I love dogs and I live in one of the United States' friendliest dog towns (Alexandria, VA). There are lots of dog lovers in this part of the world, and I usually sell one or two donated puppies each year as part of a live auction fundraiser. Selling a puppy in a live auction is certainly memorable and profitable. Here in Washington, D.C., the puppy can bring $2000 to $5000 per sale. Most bidders respond to the animal positively and are eager to pet the little guy while inquiring about its age, ... Read On >
12 ways to market your auction fundraiser using social media (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
Social media applications like blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be useful tools in helping you achieve mindshare in your auction guests. Not only are these tools free to use, but they enable you to relay short, constant reminders about your cause and auction fundraiser. Creating "something to write" can be overwhelming for some, so here are 12 auction-related ideas on what you (or your public relations volunteer) can post on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or other social networking ... Read On >
Benefit auction item ideas follow-up: Heavy equipment academy
BRRMM. BRRRRRRMMMM. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the Heavy Equipment Training Academy as I was driving through Washington, D.C. yesterday Recent blog readers might be wondering what I'm referring to. A few weeks ago, I covered some benefit auction item ideas. I suggested that one possible item could be a bulldozer training lesson. What a fun item for men and adventurous women! Here's the blog post. It could be a nice fit for a school auction, in particular. During my drive, I ... Read On >
Charity auction ideas from the unlikely source of fashion designer Henri Bendel
The September/October issue of Arrive magazine from Amtrak has an article called Fashion's Makeover (page 34) by Michele Meyer. The article is about how the fashion industry has changed in light of the economic slump. Meyer proposes that to survive in this new climate, apparel designers and merchants must rely on instinct, innovation, exclusivity, and the Internet. Sounds like there's some advice in here that charity auction committees would also be smart to follow. Let's dig deeper. In the ... Read On >
Alpha Phi of San Diego State University’s Red Dress Charity Auction
Even when I'm not working at a charity auction, I find myself around one. This past weekend, I traveled to San Diego's Hyatt Regency to attend a conference which has been on my calendar for months. The hotel is surrounded by Mission Bay, making attendees feel as though we were on our own private tropical island. Our meetings were in one of hotel ballrooms, but the facility also has a permanent tent on the grounds. Tucked inside was a a silent auction. During lunch break, I popped into the ... Read On >