A little follow up on the auction procedures...
Never having done an on-line auction for a fundraiser this has been quiet a learning curve. I have spent a lot of time writing to people and networking here and there to spread the word.
Some people had made promises and did not act upon them, others totally surprised me with their generosity with their support.
If you are considering doing you own fundraiser here are some pointers of lessons I have learned in no particular order:
1. Set the auction price low, no reserve - to get the ball rolling.
Initially when the painting was posted, the staring bit was set at $500 and it resulted in absolutely no activity. With a heavy heart, I had to evaluate what I was wishing for vs. what made more sense to start a bidding war with. So the starting bid was lowered all the way down to $50. Yes - ouch that hurt - but I was getting very worried! Fortunately altogether 203 viewed the actual Ebay auction and 22 people have placed bids.
2. Request newspapers to print the write up they are doing about the event as close to the actual auction date as possible. I received very generous coverage over the last 3 months, but in hindsight I wonder if it would not have served the cause better if all happened right before the auction date.
3. Choose a painting subject that has a broader mass appeal.
My subject is a Sudanese girl at a feeding center in Darfur. In hindsight, I think a landscape with figures might have appealed to more people than a sad looking little girl.
4. Make sure you offer a way were people can make small donations if they do not want to bid on the painting, but like to contribute. There are widgets that you can get, where small donations can be tracked over time. Unfortunately the United Nations did not have such a widget and I had to refer everyone to their donation page. This means that there is no way of telling who has made contributions through the UN site rather than the Ebay site.
5. Network your heart out! Use cyberspace to attract attention to your cause. Social networking sites and blogs are a great way to create awareness.
6. Email your clients and ask them to help. People like to contribute to worthwhile causes. I have had one client tell me she loves the painting, but it doesn't fit her home. She said she will tell her friends about the auction and make a separate donation.
7. Thank everyone involved once they offer their help and for sure after the auction is over. I think it a nice gesture to let everyone know how much was raised.
8. Pray that all your efforts will pay off!
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