FINALLY!!!

[jeaniesa]

Kathleen, please don't feel bad - I do the same thing you do (i.e., not post a response to every thread.) But I think that DJ has at least one post in every thread in these forums (I don't know how you do it DJ!), so I was just giving her a hard time. I certainly didn't mean to make anyone else feel bad!

As for how the auction went... It was an interesting event. It was held in a big hangar that is now "Wings Over the Rockies" - and air and space museum housed in a hangar from the old Lowry Air Force base. So, there were huge planes all around the edges of the hangar and table after table of "stuff" to be bid on for the silent auction - everything from gift baskets of food or ethnic items to signed and framed boxing shorts of Mohammed Ali to gift certificates for area restaurants to masssages and hair cuts to leather jackets... I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed - I'm not a big shopper.

I donated two photos that I had printed at 16x20" and matted as well as my services for one photo restoration. I used the ad that I submitted to this challenge as the front page in a "display book" (you can find them at your local office supply store) and behind the ad I included examples of my work. I also had a brochure available explaining my restoration services. The good news is that everything was bid on - and the photos even brought in their retail value. The restoration price was equal to a "minor" restoration, but I have no idea what photo the person will bring me. I was pleased that it was bid on at all since there was so much stuff that some things didn't get many bids. There were a LOT of items that went for way less than their retail price.

One thing that I would do differently next time is have the ad either dry-mounted with an "stand" on the back or put on an easle-like flip chart that would stand up on the table rather than lie flat. I think one of the reasons my photos got so much attention is that they were big and vertical, i.e. they were hard not to notice. Anything lying flat just doesn't grab attention (and there were quite a few of those sorts of things like gift certificates at this particular auction.)

Let me know if you have any other questions about the auction or how things were displayed. It was definitely a learning experience for me!

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

Wow, Sounds like a great experience. That's was an excellent way to get your work advertised plus it must have been fun too. I think you are right about how to display your ad next time.

As to my posts, I noticed I lead the pack in posts. I even top the Castle Monster. Must be my busy body side coming out. Actually I had done alot of work putting in links to all the challenges when we first move here and tallied up alot of posts but being that I work from home gives me alot of flexibility also so I get to come and visit alot. And then there's the fact that you guys are all so fastinating, I just can't seem to stay away.
DJ

[kathleen]

jeanie

were you physically present for much of the auction? i'm curious what kind of questions people ask, what percentage of people seemed like they'd actually buy the service.

many times wandering through a crafts fair i have wondered about the artist sitting there, particularly since i am not usually buying, wondering if they feel like their children are on display and if they would welcome kind words and no money. (my usual offering.)

and dj, i have wondered how you do it too; i think you have some human dynamo markings. have thought this of ed too.

i have periods of extreme verbosity, i'm in one now, but can't maintain if i want to get anything done

[jeaniesa]

Kathleen, I was not sitting behind the table near my ad if that's what you mean. The tables were just crammed with stuff to bid on - no one who had donated was "at" the table where their donations were. My ad shared a table with at least 10 other things. That's why I think having something vertical and visible would have really helped. However, I have to admit to returning to the tables where my donations were quite often to see how the bidding was going. I think if I had been there, I would have liked kind words. However, if I had to do these sorts of things all the time and all I ever got was kind words, I might be a little discouraged. Hard to say - it probably would depend on my financial situation at the time. (Kind words don't put food on the table, but you never know when those kind words are passed on to someone else who then DOES buy something.) -Jeanie

[kathleen]

because i am so aware kind words don't put food on the table, i more often than not don't give them in that situation. i'm going to rethink that before the next event.

[Paul Rupp]

Great job on the flier!

Pulls you right to the point and is uncluttered.

Paul R.