Home > Blog > Live Auctions > 4 Ways Your Caterers Can Help You Raise More Money
Hello my Fabulous Fundraisers!
Did you know that there are 4 Ways Your Caterer Can Help You Raise More Money At Your Fundraiser? You may be thinking, “How on earth can my catering company POSSIBLY help us raise money?”
Today, I’m going to share with you my tried-and-true catering service timeline for serving up success.
First, catering will be keeping your guests happy with scrumptious food, but even more importantly, and the thing that can be easy to forget...
...the catering staff can play an important role in helping to focus attendees on giving.
And they’ll do that by following a carefully-crafted catering service timeline for the night.
That way the catering staff will be aware of when to be on the floor during the auction and when to vanish so the guests focus can be on fundraising.
1. Make sure that the caterers DELIVER ALL MEALS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE LIVE AUCTION.
This is the bare minimum you must ask of them.
During the first half of the live auction, we know not everyone is going to focus on the bidding, and that is okay. At this point, we want everyone to enjoy their meals and mild conversation.
Service on the floor should be in good spirits and readily available for your guests.
2. As we approach the mid-point it’s important that the serving staff SUSPEND ALL SERVICES DURING THE SPECIAL APPEAL/FUND-A-NEED.
This is critical as we want the spotlight on the story that is being shared.
If caterers are moving throughout the room, this gives your audience permission to do the same, and we need them in their seats, ready to raise their bid cards.
How can someone focus on what is happening on stage when they’re being offered a cup of coffee at the same time? They can’t.
And here’s a BONUS TIP: this is the best time to GIVE YOUR CATERING CREW A 10-MINUTE BREAK. Let them know once the appeal video starts, all service halts. Once the appeal is complete, they can hit the floor with their spirited service and pick up where they left off.
3. After the Special Appeal is... DESSERT. THE REWARD FOR GIVING!
Everyone loves a sweet treat. Imagine the joy of your guests as the caterers arrive at their tables with a delicious dessert. Chocolate fixes everything, right?
And you’ll be giving your guests the little sugar bump they need to complete the auction. The caterers can finish the night strong with great service to your guests.
4. Request that your caterer LEAVE ALL CLEAN UP UNTIL THE END of the event after your guests have left the tables.
No one wants caterers sweeping clean the tables while they’re trying to enjoy the rest of the program.
This also helps to eliminate unnecessary movement through the room, creating less distractions from fundraising.
You want to make sure your caterers are doing everything they can to support giving by swiftly delivering a great meal at the right times during the night.
Have a favorite caterer? We love hearing about amazing new vendors.
Now, let's go raise more money!!