Houdini was a magician, not an Auctioneer !!!

Over the past several months, we have broken records for our business, helping more charities than ever.  We are helping more charities plan, manage & host events than we ever have.  But with this, especially as we transgress our great country, we are faced with several issues which plague charities.  Most of the problems arise from not being educated and still believing in the various myths that still exist.

Charities, or I should say the people who make up the charity and actually planning their next fundraiser, tend to live in a “Fantasy Land.”  It’s not their fault, you must understand but trying to educate them so that they not only better understand the “Reality of Charity Fundraising” is harder than trying climb Mount Everest backward in a "Speedo and flip flops." 

Charities don’t want to believe that the items donated to them are not going to bring full value (aka Retail Value).  The refuse to believe it – in fact, while I am often am talking to them about their fundraising, they stare blankly back at me with a dazed look on their face.  The reality is that they never go back and look to track what the items they had at their event, actually did or how they performed.

Sadly, charities (I am truly talking about the people) don’t think when seeking donated items, what kind of items they should be going after.  And, here is where you want to rip my head off, don’t truly care about the business who donated the item, they only care about how much money they could possibly make from the sale of it.  How do I know?  Because I use to be the “Donation King.”  I had it down to a science.  But then when I really figured it out…that is when I became a Donation God!!! 

Are you ready for a dose of reality?  Are you sure?  Before I go into it, let me tell you a little story.  I was helping a charity at an event which they had donated some very high end art.  In fact, they brought in the artist from out of the country – six (6) in total – all from South America.  The artists insisted that it had to be displayed in a very high trafficked area with amazing visibility of the artwork.  Understand that the event was very high end and the place, high end as well.  But…I know the reality of the reality.  I asked the artist if there were “Reserves” on the art which they said there were none.  I explained to the Artist what may happen and they obviously disagreed with me.  The pieces ranged (retail mind you) from $7,000.00 to $15,000.00 Retail – original art.  Because they wanted the art to be prominent, I ensured that everyone could see it and it was the centerpoint.  This same art took up the majority of the Live Auction.  Again, I asked them if they would be upset if it did not receive high bids, they laughed and shook their heads as if I was telling a joke.  Well during the live auction as I began to sell the art, the room fell silent (can you hear the crickets?).  The highest bid for the art was $350.00 for a $15,000.00 piece of art.  Then at the end of the evening, one of the buyers tried to back out of the bid so that he could buy items from us (our No Risk Auction Items – Mike Tyson autographed Boxing Trunks and a Sugar Ray Leonard/Roberto Duran dual signed Boxing Glove).  The artists were devastated but came over to me after the event and thanked me for educating them while asking if they should ever do it again – I told them no.

I could provide you with example such as when a donor was present at an event and the item which his business (which he was the owner of) donated an item worth $900.00 and it sold for $45.00 – he walked out immediately after seeing it sell for that amount furious.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I am sorry if you think differently, but Auctioneers are not Magicians.  We auctioneers cannot turn water into wine or make money fly magically out of people’s pockets.  Not one auctioneer in the world can.  You have to provide people with items or experiences that they would want.  Unfortunately, in the example above with the Artists, our Decor items sold higher than their original art – I find that sad.

Furthermore, charities must market the items which they have and will be available to bid on.  Facebook and email newsletters are perfect for this.  But putting people in a room and expecting them to bid on stuff just because…doesn’t happen. 

Another myth – this one will probably sting so gear up – people do not bid on items at your charity fundraiser because they are helping your charity.  This is 100% false.  What is true is this – they bid on items that are attractive, that they want.  The items that get the most bids are Hard to find items, things they have never seen before or Travel Experiences.  If this weren’t true, why do people get buyers remorse and try to return the items the following day?  Charities tend to think people walk in the door blind folded with a stack of $100 bills in their pockets and just throw it up in the air…wherever it lands is what they are going to buy and say “Well it’s for charity” – That is totally false and those days are over.

Be smart about what you are doing, be strategic when seeking donations and then market your donations as much as humanly possible.  Use Facebook religiously to market your event and the items available.

Something else very important – why is it acceptable to pay a venue for food & drinks, a florist for floral arrangements but not to use consigned items and travel on your live and silent auction?  I’ll leave you with that thought.

If you would like to learn how seek and get incredible donated items while ensuring the donors are happy by the result and how to also absolutely ensure that those items bring an amazing amount of money - or if you would like to learn more about how to host a successful charity fundraising event and how to plan your fundraising platforms such as the Live & Silent Auction effectively, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com, we would love to help you exceed your fundraising goals.

Charity Fundraising 101: What does it mean?

Before I start, you should know and I’ll admit, a very long time ago – I could care less about sports.  Seriously, I was a fair weather fan and didn’t watch any of it.  But, since I started in the business and had to get to know what I was talking about or when someone was talking to me, I quickly learned everything I needed to know.  Shortly thereafter, I started being very interested in all sports. 

But when it comes to authentic autographs, I had to learn a few “Secrets” that no one else did.  So I thought I would share them with you.  So here they are:

How do we acquire autographs? 

Simply put, we pay athletes to sign their name.  No, we don’t stand outside the stadium or a locker room or over the dug out and ask for autographs, they are paid and paid very well to come and do an autograph signing.  In fact, this is something you should especially understand, if one company is the only company in the world offering certain items that no one else has, they are definitely counterfeit – Charity world, take note.  Why are there only two (2) companies in the charity fundraising field who offer autographed guitars, signed movie posters, signed drumheads etc.?  When a REAL autograph signing occurs, everyone is alerted across the country – and companies get in.

What does Inscribed or an Inscription mean?

Athletes or whoever is signing anything are paid once price for their actual “Autograph.”  But if they write anything else, that is an extra charge – making the price of the item go even higher.  For instance, on the baseball signed by Pete Rose to the right, the sentence "I'm Sorry I bet on Baseball" is an inscription.  Inscriptions are like an extra added bonus normally detailing awards or records, for instance, here are a few you will commonly see:

“HOF” – Hall of Fame

“HT” – Heisman Trophy Winner

“MVP” – Most Valuable Player

“SB MVP” – Super Bowl Most Valuable Player

“CHOF” – Collage Hall of Fame

“HR 500” – Home Runs 500

“CY” – Cy Young Award Winner

What types of items are there?

Items range from Pro-Line “On Field” Helmets meaning the same type of helmet worn on the Field, to actual Game Worn helmets/Jerseys etc.   Then there are Full Size Helmets (aka Replica Helmets).  These Helmets, in my opinion, are the best because they are much cheaper than a “Pro-Line” Helmet.  They look exactly the same when sitting on a shelf or a desk.  True collectors want Pro-Line’s.  Then there are real Nike or Reebok Jerseys – these Jerseys are intrinsically expensive so having one autographed is that much higher in price.  However, there are Custom Jerseys which appear to look exactly like a real Jersey however there are no insignia’s of the NFL or Nike/Reebok making them much cheaper.

What is an Authentic Authenticator?

In my professional opinion, there are only a few REAL Authenticators in the world.  Or companies which authenticate their own items but these companies are highly reputable. 

You should also understand in the real world of Sports Autographs, these two companies are the absolute “STANDARD” and widely accepted.  There are no other Authenticators which true collectors will accept. 

The only two Authentic Authenticators, in my opinion are:

JSA – James Spence Authenticators - http://www.spenceloa.com/

A Letter's of Authenticity are guaranteed to be accepted by all collectors, dealers, and auction houses worldwide, or your submission fee will be reimbursed.  JSA is an eBay approved autograph authenticator.  Increased value and a confident buyer for faster sale of autographed memorabilia.  JSA's extensive autograph exemplar database is second to none in the autograph industry.  Peace of mind that your memorabilia is deemed authentic and ready to be sold, passed along to a family member, or cherished forever.  Secure, virtually impossible to replicate proprietary watermark JSA Letter of Authenticity with corresponding high-resolution image and a unique alpha-numeric certification sticker.    Quick and simple online confirmation of your JSA certification number.  All JSA Letters of Authenticity are fully transferable without resubmission.  JSA's services are utilized by more major auction houses than any other autograph authentication company in the world including:

PSA/DNA – http://www.psacard.com/

PSA/DNA is the world’s leading third-party authentication service for autographs and authenticates signatures from the worlds of sports, history and entertainment.   Our experts have a diverse knowledge base that is complemented by proprietary methods and technology to form the following four-step authentication process.  PSA/DNA experts conduct ink analysis, autograph structure analysis, object evaluation and side-by-side comparisons.  Experts may also use a video spectral comparator to further evaluate the autograph.  Once the autograph is deemed genuine, the item is marked with invisible ink that contains a synthetic DNA sequence specific to PSA/DNA. A unique, serialized label is also provided.  Either a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) or a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) is issued with the genuine autograph. The document contains the same alphanumeric serial number to match the label on the item.  The certified autograph can be verified publically using our online Certification Verification webpage or mobile application.

Companies that authenticate their own items but are highly respected and their items are certified to be authentic:

Steiner Sports

SportsMemorabilia.com

To read about BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising's extensive Authentication Policy, go to http://www.bwunlimited.com/AUTHENTICITY-POLICY-BWunlimited.html

I hope this explains just a few of the terms used when reading our catalogs.  Knowing is much better than not knowing.  BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is the only Charity Fundraising auction item provider that continually provides absolutely 100% authentic, authenticated items by the world autograph experts.  If BWUCF doesn’t carry it and others do, most likely those items are counterfeit.  If we could help you with your next charity auction, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com.

Why "Authentic" Autographs are so ridiculously expensive!!! www.BWUnlimited.com

Everyday, people and especially charities, are scammed.  The most popular scam is autographed items.  Well with this blog, I hope to shed some light on the reality of Authentic Autographed Items as opposed to Counterfeit aka "Fake" autographed items.

For instance, the Super Bowl just occurred and the autograph world is on fire.  Obviously, the most sought after autograph is Tom Brady's.  Well, Tom Brady isn't cheap.  In fact, his autograph is extremely expensive.  Now understand this, we (Wholesalers) do not set the prices for the autographs we offer - the Athlete and his Agent does.

For a Tom Brady autographed unframed 8x10 photo, the Wholesale price is $849.00.  Don't go nuts

just yet and ask why in the world its so expensive, think about this - an autographed Tom Brady Jersey (NOT Game Worn) is being wholesaled for $999.00.  Are you about to have a stroke?  Don't because if your looking for a signed Tom Brady Full Size helmet, the
wholesale price is an astounding $1,099.00.

I know what you're thinking, these guys get paid millions upon millions of dollars and yet they charge so much for their autograph.  Do you know why?  Because they can and worse than that, they get those prices easily.

Now remember, those are wholesale prices, in fact, the pictures here are from a wholesale price sheet just sent out.  Now keep in mind, these are REAL, very REAL.  So if you see them cheaper, they are without a doubt fake.

Now lets take an autographed Muhammad Ali boxing glove.  Understand that hes not signing any longer.  His authentic autographed Boxing Gloves are being sold for $4,000.00.  Yup, you read it right, $4,000.00.

There are companies out there who offer much cheaper Tom Brady and Ali items - But John Brady and Jimmy Ali signed them.

Remember, if its too cheap....something is wrong and it DOES NOT MATTER that its going to a charity event.  Don't believe the hype...you are being scammed.
 
I always preach this - its not about how great the autograph looks or how real it looks, its about who the authenticator is.  Only Authentic Authenticators should be considered when considering either to purchase or accept the items for your charity event.

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising only offers autographed items which are 100% authentic and authenticated by either JSA or PSA/DNA, the two most reputable authenticators in the world.  Our Logo is truly like the good housekeeping seal of approval in regard to autographed items.  For more information, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com.

Event Marketing – the “BWU” way – Event Brand Identity 101

Let’s be perfectly honest, how many event flyers have you seen?   Probably tons and probably twice as many that you’ve ignored because it did not catch you eye.  Lets talk about Event Tickets – White Card Stock with simple black letters – right?

Say it with me – Booooooooooring.  Yawn.

The one thing that we at BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising feel is most important – is consistent branding and very noticeable.  People like exciting!!! 

It all starts with the name of the event. We think of creative, different names for each event which builds brand identity.  Do you understand what brand identity means?  If not, it means instantaneous recognition of the event just from the name of it.  It builds identity.  After we find the name, we move on to the flyer to match the name.

Our graphic design department starts at the flyer.  As you know, I preach FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK right?  Our flyers are meant to catch eyes on Facebook.  High profile and totally cool. 

As an example, you may be familiar with our Blues Brothers Events both in Maryland and Ohio.  Each year, with each event, we change the look.  Recently, BW even trademarked the term “Blues Brothers Bash” meaning we own that name now.  But we create these flyers to catch eyes. 

Do you know who the host of the Blues Brothers Event is or can you possibly even think of who it could be?  Think about it – Blues Brothers….Police, in fact the Prince George’s County Police Foundation.  We hosted the first one and it was outrageous, now for the 2017 version, everyone already is familiar – it sells itself.

Next up…the Maryland State Police Alumni Association came to us and asked for our help.  After weeks of pondering, we ended up with a very cool name “The Road Dawg Rumble.”  A “Road Dawg” is a nickname for a Trooper who works the highway patrolling.  So, we came up with a Bull Dog wearing a Maryland State Police Stetson.  Tire Tracks etc – definitely very State Trooper.

Then to keep the identity going, everything matches the flyer.  The tickets, the facebook headers….everything.  I especially feel its very important to have tickets that match everything else.  It creates more excitement.

Our Graphic Designer Bob Lynch always knocks it out of the park – each event continues to build Brand Identity which draws more and more attention.

If we can help you with your next charity fundraising event, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com or at info@bwunlimited.com.

Charity Questions: Which is better - Autographed Memorabilia – VS. – Wall Art & Décor www.BWUnlimited.com

This is a common question and honestly it’s something I had to wrap my head around when I first started business.  I wondered why autographed items were so expensive. 

Question #1:  Why are autographed items so expensive?

People truly believe that we stand out in front of a dug out or a stadium with a ton

of people and ask Athletes for their autographs – not true.  They think that Athletes or Celebrities autograph items for free.  I’ve heard this frequently “These people are celebrities and high paid athletes, they should do it for free.”  If you believe or even think that, you’re truly living in a fantasy land. 

Another major reason is and yet another reason that sets us apart from our competition who are documented counterfeiters, authentic autographs are NOT easy to come by.  We run out of them continually.  They are only so many.  Our competitors seem to never run out of the same autographed items, even when people die.

Athletes, through their representatives charge to conduct autograph signings.  In fact, the latest and greatest is – they charge to get a picture with them, its called a Photo Op.  Some Athletes such as Derek Jeter, Tom Brady & Peyton Manning charge ridiculous amounts of money.  Where other athletes don’t charge much at all.

For instance – what is the difference here? 

About a $800.00 difference.  Tom Brady’s autograph is ridiculously expensive!!!

So you have to understand, autographed items have a “Niche” market.  In fact, keeping with my Honesty & Integrity policy, I only offer what is called a Replica Helmet and seldom a Pro-Line “On Field” helmet.  I will only offer a Pro-Line when it’s the only one available.  A Replica Helmet looks exactly like a real helmet, it’s the exact same shell but a Pro-Line has all the real padding and is slightly thicker.  From 3 foot away, you can’t tell the difference.  Pro-Line’s are more for Collectors and are much more expensive.  Charities on the other hand, need to put more profit in their bank accounts.

Question #2:  Why is Décor & Wall Art better than autographed items?

Well, before I answer this, I need to tell you how we came up with the idea of Décor.  Again, reference the above, autographed items are expensive. 

When I first began, I was a part of an autograph signing with the Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Roy Halladay.  During the signing, he forgot to sign one of the photos.  So, I was going to an event in Philadelphia and had this unsigned photo.  I framed it and put it on the silent auction not expecting much with a very low starting bid.  It sold for $550.00!!!  I was shocked!!!  It wasn’t autographed; it was just a fantastic photo.   (Here it is).

The 2^nd time, I had a Philadelphia Phillies Banner.  I thought, I can’t just lay this banner on the table; it’s boring so I had our framing department simply frame it.  It sold for $330.00 (3) times!!!  Again shocked!!! 

So that is where it all started.  The reason people love our Décor & Wall Art is for various reasons – they are extremely nice, they have laser engraved autographs, they are very large and the pictures are awesome. 

We have Collages ranging from Legends to Ticket Collages.  We have Celebrity quotes along with historical events.  They just do awesome.

Plus – now here is the major reason they do great – we can offer them to as many bidders that are interested.  Our charities can double or even triple their profit.  We can also make items that truly cater to the crowd and are always coming up with new items based on current trends or winning seasons.

That’s the answer.  If you would like to see our Catalogs to see what we offer, email me directly at George@bwunlimited.com.

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is a North American Charity leader in a convenient “One Stop Shop” setting.  If you would like to learn more, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com.

108 Year Curse Ends - “EXTREMELY RARE” Chicago Cubs Items – BW Exclusive Items

The Chicago Cubs just won the World Series, to many it may not be a big deal, but to Chicago or to Sports Fans as a whole, it’s huge.  The reason is, they hadn’t won a World Series in 108 Years. 

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is extremely proud to be a part of a recent, EXTREMELY RARE World Series Team Signing – the entire World Series Team who broke the 108 year curse.  We are extremely proud to be able to provide these incredibly unique, extremely rare items such as the following items:

Based on the extreme rarity of these items and how very few they are, we can not offer them to charities at “No Risk.”  Based on the fact that the demand is so high, charities must purchase them prior to being shipped.  I, George Wooden (President of BW Unlimited, llc.) can assure you, along with all of our items, they are 100% authentic and all are accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity. 

We are proud to present the follow items, even if you are not interested in these items, take a look because this is a historical moment in Professional Sports.  We are proud to present the following items for you review, enjoyment and charity fundraising purposes:

Team Signed Chicago Cubs Jersey - 2016 Chicago Cubs team signed Chicago Cubs Ben Zobrist #18 white pinstripe Majestic replica jersey with 2016 World Series sleeve patch - This jersey has been autographed by 22 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include: MVP Ben Zobrist, Theo Epstein, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Matt Szczur, Chris Bosio, John Mallee and Dave Martinez. Item comes with a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online, as well as an 8x10 collage photo of the Team signing.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed 2016 World Series American Flag On Wrigley Field 16x20 Photo (22 autographs) – 2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed 2016 World Series Game 3 American flag on Wrigley Field 16x20 photo. Prior to the start of World Series Game 3 the American Flag was stretched throughout the entire Wrigley Field outfield. The 2016 World Series Game 3 was the first World Series game played at Wrigley Field in 71 years. This photo has been autographed by 22 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include: MVP Ben Zobrist, Theo Epstein, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Matt Szczur, Chris Bosio, John Mallee and Dave Martinez. Item comes with a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online, as well as an 8x10 collage photo of the Team signing.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Anthony Rizzo Sports Illustrated Cover 16x20 Photo (23 autographs) -  2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed 2016 World Series Anthony Rizzo Sports Illustrated cover 16x20 photo. This team photo is autographed by 23 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Aroldis Chapman, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Chris Bosio, John Mallee, Dave Martinez and Chris Coghlan. Item comes with the MLB Hologram and a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Pile Up Celebration 16x20 Photo (24 autographs) - 2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed 2016 World Series team pile up celebration 16x20 photo. This team photo is autographed by 24 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Aroldis Chapman, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Ben Zobrist, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Chris Bosio, John Mallee, Dave Martinez, Jorge Soler and Chris Coghlan. Item comes with the MLB Hologram and a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed Louisville Slugger 2016 World Series Champion Logo Baseball Bat (22 autographs) -

2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed Louisville Slugger natural wood finish blonde Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Champions logo baseball bat. This team bat is autographed by 21 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include: Theo Epstein, MVP Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Matt Szczur, Chris Bosio, John Mallee and Dave Martinez. Item comes with a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online, as well as an 8x10 collage photo of the Team signing.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed Rawlings Official 2016 World Series Baseball w/16 WS Champs (22 autographs) - 2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed Rawlings official 2016 World Series baseball. This baseball has been autographed by 21 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include: MVP Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Matt Szczur, Chris Bosio, John Mallee and Dave Martinez. Item comes with a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online, as well as an 8x10 collage photo of the Team signing.

2016 Chicago Cubs Team autographed Wrigley Field Stadium Seat Back (21 autographs) - 2016 Chicago Cubs Team signed Wrigley Field stadium seat back. This seat back has been autographed by 21 members of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Signatures include: MVP Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Jon Lester, David Ross, Carl Edwards Jr, Miguel Montero, Jorge Soler, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Mike Montgomery, Justin Grimm, Albert Almora Jr, Matt Szczur, Chris Bosio, John Mallee and Dave Martinez. Item comes with a tamper-proof numbered hologram and Certificate of Authenticity which can be verified online, as well as an 8x10 collage photo of the Team signing.

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is a North American Charity Fundraising Leader in a “One Stop Shop” convenient setting.  BW Unlimited is the only charity provider - (See our Authenticity Standard and Policy by clicking here) If you would like to review our entire catalog of items, please contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com.

Why is "Consignment" a bad word in Charity Fundraising?

Since I started BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising, the very first thing that I saw that I knew was a problem was that “Donations” truly don’t cut it.  Now if you know me, I am the charity fundraising “Dose of Reality” guy.  Most times, people don’t know how to take it because we live in a very politically correct world.  But reality is reality folks and here it is.

Many people in the charity fundraising world, including those who are in the business of working with charities, somehow believe that accepting consignment items in their auctions are a bad idea.  They are completely wrong and honestly are not as educated about the “Myth vs. Reality.” 

The reality of donated items is this.  Businesses are bombarded constantly with charities asking for donated items.  When they donate, they donate items they can either afford to give away or items which are not moving in their stores.  This is reality.  So then charities take these items and put them out on the auction block. 

I have seen some awful things happen and have heard some horror stories about

donated items bringing pennies on the dollar.  Plus the donors walking out of the events angry based on the low bids.  THIS IS REALITY!!! 

Donated items are NOT, and again I don’t care who tells you otherwise, bringing very much in any Live or Silent Auction.  Stop for a minute, think about the person or business who donated it…do you really think they don’t care?  Yes they certainly do because if the items sell tragically cheap, what does that say about their business?

Remember, local people attend your local event with items donated by local businesses.  If your guests wanted that stuff, they would go there and buy it themselves!!!  This is common sense.  Gift Baskets – oh my gosh, Gift Baskets. This is the “staple” in charity events.  How many gift baskets did you give away to your family and friends for Christmas?  I bet NONE. 

Let’s talk about consignment but before we do, I want to show you a VERY real life example of why it works and a HUGE charity that only relies on items which are purchased for events.  That’s right, they do NOT rely on donations. 

Ducks Unlimited.  Ducks Unlimited is the KING of charity fundraising.  They have over 1,500 chapters across the world and do at least 7,500 fundraising events each year.  Ducks Unlimited, along with several other outdoor charities have it figured out.  These charities are ALL in the outdoor sector of non profits such as:

National Wild Turkey Federation

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

National Rifle Association

Delta Waterfowl

And several more….

They send out a catalog of items to their chapters for which the chapters, staffed by volunteers, purchase all of the items in the catalog.  That’s right I said “PURCHASE” not consigned like BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising offers. 

Now, with this in mind – Ducks Unlimited’s net revenue (That means total profit) was $194,000,000.00!!!  You can’t argue with that!!!

Folks – you need to change your mind set about consigned items. Noone, not you, not your friends, not your guests or your supporters want leftovers or junk.  There are ways to reduce your costs so that you make top dollar. 

Not only can you get awesome consigned items from us like autographed items but you can also get travel packages from us at www.CharityTravelPackages.com. 

Yes, you think that if you get something donated, you keep 100% of the money…but 100% of what?  1/8^th of what its worth?  Seriously!!! 

You can go to your local providers and ask them if they would consider consigning items to you.  They will be very happy to and most likely donate items as well.  They get to be marketed.

You can not argue with the numbers.  Your guests want great items.  Are you paying for the food?  The Drinks?  The Venue?  Are you paying for anything else?  Then why do you then rely on free stuff to help you raise money?

Tell me why in the comments below why you think this is a bad practice…..I want to hear it.

Contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com, we would love to help you.

How did you get your start?

It all started dressed in Camouflage.  Huh?  What in the world do you mean? 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked “Where and how did this all start?”  The straight answer is – raising money for an animal that doesn’t even exist here – Rocky Mountain Elk.

A long time ago (1992), in a land a land far far away (Missoula, Montana) there is a charity (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) that raises money to conserve and protect the land that Rocky Mountain Elk live on.  That’s what they do – but that area is not anywhere near Maryland.  What does that have to do with here?  Nothing honestly.

What you should know is, I was a Maryland State Trooper then.  So don’t think I had time to work full time planning a fundraiser.   I was just like you – working a full time job, living a full time life with full time commitments.

Ok – now that you know where I started, the next answer is – I was asked to help as a volunteer with a fundraiser.  Long story short, I found that I was really good at it – REALLY good, in fact, the best in the country.  So good, it angered the people who actually lived in the Elk range (where they live).  My committee was breaking national records in a tiny state. 

Next – I started helping another charity called Delta Waterfowl.  I brought all

of my experience and immediately knew to build a “Rockstar” committee.  Now, there were problems with this charity because no one even knew who they were.  The DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland & Virginia) region is a Ducks Unlimited territory.  Ducks Unlimited supporters are incredibly supportive and loyal.  I’ve seen people with their logo tattoos. 

Now – here is what you have got to understand – Charity Fundraising is EXTREMELY competitive!!! 

No one knew who Delta Waterfowl was – there was zero marketing here, zero brand identity, zero support.  So how can we get a ton of people to support a brand new waterfowl charity? – Host an incredible outdoor event, less about the charity and more about the event. 

It worked!!!  800 people and it broke all national records – What is the crazy thing about this event was – it was from a brand new chapter of the charity in a brand new area – it was the very first event!!! 

The outdoor charities like the ones mentioned above are fundraising machines.  They truly understand fundraising at the very highest level, much more than other charities outside of the outdoor industry charities.  Travel providers such as “Hunting Trip Outfitters and Fishing Charters” are expected to donate.  So raising money in this area is very tough. 

Success did not just mean the amount of money raised – not at all. Success means selling memberships to the charity, raising awareness and much more.  One of the craziest things we did with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation was – we sold a record breaking amount of Life Memberships to the charity - $1,000.00 each at one event – 33 - $33,000.00.  Remember, its Maryland.

Yes – having people who truly support the charity are a major part of the equation.  However, create a huge, awesome fundraising event is the absolute key to the events success – the charities success. 

Also, the events MUST, ABSOLUTELY MUST, evolve/change year to year.  Not just the items, the event must get bigger and better to keep people interested and telling their friends.  There must be building years and then high profit years.  It’s all about the event.

The key to the success of your event is two fold – build an incredible committee of Rockstar volunteers and plan an incredible event built around the event, not just the charity.  

From there, several years later, I decided to start a company based on my fundraising success, helping charities all over North America host successful fundraising events.  Since that day, BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising has been extremely proud to have helped over 1,400 charities a year and raising well over $100,000,000 for charities.  In fact, we stopped counting.  Based on demand, we continue to grow and add new features to our services.  Stay tuned as we continue to grow and help more and more.

If you would like to host an incredible charity fundraising like the ones mentioned herein, please contact us today to get the ball rolling and be a charity fundraising “Rockstar.”  

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is a North American Charity Fundraising leader in a convenient “One Stop Shop” setting.  BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising can assist you to plan, manage and host a charity fundraising event which will absolutely excite everyone who attends and will begin to help you grow a level of support that you would never believe.  Contact us today at www.BWUnlimited.com.

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What does it take for a fundraising committee to be successful? www.BWUnlimited.com

I get asked and answer a million questions about fundraising but the one (1) question is “What does it take for a fundraising committee to be successful?”

There is only one answer – Commitment.  Everyone involved must be absolutely committed to the success of what you want to accomplish – a successful fundraiser.

Keep in mind a large committee is the absolute key to the success of the committee itself – the more people you have helping, the better you will be.

Being committed means that they will want to accomplish the mission of what they are being asked to embark on.  Here are a few of the phases of a successful fundraising event:

1 – Pre-Event Planning Stage – Your committee should ask others to help, attend committee planning meetings and be a part of the discussion.

2 – Pre & Event Job Titles – A good leader delegates.  Ask your committee members to take on a certain task which will spread the work out such as:

     a.     Ticket Chairman – The person who receives all the sold tickets and assigns  

           seating.

b.     Donation Chairman – The person whose only purposes is to address the committee on donations received and also keeps a running inventory.

c.      Financial Chairman – The person who makes deposits into the bank from the ticket sales and financial donations or sponsorships.

3 – Pre-Event Mission – Your committee should assist with ticket sales, seek donations and help advertise.

4 – Pre-Event Preparation – Prior to your event, committee members should help with gift basket building and other preparations such as preparing Silent Auction Bid Sheets, acquiring event accounting paperwork etc.

5 – Event – Your committee needs to arrive early to set up the event, be energetic during and help with every aspect of the event itself – your guests will love smiling, happy people.

6 – Post Event – This is where most committee members shut off, however, you should have a “Post” or “Wrap Up” meeting to discuss the positives and negatives to ensure that your next event will be successful.  It’s all about learning from your mistakes and moving forward.

Just remember, the more people you have helping you and being a part of your team, the better.  Try to attract and recruit energetic, positive people and stay away from negative “Debby Downers”, the results will be astounding.  To see how negativity truly hurts your success, click this Blog - How the fundraising Grinch stole your success.

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is a North American Charity Fundraising leader in a “One Stop Shop” convenient setting.  BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising can help guide you, your committee and your charity around all the disastrous pitfalls toward a highly successful fundraising event.  Call us today at 410-658-8808 or check out our website at www.BWUnlimited.com to learn more.

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5 easy methods to effectively advertise your Charity Fundraiser

How & where do I advertise my Charity Event?  That is a question I hear ALL THE TIME.  The reality is, the “Old Norm” is gone, dead, dust in the wind.  What do I mean by the “Old Norm”?   Well here they are:

#1 – Print Adds in the Newspaper

#2 – TV Commercials

#3 – Billboards

#4 – Hanging Flyers in local convenience stores.

I know what you’re saying about #2, how can that be true?  There are 1,000’s of TV Commercials, very true but do you have a Digital Video Recorder (DVR)?  If you do, which most do, what do you do when you are watching your favorite show and a commercial comes on?  You hit the Fast Forward button don’t you?

The answer to the question is simply this – Facebook & other social networks.  Facebook is definitely leading the charge. 

The entire world is on Facebook just waiting to be talked to.  You have to learn how to use Facebook and how Facebook works in order to be truly effective.  But Facebook is the single most powerful tool you have in your charity’s arsenal.  Plus – it’s FREE!!!

 

Seriously, if you're not on Facebook, chances are, you're not even reading this Blog!!! 

If you have an event flyer, here are some simple methods to use to draw attention:

#1 – Your flyer must “POP” – and not be just a simple Word Document.  It must grab

attention and be different than the rest.

#2 – Post your flyer everywhere you can – meaning, Facebook, Instragram, LinkedIn etc.

#3 – Once your flyer moves down your Facebook wall, reshare it back to the top.

NOTE:  It is a scientific fact that someone needs to see something seven (7) times before the act upon it.

#4 – Get your friends or other people involved in your charity to post your flyer as well.

#5 – When you post the flyer, ask your friends to also “Share” it.

Using these five (5) methods, you will be able to advertise your event from wherever you are, to the entire world – more importantly FREE.

If you would like to more valuable and effective ways to advertise your event and what type of flyer grabs people’s attention, contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com, we would love to help you.

BW Unlimited Charity Fundraising is a North American Charity Fundraising Leader in a “One Stop Shop” convenient setting.  BW can help guide you toward a very successful event, ensuring you do not fall into any of the fundraising pitfalls that surround you. Contact us at www.BWUnlimited.com to learn how we can help.