousands and thousands of dollars in the room every year. Worse yet, many donors are never invited to stay connected with the organization after the doors close. After the event, they simply leave, taking their energy and dollars elsewhere.

When you fail to deeply engage donors and maximize fundraising, the impact is immense. This is a shame, because your auction proceeds matter deeply. The money raised at these events goes to feed hungry kids their only meals for the day, save injured and abandoned animals, perform lifesaving cancer research, use technology to open communication for people with autism, prevent child abuse and neglect, stimulate downtown small business development, teach third graders to read, enrich communities through music and theater, stand steadfast by our wounded warrior veterans, restore hope and homes for tornado and flood victims, and much, much more.

A Higher Bid draws on my 30 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and consulting experience in benefit charity auctions and special events. I'll share my proven strategies and, most important, I'll be introducing my strategic benefit auction philanthropy model, which uses auctions as catalysts for greater fundraising and long-term donor engagement.

Let me explain how the book is laid out. In Section I, I invite you to consider a powerful mindset shift that will turn your benefit auctions into an ongoing, inspiring culture of giving. Included here is information about how to determine if auction fundraising is right for you. I'll show you how your stakeholders and auctioneer can serve in new, dynamic leadership roles.

In Section II, I discuss intentional strategic design for your auction events. The idea is to create a unique blueprint for your audience development, show flow, high profit auction items, donor-centered marketing, measurement of impact, and use of technology.

In Section III, I talk about profitable strategies you can use to conduct your auctions and fundraising events. These strategies include robust new income streams, turbocharged strategies for live and silent auctions, and inspirational approaches for fund-a-need special appeals.

In Section IV, I tell you how to bring together all of these strategies so you know where to go from here.

In A Final Call, I share some ways to inspire others and yourself.

With my strategic approach, you can use benefit auctions to create catalysts that create an entire community of champions around your cause. You can create a powerful group of energized supporters who will give to your cause year after year. I've included success stories about some of my clients who have significantly benefited from my experience. You can benefit, too.

I'm delighted that you're reading my book. I hope the dynamic strategies I've collected here will help significantly transform the causes for which you care so deeply. I wish you unprecedented success. I'm here to help you create your own philanthropy. Please feel free to join my community for complimentary resources, newsletters, tips, and videos at http://www.HowToRaiseMoreMoney.com. Please feel free to write to me and share your ideas at [email protected].

Kathy Kingston, CAI, BAS