Auction Items: Request Oprah Tickets for Your Benefit Fundraiser
Copyright (c) 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC
As seen on the shelf in my grocery store: Oprah's Dec 2009 "O Magazine" cover has a teaser in the upper right corner about winning a trip "to the Oprah Show."
I am often asked what is the best auction item to secure for an auction fundraiser. Easy answer: Tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show
In your fundraising auction, Oprah will outsell tickets to the Superbowl, a private helicopter charter to a Relaix and Chateaux property, and even the chance for a Presidential meet-and-greet. Friends, when Oprah tickets are up against any other auction item, it is -- to borrow a WWE term -- an Oprah SmackDown.
As one auction guest told me, "Even if you aren't a huge fan of Oprah, she's so generous, you might happen to be in the audience on the day she gives everybody some fabulous gift ... like a car."
Last week, Oprah announced she's leave the show in the the fall 2011, at the end of its 25th season. But she's not retiring. She'll reappear in some fashion on her new venture, The Oprah Winfrey Network, which will replace the Discovery Health channel.
So right now, I imagine that Oprah and her team are busy planning one heck of a 2-year-long going-away party. I am sure that these last few months of her show will be stellar. I suspect she'll include twice as many surprises. And I know that any group which manages to secure tickets to any one of her final shows will make an awful lot of money for its fundraising auction. Wahoo! My advice: Draft your letter.
1. If you know someone affiliated with The Oprah Winfrey Show -- or even someone affiliated with similar shows -- always start by asking your contact. If you're trying to get some of the limited VIP audience tickets often set aside for talk shows, knowing somebody who knows somebody might be all it takes to them.
2. If that's not an option, draft your letter. Write to the show, explain your cause, and ask for tickets. You'll have a better shot if your cause is one that is aligned to Oprah's beliefs: living your best life, being true to yourself, helping children, etc. If this doesn't sound like your charity, save your time (and Oprah's) by directing your efforts on securing a different auction item. Always remember, it is very important to research a celebrity's interest before approaching them.
P.S. If you personally want to secure tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show, the acquisition steps are different. I'll outline the process here, only because I suspect some readers would like to know.
A few years ago, The Oprah Winfrey Show had a call-in process. It's since been transferred to an Internet-based reservation lottery system on www.Oprah.com. Fans can become a (free) member on the site, and -- once inside your member profile site -- access the Show Reservations area. You will be able to submit your request when the reservation is open.
Within 24 hours of the reservation window closing, the seats are filled by a random selection process. If you are one of the chosen, you'll be sent an email. You'll have 48 hours to respond to the instructions in order to claim your tickets. (And by the way ... you'll need to provide the first and last names and ages of all of your guests when you submit for a reservation! In addition to the lottery, this added level of detail is part of why it's difficult to get tickets, and why you would not follow this format if you are trying to acquire tickets to be donated to a charity.)
Finally, Oprah's site makes it clear that only tickets received through the show's reservation system are valid, and that people should not be paying for tickets. However, I do know Oprah tickets have been sold at non-profit fundraisers by legitimate charities. Those tickets are coming through other channels and clearly not through the "en masse" reservation system on the Website. So although repeated entries through the show's online reservation might improve your odds of winning tickets for your personal use, those tickets are not likely eligible for sale in an auction fundraiser.
About the Author
Award-winning auctioneer Sherry Truhlar regularly writes about ways to improve the bottom line at charity auctions. If you're looking for other procurement ideas, she invites you to download her FREE Auction Item Guide available at http://www.RedAppleAuctions.com The Guide lists 100 of the best-selling items currently selling well in fundraisers.
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