My company's 34th onsite auction of 2013 was earlier this month in Michigan. The client was a spirited nonprofit that competes aggressively in their town, as over 20 other organizations in their area offer similar services. As you might imagine, it's heavy competition for clients and donations. Trying to "differentiate" is important. After the auction, the Executive Director told me that about half of his Board approached him to inquire about the new employee — meaning me. Because I was so ... Read On >
auctioneer
Should you really give that guy a microphone? (Or “How to lose your corporate job.”)
One of my projects in my last year of working at GE was planning the annual senior management meeting. That’s when all of the senior team convened in an upscale hotel and spent 3 or 4-days in executive-level strategy and training sessions. Although we had internal speakers, we also hired outside facilitators and motivational speakers. The vetting process was aggressive. I spent hours selecting contractors, watching their promo videos, reading articles, studying websites, and calling ... Read On >
Where smart Auction Chairs spend their money
Established auction committees tend to write lots of checks. A budget for fundraising gala will vary by group (for instance, you might have access to a free venue; others might negotiate discounted printing), but when we look at the budgets of committees coast-to-coast, we see common expenses. And it’s not uncommon to see costs shape up like the chart on the right. So do you think that if you write the biggest check to the caterer or the venue or the band (pick a category), they are ... Read On >
Is your benefit auctioneer angling for a one-night stand?
It’s a provocative title, n'est-ce pas? But as we are nearing Valentine's Day, it is oh-so-appropriate for us to be frank about this subject. Here's a dirty little secret: As you're calling different auctioneers, trying to find one for your benefit auction, you should know that most of them are secretly hoping for a one-night stand with you. In and out. Perform, collect the check, and leave. These types of benefit auctioneers are not seeking a long-term relationship. They hope that you'll ... Read On >
How to talk like an auctioneer – free training
UPDATE: The class mentioned has passed. To keep abreast of future calls, subscribe to Benefit Auction Ideas. ++++++ Do you know the question I'm most often asked? You might think it's a question about the benefit auction ... like, "How many items should go into our live auction," or, "Should we wait until dessert to start the live auction?" But it's none of those types of questions. Instead, I'm asked this: “Sherry, how did you learn to talk SO FAST?” Auctioneers are known for their ... Read On >