This past weekend I shared some work stories with a friend who knows nothing about school auctions. She thought they were interesting. Maybe you will, too. The underlying theme is perspective, and how and where you live influences your school auction. ============================ The influx of wealth from China is shaping school auctions At one of my big-city school auctions two years ago, a one-week stay in Greece sold for $25k. The buyer was a student's grandparent. The woman ... Read On >
school auction
Who should you believe — the benefit auctioneer, the auction software company, the consignor?
Have you seen memes like this? There are many variations referencing different professions. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a medical doctor at a fundraiser this summer. I was working on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The doctor and I were talking about changes in her job. Patient consultations are different than just a few years ago. To paraphrase, she said: "People are more informed, but on the flip side, some think that spending a few hours in front ... Read On >
Is your school auction doing fundraising by 1000 cuts?
At a recent nonprofit fundraising event, the nonprofit decided they didn't want to push the raffle. If a guest approached a volunteer to buy a $50 raffle ticket — fine. But they didn’t want volunteers to walk up to groups of people and ask guests to buy a raffle ticket. "In a few minutes, we're going to be asking these people to donate anywhere from $100 to $5000. It makes no sense to nickel and dime them for a $50 raffle ticket," was their rationale. This cocktail-styled event had no ... Read On >
School auction theme: Green for St. Patrick’s Day
I came across a few never-posted photos and videos featuring a few school auction themes. I was the fundraising auctioneer at an event that seems perfect to highlight this week, in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day this weekend. The Green Gate Gala is so named because of a green gate found on the Catholic school's campus. The school color is green. The event is held around St. Patrick's Day and boosts the Irish vibe with Irish dancers, shamrocks, and similar thematic elements. ... Read On >
An auction organizational chart for your fundraiser
If you run a web search on "why volunteers quit," you'll find a string of articles, research, and posts listing common reasons volunteers leave. One of the top complaints is a lack of organization from the person in charge of the volunteers. (For a fundraising auction, we'd typically call this person the Auction Chair or Gala Chair.) Years ago I recall a committee member complaining to me about the Auction Chair. "She doesn't have her sh*t together," the woman confided. Because the ... Read On >