UPDATE 12/5/09 After I posted the original blog (scroll down), Maria wrote me this email: On behalf of our auction team, I wanted to thank you for meeting with us last night. We enjoyed your talk on procurement and we are fired up and ready to go after your ideas. This morning we got the PTA Chairs to approve the software agreement. I believe we can pay the full cost of the software with sponsorships. Well, as of this morning we have two more sponsors for our auction webpage. I didn’t even ... Read On >
Auction Procurement Tip: Use your location to make celebrity connections
If you're like many who sit on an auction procurement committee, you likely want at least one item from a celebrity. But you may have no "connections." How can you improve the odds of getting a donation? If you're not afraid to reach out and spend some time on the computer, your physical location could turn a cold lead into a warmer one. Sometimes knowing about a possible donation is simply about being in the right place at the right time. Here's an example. I love the band Pink Martini and ... Read On >
Why portrait photography works at an auction fundraiser
Three of my galas this past year have had professional portraits offered on-site. The photo offers guests a remembrance of your auction fundraiser. Portrait photography works especially well for an auction gala which has co-workers attending, such as corporate and hospital foundations. Guests look spiffy, so the photos show employees in their best light (all the better, considering those photos may show up on the company intranet). Portrait photography works for four reasons. The ... Read On >
FREE teleclass: 5 Myths Holding You Back from Making Big Bucks in Your Fundraiser Auction
UPDATE: This class has passed. To keep abreast of future calls, subscribe to Benefit Auction Ideas. ++++++ A number of you inspired me to dig deep into how and why some auction chairs have super-successful auctions and others don't. After three months of research, I've got the goods. In fact, depending on how long you've been getting my information, you might have participated in step one of this research (a survey). After hearing from you, talking with clients, and meeting with Auction ... Read On >
Silent auction item or live: Where to sell it?
In my consultations with clients, I'm often asked for my opinion about items. "Should we include this airfare?" "Will we make more money if we package THESE together, or THOSE together?" "How should we promote this?" If the gala only has a silent auction, I'm never asked whether an item belongs in the silent auction or live auction - there's no choice! But if the gala includes both components, the "silent versus live" debate surfaces. In this post, I want to discuss how an auction item ... Read On >