Event Timeline Tips: Tech Timeline vs. Fundraising Timeline

Two Timelines, One Night

Most event run-of-show documents blend everything into a single schedule. Claire Murad and Marty Murad, who work together at Murad Auctions, split it into two. The first is the tech timeline. It starts hours before check-in, at about 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon, with sound checks, microphone tests, rehearsals for the emcee and announcements, and a run-through of every slide and video. The second is the fundraising timeline, which Marty defines as "the specific, short period of time when we are asking."

Marty's rule for when the two collide is blunt. "The fundraising timeline should trump the tech timeline when it comes to those crunch moments, because ultimately that's why we're there." At a recent event, the tech notes called for a five-minute break after the introduction, right before the live auction. He cut it. "It's going to completely kill the momentum. People are not going to be in their seats."

Mini takeaway: Treat your tech timeline as support for the fundraising timeline. When a tech detail threatens the ask, change the tech detail.

Put the Plan in Writing With a Document Everyone Uses

Claire and Marty's firm creates what it calls a Murad Auction Plan for every client event. It's a single document that captures the contacts, event overview, venue, dress code, theme, staffing and equipment, fundraising goals, check-in process, volunteer roles, and the timeline. It also lays out the details for the paddle raise, funded need, live auction, any fixed-price items or games of giving, printed materials, and checkout. Many clients print it and carry it on event night.

Writing it down is the point. "It's not just about talking about the timeline for the night of the event. It's about documenting it, having it in writing so everyone's on the same page, and we don't have surprises," Claire said. She's also walked into events where the run of show bore no resemblance to what had been discussed. That's why her team now sends the agreed plan back to the client in writing after the pre-event meeting.

Who Owns the Clock?

Trevor Nelson asked who owns the clock, and Marty's answer was that it's shared. The client wants to raise money, and so do the auctioneers, so both sides have a stake in keeping to the schedule. "Guests have such a short attention span they're going to give you when it comes to those fundraising moments," he said. Hit the window and the room gives.

Getting there requires buy-in, and Claire says that happens in the pre-event consulting meeting. "You've got to get all the players on one call, in one meeting, and talk through the details. If you don't have the buy-in, then you're just going to be handed a run of show that's completely different from what you talked about."

Rehearse the Tech and the Check-In Desk

The tech side of an event comes down to small coordination points, and each one can cost you momentum if it goes wrong. Take the donation scoreboard. The tech team can't just show it whenever. Claire explained that clients sometimes agree not to show the scoreboard until the room is close to the goal, which means the screen operator has to wait for a cue from the auctioneer. And the person entering donations into the software, who is the one feeding the scoreboard, needs to be in the loop as well.

The same preparation applies to the first thing guests see. "That check-in desk is super important. That's their first impression," Claire said. Her team trains volunteers by having them check each other in to the event until the process feels easy, so that when VIPs arrive first, they meet confident people and a fast line. A related tip from Marty: collect contact details for the guests of table sponsors ahead of time, then pull those names into the system. "It's crazy how much it means to people when you know their name at check-in." It also means those guests get your pre-event emails and texts, which helps with the live auction promotion plan.

Countdown Clocks and Silent Auction Close Times

One webinar attendee asked whether a countdown clock before the program is a good idea. Marty said yes, with a caveat. A five-minute countdown helps get people into their seats, but only if you start when the clock hits zero. "It's one thing to put the clock there. It's another thing to adhere to it." A clock that runs out while nothing happens teaches guests to ignore it. Claire likes countdown clocks for silent auction closing too, shown on a screen or in the bidding app, so everyone gets the message at the same time.

On the close itself, Claire gave a firm rule: pick a specific time, tell people, and never reopen the auction once it's closed. If your events tend to run on schedule, she suggests closing 15 minutes after the live auction and giving moment finish. If they don't, a fixed clock time is safer than tying the close to the end of the program.

She's also a fan of closing the silent auction the day after the event. One school she works with did this and raised an extra $42,000 the first year, between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Guests had time to bid from their phones, and the extra buzz on social media turned the closing into its own event. It also removes item distribution from the end of a long night, when volunteers have gone home. Pickup becomes an opportunity to connect, and some organizations schedule a coffee or office tour with each winner. One organization she mentioned held its pickup at a corporate partner's car dealership, a smart way to support the sponsor.

Mini takeaway: A next-day close gives the silent auction room to breathe and gives your team a reason to talk to donors face to face.

Keeping Cocktail-Style Events on Time

Standing receptions are harder to run than seated dinners. Guests move around, they talk, and there's no natural quiet moment. Marty's solution for a roughly 1,000-person cocktail-style event is to start the live auction and cash call about an hour and a half after cocktail hour begins. That's enough time for guests to have a drink or two, not three or four, and the room is still full. The mistake he sees most often is starting too late. "Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 or 6, and we're not going to do the live auction until 8:30 or 9. At that point you've already got people that have come and gone."

Claire's approach is to find a way to pull attention to the stage. Clients have used a surprise flash mob dance, or a champagne toast that brings everybody together. At a zoo event her team manages, guests move through different areas of the grounds, and the software sends a text message asking them to head to the hippo area for the live auction, where tables are set with dessert and coffee. Once guests are seated, they're quiet. If your venue allows it, she recommends a combination of reserved seating for sponsors and mix-and-mingle space for everyone else, though as the auctioneer she'd choose seats for everybody.

Audit the Timeline Every Year

Can you reuse the same timeline each year? Marty said yes, as long as it's still conducive to raising money. But if attendance is slipping, a timeline that hasn't changed in five years is a good place to start looking. Trevor said he audits his at least a little every year. For Claire and Marty, the underlying advice fits a single line from Marty at the end of the show. Keep it tight.

Insights in this article are drawn from the Hey Nonprofits! LIVE episode “Tech Timeline & Fundraising Timeline: The Strategies That Maximizes Auction Revenue”, featuring Claire Murad and Marty Murad of Murad Auctions.