It's been an... eventful couple of months. I have not blogged as often as I should. I will do better now, I promise.
My first mailing, of 75 or so letters, went out in late January. Which is much later than I intended. But I must be livin' clean or something, since the donations have been coming back fast and furious. I've entered some of what I have received into our school auction website - go see what I've received so far (click the "Catalog" link at the top of that page.)
The mind-blowing discovery of the week came when I found this company: Versaic (here is their client list, and here is a shorter, even more partial version of the client list, but one with links to the company pages.
Versaic provides online donation-request forms and sponsorship-request forms for various national companies. Which makes them very useful to auction chairs like me.
Showing posts with label Procurement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Procurement. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Another way to handle procurement
Today, out in North Carolina, the Garris Chapel Church is holding their all-day fundraiser and silent auction. They are using SchoolAuction.net to manage it, and as such I've had occasion to talk to the chair a few times about the event.
What they do, that I have never seen another group do, is they ask all of the attendees to bring items for the silent auction with them when they show up at the event. They enter the items in the database at the same time they check in the guests, print bid sheets for the items on the spot, and put the items out on the table then for bidding. They don't really know how many items they will have in the silent auction until it is almost over (due to late arrivals), but they also don't send out procurement letters or knock on doors.
I thought that was a pretty interesting idea. I'm not going to use it this year myself, but can see using it with a future event.
What they do, that I have never seen another group do, is they ask all of the attendees to bring items for the silent auction with them when they show up at the event. They enter the items in the database at the same time they check in the guests, print bid sheets for the items on the spot, and put the items out on the table then for bidding. They don't really know how many items they will have in the silent auction until it is almost over (due to late arrivals), but they also don't send out procurement letters or knock on doors.
I thought that was a pretty interesting idea. I'm not going to use it this year myself, but can see using it with a future event.
Monday, September 13, 2010
On Signup Parties (aka Socials, Easel Parties, Pay-to-Plays, etc.)
As mentioned in an earlier post, there will be signup parties at this auction.
What's a signup party? Here's an example. Mike and Rebecca (parents of a sophomore at Hypothetical High School) decide that, as their contribution to the HHS auction, they are willing to host 12 people at their house on the day of the Kentucky Derby, and serve these people mint juleps and fabulous tasty food. It's well-known in the HHS community that Mike and Rebecca's house features a patio with a spectacular view of the valley and a gorgeous garden, and Rebecca has an awfully sharp wit and so we KNOW that people are going to want to go to the party.
The Procurement Chair and Rebecca sit down to discuss the idea over a julep or two, and decide to charge $35 per person for the 12 slots. The Procurement Chair takes a few pictures of the patio and the view and a mint julep, and enters the Kentucky Derby Bash as a Signup item into the auction software, with a quantity of 12, and a price of $35.
On the night of the auction, the Procurement Chair puts a signup sheet on a table, surrounds it with pictures of the patio, of the mint julep, and of last year's winning horse. Guests who want to attend write their names down, and at check-out, pay $35 for the slot. After the event, the Auction Chair prints out a report with the names of the people who signed up, and Rebecca emails them to tell them how much fun the party is going to be, and when to show up.
The auction books $420 in contributions from that item alone ($35 x 12 guests), and everyone is happy.
Here's a link to another blog post on Socials, by a woman I met through the PTA Great Idea Bank website.
What's a signup party? Here's an example. Mike and Rebecca (parents of a sophomore at Hypothetical High School) decide that, as their contribution to the HHS auction, they are willing to host 12 people at their house on the day of the Kentucky Derby, and serve these people mint juleps and fabulous tasty food. It's well-known in the HHS community that Mike and Rebecca's house features a patio with a spectacular view of the valley and a gorgeous garden, and Rebecca has an awfully sharp wit and so we KNOW that people are going to want to go to the party.
The Procurement Chair and Rebecca sit down to discuss the idea over a julep or two, and decide to charge $35 per person for the 12 slots. The Procurement Chair takes a few pictures of the patio and the view and a mint julep, and enters the Kentucky Derby Bash as a Signup item into the auction software, with a quantity of 12, and a price of $35.
On the night of the auction, the Procurement Chair puts a signup sheet on a table, surrounds it with pictures of the patio, of the mint julep, and of last year's winning horse. Guests who want to attend write their names down, and at check-out, pay $35 for the slot. After the event, the Auction Chair prints out a report with the names of the people who signed up, and Rebecca emails them to tell them how much fun the party is going to be, and when to show up.
The auction books $420 in contributions from that item alone ($35 x 12 guests), and everyone is happy.
Here's a link to another blog post on Socials, by a woman I met through the PTA Great Idea Bank website.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
On Stationery
I'm going to need to go get stationery for the Procurement Letter. Our school district has a Printing Services office, and I can get some through them with a district logo on it, next to our PTA name and address. This stationery is ugly, and inexpensive, and therefore perfect.
It's ugly, simply because the district graphics are well, a bit dated-looking. But that's perfect, since it also looks kind of bureaucratic and official. And because it looks like our school does not spend money on the Wrong Things.
I think this is important. We make a statement with stuff like stationery. And there is a balance between creating a fun event where people loosen up and contribute money, with creating the perception that we will be responsible stewards of that contributed money.
The procurement letter will look legit with the district stationery. And it will look a little austere. And that's good.
It's ugly, simply because the district graphics are well, a bit dated-looking. But that's perfect, since it also looks kind of bureaucratic and official. And because it looks like our school does not spend money on the Wrong Things.
I think this is important. We make a statement with stuff like stationery. And there is a balance between creating a fun event where people loosen up and contribute money, with creating the perception that we will be responsible stewards of that contributed money.
The procurement letter will look legit with the district stationery. And it will look a little austere. And that's good.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Procurement List
One of the reasons I'm pretty sanguine about my ability to get this auction done without losing my mind is that I already have A List.
That is, a procurement list. A list of local businesses who are pretty good about donating items to fundraising auctions in our city. I have one because I have chaired two auctions here before, and have my database files from those events, plus I am pretty sure I can get the file from the last auction held to benefit this particular school. That happened two years ago, but the list should still be helpful.
I also know what a list should look like. If you don't have a good list, here's a few tips on how I go about building one.
1) To estimate the size of the list, set a goal for the number of items you want in the silent auction. My rule of thumb is a little less than half as many items as guests; so if I think I'm going to have 150 guests (my initial estimate), I'll shoot for 60-70 items in my silent auction. I'm probably going to hear back from 30-40% of the businesses I contact, so I'll need around 200 businesses on the list that I mail.
2) I'm going to look for 15-20% of those 200 (30-40 businesses) to be local restaurants. Restaurant gift certificates are incredibly useful items to procure; they can be packaged with other items easily, or used in a Feeding Frenzy, or on a Quick Picks board.
3) I want 80-90 of the 200 at least to be located within 3-4 miles of the school. Of the rest, I'll look for another 35-50 to be within the city, and the rest can come from around the state or even the region.
4) I want businesses owned or managed by school parents represented in the list, but I know I can't count on that for the bulk. I won't set a goal here, other than to try and to take what comes.
5) What I CAN set a goal for is to have 10-15 school parents host Signup Parties (a.k.a. Easel Parties, Pay-To-Play parties, etc). I love signup parties; they are easy to procure, and provide those all-important "something everyone can afford" items for the event.
6) For a live auction, I'm going to start by trying to find a Community Tradition-type item or two. I'm new to this school, so I'm going to need to poll the PTA board first, but I bet I can put together a Honey-Do Crew at least.
7) I also want to put together a couple of vacation outings for the live auction, so I'm going to ask around to see what families at the school might have vacation homes. If I can get one family to let me auction a stay at their home for a week, and one more to donate a weekend, then I'm feeling pretty good about that.
8) As soon as I get confirmation on the Benefit Auctioneer who is going to work the event, I'm going to set up an appointment with her to come to one of the PTA board meetings, and do a brainstorming session.
9) If I can get it, I am going to look at the data from the last auction, to see who bought what. This always inspires ideas.
10) To stock the Wine Wall, I am going to ask each family in the school to donate one bottle and to bring it to me at the Back-To-School PTA Picnic.
Bonus tip: I know there at least two other people who have chaired school auctions in our PTA. I'm going to ask them for their lists, too.
So. Do these tips pass your sniff test? What additional tips do you have?
That is, a procurement list. A list of local businesses who are pretty good about donating items to fundraising auctions in our city. I have one because I have chaired two auctions here before, and have my database files from those events, plus I am pretty sure I can get the file from the last auction held to benefit this particular school. That happened two years ago, but the list should still be helpful.
I also know what a list should look like. If you don't have a good list, here's a few tips on how I go about building one.
1) To estimate the size of the list, set a goal for the number of items you want in the silent auction. My rule of thumb is a little less than half as many items as guests; so if I think I'm going to have 150 guests (my initial estimate), I'll shoot for 60-70 items in my silent auction. I'm probably going to hear back from 30-40% of the businesses I contact, so I'll need around 200 businesses on the list that I mail.
2) I'm going to look for 15-20% of those 200 (30-40 businesses) to be local restaurants. Restaurant gift certificates are incredibly useful items to procure; they can be packaged with other items easily, or used in a Feeding Frenzy, or on a Quick Picks board.
3) I want 80-90 of the 200 at least to be located within 3-4 miles of the school. Of the rest, I'll look for another 35-50 to be within the city, and the rest can come from around the state or even the region.
4) I want businesses owned or managed by school parents represented in the list, but I know I can't count on that for the bulk. I won't set a goal here, other than to try and to take what comes.
5) What I CAN set a goal for is to have 10-15 school parents host Signup Parties (a.k.a. Easel Parties, Pay-To-Play parties, etc). I love signup parties; they are easy to procure, and provide those all-important "something everyone can afford" items for the event.
6) For a live auction, I'm going to start by trying to find a Community Tradition-type item or two. I'm new to this school, so I'm going to need to poll the PTA board first, but I bet I can put together a Honey-Do Crew at least.
7) I also want to put together a couple of vacation outings for the live auction, so I'm going to ask around to see what families at the school might have vacation homes. If I can get one family to let me auction a stay at their home for a week, and one more to donate a weekend, then I'm feeling pretty good about that.
8) As soon as I get confirmation on the Benefit Auctioneer who is going to work the event, I'm going to set up an appointment with her to come to one of the PTA board meetings, and do a brainstorming session.
9) If I can get it, I am going to look at the data from the last auction, to see who bought what. This always inspires ideas.
10) To stock the Wine Wall, I am going to ask each family in the school to donate one bottle and to bring it to me at the Back-To-School PTA Picnic.
Bonus tip: I know there at least two other people who have chaired school auctions in our PTA. I'm going to ask them for their lists, too.
So. Do these tips pass your sniff test? What additional tips do you have?
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