need ideas/advice for charity auction night please

mirrorimage0

hi all i am trying to set up a charity auction night but finding donors thin on the ground, i have asked a few local shops which have donated some raffle items and i have a beauty shop that has donated some beauty treatments for a winning bidder but some of the bigger companies that i thought might help out ie a hotel room for a night or a signed football shirt etc that i could auction off just arent being helpful is there a certain way to ask for things or better companies to try. if any one can help please i owuld be most grateful.
my friend is running the london marathon for children with lukemia and thats what the proceeds of this auction night will go to as well.

mirrorimage0

dont all rush at once :rotfl: oh and if any dj's out there fancy doing a freebie just pm please..
come on i know you all have some ideas:D

christineperseus

Where is your venue?
School Hall, sports centre, church hall?
What other entertainment are you providing - meal, disco, bar etc.
Ask sports centres for passes, garden centres are usually very generous, maybe people will have items they want to be included - ie old jewelry, musical instruments - services (baby sitting, ironing, slave for a day etc).
Being part of the PTA I know how hard it is to get people through the door.

ktflosspot

SMALLER COMPANYS ALWAYS SEEM TO HELP OUT MRE THAN BIGGER ONES IN MY EXPERIENCE.
Ask arount the local places infact ask everyone you konw you will be surprised how many people know someone who is willing to help.
Also promise to name all those who donated on the night in your programme free advertising usually gives people a push in the right direction.
If you are asking big companys then try and be specific with what you want dont just ask for a prize.Always have found local cinemas quite good if you ask for two tickets.
Not sure where you are in the uk but If you need anything else pm me
I have built up quite a lot of useful templates for begging letters and emails recently.
Hope it all goes well.

mirrorimage0

ah thanks guys, i have managed to get a social hall with a bar for the night, some one i know offered to do thier karaoke but not sure if people would prefer a disco instead, they are also gonna do a cocktail station at the bar.

kt flosspot i would be very grateful for an email outlining a begging letter so to speak im not very good with my words.
thanks for your help

seashore321

Not a criticism just a question give a date for when you need replies by. If you are having trouble getting items to auction then auction family and friends. Car washing, better by adults,, and get the local rugby, football cricket team involved. Most women (yes I am being sexist) will pay for a hunky man to clean their car or windows, or gardening. Most men ( yes I am being sexist will pay for an attractive lady to bake them a cake, cook a meal for two? or just clean their house, i.e vacuum etc.

Put a minimum payment on the offers e.g. £10 for cars £15 for cleaning a room in a house. £10 for mowing a lawn dressed only in an apron etc make it fun. People will often bid more for a service than an item.

I have found when raising money that Driving Schools will often give between one and three free driving lessons in the hope that they keep people who need a little more instruction!

forumfan_2

When you approach these people are you being specific about the cause they would be contributing to?

If it is for a specific item, state what you are trying to buy and why that item would make so much difference. If it is a replacement for something then say why you need to replace the item and how many people/groups in the community will benefit.

Mention which papers have agreed to cover the event and how they will benefit in terms of advertising. If you know how many people are coming to the auction then mention this (unless only 10 are coming )

Are you putting posters up? If so, then tell them where these posters will be (local supermarket, sports centres, schools, community halls, etc) and guarantee that their business will be mentioned alongside the item/service on offer

It is as important to state how they will benefit (free advertising) as it is to show how others will benefit! Also, if you aren't very good at composing a professional letter then find someone who can - this will appeal to businesses more
Not sure where you live but how about...

A lesson or two hour trek for 2 people at the local riding stables.
Maybe a lesson/practice session at a local golf club.
A couple of hours at a snooker club
A meal for two (without drinks!)
10 passes to the local nightclub

These are the sorts of things that people may bid on because they are curious to have a look around a place without any obligation but wont cost the owner/manager too much!

The following will always be popular...

Family ticket for a safari park/zoo/museum
Family ticket for a local sports centre
A few tickets for a soft play centre

Don't forget to leave contact details for any questions

Finally, well done for trying to make a difference, there are many people just can't be bothered to have a go :dance: