Holiday Essentials: The Must-Haves For Your Auction Prize Package

Holidays and luxury getaways are popular prize options for auction fundraisers. Often the big-ticket item(s) on the auction hit-list, sought after holidays in exotic locations consistently deliver excellent fundraising results for charities and good causes. But what are the holiday essentials you need to think about or prepare for when selecting your prize items?

Variety

Luxury holidays in fabulous places are a no-brainer when it comes to choosing your prize items. From sumptuous villas to stunning resorts, there are endless options for those on the hunt for a special getaway. However, if you want to give your auction broader appeal, think beyond luxury. Local weekend breaks are a winner for bidders on a smaller budget. Look to unusual experiences to make it special. Glamping is a great option, from inner-city rooftops to the remote countryside, people can bid for a truly memorable break that won't stress the wallet. Don't forget trend (e.g. Eco holidays) or activity specific holidays for those bidders with a particular interest. For example, if your audience is outdoorsy and adventurous, a diving holiday in an off-the-beaten track may go down a storm. The Solomon Islands has some incredible, relatively unknown, dive sites. The island resorts may be basic and functional, but for avid divers that may be just the ticket.

Quality

We can't stress enough the importance of having 100% certainty that your bidders will experience an incredible holiday. Whether they're travelling to a local B&B or a dream desert island, your bidders will (rightly) expect a quality getaway. If your holiday prizes are through a third party provider, ask plenty of questions about their quality control. GalaBid's overseas villas are personally vetted and assessed by our co-founders. We meet with owners and providers, check cleanliness and maintenance procedures and work hard to make sure bidders get the very most from their holiday. Poor holiday experiences reflect badly on your brand. If supporters invest a lot of money in supporting your cause through expensive holidays that fail to deliver - the word-of-mouth and brand trust can be highly damaging.

Availability

With quality of experience in mind, the final of our holiday essentials is 'availability'. Holiday availability (or lack of!) is the single biggest gripe we hear about when it comes to holiday prize items. If you're offering holidays (via a third party) at your fundraising auction ask the provider if they have an availability calendar. There's nothing worse for a bidder to win their dream holiday then find out there are no available dates for when they can or want to travel. GalaBid has an online availability calendar for all our consignment holidays. We can also tell you in advance of your auction which holidays are looking super busy and which have good availability. Giving your bidders the best opportunity to claim the holiday they want (when they need it) is a sure fire way to build great feel-goods between you and your supporters