I should clarify that I don’t think “sticky-note marketing” is a *real* marketing term. I use it to refer to the practice of putting notes onto silent auction items to remind guests of why they should buy it. It’s similar to putting a sticky-note on a document; you’re calling attention to it. In this case, you’re reminding guests of one possible use of the item.

“A great item for Dad!” exclaims a blue note.

“Here’s your Mother’s Day gift!” proclaims a pink card.

If you’ve got a silent auction this weekend, be mindful that Valentine’s Day is next week.

One of our school auctions this past Saturday used attractive pink and red hearts to showcase jewelry items. There was no overt mention of Valentine’s Day, but the hint didn’t go unnoticed.

It’s simple, effective, and fetching marketing in your silent auction.  It works!

© 2012 Red Apple Auctions Co.  All rights reserved.

P.S.  Though this blog post covers a marketing tip, most of my readers begin their silent auction journey in procurement.  Get a free tool to get started:  Auction Item Guide™ “What Sold Like Heaven in 2011.”

Cigars sell.

You might not like smoking.  You might like pipes but not cigars.  You might smoke cigarettes, but hate cigar smoke.

It matters not.

Unless you’re the big spender procuring and buying ALL of the items at your nonprofit auction, check any righteous attitude you hold and do what’s best for the cause — procure some cigar-themed goodies to raise cash for your charity.

The February 2012 issue of Cigar Aficionado (which landed on my doorstep last weekend for no apparent reason) lists the best cigars of the year.  Maybe your local cigar shop will donate a few?

The issue also reviews what is presumably the largest cigar celebration in the world, The Big Smokes.  The Big Smokes are held in Las Vegas in late October and New York City in late November.  It might be worthwhile to send an email to the organizers to see if you can get two complementary admissions to either event.  Build a package around it.

And what about accoutrements?  Humidors, cutters, a subscription to the magazine … all of those sell at auctions.  (The above photo is from one of my auctions last fall.  The humidor was the first item to receive a bid in the silent auction.)

See what you can procure and watch how quickly it disappears from the silent auction table.

©2012 Red Apple Auctions Co.  All rights reserved.

P.S. If you’re seeking other item ideas for your nonprofit silent auction, claim your free copy of “What Sold Like Heaven in 2011.“  It’s hot off the press!

A parent seeking donations for their school’s charity auction becomes concerned about whether she should be including the school PTA’s tax ID number on the auction donation letters, forms, and so forth.

It’s easy to understand the concern.

We’ve been warned about putting our birth date on Facebook, cautioned against using our social security number as a computer password, and shake our heads when we recall that our social security number used to be used as our driver’s license number.  Stories of identity theft fuel our fear.

But this tax ID number is readily available in the public domain.  And as you’ll have greater success in your procurement efforts if you include the number on your letters, you’ll want to find it.

Perhaps the easiest way to locate the number is to go online.  Here’s how I have helped my clients find their 501(c)(3) number.

1. Visit www.Guidestar.org and log-in.  You’ll need to create an account (it’s free) if you don’t have one. You can look up some information without an account, but you’ll need it for this task.

2.  Enter the name of the charity you want to find.  The easy-to-use screen will help you narrow down your search.

3.  Click on the organization you seek.  The page will load with a number of publicly filed forms.  Click on “Forms 990s and Docs” tab.  The 990 forms are in PDF format.

4. Open the most recent 990 PDF and find the entry underneath “Employer Identification Number.”  (I’ve always seen it in the upper right side of the first page.)  Voila!  That’s the the tax ID number which defines your organization as a 501(c)(3).

I’ve also been told that you can look it up on the IRS site.  That makes sense to me, but as I’ve always been able to find what I needed on Guidestar, I haven’t fooled around with the IRS site.

If you’ve found another easy way to locate the tax ID number for your charity auction donation letters or forms, please share it below.

© 2012 Red Apple Auctions Co.  All Rights Reserved.

P.S.  Get educated and fully inspired in your charity auction procurement with this 60-minute .mp3 tutorial to accompany the free “What Sold Like Heaven in 2011″ auction item guide.

© Goran Bogicevic photoxpress.com

With the new year brings a return to routines and schedules and work on spring fundraisers. I’m involved with charity auction clients at their committee meetings and volunteers are working hard on a number of spring benefit auctions. There’s a race to finish it all and get every detail in place for the gala.

No matter the season, the most often discussed topic by auction chairs and committees is item procurement. I have clients ask questions from the basic to the most complex about item acquisition.

And no wonder! Item acquisition is one of the make-or-break areas of a charity auction. If you don’t nail it – if you can’t get the right items — your guests won’t be bidding and you won’t be raising money for your favorite cause.

Some of the more frequent questions auction committees have are:

Who likes to donate?
Which items are best?
How do I ask?
Where do I get items?
What never sells?

Here’s a resource that will help you blow the socks off your acquisition team this year. The 2011 Auction Item Guide, What Sold Like Heaven in 2011, details 100 items that sold for over value in the benefit auctions I worked last year.

You’ll find answers to all the top questions. You’ll see what sold for the most – an answer to which items are best. You’ll see a list of items so you’ll easily spot who likes to donate. And with some detective work, taking notes about what isn’t on the list, you’ll learn what never sells.

It’s mid-January, what have you done to support your upcoming charity auction? Now you can get the free auction item guide and you’ll have done a LOT to help your favorite cause.

Claim your FREE Guide at www.RedAppleAuctions.com.  Take it to your  next acquisitions meeting, and you’ll be looking like a charity auction rock star.

© Red Apple Auctions Co. All Rights Reserved.