Some people are intimidated about asking for items for their auction. After this past weekend's auction, several of us went out to dinner. (The auction was an afternoon event, so the day was still young for an evening meal.) I sat next to the Gala Chair, who does a great job with procurement, and visited with her about how she likes to ask for items. In the video, you'll hear a couple of nuggets she shared with me. https://youtu.be/5jd_JnuiV2k ... Read On >
Procurement
Nonprofit auction consignment trends tied to travel
I am noticing 5-6 trends in the travel auction consignment sector. I cover three in today's video. 1. Adding activities to trips Adding wine tastings, tours, dinners and other activities to consigned trips is popular. Tip: For many of my clients, I'd advise against this as I tends to make the package more expensive overall. 2. Winner's Choice This stems from the auction world where it's often called "High Bidder's Choice." For instance, I use it as a way to drive prices higher on ... Read On >
Charity Auction Consignment Basics: A 101 course
Charity auction consignment dealers provide / sell merchandise (EG: trips, jewelry, memorabilia, art, etc) to nonprofits for their fundraising auctions. It's a big industry with lots of players. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, it's had some shifts. In the video I explain this subsection of the nonprofit auction space. If you are new to charity auction planning, consider this video a 10-minute "101" crash course in the subject. I cover: What is consignment? Types of ... Read On >
Auction item idea: White House Christmas ornament
Living in the Washington, D.C. area, I become accustomed to seeing certain auction items at many of my events. For instance, flags flown over the Capitol and tours of the House or Senate buildings are easy donations from your congressman. But I forget that if you live outside the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia metro area), some auction items and ideas are not necessarily as well-known. One such item I saw recently at a school auction was the White House Christmas ornament. The ornaments ... Read On >
Is this a live auction item or a silent auction item?
How do you know if an item is right for the live auction or is a better fit for the silent auction? Generally speaking, I encourage you to work with your auctioneer to determine that. But if you aren't working with one, consider these eight pointers to determine if a donation is worthy of the live auction. https://youtu.be/WLyejaEIL60 ... Read On >