Learning Center
cMarket's Quick Start Guide
A Guide to Taking Your Auction Online
When you are ready to take your fundraising event to the next level, bring your auction catalog online and get results.
cMarket makes it easy for you to integrate an online auction into your current fundraising event. We'll help you get more items, more bids and raise more money for your cause.
Refer to this guide to help you incorporate cMarket into your upcoming program and start to benefit immediately from our online auction fundraisers.
Step 1 - Getting More Items
Planning
Consult with cMarket's Auction Experts to determine the best way to integrate our online services into your program. They'll demonstrate how to build an online catalog to mimic your current auction directory and help you to make your event run more smoothly and efficiently.
Coming Soon Homepage & Emails
Customize cMarket's easy-to-use templates and create a "Coming Soon" auction homepage to generate buzz, excitement, and draw attention to your online donating capabilities. Send out pre-auction emails and solicit contributions by including a link for them to "Donate an Item" directly through your auction site.
Browsing cMarket Place
As you build your catalog check out cMarket Place, our online store filled with donated and no-risk consignment items. Find fun and exciting offerings to entice bidders. cMarket Place is a great way to supplement both your online and live auction catalogs and drive up earnings.
Bartering Space and Attracting Sponsors
Promote placement on your auction site to get more sponsor revenue and more items. Our multi-tiered sponsorship levels and opportunities can not only help you attract more sponsors, but can also help you to barter placement in exchange for items and services. Offer members of your community the chance to place a logo on your auction site that links back to their own websites for the duration of your auction for greater promotional value.
Step 2 - Getting More Bids
Integrating an Online Auction
Use cMarket's templates to create a privately branded auction website and grab the attention of new supporters to expand your existing live event publicity. Our user-friendly auction management system takes you step by step through the building process - giving you the opportunity to customize pages, send email communications and promote your fundraising event.
Promoting Your Auction
As you customize your online templates, apply themes, logos, graphics and branding colors to make it more recognizable to your community. Promote your event directly on your auction homepage and include an introduction to your organization to give new participants the opportunity to learn more about your cause. Send weekly email blasts announcing new items added, motivating bidders with items closing soon and hot deals.
BiddingForGood.com
Open your fundraiser to a broader audience using cMarket's free online auction portal. You'll reach targeted philanthropic consumers who are looking for new ways to support nonprofit organizations and benefit from the additional marketing opportunities that accompany BiddingForGood - including features in newsletters and emails, and logo placement on the BiddingForGood.com homepage.
Step 3 - Raising More Money
Setting Higher Opening Bids & Proxy Bidding
Run an online auction prior to your live or silent auction to start your in-room events with higher opening bids. Carry over the highest bid from the online portion of your fundraiser and use that number as the starting point to open your live or silent auction. Give bidders the opportunity to continue to pursue items once the online portion has closed using proxy bidding. Allow online participants to place additional bids during the live auction to facilitate competition among peers and ultimately increase revenue for your organization.
Cash Campaigns
Constituents can show their support even after your online auction ends. Send an email to your community and let them know that they can still make a cash donation online through your auction site. Place an "Auction Closed" page online thanking your bidders and driving them to the "Donate Cash" feature on your auction site.
Online Ticket Sales
Boost participation at your live event by selling tickets to your fundraiser directly through your auction site.
Now that you've created your online auction site to correspond with your live event - you are ready to put cMarket to work in your fundraising program! With the click of a button, we make it easy for you to publish your auction and have your site online in no time - so let the bidding begin!
