Charity Auctions In Tough Times February 24, 2009
Posted by Michael Carney in : auctions, charity auction, new zealand, trade me, trademe , add a comment
Trade Me is usually a pretty good venue for charity auctions, and we note that there several hundred items currently available through the site whose proceeds are partly or completely designated for charitable causes.
Unfortunately — and it may not necessarily be as a result of the recession — most of the items on offer just now aren’t racking up too many high bids.
Most popular item of the current crop — so rated based on numbers of bids — is the SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Col. Charity Auction, which comprises two “extremely rare” collectors’ items: the Sega Megadrive Ultimate Collection 12″ LP (yes, a vinyl record!), accompanied by a Limited Edition Sonic Canvas Print. The LP, one of just 3500 released wordwide is individually numbered as #2, which makes it the most desirable of collectables (except for record #1, of course).
According to GamePlanet:
Gary Russell, Brand Manager for SEGA New Zealand says he is expecting some fierce bidding for the auction. “The Vinyl Soundtrack has been stamped #0002 from a world wide production of only 3,500 which makes it unique and the Sonic the Hedgehog Canvas print has been specially created for this auction, featuring some iconic artwork from the first Sonic Videogame.
“The auction is a great way to help the kids at Starship and also give New Zealanders an opportunity to bid for some unique SEGA memorabilia,” he says.
The auction is to celebrate [the release on the 28th February, for the Xbox 360 and PS3, of] The SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection, an all-in-one package of over 40 classic titles from the golden era of the SEGA Mega Drive. This is the most complete collection to date of SEGA first party games ever offered. Featured games include; Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2 and 3, Columns, Alien Storm, Ecco the Dolphin, Space Harrier, and cult classic, Streets of Rage 1, 2 and 3.
Alas, hardly any of that information has actually made it onto the Trade Me listing. As a result, the Sega auction is currently languishing with just 686 views and a top bid of $151. From Sega’s point of view, it’s a relatively disappointing marketing result — not enough eyeballs, really, for the effort. And, while Starship will undoubtedly be grateful to receive whatever the final sum turns out to be when the auction closes on Thursday night, the whole exercise is really an opportunity lost for all concerned.
Sadly, that’s also true for most of the charity auction items being sold on Trade Me right now. So, with a view to helping those seeking to raise money via the site, here’s a little guidance on fundraising via Trade Me:
TradeMe is a great way to fundraise for your school, community group or charity, primarily because you can deal to several birds with one stone:
- Raising Funds
Doh. Naturally, Trade Me allows you to turn donated goods into cash – and to sell them to a much wider audience than would otherwise be possible through traditional fundraising methods. The more potential purchasers, the greater the likelihood you’ll achieve at least market value for the goods you’re selling. - Promoting Your Cause
488,000 visitors wander the corridors of Trade Me every day. A Trade Me auction for your worthy cause gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself to a huge audience of potential supporters, both on Trade Me itself and through the PR you’ll be able to generate by promoting your auction through traditional media (although, as we’ve seen from the current crop of auctions, you have to fan the flame of publicity yourself, through the combined efforts of every single member of your organisation — you can’t expect people to just trip over your auction on Trade Me). - Harnessing Celebrity Power
Even very ordinary items can achieve star status if aligned with a celebrity, but ownership or autograph. But celebrities are notoriously difficult to attract to one place at one time. Trade Me provides that virtual appearance opportunity, allowing you to strut your celebrities in front of large audiences. So talk turkey with absolutely every member of your extended group — who do they know who’s clocked up at least 15 minutes of fame and could they twist arms so that said celebrity will donate, sign or otherwise add value to an item. Nag as necessary. - Finding New Donors
The more you sell (and the more interesting your items are), the more people who will learn about your cause. Each buyer is a potential addition to your Donor list. BTW, the very best items to auction off are for unique experiences that can’t normally be had for love nor money (eg lunch with major celebrity, walk-on part on Outrageous Fortune, drawn as a bystander on Bro’town, etc.) - Involving Your Whole Community
Not everyone can afford to make big donations, even if they are strong supporters of the cause. But most can find at least one item of value in their garage or attic that they no longer need.
So what specifically do you have to do to set up a fundraising auction on Trade Me? These are the eleven basic steps to the process:
- Look first within your community or amongst your friends and acquaintances for someone who’s already selling successfully on Trade Me. They’ll already have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t on the site. If you don’t have any luck there, check out Trade Me’s online help pages for the essential details. Or you could always read a good book on the subject (ahem — do check out the Second Edition of Trade Me Success Secrets).
- Make contact with Trade Me through stores@trademe.co.nz and request information on setting up a charity auction.
- Create a name for the event. If you have any budding artists on your midst, this is their chance to make a real contribution, drawing up a logo for the event.
- Set up a timetable for the event (ideally allow yourself three months to organise it all and a week for the auction to run).
- Pitch for donations. Ask your community to rummage through their homes and donate any items they’re not using. Talk to anybody who knows anyone of celebrity status and shamelessly hustle them to cadge for your cause.
- Photograph the items. Take multiple photos for each item and choose the very best.
- Write colourful descriptions, as detailed as possible (you have 2048 characters to use, spend them all). You’re trying to sell these items to people who won’t have the opportunity to touch or inspect the merchandise before bidding.
- Write item headlines that identify the charity nature of your auction (as well as each item) eg “Autographed Rugby Ball, support Zonta”.
- Promote the auction to anyone who’ll listen – especially your local newspapers, radio stations, bloggers. Post fliers on noticeboards. Text, email or IM details to your community and ask them to spread the word. Tweet the auction on Twitter, promote it to your Facebook, Bebo and MySpace friends — get the word out there.
- Manage the auctions professionally. Answer any questions promptly (and with personality). Remember, you’re promoting a great cause. Take any opportunity to spread the word.
- Once each auction is over, communicate promptly with the successful bidder, take their money, send out the goods quickly. And don’t forget to invite them to join your cause!
That’s about it (apart from the other three hundred pages of advice in the Trade Me Success Secrets book, of course). Happy Fundraising!
