Many people have the same concern when it comes to choosing auction packages: What if the trip I choose doesn’t sell?
You don’t have to worry about that for a number of reasons with Philantopia.

• All of our packages are risk-free. If no one bids a travel package, you don’t pay.
• From blogs to talking with a member of our team, you have countless resources to make sure you choose the right travel package.
• You can eliminate stress and uncertainty by preselling.

But what exactly is preselling? You’re about to find out.

How does an auction package presale work?

Instead of waiting for the day of the fundraiser, you can actually auction off your travel package earlier. Here’s how:

• Know your audience? Look through our packages and find an auction trip that guests and donors will love. For example, our Hamilton VIP Experience is a popular one.
• Start asking around. Send out an email, talk with donors, and find out who wants to bid on the trip. “Hey, is anyone interested in this Hamilton VIP Package?”
• If people are showing a lot of interest, be transparent and let them know. “We think this package is going to sell pretty quickly.
• Set up a presale. ”You have an opportunity to bid on this early. Bidding opens up on _____. The opening bid is _____. Highest bidder gets the package, and the proceeds still go to our nonprofit.”

Another good way to presell is to ask your organization board which trips they like and see if they would be interested in buying. Even if you presell the trip, you can always try and sell more — Philantopia allows you to sell multiples of each package!

Why is preselling a good idea?

Preselling is helpful for a number of reasons. To start, it helps you test the water and get a feel for what people are interested in. You might be between the Zulu Nyala Safari package and one of our Rhone trips. After talking about a presale, you might find out that donors are chomping at the bit for the safari and less so for France. If that’s the case, now you know which package to go with.

Secondly, people sometimes feel more comfortable bidding before the big day. Preselling takes people out of the spotlight and makes auctioning more informal. It can also free up some time from your event.

Finally, if you can presale an auction package, that’s one less thing for you to worry about on the big day. If the presale goes well, you can generate funds for your event, even before it happens!

What if people aren’t interested in the auction package or in preselling?

It’s better to know than to not! Now at least you know before the event day, which is much better than having zero bids on a trip in the middle of a packed auction. Although it’s good to remember, even if that does happen, you don’t have to worry — Philantopia won’t charge you.

A presale is an excellent tool to make sure your fundraiser and auction is successful. Excited to try this tactic out? Look through our nonprofit auction trips to get started!