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The first benefit auction I ever conducted was awful. Really awful.
(You can hear this story “live” in my free call, “)
About 8 years ago, I’d been paid by a Pennsylvania art company to conduct an all-art auction. As a hired gun, I was to arrive onsite at a given time and conduct the event.
First I was accosted by the disgruntled client who was extremely unhappy with the type of art that had been shipped to them. “This doesn’t fit our crowd!” one of the committee members said.
Whoops, too late.
Then I unintentionally insulted the truck driver. He reacted strongly, “hissing” at me all night as he moved artwork around the stage. Later I learned that he’d been in a bad mood long before I’d arrived, thanks to a confrontation with the auction committee.
The auction was rough with very few bids (argh, that art selection), but I managed to get through it, despite my nervousness.
I wasn’t out of the woods. As I tallied the auction results, it became clear that all of those consigned pieces and the resulting “no sales” had taken a toll on the evening’s hoped-for revenue. The nonprofit was required to pay a certain amount of money onsite, but the auction committee was adamant they wouldn’t pay. In their mind, the art company made egregious errors.
I cried all the way home. All 3.5 hours.
If I could go back to that night and tell my younger self everything I know now, the first 3 years of my auction life would have been much, much better.
If you’re working on a benefit auction, you’re likely struggling.
You’re doing it the hard way, without realizing it.
After interviewing dozens and dozens of auction chairs, I’m spilling the research beans.
The answers you’ll hear are from women just like you. It’s their answers to the question: “What do you know NOW that you wished you’d known THEN about benefit auction planning?”
This is what each woman would tell their younger “pre-auction” self. 🙂
On October 27, 2011 I’ll be hosting a free call to reveal These are the misconceptions of auction planners that hurt their event’s profitability.
I’ll also be sharing details of how you can get involved with my next Profitable Auction Blueprint™ course, which will launch in November.
I’ll see you there!
P.S. Lines are limited by my teleconference company, so don’t delay in signing up.
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