Boost Fundraising Success With Murad Auctions
If you’ve ever wondered how to boost fundraising success at your nonprofit events, look no further than the story of Meat Fight, Inc. This Dallas-based nonprofit, led by CEO Alice Laussade, raises money to support people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). But like many organizations, they faced challenges in streamlining ticketing, auctions, and donor engagement until they partnered with the fundraising experts at Murad Auctions.
What happened next was transformative: streamlined systems, new fundraising ideas, less stress for staff, and record-breaking donations.
Watch the video of this testimonial.
The Challenge: Too Many Systems, Too Little Time
Before working with Murad Auctions, Meat Fight, Inc. used separate processes for ticketing and auctions.
“We wanted to streamline those two processes because we were finding that we weren’t gathering enough information about the people who were coming to Meat Fight. Because of this, we couldn’t follow up as easily, we couldn’t thank people as easily after they donated, and we couldn’t track everything that we wanted,” said Alice.
The lack of integration not only created inefficiencies but also placed a heavy burden on Alice.
“There were a lot of things that I personally had to do for the organization that I was taking on—organizing all the auction items, organizing all the ticketing and everything myself—and Murad’s software just took so many things off of my plate and freed me up to do more important things.”
The Solution: Streamlining With Murad Auctions
When Meat Fight partnered with Murad Auctions, everything changed.
Guests were checked in quickly, credit cards were stored securely in the system, and the auction ran smoothly from start to finish. They didn’t have to ask guests at the last minute to sign in before bidding.
“Once we streamlined all of our processes with Murad to have ticketing and auction online all from one place, it was so much easier to see how the different funds were coming through, who was donating, when they were donating, and how to make those processes more efficient,” she said. “Streamlining that process really helped us have everything in one place, and I can’t hype that enough. It was better for us than I ever could have even imagined.”
Creative Fundraising Ideas That Worked
One of the biggest benefits Meat Fight gained was the creative fundraising strategies Murad Auctions brought to the table.
An example is the classic Heads or Tails fundraiser game.
“I would have set the price (for the game) at half the price. I thought $10 was right, but Murad said $50 would be a good idea. We compromised at $20, and it went great.”
Murad Auctions also guided them to expand their live auction to include more items, maximizing participation.
Even more impactful was the introduction of consignment travel packages, which Meat Fight had never tried before.
“We typically don’t have the ability to offer trips, and I didn’t know how our audience would react. But Louis (Murad Auctions Auctioneer Louis Murad) said: These go amazingly every single time we offer them. And he was right.”
The Numbers: Record-Breaking Success
Going into the event, Alice set a goal of $30,000 for direct donations. Louis pushed her to aim higher.
“That’s a low number. I’m going to need to do a higher number than that,” he said.
Alice was nervous, but Louis was confident. “That is not even a number. We’re going to hit that. We’re going to do so much better than that,” he said.
Alice hesitated, but Louis insisted.
He said, “Alice, I know you said $30,000, but we’re going to do more than that. You’ve got to raise that number. We’re going to crush that.”
“I was nervous, but he was right,” she said.
By the end of the night, Meat Fight raised $70,000—more than double their goal.
“It was just a full-tears moment I’m going to tear up right now talking about it. It’s my favorite part of the night,” she said.
The Long-Term Impact
The success wasn’t just about the immediate numbers. The streamlined process and professional support created long-term benefits:
- More sponsors committed to next year’s event on the spot.
- Alice had more time to thank volunteers and engage with attendees personally.
- Donor tracking and engagement improved dramatically.
“The expertise was just a real game-changer for us. I put it off for a long time, and that was a mistake. We could have helped the nonprofit more sooner, if we had just started working with Murad earlier.”
Lessons for Nonprofits
Meat Fight’s story offers clear takeaways for nonprofits looking to boost fundraiser success:
- Invest in expertise – professionals raise more money than volunteers alone.
- Streamline your systems – Use event management software to manage ticketing, auctions, and donor data in one place.
- Set bold goals – confidence and strategy can double your results.
- Add creative revenue streams – games, trips, and expanded auction items.
- Focus on relationships – freeing staff from logistics creates long-term support.
Breaking Through the Cost Barrier
For Alice, the biggest hesitation in hiring Murad Auctions was the cost.
“The biggest barrier for me was cost. I just didn’t believe that what I would have to pay for an auctioneer and an auction company would lead to a result where I actually made more funds for the cause at the end of the day. And that’s what happened. I just never thought that paying a little bit more upfront would actually result in more, not just more, but much more for the cause in the end. And it was so great because it relieved the stress on me.”
By trusting Murad Auctions, she discovered that investing in professional expertise produced far greater returns financially and emotionally.
Final Advice from Alice
If you’re a nonprofit leader hesitating about hiring professionals for your next event, Alice’s advice is simple:
“If you’re hesitant because the dollar amount is too high and you think it’s just too expensive, talk to them about it. See what can be done. See what you can afford because it really, really pays off.”
Ready to Boost Your Fundraiser Success?
If you want to boost fundraising success like Meat Fight did, Murad Auctions can help. From streamlined event systems to innovative fundraising strategies and professional auctioneers, their team knows how to help nonprofits raise more money with less stress.
Contact Murad Auctions today for a free consultation and discover how to boost your fundraiser success.
To see more customer testimonials, check out our YouTube playlist.