A gobo created this fireworks image on the wall.

Lighting can make a stunning difference in the ambiance of a charity auction.

But if that’s not in the budget, there might be elements of lighting that could probably be managed by an enthusiastic volunteer.

I’m not suggesting it would be easy … nor am I suggesting it is ideal … but I’ve no doubt there are some volunteers out there who like to dabble and play.  And if I provided an idea what could be done with lighting via this blog post, that might be all of the encouragement you need to get started.

So that stated, I want to introduce you to a lighting tool you can consider incorporating into your next fundraising auction.

Gobos can be used to add ambiance.

To create an underwater world, the lighting company used a large gobo on the left which looked like water, and a small image on the right which looked like (to me) a cluster of three amoebas.

Do you know what a gobo is?

A gobo is a template that is attached to a lighting source in order to project an image onto a wall, floor, ceiling, or – really – even into smoke or the clouds in the sky.  The template has a pattern cut into it – like the starburst pattern in the photo above …. or an image of a candle … or the profile of a head — which allows the light to be projected into that shape.

Another example:  As a child, I loved playing with Lite-Brite. A black piece of paper was put over the toy’s light source.  I would take colored plastic pegs and push it through the paper to create an image.  Wherever the paper was pierced, the light would shine through.  Once I pierced enough of the paper, a recognizable image was created.  Well, the black paper in the Lite-Brite is sort of like a gobo.

A pattern has been cut out of some material — plastic, glass, or metal — to create an image.  Once the light source is behind it, the light passes through the gobo and forms an image onto the projected area.

The type of material used to create a gobo depends on the type of light used.  Obviously if you are using plastic to create your gobo, the light source better not get to hot or it will melt the plastic … or even worse, start a fire.

There are hundreds of gobo images available.  Maybe thousands!  Companies like Stagespot sell stock gobos and create custom ones.  When I worked in the corporate world, we had gobos made of our logo so it could be projected around the facility during company events.

If you wanted to go super cheap, you could probably ruggedly cut a gobo out of a soda can.  I’m not an expert in such matters, and will let you handymen (and women) figure that one out.

© 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

P.S.  You could save a lot of time from Web surfing if you had great content like this delivered to your inbox directly.  Sign up for Benefit Auction Ideas.

This non-profit helps adults and children, but they used a key slide to focus on the "kids" portion of their program.

To read Part 1 on “Using Kids to Raise Cash,” click here,

Over the past few months, I’ve offered several tips on how to manage your charity auction in a bad economy.

You can use all kinds of techniques to ensure your auction revenues remain strong in a bad economy, but one solid strategy of raising money – regardless of the economy – is to show guests how their donation impacts children.

Children (and animals, to a large degree) seem to have a universal appeal and you can tap into that at your auction gala. 

Many organizations benefit kids in one way, shape, or fashion, so if you have an angle that you can incorporate into your event, consider doing so.  Even when the children aren’t attending your benefit auction, you can still successfully incorporate them into the fundraising plan.

This post covers two strategies:

3.  Let a Powerpoint slide tell the story

In a ballroom, Powerpoint slides can provide imagery.  At this gala raising money for heart-related causes, a child’s photo was displayed with the text, “Nora Grace’s heart was mended by Dr. Bill Hammill, and she hasn’t stopped dancing since.”

Plus side: Easy to create. One slide can be broadcast on multiple screens so everyone can see.

Negative side: Unless a speaker specifically refers to the slide, guests might never bother to read it.

4.  Reach out and call (or text) someone

Guests were encouraged to text scholarship recipients while dining.

This idea incorporates older kids into your gala.  Granted, these kids might have outgrown their “cuteness factor,” but they have the added advantage of being able to thank donors with an added degree of articulation!

One fundraising auction was raising money for college scholarships.  As you can see in the photo, each table had a table tent listing a student’s name, general information, and his or her telephone number (I’ve blocked out the phone number in this photo). Over dinner, guests were encouraged to text or call the student to chat and say, “Congratulations on your scholarship!”

Plus side:  It’s as high-touch as you can get without having the recipient attend the event.  It brings a donor directly into contact with the recipient of their donation.  I love that!

Negative side: Coordinate in advance. Recipients need to know they could be called. Not all recipients will be choice candidates to speak with a donor.

Kids can make a splash at your event — and help you raise dollars! — even when they aren’t physically present.  Use these ideas to get to your donor’s heartstrings.

©2005 – 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC

P.S. As great as this information is, it’s old news.  I shared these ideas months ago with readers of my FREE e-zine, Benefit Auction Ideas.  Subscribe here.

I love this guy! Themed actors served food, drinks, and greeted guests

My team and I worked an event in southern Virginia which was one of the most attractive events I’ve ever attended.  It wasn’t a large audience — the crowd only numbered around 225 — but the decor and atmosphere was exquisite!  It was one of the more magical auctions I’ve attended.

The theme was Treasures of the Deep.

All-things-of-underwater-intrigue could be found here.  The dark, mysterious, quiet of the ocean seemed to come alive in this auction fundraiser.

The venue itself was a fitness facility – not that you could tell.  The gym had been converted into a ballroom, thanks to the help of drapes and generous lighting.  Here are some of the elements which made this event so eye-catching.

1.  Lighting

Lighting makes this basketball court look almost ethereal.

It doesn’t make financial sense to pay for an outside lighting company at every auction, but if your budget allows, it can have a wonderful impact on the mood and feel of your event.

The bonus of having a company provide mood lighting is that you can also have them set up canned lights on the silent auction table.

Can lights allow the room to be slightly dark (such as in the silent auction room where guests are mingling), but allows the silent auction items to be easily seen.  All the better for bidding!

At this auction, the underwater feel was created from shifting blue and green images on the wall.  It appeared as though one was watching a stream of filtered sunlight dance on the ocean bottom, then disappear, only to reappear on a different part of the wall or table.

The bar was covered in nets and underwater treasures. Note the costumed bartenders.

2.  Costumes for workers

The bartenders, servers, and greeters were all in some sort of costume.  Some were dressed as pirates, others were in a more general South Pacific native costume.

Remember that costumes don’t need to be elaborate.  A vest and a hat often work just fine.   Naturally, if you want everyone to be identical, you’ll have to provide the costumes.  But if you’re comfortable with people generally looking like they blend into the theme, some of your volunteer workers might have bits of costumes at home they could wear.

3.  Props

The bar, the food stations, the bathrooms and seemingly every fixture had some sort of prop to support the underwater theme.  Fisherman netting, shells, and dried seaweed were used were generously used.

4. Centerpieces

In this case, the eerie, beautiful underwater inspired centerpiece was a collection of bottles and vegetation.

I’m not usually entranced by centerpieces, but at this event, I couldn’t help but admire how creative the florist had been to create such elegant focal points for the tables.

Every centerpiece was different.

Some were more traditional centerpieces, whereas other tables had collections of items one might imagine to be found on a sunken ship, like unusually shaped and dark-colored bottles.  Collections of shells, starfish, and stones were scattered about the table.

For those tables with a “living” element, the predominant vegetation looked like sea grasses.  Other centerpieces consisted of arrangements of unusual plants that were reminiscent of an underwater garden.

Even if one was not using a florist to create these items, I can imagine that many of us might have our own treasures from the sea that we’d be willing to loan to the gala for the effect.  I know I have a small collection of blue bottles that would tie into this theme quite well, now that I’ve seen it done!

5.  Music

The combo provided background sound.

A steel drum and guitar duo set the mood as soon as guests walked into the facility.

As a reminder, this wasn’t a beach theme … it was an underwater theme … so the music was a bit more mellow than what you might hear at a beach party.  The group didn’t opt for a full-blown steel drum band, but a simple combo did the trick.

For more photographs of the event, scroll down this blog post.  You can see additional ballroom shots, centerpieces, and food stations.

(c) 2005-2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

This was a shot of the ballroom from the back of the room. The Powerpoint presentation was broadcast to either side of the podium.

The food station in the silent auction area was draped in seaweed.

Another bar in the silent auction area had a distinct pirate theme. (Maybe that's where they served the hard liquor and rum punch!)

Each centerpiece was different. This one was more "traditional" in that a vase held the contents, but the contents themselves feel at home in this underwater theme.

If it feels like a sleigh ride might be on your “to do” activity list this season, don’t forget to ask for a donation!

Here are a few thoughts around sleigh ride donations.

• Rule #1:  Always Ask. Spring and summer auction teams might not yet have the “procurement mindset.”  Consequently, they’ll fail to remember to ask for a donation, even as they enjoy the sleigh ride with their own family.  Don’t be that person!  Remember to ask.

• A sleigh ride is a perfect fall auction item idea, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t sell on a spring silent auction table. By virtue of the season, a sleigh ride will likely sell better at a fall or winter charity auction as guests are already ‘in that mindset.’  But don’t let that stop you from including this type of item in a spring auction fundraiser.  It will certainly stand-out on the table as a unique auction package for the winter months.

• Some sleigh ride companies are strictly seasonal operators. If a company only offers sleigh rides, it likely closes down once the snow is gone.  This means you need to ask now for a donation because your procurement committee won’t be able to reach anyone from the company by next March.

• A ride could be a lovely group item. Some sleighs accommodate up to 20 people, whereas others only allow for two to snuggle.  For larger sleighs, consider how to best sell the item.  A ‘by the seat’ option might be your best bet for more money.
  

• Sleigh rides can be sold as “standalone” items, but if not, combine the ride with other tempting treats to round out the auction package. If the sleigh in your part of the world will glide through the streets of Sheboygan instead of the majestic mountains of Aspen, you might want to spice up the package to allow bidders the opportunity to appreciate the entire experience.  Combine the ride with a tempting basket full of specialty hot chocolate, or add a gift certificate redeemable for a warm and tasty crock pot dinner for four.  (Note: I worked in Sheboygan one winter. Warm people; frigid surroundings.)
  

Although I’m not a huge fan of winter weather, I think a sleigh ride auction item sounds festive and fun.  It’s something I’d bid on, despite not being a lover of snow.  The idea of the ride seems to conjure up a romantic imagery in my mind.  I bet your guests would like it, too!

(c) copyright 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

A gorgeous printer's plate from an uplifting day in history for Cal Ripken and his fans made a great silent auction item at this benefit in Annapolis, MD.

A few months ago, I shared what a printer’s plate is and how to get it. 

These plates make for nice silent auction items because they are unusual.

At a recent benefit auction, I was walking the silent auction with my client before guests arrived.  As we approached these plates (see photos), she said, “We’re really excited about these.”

“Wow!,” I said, “I wrote about how to get these donated a few months ago, but I don’t often see them in auctions.”

“I know you wrote about it,” she said, “That’s how I got the idea.”

Turns out, this ambitious auction chair read every one of my blog posts and subscribed to my FREE e-zine (you can sign-up on the right) to prepare for her auction. 

When she read my blog post about printer’s plates, she asked one of her auction team members to follow-up with a local newspaper.

The newspaper sent this group — wow! — two beautiful historical plates with copies of the front page framed.

She was so excited to have them in the auction.  And now I was excited, too.  I couldn’t believe how nice these were.

The newspaper donated two sports-related printer's plates.

These plates were different than what I’d seen donated from The Wall Street Journal.  These were clearly more contemporary-looking.  They were printed on a slick surface that seemed to be a plastic but almost looked like a metal.

Final numbers are still out, but early results indicate that the auction-related activities raised twice as much as in year’s past. They also hit a new attendance record.

(Let’s not forget that at the time of this writing, we’re still in a recession.)

Friends, making money at a benefit auction is simply a matter of using a proven system.  Sign-up for my e-zine on the right where I share more info, twice a month.

Copyright (c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

The September/October issue of Arrive magazine from Amtrak has an article called Fashion’s Makeover (page 34) by Michele Meyer.

The article is about how the fashion industry has changed in light of the economic slump. Meyer proposes that to survive in this new climate, apparel designers and merchants must rely on instinct, innovation, exclusivity, and the Internet.

Sounds like there’s some advice in here that benefit auction committees would also be smart to follow.

Let’s dig deeper.

In the “instinct’ category, Meyer writes the following:

Paring back not only helps stores but also helps shoppers.  Scaled-down inventory offers a sharpened point of view and a sense of urgency:  If there’s just one fabulous blouse in your size, it may be gone if you wait for a sale.

Then, a bit later…

Rather than risk closure, Manhattan’s Henri Bendel dropped clothing and hones to accessories, cosmetics, and gifts, its most lucrative items.  “It was a smart move,” says John Mincarelli, fashion merchandising professor at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.  “The American mentality of ‘grow, grow, grow’ failed.”

And OMG – if you go to the Henri Bendel site, look at the homepage, and watch the short video, it’s ALL about accessories.  Bye bye clothes.

OK — so how does this relate to you? There are two points.

1.  Auctions are based on scarcity.

If you have too many items, your prices will fall and certainly your ROI (return on investment) will shrink.  But if you have a lot of competition for a few choice items, it will drive prices higher.  You’ll earn more money for less work … and doesn’t that sound like a good idea?

2.  Pare down and focus on what is making you money.

What do your guests like?

If your research shows that spa auction packages are always the top sellers, target spa auction packages.  And not all the *same* spa auction packages, mind you.  But here’s a massage … and there’s a mani/pedi … and over here we have a day-long, “I’ve died and gone to heaven” spa package.

Or if your bidders consistently snap up restaurant packages, send your auction procurement team to restaurant after restaurant to develop great dining excursions.  And if no one ever buys the Starbucks coffee basket (as much as I might like that) … don’t go seeking it as an auction donation (or at least not that coffee basket).

Remember:  Fewer choice items that the guests crave will be less work for your auction team, but greater yields when the cash is counted.

(c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

A live auction display selling Fashion Week tickets at a school auction.

Why are these tickets “hot?” And how do you get them?

First things first. Why are these tickets are so desirable?

Fashion Week is held in Bryant Park, a centrally located park in Manhattan (although I recently read that organizers are considering moving Fashion Week to Lincoln Center in 2010). number of large tents sporting runways inside dot the park.

Designers can rent the tent space to showcase their collections, but because hosting a show is expensive, not all designers have the cash required to produce a show. For instance, a new designer might opt to only show in Paris’ Fashion Week, but a larger fashion house might have a show in each city.

From morning until night, a tent can be busy hosting shows. A less-known designer might be in the tent in the morning. Later that day, a well-known icon might be hosting a show in that same tent.

When I’ve sold tickets to Fashion Week, I am not selling tickets to every runway show during Fashion Week. Either I am selling tickets to a specific show (for instance, the Badgley Mischka show), or I’m selling tickets to a specific show which has yet to be decided by the donor of the tickets.

The tickets are popular because many ‘average’ people would never be able to attend this type of event … or wouldn’t think to investigate how they could attend.

In our minds, Fashion Week lives in the domain of the rich and famous, where the paparazzi cameras are constantly flashing, the models arrive breathlessly from their last job, and celebrities are whisked inside to sit in front row seats. The music is intense, the excitement is high, and the vibe that is New York is in the air. And that description is pretty accurate.

Even the average New Yorker can’t easily obtain tickets.

Some of you know that I work part-time as a plus-size model.  I’m in New York every month or so for a shoot and socializing with my plus-size model and fit model friends.  Even they — living in New York City — aren’t privy to seats.  In fact, one of my fit model friends volunteers as a “dresser” in order to get a glimpse of the action. (A dresser is someone who stands backstage to help rapidly dress the models as they exit the runway. The bustling activity is similar to the frenzy of a pit crew changing tires and fueling a car at a NASCAR race.)

With that information as your backdrop, imagine that you — a stay-at-home Mom …. or a professional woman wanting to treat yourself … or an adventurous gal with some extra cash — have the opportunity to buy two tickets at your fundraising auction to attend this event.

Seriously, who wouldn’t want to go!? What a great trip for two BFs, or just a memorable Mother-Daughter experience.

You’re getting eager to go, aren’t you?

But how do you get tickets?

Work your connections.

The donations I’ve seen have come from department stores. Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales … whatever department store serves your city is a good target. Buyers from those stores attend Fashion Week seeking trends and ideas.

So ask the best dressed woman on your auction committee where she shops. If she’s spending money in a specific department store, that’s the best place to start.

For instance, one of my client’s volunteers consistently used free personal shopping services at a local department store. She shared with her personal shopper that she wanted to secure tickets to Fashion Week for her charitable auction, and eventually she was connected to the right person.
Work it, girl!

Furthermore, because of the fluidity of the schedule, the purchasers of the tickets may not know until a week or so prior as to which day a specific show will be held. It’s best to let guests know that Fashion Week is September XX through XX, and the show will occur on one of those days.

This makes perfect sense, because oftentimes the auction fundraiser is taking place months in advance of Fashion Week. If my auction is in March, but the tickets are not good until September, even the organizers of New York’s Fashion Week don’t yet know which designers will be appearing.

(c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

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Moving out! Sailing yachts from Miami to Fort Lauderdale pre-sunrise.	One of the great things about my job is the people I get to meet.While working an auction in Miami, I sold an item which involved an afternoon on a private yacht.  One of the patrons attending invited me to join the crew in moving some yachts from Miami to Fort Lauderdale.  The boats had been shown in the Miami Boat Show and needed to be piloted back up the intercoastal waterway.  We left before sunrise, arrived in Fort Lauderdale a few hours later, and had a yummy Thai lunch.  What a nice way to spend the morning! Boating activities are a good live or silent auction item, although I typically sell them in the live auction.
Heading up the intercoastal waterway enroute to Fort Lauderdale.	Regardless of whether you live near an ocean, lake, reservoir, or river, there is likely someone in your community who has a boat.  Think about how you might incorporate a boating item into your auction fundraiser.To help get your creativity flowing, here are three auction items (edited for space) I’ve sold recently which involved boating: Private Cruise to Eclectic Stiltsville for 6 people (in Miami, FL): Take a 33′ Gradywhite out to Stiltsville and enjoy a catered lunch in one of the seven remaining homes known from the days of Al Capone.  These homes are literally built on stilts in shallow water in Biscayne National Park, one mile from shore.  Fish, swim, snorkel, and party the day away while getting to experience a home with a vivid past.

Murder on the High Seas (in Norfolk, VA): Set sail from Virginia Beach aboard a 68′ yacht.  During the 4-hour evening excursion, four couples will investigate Archibald Frath’s murder in this murder mystery game.  Enjoy cocktails as the plot unfolds, dinner in a private room at a local waterfront restaurant while the boat is docked, and sip on dinner drinks aboard the boat afterwards when the murder mystery is solved.

A Day on the Bay (in Washington, DC): Join our favorite conductor of the chorus and her friends aboard this 46′ yacht.  Drop anchor in a secluded cove for a gourmet meal with wine.  Good for 8 adults.

I sell tons of boating auction packages, and they are always popular! Sometimes they are fishing packages; other times it’s simply time spent on the water.  If you haven’t investigated this option for your own charity auction, I urge you to add a boating-related auction package to your targeted solicitation list.

(c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC

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