Mark Schroeder BAS & Auction brio to Conduct Tux N' Tennis Gala & Auction

Auction brio and Mark Schroeder BAS is proud to be the exclusive benefit auctioneer for one the most featured gala's in San Antonio, Texas. On Friday, January 10th, 2014 at the AT&T Center, the Silver & Black Give Back will present it's annual Tux N' Tennies Auction Gala with the theme, Spurs Night LIVE.

This always sold-out dynamic event and fundraiser for the San Antonio Spurs Silver & Black Give Black raises money for youth programs they create to support kids throughout San Antonio.

Let us know what we can do for your organization or learning institution. See www.auctionbrio.com for more information.

Mark Schroeder & Auction brio Set New Record for Silver & Black Give Back Post Game Worn Jersey Auction!

Spurs Military Jersey Auction Raises a Record $186,000 for Silver & Black Give Back

The headline says it all. 

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio is very proud to have been the benefit auctioneer who conducted this record setting benefit auction for the San Antonio Spurs.

Spurs Military Jersey Auction Raised a Record $186,000 for Silver & Black Give Back. In our first opportunity to conduct this auction, Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio doubled the amount raised from last year!

The auction was conducted following the Washington Wizards vs. Spurs game on the floor of the AT&T Center. All 15 Spurs game worn jersey's were sold and the game ball autographed by the Spurs team. Former Spur Sean Elliott started the auction with a signed ball and book.

All the money raised in the auction goes toward the youth programs and youth basketball leagues sponsored by the Spurs and conducted by the Silver & Black Give Back.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. For more information click on www.auctionbrio.com.

ACTS Has a Record Setting Auction

After an inaugural auction in 2012 that produced a total that far exceeded the expectations of the organization, ACTS followed up last night with another record auction with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Arch Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Silla in attendance. The evening entertainment was provided by Sabastien De La Cruz the 11-year old Mariachi who is a singing sensation.

Just before starting the live auction the Presidents of the University of Incarnate Word and Our Lady of the Lake donated opportunities to host a dining experience with them at their universities. It was a fabulous start as the frenzy bidding took off. These two packages really set the standard for what was to follow.

The Fund-a-Need featured a two very generous donors who challenged other bidders to bid and they would donate on a match at that donation level. When it was over, the money generated was a new high for ACTS.

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio is proud to be the exclusive benefit auctioneer of ACTS and their success in just two auctions and a sellout crowd shows their potential to grow. We are excited to be teamed up with ACTS.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. For further information clink on www.auctionbrio.com.

Mark Schroeder BAS & Auction brio will Conduct CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region

In my first meeting with the CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, they expressed to me that they want to raise more money at their Mardi Gras Gala. No problem, I can help with that aspect of the vent. I asked if they are THE benefit event in the city. They said there was one more fundraising event that brings in a lot of philanthropic donors and they wanted to do the same. I told them that with some of my fresh money generating ideas and entertainment additions, I can help them be THE event in Saginaw, Michigan in a short time.

The CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region's Mardi Gras was a huge hit in their first year with Auction brio. They leaped to a new level in raised funds and became the talk of their town on radio and television the next morning. In the four years that have followed the Mardi Gras is a sold out auction gala that is full of fresh entertainment ideas that raise more money.

With pride we are excited to announce that Mark Schroeder BAS & Auction brio will conduct the CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region Mardi Gras Gala and auction for the fifth consecutive year on February 27th, 2014 at Apple Mountain Resort.

This is what we are doing for others, for more information contact me at www.auctionbrio.com.

Denim & Diamonds for St. Gregory the Great School in San Antonio

Saddle-up for the Denim & Diamonds Gala at St. Gregory the Great School in San Antonio on Saturday, February 8th, 2014. This is the third year for this fundraiser and Auction brio is proud to be the exclusive auctioneer for this great gala.

We are excited to be teaming up with the St. Gregory the Great School and are looking forward to a entertaining evening of fundraising.

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio to Conduct Inaugural Gala for Big Brothers & Big Sisters

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland will hold their first ever benefit auction gala on Saturday, April 12th, 2014 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Auction brio is proud to be the benefit consultant, strategist and exclusive auctioneer for this admirable organization who mentors youth.

This gala will be the foundation for raising funds to ensure that Big Brothers and Sisters of Greater Cleveland will continue its mission because a little mentoring changes futures in a big way.

Auction brio to Conduct the 2014 San Antonio Heart Ball

With a goal to raise seven figures, the American Heart Association of San Antonio has hired Auction brio to be their exclusive benefit auctioneer for the 2014 Heart Ball. The gala will he held at the Westin La Cantera on Saturday, April 5th, 2014. Mark Schroeder BAS will conduct the live auction and the Open Your Heart auctions.

The Heart Ball is a high profile benefit auction in the Alamo City that provides an entertaining evening for it's guests and a rewarding opportunity for people who need services from the American Heart Association.

This is what we are doing for others, see what Auction brio can do for you.

Auction brio Returns to Conduct 2014 POWWOW

One of the premier benefit auctions in the state of Ohio has contracted with Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio to exclusively conduct the POWWOW Gala auction for Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

The POWWOW operates a year round staff dedicated to this great event. Following a large leap in raised money from the  2013 live auction, Auction brio will be teaming up with the auction chair and committee 11-months in advance of the 2014 gala. This opportunity will maximize the services from Auction brio so that the committee will generate new money that has never been collected prior to the event in May '14.

We are excited to be teaming again with Walsh Jesuit and the POWWOW.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. www.auctionbrio.com

What's Hot at Auction brio Benefit Auctions

Following the question of "what are your services fees," this is the second most asked question by customers and clients, "what is hot at Auction brio benefit auctions?"

What's hot?

That is easy to answer. What's hot is what sells with your guests. Just because an item or a package sold well at an event a committee saw a year ago, does not mean it will sell well at your event. Your audience is unique to your learning institution, organization or mission. At a high school auction, I can sell a one year tuition grant to a college for $13,000 dollars. That's outstanding, the fit is perfect. That would  not work at an organization that is raising money for children's safety. Clearly it's not a match.

What do YOUR guests like to buy? What motivates them into participating in your live auction?

I have a client that the entire live auction is comprised of vacation trips. This group enjoys bidding on fun trips, so we fuel the fire. Auction brio works with the committee to enhance the trips to generate a wow factor. I want guests to open their programs and say "wow, where did they get this trip?" All trips are not hot, but ones that are to unique places or exceptional experiences take live auction bidding to record heights.

Make your benefit auction, hot. Make it the cannot miss fundraiser of the summer or the fall.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. www.auctionbrio.com.

The Singing Angels to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio are proud to be conducting the first ever fundraising gala for The Singing Angels. The prolific children's singing group that has performed around the world will celebrate it's 50th year with a giant gala in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Singing Angels gala committee and board selected Auction brio because we work with the organization for up to a year in advance attending meetings and providing fresh ideas to maximize full fundraising potential not only auction night, but banking money months in advance.

This event is now 11 months away, though our planning meetings started a month ago. 

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. www.auctionbrio.com.

Great Night for Walsh Jesuit HS & the POWWOW

I am proud to announce that in Auction brio's first year of conducting the POWWOW auction for Walsh Jesuit High School, we significantly raised more funds than the previous year.

The live auction featured 41 packages from trips to experiences. There were some unique items too. The blend of value levels kept the over 600 guests in competitive bidding until the last item.

Without a doubt, the wow factor was a cute Maltese puppy that had guests leaving their seats and huddling around the two bidders. They cheered encouragement for one more bid and the bidders would raise their paddle for another hundred. The new family pet sold into the thousands and no one was happier than the daughter of the winning bidder who was present and is a student at the school.

The POWWOW auction committee and I met face-to-face on a number of occasions. I shared ideas that we applied and they opened new opportunities to raise significantly more money at the auction. It worked well and guests responded by giving more money and competitively bidding.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. www.auctionbrio.com.

The POWWOW & Auction brio

One of the largest benefit auctions in the state of Ohio will take place on Saturday, April 27th and Auction brio will be the exclusive auctioneer for this event.

Walsh Jesuit High School hosts the Powwow on its campus in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The Powwow this year will feature 41 live auction packages plus a Fund-a-Need auction. From vacations to cars to unique personal experiences, this benefit literally has something for every bidder in the audience. 

Discover more informations regarding benefit auctions by following Mark Schroeder and Auction brio on Twitter @Auctionbrio.

Let us know what we can do to raise more money for you. www.auctionbrio.com.

Raising more with 100 Less? Oh Yes.

Last night I conducted a benefit auction that had 100 fewer guests than attend last year. But incredibly, more money was raised last night than last year with more people. What made the difference?

It was likely two things. First the presentation of the Fund-a-Need was perfectly planned and executed prior to the timing of the "ask." The effectiveness was immediate because hands went up immediately as I asked for high end donations. Every level of the ask was received with numerous bid cards in the air.

Secondly, the right people were in the room supporting the cause. My client worked hard to be assured that givers were attending their event. Less people was more money because these two important factors merged to result is record fundraising evening.

This is what we are doing for others, see what Auction brio can do for you. Auctionbrio.com.

Mark Schroeder BAS & Auction brio Returning to Conduct the Khaki & Plaid

I am excited to announce that Auction brio will return to conduct the 2014 Khaki & Plaid benefit auction for Hope for the Future of San Antonio, Texas. This year, the K&H raised over a million dollars in the Fund-a-Need and tens of thousands more in the live and silent auctions.

For this record fundraising auction, I only had 6-months to help on the consulting end inserting new opportunities to raise more money. As a certified Benefit Auctioneer Specialist, this year we'll work together for 9.5 month start to enhance the many aspects of the auctions, sponsorships, underwriting, marketing and producing interactive money generating ideas for this 1,000 guest gala in San Antonio.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you. auctionbrio.com.

Auction brio Top Sellers

What is it that guests are buying at benefit auctions? Here is what is hot at Auction brio's benefit auctions.

1) An Evening at the Prime Time Emmy Awards
2) St. Croix Getaway Experience
3) Gourmet Cakes
4) 2013 Ford Focus SE
5) US Open Golf VIP Tickets & Accomodations
6) Beaver Creek Ski-in Ski-out Condo
7) Kid Rock VIP Concert Experience
8) Jason Aldean Guitar
9) Michael Jackson ONE Circus du Soleil in Las Vegas
10) Children's Dream Play House

Tease Them

After working in the broadcast television industry for twenty-three years, you know the power of a "tease". A tease is that final :20 seconds before a commercial break that will hook the viewer into staying around for the next 3-minutes of commercials to see the story you teased.

Auction brio insists you do the same for your event. Tease your guys into inquiring more about your event, your live auction trips, the Fund-A-Need, raffles and more. It's entertainment. Make them curious about what they will be giving to at your gala.

Check out auctionbrio.com and see the success we've had with creating a tease that produced more money and bidding at benefit auctions.

Let Them Eat Cake After Buying It At Auction

Last year I conducted an auction for a new client and discovered a silent auction item that became an obvious live auction situation for this year's event.

A pastry chef donated 6 gourmet cheesecakes that had guests fighting for that last bid to win a taste of these beautiful desserts that could feed an entire table of ten. The highest cake went for $70 dollars but it was the potential competition in a live auction that I knew could generate more money for my client.

This year, we made it a production. In a 1950's themed event, we started the live auction by cutting the lights and having Elvis lead in the cake procession from the back of the room to the stage. Elvis danced and his music rang throughout the room. Students from the school walked throughout the room showcasing the delicious desserts amongst the guests.

I sold the cakes as choice. I auctioned the chance to have first choice of the cake you desired if you won the highest bid. The guests reacted with raised paddles. The coconut went first at $255 dollars. Another bidder matched the $255 for the peanut butter chocolate cake. I then sold three more at $160 each and finished with a chocolate Mousse at $80 dollars. In a matter of 2-minutes, I sold 6-gourmet cakes for $1,070 dollars. It hundreds of dollars, it eclipsed the silent auction total from a year ago and guests commented how fun it was participating in the dessert auction.

Looking for more ideas to maximized your opportunities to raise more money? Follow me on Twitter @auctionbrio.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you.

Mark Schroeder BAS, CES Attends Year II of CAI Certification Classes

Mark Schroeder BAS, CES is about to complete his second year of CAI designation classes.

It takes being selected by your peers, then three years of dedication to attending classes at Indiana University for a professional auctioneer to earn their CAI Certification as a member of the National Auctioneers Association. It is an elite group of just 1000 auctioneers in the world who hold this certification.

Here is the description of the Certified Auctioneers Institute designation from the NAA:
"As the auction profession continues to grow and a wider variety of clients begun using services, the CAI professional designation is becoming increasingly important.
Designation holders have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide high quality services to all types of clients. In addition, their designation indicated to attorneys, trust officers, government officials, financial planners, and others who seek the services of well-qualified auctioneers, that the CAI designation holder is an astute business person who upholds the highest professional standards."

What this means to Auction brio clients is that Mark will have enhanced his education in the auctioneer profession to it's highest level.

This is the dedication Mark has to his expertise of his field. Auction brio clients will be the beneficiaries of his commitment to being a leader of the benefit auction business.

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio Help Quadruple Fund-a-Need for St. Vincent de Paul School

What an evening of fundraising at the Bayou City Event Center in Houston for St. Vincent de Paul School! With a sold-out crowd of over 400 guests, the room buzzed from the excitement of their 1980's theme while music videos from hair bands set the decade.

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio conducted the live auction for the first time at this event. The live auction presented competitive bidding as bidders stood to make their proud bid seen by all. It produced fun, excitement and a lot of funds!

The video presentation for the Paddles Up auction presented the need for new trees to be planted to beautify the school and to provide shade for young children in the playground area. The raised funds quadrupled from last year. Great job parents!

Auction brio llc. is proud to have assisted a record evening for St. Vincent de Paul School.

This is what we are doing for others, discover what we can do for you.

Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio Conducts One Million Dollar Start to the Fund-a-Need Auction

It is a moment that will change many lives.

As we were about to start the auction, a gentleman walks to the podium and professes his fondness for this organization. Upon conclusion, he announced he was donating one million dollars to Hope For The Future! Guests leaped from their seats to give the generous donor a thunderous standing ovation.
This man's generous gift ignited guests. As Mark Schroeder BAS and Auction brio started the Fund-a-Future auction, paddles went up and more generous donations followed and incredible start.

It was a night that no one will ever forget, and for the beneficiaries of this sizable gift, their lives will change forever.

This is what we are doing for others, see what we can do for you.