This morning our Auction Chairs, Greg, John, and John introduced this year's auction to our club members. This is our biggest fundraiser, and requires everyone to take on a role, even a small one. The Chais stressed that the process is a long one, ending in November, so it's best to be ready to start early.
Greg began by putting the Auction into context. The Auction brings in more than 50% or our revenue, so to continue to do service in the community we need the Auction. In 2015 the "Bid To Give" brand was established, and is getting good recognition. Therefore the pitch to a donor is an offer to participate. The first thing to provide to members is the documents supporting the approach to donors and sponsors. Everyone will receive copies of these documents. We try to organize ourselves so that multiple members don't approach the same donor. So we keep a list of businesses and who has contacted them. Greg then gave a brief tour of the auction website (www.ckrotaryauction.org), showing the sponsor pages and where the items are located on the Bidding Owl auction site, which is the company that hosts the actual items. Please take your own tour of the site. Lat years items will be up for a couple of months more so you can show a potential donor. Greg also showed where on our website (ckrotary.org) these documents can be downloaded - although will will provide hard copies to those without colour printers.
John Farrow took over and explained the roles that need to be filled;
•coordinating sponsors
•communicating the auction to the public - by relating our good work to the fundraising to achieve – social media etc.
•helping contact donors of members not in the club anymore – need a coordinator for the list
•contacting new donors - leading the effort to identify new donors
•suggesting new sponsors
•entering gifts on the website
•storing gifts pre-auction close
•contacting businesses who have advertised the auction on their outside signs
•helping with tv spots of WS Daily show the week before the auction
•fulfillment - mailing gift certificates and helping with physical gift pick up
John Richards took over to discuss the schedule.
Launch and prep work - April 1st
Sponsors on website - June 1st
Donations on website - June 1st
Emails to previous donors - in April
2nd email to donors - summer
Emails to bidders - early summer, October and November
Interviews on WS Daily show - November 15th to 19th
Radio and TV announcements during the month before the auction
Closing November 21st, 5 pm
Fulfillment and mail out about one week after close
Physical item pick up early December (Saturday)
Breakout sessions then generated some good ideas.
The session was closed with the auction of Joyce Yee's award winning pie from the Pi Day contest. Greg Mumford won the pie for forty dollars and Joyce will arrange the pie/ice cream/whipped cream/gift certificate delivery.