Superb Advice For Using Travel Auction Websites By: Maria Wilmer | - We all know that you've done your research to learn precisely what our internet site has to offer you and what a phenomenal deal our travel auction bidding can be. What we want to spend a bit of time doing is give you one or two tips that may give you a greater chance of winning your special travel auction.
Penny Auction General Information By: Claire J. Fox | - If you love shopping and you are more than interested in high quality products offered at genuinely reduced prices, then you should definitely consider the penny auction site at pennyauctionstar.com . The online market has developed tremendously in the past few years and its no wonder that, nowadays, the level of competition has increased very much. For those of you who are genuine bargain hunters, a penny auction win is a definite purpose and for all the right reasons. You have probably hear ... Tags:penny auction, penny auction win
Investing In Auction Property By: D.Qualter | - There are several people who are trying to venture in auction property as this is a good way so that they can start a profitable investment. Indeed, the market for these kinds of ventures is steadily growing despite the kind of economy that we have during these past years. But if you want to try this out, you also need to know that this is really not as simple as you might have thought. This is because it is still very unlikely that you will have a very cheap price for these kinds of estates. Yo ... Tags:property investment, investment property, investment properties, lease options, property investing, auction property, bmv property, bmv, property auctions
Online Car Auction Guidelines To Make A Successful Purchase By: Anthony Douglas | - Some of the export cars usa also provides a variety of designs and customization options. The entire process of Usa auto export is extremely simple and fast, enabling you to complete the purchase with the help of a few clicks. However when you export cars from a well-known brand or even take part in a specific salvage car auction on a budget, you should always create a few guidelines from before.
The reason behind the guidelines is to make sure that the car shipping from usa and other form ... Tags:Salvage Cars for Sale, Salvage Auction
Smart Ideas For Penny Pinching When It Comes To Fundraising Auction Printing By: Sherry Truhlar | - With many organizations trying to cut expenses, and with printed materials accounting for a large percentage of any charity auction gala budget, it's worth taking a look at how to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to printing.
Here's my opinion on when to splurge and when to save.
If your auction trends the way of many groups, your largest donors are likely 46 years old plus. They are at least Baby Boomers, but most may be older. Certainly many of the most successful auctions held annually are filled with 45+ year old gala attendees.
Forgot To Include The Live Charity Auction Items In Your Program? Fundraising Auction Schedules Can By: Sherry Truhlar | - Sometimes benefit auction catalogs are misplaced before the live auction begins. Other times a catalog isn't printed. Some groups print a program, but fail to include the live fundraising auction items, either because the items weren't yet decided by the printing deadline, or because they simply forget to include them.
Benefit Auction Centerpieces: Two Approaches For Your Gala By: Sherry Truhlar | - When I worked as a corporate event planner, I knew the trick. The least expensive way to decorate an event "on the cheap" was to dress up the table. Let the room décor fall by the wayside, but make sure the table looks good! It was the table - not the room - where guests would focus most of their attention.
Charity Auction Ideas: How To Find A Fundraising Auctioneer By: Sherry Truhlar | - If you're new to fundraising auctions or new to working with auctioneers, you might be unsure of how to go about finding and selecting a charity auctioneer.
Here are six steps auction planners can use to not just survive the selection process, but actually enjoy the conversations.
I often equate running a benefit auction to running a small business. Many small businesses will have gross incomes of less than $100,000 so you can see how many non profit auctions rival the income of a small business. If you are chairing an auction, you have to think like you are running a business and you have got to have the righ ... Tags:auction committee help, Auction Committees, auction planning, conference call, phone call, how to chair a fundraising auction
Traditional art pieces — items like sculptures, paintings, drawings, and mixed media which are produced by a professional artist who makes his or her living from selling artwork - are risky auction items for the standard, non-art benefit auction.
An Idea For Benefit Auction Donation From A Photographer: Family Photo Party By: Sherry Truhlar | - In most of the silent auctions my company conducts - and occasionally a live auction - at least one of the items will be donated from a photographer. Usually the donation is a free sitting with one 8″X10″ print for a family, a couple, or an individual.
Although these items are usually displayed nicely and the photographer often has a lovely image of their work available to view, the items rarely sell for top dollar.
Charity Auction Ideas: How To Promote With Tweets By: Sherry Truhlar | - Got an auction for charity coming up, and wondering what to tweet? Or maybe you just want to help a charity you love by getting the word out on Twitter?
Regardless of your motive, here are some ideas to model. I see great benefit auction-related tweets all the time on Twitter and pulled a few to get your juices flowing. (As a side, does this count as a RT (retweet)? I'm not sure what a tweet-to-blog communication is called.)
Unusual Fundraising Auction Venue: Airplane Hangars By: Sherry Truhlar | - When you're thinking about a venue for an auction event, I'm sure that you didn't envision standing inside a hangar, looking out towards ... the runway. Yes, I did say "runway".
An unusual venue - like a plane hangar - can be a fun place to have a benefit auction. During one benefit auction I attended, one of the favorite spots for the guests to gather was actually near the open hanger doors where they stood enjoying the view.
Oh, if I had a dollar for each time someone has asked me that. Many people contemplate that question in the same way they think about prunes: "I wonder if eight is too many? ... Will three get the job done?"
Easy-to-implement Auction Ideas: Quick Ways To Cut Fundraising Auction Costs By: Sherry Truhlar | - Some of the fundraising auctions I conduct are large events with impressive auction catalogs to match. These auction catalogs can be expensive to print. In fact, printing costs are one of the highest expenses when producing a fundraising auction. Anything we can do to reduce unnecessary printing is good for your fundraiser's bottom line.
One of my clients was brilliant. She dropped her charity auction catalog production costs from $14,000 to $7900. Impressive!
Pull Together Non-floral Centerpieces For Great Looking Benefit Auction Tables By: Sherry Truhlar | - Many of the benefit auctions I work use a floral centerpiece on the table. I certainly enjoy the freshness they bring to a table, but I've also seen some creative non-floral centerpieces at my auction fundraisers.
A Staple And A Less Frequent Theme In Benefit Auctions: Charity Galas Themes Of Venetian & Money By: Sherry Truhlar | - Every auction committee has a challenge. Whether they are working to set a fundraising record or seat more guests than last year, there is room to get creative. An auction's theme can set the mood for fun while still being functional. At the same time, a theme can whew guests and tow the line with the budget.
Persuade An Artist To Donate To A Benefit Auctions - Steve Haskamp Tells All By: Sherry Truhlar | - Meet Steve Haskamp, an honest-to-goodness, full-time artist. He's a busy man with designs that are used on greeting cards at Trader Joe's, children's clothing, tote bags, books, magazines, prints, housewares and a ton of other stuff. (You can see actual samples of his work at his blog at http://stevehaskamp.blogspot.com.)
If my client is only conducting a silent auction, I am never asked whether an item belongs in the silent auction or live auction - there's no choice! But if the auction fundraiser includes both components, the "silent versus live" debate often arises.
Silent Auction Proof: Revisiting Printer's Plates By: Sherry Truhlar | - At a recent event I was reminded of one of my earlier articles regarding printer plates and their use in silent auctions. For those who may have missed the article, here's a quick overview.
Printer's plates are the image from the newspaper's front page. These plates are relatively easy to obtain, even without a contact at the paper. For example, you can check your local newspaper's Contact Us page and find either a telephone number or email address to begin the process.
Creative Live Auction Idea: How To Successfully Sell A Puppy By: Sherry Truhlar | - I love dogs. And I'm not alone -- my town of Alexandra, VA is one of the United State's friendliest dog towns. Since there are lots of dog lovers in this part of the world, each year I usually sell one or two donated puppies as part of a live benefit auction.
Your Fundraising Auction Can Be Jeopardized By These Three Licensing Mistakes By: Sherry Truhlar | - With so many rules to follow from federal, state and municipal bodies, it's really difficult to stay on top of things. As event planners know, inadvertently overlooking one of these details could have shut down my event.
Licensing varies greatly from location to location, but here are three common licensing issues I typically see with regards to a fundraising auction.
Auction Item Ideas: Stock The Bar By: Sherry Truhlar | - The upcoming holiday season has me thinking about seasonal get-togethers. Here's an idea around that theme.
I heard of an older couple who opted to forego the traditional gifts at their wedding. If any guest wanted to give a gift, the couple suggested bringing a bottle of wine so they could "stock the cellar." (I like this idea! I've got enough "stuff" for my house, but the cellar can always be filled.)
The Charity Of Celebrities: Do Your Research To Enlist Stars To Your Fundraiser By: Sherry Truhlar | - Sometimes a non-profit will seek advice on how to find the most appropriate celebrity to promote their cause. The group may be considering the impact a well-known actor or musician could have at its auction fundraiser.
The charity's goal is multi-faceted. The presence of a star could draw others to attend their gala, or the star himself might donate to the auction, thereby raising funds in a more direct way.
School Auction Idea: A Potato Cannon By: Sherry Truhlar | - "One of a kind" auction items will always perform well in a fundraiser benefit auction. A potato cannon ... made by the school's beloved maintenance department ... in an all-boys Catholic school ... is a perfect example.
Fundraising Auction Procurement Trend - A Cocktail Instruction Party By: Sherry Truhlar | - Cocktails are hot! As I travel to different cities, I invariably read an article on the train or plane about some local cocktail bar, a local bartender who has created a fabulous new cocktail, or even the types of music to play at a cocktail party.
Why not ride this benefit auction trend and work to incorporate a cocktail element into your own auction?
As an event planner, I loved centerpieces. If I needed to "dress" the room in a cost-effective manner, I knew the trick. Forget about wall decor. Divert a tad more money into the table decor (as that's where guests spend most of their time, anyway) and with the right linens and a fun centerpiece - KABOOM - you've got yourself a festive atmosphere. The rest of the r ... Tags:benefit auction ideas, benefit auction centerpieces, how to sell centerpieces, auction centerpieces
How To Thank Donors To A Charity Auction By: Sherry Truhlar | - Good manners can build your auction's reputation for the long haul so it's important to pay attention to gestures like sending thank-yous. Fundraising auctions wouldn't exist without donors, so it's important to thank them.
Remember that the donors - not the buyers - are the people who stepped forward first to support the organization. Before the invitations were sent out ... before any guest decided on what dress to wear to the gala ... before anyone set up the decorations for the ... Tags:benefit auction ideas, benefit auction idea, fundraising ideas, auction donations, auction donors
Benefit Auction Ideas: Four Strategies For Working With A Loud Crowd By: Sherry Truhlar | - When I visit with some organizations about their auction, they insist that their event is unusually loud. "Our crowd likes to party," one will say, or "We can't ever get them to pay attention." Truth is, I've yet to see an auction which really is louder than I imagined.
Let's be honest: Your attendees view the fundraising auction as a party.
Benefit Auction Ideas: Stock The Bar Pre-party By: Sherry Truhlar | - Several years ago, I attended a wedding in which the couple was in their mid-40s. The marriage was a first for both, and each one had been living on their own prior to their marriage.
Do Cash Appeals Detract Or Siphon Money From Other Benefit Auction Activities? By: Sherry Truhlar | - As a full-service benefit auction company, we often work with clients to help them structure their benefit auction for maximum revenues. As part of our dialogue and planning, we review the timeline and discuss whether a cash appeal would work in the program. A cash appeal (for those who aren't familiar with the term) is an opportunity during the evening for guests to make a cash donation directly to the organization.
Benefit Auction Ideas: How To Reduce No-shows At Your Auction By: Sherry Truhlar | - This past spring, one of my clients experienced a higher-than-usual 9.5 percent no-show rate at their benefit auction. If all of the no-shows had been seated together (they weren't), it would have amounted to over three empty tables. For this auction, that was a lot of empties.
Fundraising Auction Entertainment Idea - Mechanical Bull By: Sherry Truhlar | - A number of organizations like to incorporate some type of entertainment into their benefit auction. Often this entertainment takes place during the silent auction, and it is usually reflective of the theme of the event. These groups like to have an activity, but are careful to ensure that the activity doesn't detract from the primary goal of fundraising.
Benefit Auction Procurement Trend - Four Ideas For "farm-to-table" Donations By: Sherry Truhlar | - Whether you simply enjoy a good meal or you're a true Martha Stewart gourmand, you and the guests at your benefit auction will love bidding on a farm-to-table dining experience. The trend has been picking up steam, and you've likely seen a feature of it in a magazine, newspaper, or news reports.
So, what *is* the farm-to-table movement and how does it tie into your auction fundraiser?
Benefit Auction Item Idea - Research-related Excursions By: Sherry Truhlar | - Are you a non-profit organization with some ties into research? Do you have access to research labs? If so, you might have a precious commodity for a live auction item sitting right in front of you.
Tours of research labs - or somehow giving guests the chance to participate in a research excursion - has a flair that some find appealing. For instance, many years ago my family was fascinated with a behind-the-scenes tour (although probably not "too" behind-the-scenes, considering the ... Tags:benefit auction ideas, auction procurement ideas, auction procurement, charity auction item ideas
Charity Auction Idea - New York Fashion Week Tickets By: Sherry Truhlar | - New York City's Fashion Week is one of the more popular events the city holds. Tickets to this event are a distinctive item worth including in your charity auction (silent auction or live auction, although I've always sold it in the live auction).
How To Choose The Best Day For Your Benefit Auction By: Sherry Truhlar | - Most auctions are held on Saturday or Friday nights. But with five other days in the week, what's the matter with holding an auction on one of those days?
Absolutely nothing!
The truth is, you can have a successful benefit auction on any day.
Of course, the day you select will naturally convey a certain feel or expectation from your guests. Here are some pointers as to how a day influences the perception of the event.
It might seem like an unusual question, but I recently had an individual email me with this inquiry. If one person has a question like this, I suspect others might as well, so let's tackle the question in an article.
This begs the question ... what is the Chef's Table?
Perhaps not every restaurant has one, but a Chef's Table is a table situated within the kitchen of the restaurant. What makes this table unique? It's like real estate: location, location, location.
A New Idea In Benefit Auction Procurement: Family Photo Parties By: Sherry Truhlar | - Does your benefit auction often include an item from a photographer who always donates a package? Most of the auctions we work have at least one item donated from a photographer. Oftentimes the donation is a free sitting with one 8"X10" print for a family, a couple, or an individual. We most often put this item in the silent auction, but sometimes it will be sold in the live auction.
The plate itself is a slab of imprinted metal which is traditionally used in offset printing. The raised areas of the plate carried the ink, which was transferred to a rubber blanket and onto the printing surface (i.e. the paper).
You've agreed to chair the Auction Committee for your favorite charity. You're excited because you have a lot of new ideas, but you also feel overwhelmed. You've heard that many benefit auctioneers are booked months in advance, so you've decided to call a few today to get an idea of their styles.
Stop. Don't pick up the phone until you're clear about one point. By answering this question first, you will save everyone's time.
If you're not afraid to reach out and you're committed to spending some time on the computer, use your location to turn a cold lead into a warmer one. Sometimes knowing about a possible donation is simply being in the right place at the right time.
Creating "something to write" can be overwhelming for some people, so to get you (or your volunteer P.R. person) started, below is a list of specific suggestions on what to write.
I am talking about "The Big Apple." Not Manhattan, Kansas, lovingly known as "The Little Apple" to those residing in the Jayhawk state. The Little Apple has its own characters, but perhaps not as colorful as what I'm about to describe.
If you've spent any time walking around the streets of New York, you've seen street vendors. They sell sunglasses, fruit, umbrellas, hats, books, CDs, DVDs, jewelry, and many other items.
That message was repeated in a SuccessfulMeetings.com article posted on September 21, 2009. The article is entitled, "Business Travel Study: Companies That Spend More, Make More." The study was funded by the National Business Travel Association and found that for every $1 spent on business travel, over $15 could be earned.
