Sleeve Chef
Sleeve Chef
Congrats, You Won the Charity Auction item! Will You Bother Redeeming It?
Copyright (c) 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC
I have written about how dining at the Chef's Table can be a popular live or silent fundraising auction item to sell and a relatively easy item to procure. If you're already asking for a donation, why not see if the chef has a table in the kitchen and ask if *that* could be the special table for your winning bidders?
A while back on Twitter, I caught a link to the Chicago Business Journal. Shia Kapos wrote on this very subject. "Chef dinners on the charity auction block: a behind-the-scenes look" (link listed below) visits with some local chefs about their popular donations and the redemption process.
Most interesting to me was that the article confirmed one of my own observations: Many of a charity auction's winning top bidders never redeem the item.
One of the chef's in the article estimated that more than 50% of his donations are Never Used. Did you catch that? More than half of his donated dinners are never consumed.
I've noticed this with other items, too. As I work with clients, inevitably we'll talk about the top-selling charity auction items from the previous year. "How did that couple enjoy the trip to Mexico?" I'll ask.
"They never took it," my contact will reply, "They became too consumed with the planning of their daughter's wedding."
I hear this more often than you might think. A wine tasting excursion in Napa never used because work gets in the way of a couple's vacation. The Mediterranean cruise - for which a couple fought fiercely in the charity auction - is never taken. Gift cards which are misplaced. Dinners which are never scheduled due to any number of personal conflicts.
I can't blame the winning bidders. I myself have been close to pulling similar stunts. More than one gift card has been forgotten in my wallet, only to be found months later while searching for my insurance card. An Ethiopian dinner which I purchased at a silent auction was redeemed days ... nay, HOURS ... before it expired. And I won't even write about the clothes in my closet which might still have a price tag hanging from the sleeve.
The auction method encourages bidding and buying, but it doesn't force you to consume (i.e. take the trip, eat the dinner, wear the clothes).
Although I don't advocate it as an acquisition strategy and wouldn't suggest mentioning during your procurement pitch, it is tempting to mention to a prospective donor that, "in addition to all these great reasons as to why you should make this donation, there's a good chance your outstanding gift of service will never be used."
That becomes a triple win for the donor: 1) Feel good about making a donation. 2) Enjoy a tax deduction. 3) Never be troubled with someone wanting to fulfill on your promise!
I wonder what percentage of items in a charity auction are never redeemed?
Individual donors of items (like our chef) would know their individual record, but it's unlikely that even the charity would know this figure because their involvement ends once the certificate or item has been delivered to the winning bidder.
So, bid high, take it home, and just fuhgeddaboutit.
* Shia Kapos, "Chef dinners on the charity auction block: a behind-the-scenes look" Chicago Business Journal http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?articleId=32870&seenIt=1
About the Author
Fundraising auctioneer Sherry Truhlar, CMP, BAS featured in national publications for her trend-setting work with auction fundraisers is more than an effective auctioneer, she teaches auction chairpersons steps for improving an auction's bottom-line. Her FREE Auction Item Guide TM gives procurement help (listing the 100 top-selling items). GET YOURS AT
http://www.RedAppleAuctions.com
 |
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Cotton 5X  US $93.05
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Cotton 4X US $90.80
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Cotton 3X US $88.70
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Cotton 2X US $86.55
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Lux Ctn XS US $84.30
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Lux Ctn SM US $84.30
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Ctn MED US $84.30
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Lux Ctn LG US $84.30
|
 Chef Revival Cuisinier Jacket Short Sleeve Lux Ctn XL US $84.30
|
 Chef Revival Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve 5X US $72.10
|
 Chef Revival Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve 3X US $67.85
|
 Chef Revival Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve 2X US $65.70
|
 Chef Revival Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve 4X US $60.95
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton 5X US $59.90
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton 4X US $58.10
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton 3X US $56.20
|
 Chefs Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve Ply ctn XS US $55.20
|
 Chefs Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve Ply ctn SM US $55.20
|
 Chefs Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve Ply ctn MED US $55.20
|
 Chefs Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve Ply ctn LG US $55.20
|
 Chefs Black Traditional Jacket Short Sleeve Ply ctn XL US $55.20
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton 2X US $54.30
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton XS US $52.40
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton SMALL US $52.40
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton MED US $52.40
|
 Chefs Traditional Short Sleeve Jacket Poly Cotton LARGE US $52.40
|
The Balancing Act Show 1154 - Chef Alton Brown
