Training for PIHRA District Volunteers

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Training for PIHRA District Volunteers SOLICITING
AUCTION ITEMS FOR THE ANNUAL PIHRA CONFERENCE
SILENT AUCTION We are responsible for getting
and selling every item.
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The Silent Auction is presented every year,
typically in September or October, in the exhibit
hall at the PIHRA annual conference. The Silent
Auction is the PIHRA Foundations primary source
of income. Our ability to fund scholarships rests
on our ability to raise money at the Silent
Auction.
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The Silent Auction only raises the money we need
for scholarships if every district participates
vigorously in soliciting auction items.
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The success of the Silent Auction, which raises
money for scholarships, depends upon every
district participating vigorously in soliciting
auction items.
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• The PIHRA Foundation Board members are
  responsible for
• recruiting district volunteers to solicit auction
  items from their members companies
• soliciting auction items from their personal
  contacts
• using the Silent Auction Administrative System
  diligently

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• The PIHRA Foundation Board Silent Auction
  Committee is responsible for
• encouraging the board to solicit district
  volunteers
• encouraging the board to solicit auction items
• encouraging district volunteers to solicit
  auction items

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• The PIHRA Foundation Board Silent Auction
  Committee is responsible for
• training and encouraging all volunteers
• tracking and widely reporting all solicitation
  activity (fueling the competition between board
  members and between districts)

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• The PIHRA Foundation Board Silent Auction
  Committee is also responsible for
• managing a system that keeps track of all the
  items
• setting up and managing the auction itself
• recording and tracking all money matters
• thanking all item donors and winners

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• The PIHRA District Volunteers are responsible for
• soliciting auction items themselves
• encouraging other district members to solicit
  auction items
• using the Silent Auction Administrative System
  diligently

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• What auction items do we want?
• whatever you would bid on!
• the conference attendees (who are the folks who
  attend the silent auction) are just like you
• if you would part with your hard-earned money for
  this item, someone else will, too!

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Examples
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• Who should you ask to donate auction items?
• ask your members to ask their companies
• identify companies you can solicit yourself
  because you have friends or contacts there
• ask your district sponsors
• ask your vendors (or vendors who want to do work
  for you)

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• What should I say?
• you can use this letter. Copy it. Personalize
  it. Send it.
• follow up with a telephone call
• the more personal the approach, the more
  effective it will be

SAMPLE LETTER
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• What should I say?
• you can use language from the PIHRA Foundation
  web site (www.pihrafoundation.org)
• you can use language from the pre-conference/aucti
  on announcements about the auction that will go
  out from the Auction Committee
• for ideas, feel free to contact
• John Wentworth
• Barbara Raabe

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• What should I say?
• you ARE giving the prospective donors the
  opportunity to help college students afford their
  education
• you ARE giving the donors the opportunity to be
  recognized publically for their generosity (donor
  banner at the auction thank you letter
  pre-conference emails to all PIHRA members)
• you ARE giving the donors the opportunity to feel
  really good

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• What should I say?
• Ask
• ASK
• ASK (they cannot read your mind!)
• Would you be kind enough to donate?
• Remember - you are NOT asking for a favor

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• PICK UP the items
• offer to pick it up from the donor
• dont make it hard for them make it easy
• your consideration communicates your gratitude
  and respect

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• STORE the items
• somewhere safe (locked)
• auction items get stolen its very embarrassing
• when you have a few items, call or email John
  Wentworth
• 310 732 2301
• johnwentworth_at_wentco.com
• we will arrange for your items to be picked up

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• RECORD the items
• Download the Donation Record Form
• Fax to Kathy Mills [phone]
• Thats ALL you have to do!

Donation Record Form
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But you MUST record your auction item with us so
we can

• Pick them up from you (we package the items)
• Make bid sheets
• Thank the donor
• And moreall of this requires that we get all
  auction items well ahead of time.

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• Please help us PREPARE FOR THE AUCTION
• we cluster items into groups
• we wrap them
• we make up bid sheets
• we establish minimum bids
• we decide when items will be displayed
• we prepare the total presentation
• we have lots of fun

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• Please help us SET UP THE AUCTION
• we transport the items to the convention center
• we arrange them
• we set up the booth
• we have lots of fun

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• Please help us WORK THE AUCTION
• we need customer service volunteers
• we need cashier volunteers
• please contact
• John Wentworth
• Barbara Raabe
• we have lots of fun

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• THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE PIHRA FOUNDATION
• SILENT AUCTION
• You will be very directly helping a number of
  very worthy college students afford to go to
  college.
• for any reason at all, please contact
• John Wentworth
• Barbara Raabe
• and rememberwe have lots of fun!