Marketing a charity auction

Seth Godin has advice on marketing your charity auction.

If you’re only willing to bid $19 to buy a $20 bill at this auction,
you’re not doing charity, you’re bargain hunting. There’s nothing wrong
with bargain hunting, it’s fun, but it’s not philanthropy. I think
bargain hunting for a good cause is just fine, but wouldn’t it be great
if the event could raise far more money and change the way people view
the organization?

The Robin Hood Foundation raised more than 24 million dollars at
their last auction, because people competed to overpay. And that’s the
secret. The story the charity must tell is: “don’t pay $19 for this
twenty dollar bill, don’t even pay $30, we need you to pay $40!” The satisfaction of overpaying (whether you overpay anonymously or in public) is what they sell, not a bargain.

Seth points out that this is not the easy way. It’s easier to convince people to hunt for bargains than to donate their money. But the payoff is a lot bigger if you do the extra work, and make the act of donating the reward in itself.