In past posts I've written about the importance of securing the best auction donation from an author. Perhaps the most thorough post was from 2012, "Careful! Donations from book authors could be your next live *or* silent auction item." For instance, signed books are OK, but they are common. We tend to sell a collection of signed books in a silent auction. But if you secure something more juicy, we sell it in the live auction for thousands of dollars more. One of the several examples ... Read On >
How to sell date-sensitive item donations that can’t be sold at your auction gala
In December 2017, this story hit the news. A Beatles fan in Australia donated seven tickets to the Salvation Army. The tickets were to be given to homeless clients so that they might enjoy the December 5, 2017 concert. Four hours before the show, two of the ticket holders returned the tickets. One of the managers at the Salvation Army made an effort to find other clients or volunteers to attend, but because of the late notice, no one accepted. At that point, the manager made the ... Read On >
Is it a “LIVE” auction, LIVE auction, or Live Auction?
My bilingual and multi-lingual friends are quick to point out that English isn't the easiest language to learn. Here's one example of how language oddities can confuse even the best auction planners. ==================== Back in 2012, I received this email from a Chicago hospital foundation team member. When I refer to a “LIVE” auction in printed materials, I always put “LIVE” in quotes so that it is not misread as LIVE – the verb for to exist. My supervisor does not like the quotes ... Read On >
The magic words that get bidders to hand over their credit card at auction registration
One key to running a fast auction checkout process is to collect credit card information as guests arrive. A long line at checkout is virtually guaranteed if a nonprofit decides to wait until the end of the event to collect a guest's credit card information. Instead, the secret to smooth auction checkout to swipe the credit card at the registration desk. However, some Gala Chairs have found it hard to convince guests to hand over their credit cards upon arrival. "Our team says that ... Read On >
Using “Alice in Wonderland” for a school auction theme
It's not uncommon for school auction themes to be inspired by children's books. Here's one example. This Wonderland auction was inspired by the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I worked this event earlier in the year. The committee put a lot of care into creating this experience. Everywhere I turned I saw clever details that supported the theme. View the video to see how this auction committee re-imagined Wonderland for their own school fundraiser. Quick overview ... Read On >