• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • About RAA
    • Meet Sherry Truhlar
    • What makes us unique
    • Reviews/Clients
    • Press
    • Licensing
  • Contact
  • Client Login

Fundraising gala auctioneer Sherry Truhlar

  • Services
    • Onsite Auction Services
    • Virtual Auction Services
    • Fund a Need Experts
    • Consulting
    • Onsite workshops
  • Products
    • $10 Trainings
    • On Demand Webinars
    • Books
  • Speaking
    • Why Sherry
    • Keynote and Other Topics
    • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Free Resources
    • Webinar: COVID-19
    • Virtual Gala Cheat Sheet
    • Newsletter
    • Auction Item Guide™
    • Recording: Porch Parties
    • Benefit Auction Case Study
    • Blog
  • Store

Letters

Dec 02

Procurement tip: Keep your auction donation request letter handy

This Thursday is the first class of Big Ticket Procurement Secrets. One subject we'll be studying through the three-week intensive course is auction donation request letters.  (Get out your red editing pen!  Most letters undergo a major overhaul.) When it comes to getting a good response from your requests, it's not just about what you write in your letters. It's also about the format of the letter, when you present it and what you say (if it's verbally presented). A simple but oft overlooked ... Read On >

Feb 18 Headwaters Foundation 2012 auction thank you letters front

How to write auction thank you letters that show the love

February is the month we set aside for showing affection (Valentine's Day and all that...), so this month every blog post ties into love, romance, sex and perhaps lust. Last week covered one-night stands. The week prior looked at training your volunteers to flirt in the silent auction. Today, it's about showing your guests some love. +++++ Here's a short blog post with a big message. It's an easy way to show your guests you love them.  Thank them.  And make it all about the cause when you ... Read On >

Feb 27

VIDEO: How to easily find your 501(c)(3) number for the auction donation letter

If you're writing and mailing a silent auction donation letter, you'll want to include your charity's 501(c)(3) number (also called a Tax ID number) on the letters and/or forms. It will speed up the donation process. Some volunteers aren't sure what their charity's number is. In this video, you'll be shown how to look it up on an internet-based database. Watch the video below. P.S. For other helpful auction-related information covering a wide range of topics, enjoy this free ... Read On >

Jan 23

4 steps to find your 501(c)(3) number for the school auction donation letter

This question surfaces once or twice a year.  Volunteers working on school auctions seem to ask me the most often. A parent tasked with getting donations for the school gala becomes concerned about whether she should be including the school's PTA tax ID number on the school auction donation letter and other relevant forms. It's easy to understand her concern. We've been warned about putting our birth date on Facebook and cautioned against using our social security number as a computer ... Read On >

Aug 29

Don’t re-use last year’s auction letters to donors

Let me correct that. Don't re-use them unless they were smashing successes. But if they weren't as great as you'd hoped, start taking notes. I talk with a lot of nonprofits each week.  By Friday I know the "hot topic" among my auction chairs. Last week, it was donations.  My winter auctions are cranking up their procurement teams.  I heard several questions about auction donation letters. If this is also on your mind, you'll love these two oldies-but-goodies videos.  One talks about the ... Read On >

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Next →

Primary Sidebar

Connect with Me Here

What auction planners say

Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!

Krystal Fenwick
Read more testimonials

Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!

Diane Albano, Director of Development
St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School (St. Augustine, FL)
Read more testimonials

Sherry is flexible and easy to work with. She gives honest feedback and advice throughout the planning and implementation process. Without a doubt, Sherry and Red Apple Auctions has helped take our annual fundraising event to the next level.

Beckie Middendorf, Development Director and Janet Gulla, Development Coordinator
St. Henry District High School (Erlanger, KY)
Read more testimonials

Sherry is “on board” from day one of auction planning, works closely with our steering committee and is only just a phone call away. The night of the auction, we toss her the keys and let her drive the event! We are never disappointed!

Charly Ryan, Director of Institutional Advancement
The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD)
Read more testimonials

I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!

Pete Goldlust, Director of Development
Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)
Read more testimonials

If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.

Erin Banda
2016 NYUMBANI Board member
Read more testimonials

The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.

Darrell, a long-time attendee
Read more testimonials

We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.

Nicole Carr, Director of Grants and Special Events
The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)
Read more testimonials

Sherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year! Some of the tidbits: You added EXCITEMENT and ENTERTAINMENT… You added EXPERTISE and FUN… You helped the evening FLOW, in a wonderful and positive direction… You were FUN,… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”

Read more testimonials

Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple? They liked that I “moved the crowd along … kept the crowd engaged but wasn’t obtrusive or invasive. We were able to talk but still keep track of what was going on.”

Read more testimonials

You have NO idea of how many people came up to me (I know Julie as well) and said, ‘That auctioneer was incredible … she engaged the crowd, … she got the bidders to bid without being rude/pushing, … I loved observing her, I just watched her, … she did a great job.’ It was… Read The Rest “Staci Meruvia”

Read more testimonials

Geri said: “Great job of getting potential donors in the room to step up to the plate and not feel guilty or bad about it. They actually wanted to give more … and that’s not something I’ve seen in many other auctioneers.” The following year, she herself ‘stepped up’ and became one of the gala… Read The Rest “Geri”

Read more testimonials

Irene attended one of my New Hampshire auctions and assumed I must be a radio personality — until I started to chant that fast talk. “I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal with people in a way that isn’t intimidating — men, women,… Read The Rest “Irene”

Read more testimonials

Most product & consulting remarks are found on their respective webpages, but I’ve listed two below so you’re assured my products are as spot-on as my auctioneering.   Not only was our 2013 auction a blast, but our Washington, D.C. public school raised $67,000 — that’s $25,000 more than last year! The evening went off… Read The Rest “Carolyn Kahn-Hall and Andrea Del Vecchio”

Read more testimonials

As a former Fox News Anchorwoman, I am often called on to perform at auctions. So, I know first-hand that auctioneering can be a difficult job. Sherry Truhlar is one of the best in the business. She is skillful at managing an audience and keeping them focused on the task at hand – which is… Read The Rest “Cynthia Steele Vance”

Cynthia Steele Vance
Guest at The Potomac School 2014 auction (McLean, VA)
Read more testimonials
Read more testimonials

home | auctioneering | consulting | free item guide | about

 

Red Apple Auctions Co., PO Box 6066, Arlington, VA 22206
Toll free: 888-474-0838 | Email: Info@RedAppleAuctions.com | Copyright © 2005 - 2020

 

Sherry Truhlar • Charity Auctions • School Auctions • Fundraising Auctions • Auction Galas • Benefit Auctions

 

Terms of Use · Privacy Statement