I've written before about creatively displaying jewelry in your silent auction displays. That post showed some unusual ways to showcase your jewels. This suggestion is more straightforward. Use jewelry stands. Stands ... props ... displays ... whatever you want to call them. When you find jewelry displays on sale, it's not a bad idea to invest in more than one. These become part of your permanent supply kit. Consider this story. Shortly after I graduated from college, I flew to visit a ... Read On >
An ice-cold venue and Olympic entertainment was a fitting tribute to an honoree
I had a memorable auction last week in upstate New York. I want to tell you about it and share a couple of observations. But first, let me share a story from my early days in USA's capital. Nearly 15 years ago my parents were visiting me in Washington, D.C. In preparation of their visit, I'd purchased tickets for us to watch a performance at the Kennedy Center. Just a week before they arrived, I also won a prize from a radio station. It included tickets to an afternoon performance at a ... Read On >
25+ non-traditional venues for smaller auctions in the DMV
Got a smaller benefit auction in the Washington, D.C. metro area? I've got a number of clients who have 150 - 300 guests. They are often seeking out interesting, non-traditional venues for smaller auctions here in the DMV. Below is a list of some spots I've seen work or have known my clients to be reviewing. Each will present unique challenges and benefits. UPDATE 2020: Reviewed for accuracy ===================== Washington, D.C. venues AjaxDC (industrial open space plan) - ... Read On >
[VIDEO] Where to start your opening bids in the live auction
Every year I'll be asked by a few auction chairs, "Sherry, let's review the opening bids on these live auction items. Where shall we start them?" In this video and the post that follows it, I've addressed why you shouldn't care about opening bids. https://youtu.be/e32PMbixJGE?si=9rM1-E4u74E6A4ST Here's a conversation I'll have with some clients each year: "Sherry, this item is worth $2500. Where are you going to start the bidding?" "Start?" I'll counter, "It doesn’t matter where ... Read On >
VIDEO: Your Fund a Need auction advocate
If you're interested in running a Fund a Need auction, today (June 23) at 3 PM Eastern time, I'm offering a live webinar called Fabulous Fund a Needs. (Buy the DVD here and you'll be registered for the webinar today). I've written before about them. A growing portion of my business is devoted to doing nothing but the delivery of these speeches. And that's the sub-section I'm writing about today ... the trend of skipping a live and silent auction and just offering a Fund a Need. Each year I ... Read On >