Are you planning on holding an auction fundraiser with headline entertainment? If so, pay heed to your scheduling. The order of events dramatically affects how much you raise in your benefit auction. Here's an example. For the past two days, I've been representing the National Auctioneers Association (NAA) at ASAE's Springtime Expo in Washington, D.C. (ASAE is the membership association for association staff members. NAA is a member of ASAE.) ASAE has decided to incorporate a ... Read On >
Benefit Auctions Blog
The first question to ask before you start planning the auction.
Imagine the scenario. You’ve agreed to chair the benefit auction for a charity in your hometown. You’ve got lots of ideas but feel overwhelmed. You’ve heard that auctioneers book months in advance, so you’ve decided to call a few today to get an idea of their services. Stop. Don’t pick up the phone until you’re crystal clear about the answer to this question. Why are you holding this event? What is the primary reason this fundraiser is being held? You might think this is ridiculous ... Read On >
Tips for including a modest amount of hotel sleeping rooms into your auction contract
When I worked as an event planner, I read event management magazines to keep abreast of remodeled hotels, unique venues, trends in meetings, and other tidbits. As an auctioneer reading those same publications, I like to keep an eye out for how my clients might use key information to help them in their planning. Among my clientele, hotels are among the most popular of auction venues. But for obvious reasons, hotels prefer to give deals to clients who book sleeping rooms as part of their ... Read On >
Mastermind in California for benefit auction business
Though I am a benefit auctioneer based in Virginia, I travel a lot. And I enjoy it! Six times in February and seven times in March I was on a plane or train headed off to work or visit clients. Most of that travel was along the East Coast, but this trip was out West ...to California! Earlier this year I was in Los Angeles for a related business conference, but this is a new group. This trip is part of a 12-month Mastermind program focused on using new media (the Internet) in a business ... Read On >
Vertical silent auction displays without using acrylic stands
I've previously written about silent auction displays and mentioned that keeping it vertical is the key to a good display. But if you don't like the look of acrylic stands, or have more time than money (acrylic stands can be pricey), here are some other vertical options. Option 1: Oversized Vertical Silent Auction Displays The following displays were made out of a posterboard-type material. In speaking with the staff, I learned that the hospital foundation auction team (3 ... Read On >