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What's inside
- A 4 month timeline, from setting the date to the week after
- The 20% rule for how many auction items to run
- How to price every item: fair market value, starting bid, bid increment and Buy Now
- Real results from fall 2026: what sold, what didn't, and why
- Tickets, tables and sponsor tiers that sell before the doors open
- Mobile bidding that works: early preview, cards on file, outbid texts
- Event night without a checkout line
- The week after: collecting balances, thank yous, receipts and reconciliation
- A one page pre-event checklist
The short version
Fewer, better items. Every guest registered with a card before they walk in. No checkout line at the end of the night. Thank donors within a week.
Who it's for
You're the gala chair, the auction committee, or the development office that has to make this year's event beat last year's. You have a date, a venue, a committee of volunteers, and about four months. This playbook is your plan.