Do you find your live or silent auctions have the same offerings year after year? Are you looking for fun and trendy new items to offer at your next auction? Read below for interesting ideas from the spring 2005 auction season.
It seems the hottest items this spring were medical services. From vasectomies to Botox and Lasik, as well as children's orthodontia, guests are interested in purchasing these services at a benefit auction. "We were kind of amazed at first, but our 'All Tied Up' vasectomy package went for more than full value and was an excellent moneymaker for our client," said Scott Merrin of Silent Partners, a national procurement firm based in Southern California.
Across the board, Auctionpay clients are saying complete packages seem to make more money in the long run - regardless of the category. "Pairing airline tickets, a first-class hotel in NYC, and two VIP tickets to a Broadway show proved to be very successful at our recent gala," reported Sandra Dyeak of Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, Texas. A popular auction item recently in Southern California was a Sideways Movie Package which included a stay at the hotel, dinner at The Hitching Post restaurant featured in the movie, tours of some of the wineries, and several bottles of wine.
Many organizations find travel packages to be a huge success. Weekend getaways within drivable distances as well as high-end travel packages, such as resorts in Tuscany, houses in Aspen during the Food & Wine Classic, and an 8-night African Safari and a Mt. Kilimanjaro climb are popular.
Big adventure is always a hit and the types available continue to grow. Some of these include: a NASCAR package featuring a ride around the track with a professional driver at the Nextel cup race and 3 nights in Las Vegas, becoming a fighter pilot for the day, taking an anti-gravity flight to experience the way astronauts train and a walk-on role in Broadway's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
And, if you're lucky enough to have a celebrity in your midst, or at least some connections, then you're bound to draw attention at your event. A Desperate Housewives VIP set-visit and lunch with the creator and one cast member proved popular recently, as did a final Sex in the City script, signed by Sarah Jessica Parker and the entire cast and crew. A private clinic for 10 kids with New York Yankees' Derek Jeter, or a sing-a-long in your own backyard for you and twenty friends with the cast of the Stages' Production of Always...Pasty Cline were bid on recently.
Then there's the catch-all category of miscellaneous items that are always good conversation starters. There is tremendous creativity in procurement with items such as "Kiss a Beagle" for a good cause, send your child to the principal's office, commission a customized painted mural, become a wine judge at the Los Angeles County Fair, or your chance to become a named character in a Spencer for Hire mystery novel.
The more interesting and clever your items or packages are, the higher the revenue. Keep in mind the interests of your audience and get creative with new items to generate bidding excitement.
Thank you to Auctionpay partners, Kingston Auction Company, Silent Partners, Inc., and The Gavel Group, as well as many of our clients, for letting us share their successes.
To see a complete list of hot auction items, click here.
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