In past posts I've written about the importance of securing the best auction donation from an author. Perhaps the most thorough post was from 2012, "Careful! Donations from book authors could be your next live *or* silent auction item." For instance, signed books are OK, but they are common. We tend to sell a collection of signed books in a silent auction. But if you secure something more juicy, we sell it in the live auction for thousands of dollars more. One of the several examples ... Read On >
Live Auctions
Pet peeve of fundraising auctions: Pointing
One of the first lessons I learned at the Missouri Auction School was on the subject of pointing. “When inviting bidders to bid,” the instructor said, “use an open palm. It’s an invitation for the bidder to give you more money.” “Don’t point!” he emphasized, “It’s rude.” A quick way to separate the professional fundraising auctioneers from the amateurs is to watch their fingers. Get the full story in today’s video. https://youtu.be/a7RqUPOQ3Vs?feature=shared To me, pointing is ... Read On >
Auction item displays benefit from photo books like this
Here's a quick tip on how to improve your auction item displays when you're offering a trip in either the silent or live auction. Use a photo book in your display. "Photo book" is the name I give to books (and I use the term "books" loosely) which feature photos of the inside of the property, outside of the property, and activities to do in the area. Think of it as a handmade version of a traditional coffee table picture book. Sometimes these books are a few pieces of paper stapled ... Read On >
Best ballroom layout for an auction with dance floor
Many nonprofits end their benefit auctions with dancing from either a DJ or a live band. Traditionally there are two standard layouts for this type of event, and both are poor. The dance floor becomes the area from which the auctioneer works. The auctioneer is on a stage and a huge dance floor (a feature which isn't used but for the last 90 minutes of the event!) is positioned in a top location, directly in front of the stage. Neither of these options works because neither set-up ... Read On >
Busted! Be wary of images used in fundraising auction displays
In the summer of 2015, the nonprofit division of Venable law published "Busted: Nonprofits Will Have to Pay the Photography Piper." The article itself is short and worth reading, but here's the synopsis. For many years, nonprofits have pulled images from the internet and used them in their publications or websites. Until recently, software didn't exist to make it easy for photographers and their agents to track down these copyrighted images. Now the software exists, and nonprofits are ... Read On >