In February I was working with a new client who was sharing information about their live auction items from the prior year. The conversation went something like this: Me: So you sold a home irrigation system in the live auction last year? They: Yes. It's worth nearly $4000, so we put it in the live auction to get more money for it. We sold it for $1600. I think we had 3 bids. Me: We can find a better way to sell it. And we did find a better way. This year we sold that ... Read On >
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[VIDEO] Free donations to sell at school auctions, like Spirit Rock
I'm working with a lot of schools right now as this is the height of school auction season. In keeping with the season, here's an idea specifically for you school auction committees. I'm often asked for ideas for items that a committee can procure for "free." By "free," the committee means they won't have to ask a company for a donation. It can also reference the fact that the item itself doesn't have a hard financial value associated to it. Some more common examples of free items are ... Read On >
When I retire, I’ll move to Princeton, NJ for this. (And a lesson in thanking event sponsors)
The Princeton Senior Resource Center (PSRC) in Princeton, NJ has got it going on. This group has such a nice spirit and does so many things well, I am disappointed that my Mom doesn't live in New Jersey so she could take advantage of their senior-focused programs. I get their newsletter, read their upcoming events, and I want to sign up for all their classes. But that's not why I'm writing about PSRC today. Here's some background. In 2014, this group celebrated its 40th anniversary. To ... Read On >
How to easily build your own website on WordPress
Note: This post isn't benefit auction-related. Sometimes I share other content. If you need auction help, search the blog for 500+ auction-related posts.============Today I want to share information about a course and teacher I love.If you're a small business owner, a nonprofit in need of a website, or an eternal student, read on.Back in 2009 I enrolled in an online course for non-techies called the Website Creation Workshop. I wanted to learn how to build my own website. I'd become so ... Read On >
The most popular school auction item of 2015: Taylor Swift concert tickets
I’ve reviewed the results of the year. Want to guess the most common school auction item from this past spring season? Tickets to Taylor Swift’s 1989 concert tour. Here’s what we can learn from this. When popular performers stage shows in your city, buying two or four seats to the show can become a popular live auction item. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, the rage was for Taylor. When she announced two July 2015 concerts for the D.C. area, the shows quickly sold out. The advantage ... Read On >