What’s the Best Day of the Week for a Benefit Auction?
When planning a benefit auction, organizations spend a lot of time thinking about the venue, food, entertainment, auction items, and decorations. But one of the first decisions you make can have a major impact on the success of the entire event:
What day of the week should you hold it?
There isn’t one perfect answer for every organization. The best date depends on your audience, your community, and what else is competing for your guests’ attention.
Don’t Automatically Assume Saturday
Saturday night might seem like the obvious choice for a gala or benefit auction, but Saturdays can also be some of the busiest nights on the calendar.
Here in the South, fall Saturdays come with one particularly big competitor: college football.
Trying to schedule a major fundraising event during an Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, or other big rivalry game can create challenges. Even guests who attend may be checking scores, watching their phones, or leaving early.
And football isn’t the only consideration. Weddings, festivals, concerts, school activities, holidays, and other nonprofit events can all compete for a Saturday night.
Why Thursday Night Can Be a Great Option
For some organizations, Thursday may actually be one of the best nights of the week for a benefit auction.
Guests are already in their normal workweek routine, there may be fewer competing social events, and you avoid much of the Friday-night high school football and Saturday college football competition.
A well-planned Thursday event can also have a great pace: cocktails and networking after work, dinner, a strong live auction program, and guests headed home at a reasonable hour.
The key is respecting the fact that Friday is still a workday. Keep the program moving and make every minute count.
Look at Your Guests Before You Look at the Calendar
The best day isn't necessarily the day that works best for your committee—it’s the day that works best for the people you want in the room.
Before choosing your date, ask:
Who are our biggest donors and sponsors?
What events or sports are important to them?
Are there major community events that weekend?
Are school calendars or holidays a factor?
What other nonprofits are holding fundraisers around that date?
Will our guests be able to arrive, stay engaged, and enjoy the entire program?
At C King Benefit Auctions, we believe a successful benefit auction starts long before the auctioneer ever picks up the microphone. Choosing the right date is part of creating the right environment, putting the right people in the room, and giving your organization the best opportunity to maximize its fundraising potential.
Because at C King Benefit Auctions, our goal is simple:
“Let’s make every moment a revenue-generating one.”