A few years ago, one of my onsite clients utilized her entire consultation time with me by having me write all of her marketing emails leading up to the gala. Sometimes I’m asked to re-work sponsorship programs. And sometimes I am asked to revert to my old role at General Electric and be the event planner. None of these are traditional “benefit auctioneer” roles, but they all impact your auction. And though I can do them all well, I really don’t like one of them. Event planning. Planning ... Read On >
Procurement
Too good to be true? Playing it smart with unsolicited auction items.
When I first started my business, I prospected for business by cold calling. (Cold calling means reaching out to someone who doesn’t know you and to whom you have no connection.) At the time I was living in Miami, FL, so I Googled lists of area private schools and nonprofits. I’d visit each group’s Website, researching it to see if they held an auction. If they did, I’d call them to tell them about my services. I share this because if you’ve posted anything about your benefit auction on your ... Read On >
How to sell auction class projects to raise money in a nonprofit auction
Auction class projects, sometimes called art projects, are items that are handcrafted (at least to a degree) by children. Most often these children are students in a school. They've been tasked to create something to sell in the school auction. It's not uncommon for these projects to sell for hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. ++++ To see over 100 examples of auction class project ideas, available on DVD with bonus materials: Cool Class Projects. ++++ Why do these items sell for so ... Read On >
The 10 most read benefit auction ideas of 2012
If you're just getting started in this wonderful world of nonprofit auctions, consider this blog post a study guide of what you should read *right now* to get up-to-speed. This is my "Best Of" issue. The best of my 2012 blog posts. It's what other auction planners found to be most intriguing on my site, last year. How do I know these posts were the most popular? They had the highest hit rates. (Thanks to Website analytical programs, it's easy for me to track these things.) As a prolific ... Read On >
What fall auctions SHOULD be selling in home decor silent auction sections
You may not realize it, but if you're holding your charity auction in October, November or December, you have two natural advantages over those galas held in the spring. 1. Holiday spirit Of all the United States' widely celebrated holidays, Americans seem to get most enthused about decorating their home for Halloween and Christmas. How convenient for you that both of these holidays are in the fall! For your autumnal or winter auction, be sure to include some home decorations tied to these ... Read On >