While 2011 still has that new-year smell, I thought I'd do some quick "by the numbers" work. As a regular writer (at least one post per week), I was curious to see which of my 2010 missives ranked most popular on the blog. What were the benefit auction ideas that you, the readers, liked? If you've landed on my site and have no time for wasting, dive into these. It's my CliffsNotes version of the Red Apple Auctions 2010 blog. Your colleagues in the auction stratosphere found these to be ... Read On >
Hello Honeysuckle! 2011’s official color packs punch in benefit auction themes
Here’s a bit of froth and fun for my first blog post of 2011. If you're evaluating some trendy benefit auction themes or centerpiece ideas, here’s the color to use. PANTONE® 18-2120 Honeysuckle: the official color of 2011 Until stumbling across this last week, I had no idea there was a color of the year. (Naive of me.) In addition to paint, the perky shade has already been rolled into Visa cards and wedding dresses. Pantone says that the vibrant color of honeysuckle “lifts the ... Read On >
Looking ahead to 2011: Trends in Benefit Auctions
What benefit auction ideas rocked in 2010? What should you expect to see more of in 2011? Trends in gala auctions do exist, though it takes longer for some ideas to gain ground. But having attended ~50 auction fundraisers this year and consulted for dozens more, I'm noticing some ideas growing in popularity. Let's cover the top five benefit auction trends for 2011. 1. Cocktails Whether selling cocktails or serving them, the concept is a hot commodity. Some groups opt to sell a ... Read On >
Offer delivery to attract bidders to large benefit auction items
Last week I wrote about selling holiday trees in your gala. I didn't include an important piece of information that can really cripple the sale of those benefit auction items: delivery. Auction guests often look at trees -- or any large cumbersome item -- and think, "How would I ever get it home?" They admire it, but they won't bid. In fact, they'll often talk themselves out of bidding because getting the item home seems like too much work. To address this concern, offer delivery to the ... Read On >
Holiday trees increase benefit auction revenues
If you're looking to boost benefit auction revenues and your event is late November or December, your acquisitions strategy could include decorated holiday trees. Here are some ideas. 1. At one school auction gala, one of the live auction items was a tree decorated with 100 $1 scratch-off lottery tickets. Not only is the winning bidder buying a lovely tree, but with a hundred scratch-off tickets, the bidder could be taking home a goldmine. 2. At another school auction, the student-decorated ... Read On >