How you start the evening will have a direct effect on the rest of the night.  Consider that your guests have just been herded into the ballroom even though they were having a great time socializing with friends in the reception/silent auction area.  They arrive at their tables and lo and behold there’s a new […]

For those of you not familiar with table auctions, it’s a very popular revenue enhancer at many events.  The way it works is, you place an inexpensive centerpiece  at each table then mark a chair or place setting to decide who the “auctioneer” is and then conduct a mini-auction at each table to bid on […]

Some of our national clients who have offices in major cities across the country often have regional Gala’s with live auctions at each one. Each event has it’s own local connections and donors who offer wonderful access lots for the auction, but after offering them year after year the luster has worn off and the […]

Almost every event has a series of speakers who make their way to the podium pull out a crumpled sheet of paper and “make a speech.” Some are dynamic presenters and some…not so much. Sometimes the flow of the evening is determined by these people, instead of the other way around. And what your speakers […]

Many events become stuck in a rut producing diminishing returns with each year’s Gala.  Same venue, same auction lots, same food, etc. What this does is suck any excitement out of your attendees.  Perhaps you can change your attendees thinking from “they do this every year” to “I wonder what they’re going to do this […]

Earlier this year at an East Bay Auction an interesting thing happened.  The event included about three hundred people at a beautiful Country Club.  Everybody was enthusiastic and came ready to spend and support and enjoy the evening. After doing my  normal “can everybody hear me clearly” announcement, I felt confident that everybody could. So I started the […]

Due to current budgeting considerations more events are turning to the “buffet line” to cut costs.  Some events are even using scattered food stations and high boy tables.  Both are seemingly cost effective, but raise timing and technical issues. First, the “grazing” method.  Guests roam freely from food station to food station and then search for some space on those small […]