5 Training Tips to Empower Nonprofit Auction Volunteers

As a nonprofit leader, you know that certain fundraising events have great potential to power your cause. Auctions are among the best event options for maximizing fundraising revenue because of their flexibility and high engagement potential. 

However, the productivity of your fundraising efforts is greatly impacted by the volunteers who run your nonprofit’s auction. It’s your responsibility to train volunteers correctly, and there are five ways you can do this:

1. Set up role-specific workshops
2. Walk volunteers through auction software
3. Practice donor interactions
4. Review other involvement opportunities
5. Have a practice run

Your first step will be to establish volunteer roles and recruit willing supporters to fill them. Let’s start by exploring how you can transition volunteers into their respective roles and prepare them for their upcoming responsibilities.

1. Set up role-specific workshops

Many different jobs are required to run an auction, which is why ClickBid’s guide to silent auction planning recommends creating teams to focus on each aspect of the event. With specialized roles, each task receives individualized volunteer attention.

To avoid any role overlap or confusion about responsibilities, host workshops to discuss the specific expectations for each role, including:

• Procurement team: Responsible for sourcing, collecting, and pricing auction items
• Event set-up crew: In charge of setting and cleaning up any item displays, decorations, chairs, and other materials used for the event
• Tech team: Sets up technology needed for the event and troubleshoots any problems that may arise
• Fundraising ambassadors: Engage with attendees to encourage donations and garner support for your nonprofit

You might also prepare training materials, such as physical binders or online videos, that provide more detail about each role. That way, volunteers have extra materials to reference if they have questions about their responsibilities. You can also use these materials to share role-specific fundraising best practices to teach them how to raise additional donations on behalf of your organization.

2. Walk volunteers through auction software

Although tasks are delegated to their respective teams, your auction software should provide tools for every team, meaning it will need to be shared across your volunteer base. Be sure to explain the necessary features to volunteers, including:

• Item catalog: A catalog within your auction management software is especially important for your procurement team to review. Ensure this team knows how to access the catalog and input important information, like item descriptions and prices. The entire team will also need to know how to access the catalog so they can direct donors to it during the event.
• Fundraising goal: Get volunteers excited about your fundraising progress by showing them how to access your donation progress tracker! Access to this information also allows them to share progress updates with attendees throughout the event and to encourage them to keep giving.
• Item displays: Familiarity with item displays doesn’t just help your set-up crew, but can also be a useful resource within your software to help volunteers answer questions about each item. Show volunteers how to access information about each item so they’ll have the information they need to upsell items during the event.

The auction software you invest in should streamline the event planning and execution for you, so it’s important to find a charity auction software provider that offers easy-to-use features. Not only will this make volunteer training easier but it will also improve the experience for donors who interact with the software during your event.

3. Practice donor interactions

You might require volunteers to wear a t-shirt or name tag that identifies them, but their participation in their roles alone will make them stand out from the crowd. As a result, donors will likely turn to your volunteers for answers to their many questions about your event and organization. 

Teach your volunteers how to speak on behalf of your organization by practicing how to:

• Communicate your brand voice: According to Getting Attention, the story you (or, in this case, your volunteers) tell about your nonprofit is vital for securing donor support. Make sure your volunteers know exactly how to represent your nonprofit through industry-specific language and distinguishable brand messaging.
• Troubleshoot event issues: Volunteers should be able to troubleshoot issues within their roles or find another team member if the problem is outside of their control. For example, if an event attendee points out a technology problem to a fundraising ambassador, that volunteer should know where to find the tech team.
• Share your mission: Fundraising ambassadors aren’t the only volunteers who will engage with donors at your auction. Prepare your entire volunteer team to act as advocates for your cause. Be sure they understand your mission and your work so that they can effectively represent your organization and its vision for its community.

Don’t forget to also relay general customer service tips during donor interaction training. Whether volunteers encounter a loyal supporter or an unhappy attendee, they should be dedicated to providing the best service possible.

4. Review other involvement opportunities

As volunteers represent your organization, they should also engage event attendees and invite them to become loyal supporters. Help volunteers understand your organization’s mission and review your various projects so that they’ll be prepared to share involvement opportunities with bidders, such as:

• Future events: Share a calendar of upcoming events with your volunteer team so they’ll be prepared to invite auction attendees to your next fundraiser, as well.
• Volunteer roles: Encourage volunteers to familiarize themselves with upcoming volunteer opportunities. That way, they can share their experiences with auction attendees and recruit other volunteers for the future!
• Donation opportunities: Let’s say an auction attendee lost the bidding war for the item they were interested in. They still want to give to your organization, but how? Review concurrent fundraising campaigns with your volunteers so they’ll know where to direct prospective donors, such as your matching gifts page.

Help volunteers locate helpful resources that they can pass along to donors with more information. For example, if a volunteer on your tech team doesn’t know the details of an upcoming walk-a-thon, they can direct interested auction participants to the landing page to learn more. 

5. Have a practice run

The best way to test the effectiveness of your training is through a trial run. That way, you can see how volunteers interact with your dedicated mobile bidding software, respond to mock donor questions, deal with technical difficulties, and handle their roles overall. This can also highlight any areas of training that need more attention or help you identify any questions you forgot to answer during the training process.

A practice run is also important for training for emergencies, especially if you conduct the trial run in the event’s venue. This helps volunteers know where to locate emergency exits, first aid kits, and anything else they might need in a worst-case scenario. 

To complete the volunteer training process, show your appreciation for their dedication to your training program and event. Consider printing training completion certificates and hosting a volunteer appreciation brunch to celebrate the people who made your auction possible!