More likely than not, you're reading this from the comfort of your own home. We are, as my friend Amy said, on forced sabbatical. It's not our ideal sabbatical, but here we are. During this imposed break, I've been following the journey of those I know who are ill, educating myself on virtual gala options, and working on other projects. ========================== Short on time? Click to register for my complimentary webinar. Date: Friday, March 27, 2020 at 1 PM Eastern Title: ... Read On >
Blog Post
Should you cancel? Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your auction
I was going to share some thoughts about school class art projects today. But that was before one of my Kansas City readers asked a question about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). "I'm curious," she wrote, "if you have any events canceling or postponing because of the coronavirus? What are their contingency plans?" =============================== When news of COVID-19 broke, I initially thought I'd not write anything publicly. Focused attention on any subject allows it to gain ... Read On >
Mardi Gras school auction: One idea to recruit a new auction committee
Today is Mardi Gras, so it's the perfect time to tell this story. In one fell swoop, some long-time Gala Co-chairs "recruited" a new auction committee *and* announced they'd no longer be overseeing the school auction. ============================= If you've chaired an auction, you know it's demanding work. Though rewarding, interesting, and even fun, it is also time-consuming. Furthermore, some find that if they are good at the job, it's hard to get out of the role. No one ... Read On >
Perspective matters: 3 stories about school auctions
This past weekend I shared some work stories with a friend who knows nothing about school auctions. She thought they were interesting. Maybe you will, too. The underlying theme is perspective, and how and where you live influences your school auction. ============================ The influx of wealth from China is shaping school auctions At one of my big-city school auctions two years ago, a one-week stay in Greece sold for $25k. The buyer was a student's grandparent. The woman ... Read On >
2020 fundraising auction trends
In my last blog post, I reflected on some of the more creative auction themes I saw in 2019. Today, let's look ahead and consider a few trends I'm seeing in fundraising auctions. Auction Trend #1: Three popular auction themes In 2020, I expect to see a lot of these types of themes. "The Roaring '20s," "Great Gatsby," and other nods to the 1920's. With a turn of the calendar, we've returned to the '20's -- it's just 100 years later. "20/20 vision," "Hindsight is 20/20," and other ... Read On >