KSMom, you can search the Forum archive to find some good posts for getting non-local contacts and donors for your silent auction.
I have some other alternative suggestions for you and your auction. Your auction is in May, so let's assume that you have about 15 weeks to get donations and to plan the auction. If you have 10 enthusiatic members on the solicitation committee...ummmm. 15 wks x 10 + 150. Now if each member gets only 4 items each week, that's 4 x 150 fo that's 600 items.
Of those 600 items, if you get 500 of them to average only $10, that's 500 x $10 + $5000, and if the other 100 average $50 that's 100 X $50 + another $5000 for a $10,000 total. Now I suggest that these are low projections.....I think you could easily double those numbers....if you have enrgetic members who do the solicitations
Back to the 10 members....perhaps assign 2 to do the outside the local area, like national corporations, pro- sports team...and that leaves you with 8 for local donations.use 2 of the other 8 to make phone calls to the local corporations....that leaves 6. Have one concentrate on your school's parentswho have a business connection.
that leaves 5 to divide the local area into geographic area to knock on doors of local merchants & busineesses.
What I've tried to describe above is that with a little bit of organization, planning and segmentizing....plus with only ten volunteers....you can accomplish a lot.
Now for the real kicker...take about 20 of your best donations, and have a one hour "live auction".....and you might get even a higher auction total.
Now to really carry this off, I would suggest that your group meet once a week, and every week to share their successes and failures, with the highlight on the successes and the reporting of what donations they have receied...success breeds success.
I'm only tapping the surface of the secret to a successful solicitation drive here, but I hope you get my drift....
Norman O'Neal
Past President, Auctioneers Association of Maryland
It has been a while since I have been on & can't find a current list of companies to solicite for donations. Does anyone have one??? We are doing a silent auction/art appreciation/family activity night in May. Thanks!!!
