How Important Is the Fundraising Auctioneer to the Success of Your Event?

I want you to think about the term “Fundraising Auction”.

A “Fundraising Auction” is an event where items of value are gathered, and then sold in a competitive bidding situation, either in a Silent Auction format, or in a Live Auction format by a Live Auctioneer. And since typically the best items are saved for the Live Auction, arguably it is the Live Auction that should generate a significant portion of the proceeds in any Fundraising Auction.

So why do so many non-profit groups consider the Fundraising Auctioneer to be the least valuable component in a Fundraising Auction?

The Hosting Facility gets paid.
The Printer gets paid.
The Caterer gets paid.
The Liquor Store gets paid.
The DJ gets paid.
The Florist gets paid.
But the Auctioneer … the individual who is expected to raise the lion’s share of the event’s proceeds… is expected to work for Free. And is usually under-appreciated for the professional services he/she provides.

I’m not trying to underscore the value of the invitations & programs, food, booze, music, and decorations. All are important in their own way. But each of these are “Expenses”. It is the Auctioneer who is going to bring “Revenue”… and thus, the “Profits”… into any event. Which is the ultimate objective of any Fundraising Auction.

Here is a real-life example of how under-appreciated the Auctioneer can be. In two comparable events we worked last year, during the dinner portion of the event one non-profit group sat the Auctioneer (me) at a table with the DJ, the Interns, the Volunteer Staff, and other event “Help”. The 2nd non-profit group sat the Auctioneer (me) directly next to the CEO of their organization, where we chatted about how important the pending revenue would be to their organization. Which group do you think valued the services of the Fundraising Auctioneer more?

Don’t ever under-estimate the value that a professional Fundraising Auctioneer can bring to your event. The Auctioneer adds value as a pre-event consultant. And the Auctioneer can change an event from a moderate to a huge success.

A Case Study Once I was scheduled to call an Auction for a major local non-profit group. They represented a very good cause and they had a strong and dedicated following. Their event was sold out, quality Live & Silent Auction items had been solicited, and the Special Pledge Appeal had been choreographed and was ready to go. The facility was first class, the appropriate caterer was booked, and the food was ready to cook.

But quite unexpectedly, some unseasonably inclement weather forced the event’s cancellation. Despite all of the committee’s hard work, cancelling the event was the proper decision considering the circumstances.

So the Event Committee scrambled to re-schedule the event for the following weekend.

They confirmed with the Hosting Facility.
They confirmed with the Caterer.
They confirmed with the Liquor Store.
They confirmed with the DJ.
They confirmed with the Florist.
Since they already had the Mailing List of those scheduled to attend, no new invitations had to be printed as all were contacted by email or telephone. So with everything in place, the group went ahead and re-scheduled the event for the following weekend.

But guess who they failed to confirm? You got it… the Professional Auctioneer. They thought so little of the Auctioneer’s contribution that they “assumed” that the Auctioneer would be available and at their beck and call.

But the Auctioneer already had another Fundraising Auction booked for that date with another non-profit group. It was only hour away from the re-scheduled event, and things could have been easily worked out. All Group #1 had to do was start their event one hour earlier, or one hour later, than the Group #2, and the Auctioneer could have helped both groups on the same day.

But because Group #1 failed to anticipate a possible Auctioneer conflict, because they failed to confirm with the Auctioneer before re-scheduling their event, their preferred Auctioneer had to bow out and they had to scramble to locate substitute “Volunteer” Auctioneer only days before their event.

And it cost them.

Learning Points

The Live Auction is usually where the profits are made at any Fundraising Auction.
A Professional Fundraising Auctioneer can be vital to the success of any Fundraising Auction.
The better Fundraising Auctioneers usually get booked quickly.
You need to recognize the important contributions that a good Auctioneer can make to your event.
Michael Ivankovich is a Bucks County Fundraising Auctioneer based in Doylestown PA, and serves the Great Philadelphia PA area. He has been a professionally licensed and bonded Auctioneer in Pennsylvania for nearly 20 years, has been named Pennsylvania’s Auctioneer of the Year, and has considerable experience in conducting Fundraising Auctions. Michael loves helping groups raise needed funds for good causes and one of his specialties is the “Special Pledge Appeal” or “Fund-A-Cause Appeal” which usually enables clients to double their revenue in a single evening.

10 Powerful Reasons to Start a Home Based Business

Home Based Business has now become a buzz word where ever you go. The key question is, why do so many people want to go into business of working for themselves from home? The revelations are amazing and in this post I want to share with you 10 most powerful reasons why you should join the train of work from home entrepreneurs.

Most home based entrepreneurs are intrigued by the fact of working from home and not wading in morning and evening traffic to work day and night. One other appealing fact is that, you no more have to answer to your boss’s whims and caprices.

The best among all is the fact that in this quick and fast world where your income is devoured by so many social demands, it will always be beneficial to have an extra income coming from some other source apart from your main 8 to 5 job.

Many have a slight idea of what could be achieved from a home based business but majority will be willing to fully embark on it if they are aware of these salient points I’m about to share with you now. Make a critical study of these 10 major beneficial points on working from home, and I guarantee once you take a careful look at them, your desire to start a home base business will soar high.

With that said, let’s go to reason #1.

1. Be your own Boss.

Ever thought of being your own Boss before?

You must also know that it’s not only the pride in being a boss but the ability to now think and make quality decision by yourself without anyone instructing and guiding you. But I must say that, after all is said and done, the experience and the confidence you gain far outweigh even the money and the freedom that comes with it.

Most millionaires will tell you that, the one most exciting thing they gain for being rich is not the money but who they become in terms of experience, discipline, associations etc.

2. Work when and how you want.

You may be working for a boss or for an organization but you always dread Monday mornings when you have to start another boring week after a long week end. When the alarm clock goes off you have no choice but to wake up and get going otherwise you could be fired for being late.

Yes, in most instances like this we all wish the business is ours so we could sleep a while and go as and when we like. For a home business, you could set your own working hours and if you are the type who loves to sleep during the early hours of the day, then you could just cuddle up in bed and sleep a little more.

But be aware of the fact that, running a home based business does not also give you the ability to just do things haphazardly without discipline, commitment and consistency. What started as a good dream could easily become a nightmare and that’s what has resulted in most dot bombs you see around today.

3. Job Security Issues are No More

Running your own home based business puts you in the seat of the boss; you are now the one who hires and fires. You are indomitable, you are the one holding the job, you call all the shots, and no one ever fires you.

You no more think of what happens during cut back and retrenchments, you are no more afraid of whether the company is going bankrupt or not. The issue of job security is now nipped in the bud once and for all.

4. You can start Part Time

Most people look at a home based business as something they can only do on full time and for that matter the fear of stopping their main job and starting a home based job has always created scary moments for them because of the risk of failure.

One good thing about starting a home based business especially an online business is to start small on part time till you are able to grow it into a fully matured business that can take care of your needs and wants.

Working 2 hours a day may be a good starting point for you. Exercise yourself and see some amount of money coming in and then add more hours and see much more before taking that deep leap to stop your day job. Don’t try to do all at a go. Take it easy one day at a time and before you realize you will be there.

5. Your personal confidence will soar

After just a few successes in your home based business, you will realize that your confidence will soar so high. You can now confidently hit your chest and say, yes, I have what it takes to start earning money online or make money from home.

Most times, it’s not so much about the money but the ability to prove to yourself that you can also work towards a goal and get it achieved. Also knowing for a fact that, success begets success, you will soon find yourself moving on to higher heights and crossing barriers you were not able to cross before.

6. You acquire a new level of discipline

As interesting and exciting as a home based business may be, it still requires some level of discipline and commitment to actually see it through to success. Where you do not develop the necessary discipline associated with being your own boss, you will finally observe everything crumbling at your feet.

The required discipline necessary to turn a home based business to success will definitely change your make up by the time you are through with it. It is therefore always good to realize that, it is not just about the money that you will make, but most of all, the discipline and the attitude it will leave within you.

7. You acquire and develop new skills and knowledge

It is impossible to remain at the same skill and knowledge level if you truly immerse yourself into your home based business. Let’s take an online business for instance, before you can truly perfect such a home based business, there are so many skills you need to develop and also certain specialized knowledge needs to be acquired.

It therefore goes without saying that, a successful home based business person will definitely ends up with a series of skills and specialized knowledge up his sleeve. The majority of these specialized skills and knowledge can only be acquired through hands-on practical experience.

8. You may earn a lot of money

Money is a reward for solving a problem; it therefore means that in order to have more money, it’s paramount that you have to solve more problems. It is also not a good decision to start a particular home based business because of the money involved. It is always good to start by doing what you love and the money will follow. As you love what you do, and you are able to help enough other people to get what they want, you will also get what you want.

Feel free to follow your passion without necessarily thinking about money. As you enjoy what you do, you will naturally involve your whole heart and this passion will show on the outside causing people to now respond to your call.

9. You can have freedom

After all is said and done, the key reason why most people want to engage in a home based business is the freedom. When you plan your activities well and you are able to achieve your goals, it’s quite possible to experience both financial and time freedom.

This level of freedom is what every worker yearns for but has eluded many. Freedom to do what you want, when you want it. Freedom to travel and go on vacation whilst your business keeps making money day in day out.

10. You can retire early

Should you be successful at your work from home business and you are earning enough, you could invest your money for it to work for you and go on early retirement. It has been the dream of many to retire early but the means to do so is just not there. With a very successful home based business, this could be achieved with hard work, dedication and commitment.

Many have done it, you are not the first so gird up your loins, fold up your sleeves and get ready to embark on this fruitful journey. There is no limit to what you can do, every good journey starts with the first step, take yours now.

Auction Listings Are Vital to the Success of Fundraising Auctions

Fundraising Auction Tip: You should always provide potential bidders with a printed Auction Listing of both your Live and Silent Auction items at any Fundraising Auction. A printed Auction Listing is vital for several reasons:

An Auction Listing informs bidders of the order of sale, and what is coming up next. If you keep your bidders guessing, they will simply not bid.

If bidders are not 100% certain of what they are bidding on, they will not bid. A printed Auction Listing should answer any and all questions about what is being sold in order to encourage bidders to bid as much as possible.

Bidders often need time to plan their bidding strategies, especially on multiple and/or larger value items. A printed Auction Listing helps them to do that.

Couples often need time to consult with each other about what they are willing to spend on something. A printed Auction Listing helps them to do that.

Potential bidders need to know the specifics, the benefits, and the restrictions on any item they are going to bid on, especially on travel and/or other higher value items. A printed Auction Listing should answer all of their questions, in writing.

After bidders see that they have lost an item to another bidder, a printed Auction Listing makes it easier for them to re-strategize on what else they can bid on.
Printed Auction Listings generally come in 3 forms:

Printed in the Event Program or Auction Catalog.

Printed on loose sheets of paper and hand-inserted into the Event Program or Auction Catalog.

Printed on loose sheets of paper and hand-delivered to all attendees, or left on each dinner table in the room.
Auction Listings cost practically nothing to produce and they can make the difference between the success and failure of a Live and Silent Auction. You should never conduct a Fundraising Auction without one.

A Case Study

Let me share a real-life experience with you. Once I was hired to conduct a Fundraising Auction for a nationally renowned organization. The event was held in a major hotel, in one of the country’s largest cities, with several hundred “black tie” participants attending. It was an extremely professional event, with the music, singing, lighting, speeches, and awards all perfectly timed and choreographed. Everything was done to perfection… exception the Fundraising Auction.

Although I had signed an agreement to serve as their Auctioneer nearly one year in advance of the event, no one bothered to contact me for any advice or help. Approximately one week prior to the Auction date, I contacted the group to see if they had replaced me with another Auctioneer. But they said that I was still their man.

Upon arriving at the event I asked for a copy of the Auction Listing. I was told that there were none. I’m not sure whether they felt that the Auction Listing wasn’t necessary, or whether someone forgot to have them printed. This was never made clear. When I asked what I was to use at the podium, I was told to copy the list of Live Auction items from a committee member’s computer. It took me about 30 minutes to copy three pages of hand-written notes in order to prepare for my role as their Auctioneer.

I knew that they had created a PowerPoint program showing the various Live Auction items. When I asked whether the PowerPoint slide order corresponded to the order of sale I had copied from the committee member’s computer, I was met with a blank stare. The committee member left to check the slide order, and returned to let me know that the slide order did not correspond my notes, and he provided me with the correct slide order… hand-written on a paper napkin. This forced me to re-arrange my three pages of hand-written notes before taking the podium.

There was a Live Auction Table with descriptions of the Live Auction items that were to be sold, but the table was not clearly marked, and it received significantly less attention than the Silent Auction Tables, which were clearly identified. Since the Live Auction Table was located adjacent to the “Raffle Table”, it appeared that most people thought it was part of the raffle and therefore paid very little attention to it.

According to the event program (which did not include an Auction Listing), I knew approximately when I was to begin the Live Auction. At the designated time the Master of Ceremonies announced the start of the Live Auction to the several hundred people in attendance, and introduced me as Auctioneer. As I approached the podium I realized that photographs of award winners were still being taken… directly in front of the podium where I was to stand… which required me to stand aside for several minutes until the photographers were done. Can we say “awkward moment”?

As the photographers cleared, I approached the podium and began my Live Auction introduction. Approximately one minute into my introduction, the “Raffle Committee” approached the podium and stopped my Live Auction Introduction in order to pull the 8 or 9 Raffle Winners. These drawings lasted about 5 minutes. Upon it’s conclusion I was allowed to resume the start of the Live Auction.

When standing at the podium two intense and extremely bright spotlights were pointed directly at the podium. The lights were so bright that I literally could not see the center 1/3 of the room. I could see the tables on the right, and on the left, but was totally blinded when looking straight ahead. It took perhaps five minutes before the spotlights were turned off.

While at the podium and describing Lot #1, I had to ask someone to start the Lot #1 PowerPoint Slide… because apparently no one was assigned that job.

So with only the Auctioneer’s verbal description, and a PowerPoint slide, it appeared that few people in the room had any idea about what we were selling… or when we were selling it… until it was announced by the Auctioneer. As a result, bidding was extremely light and the final results fell several thousands of dollars short of where they should have been
The learning experience is this:

The Live Auction is where you place your better items, and where the real money should be made at any Fundraising Auction. Let bidders know as far in advance as possible what you will be selling, and the order of sale, so they can get excited about the Auction, and plan their bidding strategy accordingly.

Auction Listings are absolutely vital to the success of both Live & Silent Auctions. In my opinion, revenues at this Auction fell thousands of dollars short of where they should have been, because no Auction Listing was provided to the guests.

If bidders are not perfectly clear on what is being sold, including both the item’s specifics, benefits, and restrictions, they will not bid.

When you have a committee of volunteers, especially volunteers having full time jobs and/or very busy schedules, the services of a professional Fundraising Auctioneer can help to keep the committee on track.

And once you retain the services of a professional Fundraising Auctioneer… use the services that you are paying for.