It's not really sinister. This was just advertising a signup party ... a chance for people to "sign up" to participate in an event. Of all the signups I've sold, I recalled something related to Halloween. Voila, this SPOOKFEST party materialized from the ether. Fifteen rising Grade 8 girls were treated to a fun-filled outing. They were picked up directly from school on a "haunted bus" where they were taken to the Cheesecake Factory for an early dinner. Then the bus transported them to a ... Read On >
Blog Post
Consignment items for fundraisers are plentiful. Even when you order less.
In two weeks, I'm teaching a FREE teleclass on auction procurement and how you can get donated items without leaving your house. (Click to register for my Seven Procurement Secrets no-cost call.) I'll be writing about procurement until then. Today I'm sharing a short story about consignment items for fundraisers. ++++++++++++++ Here's a quick story about consignment that clients tell me again ... and again ... and again ... and again ... and you get the idea. While working for a small gala ... Read On >
The auction clerk: A critical volunteer in your auction checkout process
Benefit auctions are run by volunteers. So when the big day arrives and you’re unlocking the doors to greet swarming guests, which volunteer is CRITICALLY important onsite? It’s not the décor chair. It’s not the gal overseeing the catering. It’s not even the Auction Co-Chairs, though I have built my business around their existence. When it comes to your onsite team, the most important auction volunteer is the clerk. Auction clerks go by different names. You might refer to your ... Read On >
Auction venue problems: What to do when not all guests fit in the space
First, watch this video showing a challenging school auction venue. This elegant country club has hosted many PGA tournaments and serves as an attractive venue. But as you can see in the video, the set-up could present some problems for an auction, depending on the size of the crowd. In this case, the school auction had an enormous -- and unexpected -- rise in attendance this year. Nearly 60 additional tickets were sold! Figuring out how to manage the overflow was one of those "good ... Read On >
The easy way to train benefit auction volunteers
Oh I wish I had a video that captured the vignette I’m about to describe ... In late September I was in Ohio speaking. The next day, I met with a public school foundation for a private consultation. The group is dramatically changing their gala, so I was sharing photos from appropriate events to give them ideas. One of the Co-Chairs said, “Do you have other photos I can see?” As if on cue, the Executive Director whipped out her copy of Creative Auction Themes, Decor & Centerpieces, handed ... Read On >