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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Alabama, U.S.A.
    Posts
    55

    Default Donating To Events(good or bad)

    I have only been turning pens since March or 2011. To say my marketing skills are lacking is an understatement. My website is functional but most of the people who know about it cant afford the stuff on it. I I live in a rural area of a fast growing county and most of my friends are from the same area. I have recently discovered a local magazine that follows the local above average income scene in my area and it list several upscale events that have silent auctions to raise money for the event.

    1. Has anyone ever used this type of venue to get your product in front of the people that can afford it?

    2. Would you leave a display stand and business card holder for others who are interested?

    3. Is there an downside other than giving away(donating) a pen worth several hundred $$$, and could that be considered a tax deduction?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    67
    Posts
    2,061

    Default

    Fire

    As you know this is an Australian site with some friends from the USA on it. Advice on your tax deductions would need to be gotten from a US site like the IAP (the equivalent to this site) The address is www.penturners.org/ if you don't have it already. Alternatively Edblysard (from Texas) is a member on this site and could maybe give you advice on US displays and marketing. In Australia some donations are tax deductable. However, if you are making a pen and wanting to charge several hundred dollars for it, it must either be spectacular and unique or you are way over pricing your products. The average price range for a pen - Sierra - for example is from $30 to $50. Have a look at some of the websites you see under member's names on here for pricing. Also you can post your website under your name.

    Hope that helps a little.

    Greg
    The Pen is mightier than the Sword

    www.artisanpens.com.au
    www.facebook.com/artisanpens.penmakers

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Alabama, U.S.A.
    Posts
    55

    Default

    I also posted this on the IAP. I figure I will take all of the advice I can when asking about some things.

    The events I am referring to are filled with people who can afford to spend $10,000 on a pen if they wanted and buy a spare just in case. As far as being overpriced or under priced doesn't matter as the pens go into a silent auction format to raise money for the organization and they all need to make large donations each year.

    For me it is more about getting my product in front of this group or finding out if its acceptable to go this route.

    Phil
    here are a couple of examples.



  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
    Posts
    1,436

    Default

    Phil it is worth a shot. The up side is that you will get some exposure that could lead to other commissions and you may get a tax write off. The downside is that you don't get any commissions or write offs and you're out the cost of some pen kits and blanks. Either way you will be doing some good for the charities you helped.

    I have only been to one silent auction in Oregon years ago and I remember all the goods and services had donators name, contact info (perhaps business cards too, I can't remember ) and the value of the item at each station on the tables around the room. Someone with 3 items (for example) had them at 3 places around the room giving them lots of exposure. Good for small items like a pen since missing one gave 2 more chances of being seen.

    Pete

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    near Mackay
    Age
    59
    Posts
    4,628

    Default

    Nice work on those pens Phil, I especially like the segmented red trustone, it looks really good.

    I have given a few pens to good causes and charities, to use as raffle prizes etc. While I didn't do this with an ulteria motive, it usually results in a few extra sales after the event.
    sales soon go back to the normal rate after a week or so though.

    As a rough estimate, my pens probably make the charity maybe double what I would normally sell the pen for. Not in the league you are talking about, but helpful all the same.
    I normally just give a Sierra or Baron that I would sell for $50 - $60.

    I hadn't thought about the tax deduction side of it, and probably won't , because its just a hobby for me. Although it does pay its own way.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Alabama, U.S.A.
    Posts
    55

    Default

    It didn't start with an ulterior motive. I have donated quite a few pens to various organizations. Most of them have never had the caliber of people at them as the ones I have recently found. They also have never lead to a sale after the fact(doesn't matter I will still donate to those) It is still a hobby for me also but at some point it will change.

    You saying that after a week or so that things go back to normal is the kind of info I am looking for. Its as I expected, the whim of the moment that sells pens to most. Occasionally you run into a true afficianado that wants to buy pen regularly.




    Quote Originally Posted by Ironwood View Post
    Nice work on those pens Phil, I especially like the segmented red trustone, it looks really good.

    I have given a few pens to good causes and charities, to use as raffle prizes etc. While I didn't do this with an ulteria motive, it usually results in a few extra sales after the event.
    sales soon go back to the normal rate after a week or so though.

    As a rough estimate, my pens probably make the charity maybe double what I would normally sell the pen for. Not in the league you are talking about, but helpful all the same.
    I normally just give a Sierra or Baron that I would sell for $50 - $60.

    I hadn't thought about the tax deduction side of it, and probably won't , because its just a hobby for me. Although it does pay its own way.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    67
    Posts
    2,061

    Default

    Fire

    Give it a go mate and get some tags printed with your website on them to loop around the clip so they go with the pens. Alternatively, do what Rolex do and provide a box with a certificate with each pen. The collectors love that stuff. After all you can only lose the cost of a few pens against the possibility of getting a lot of up market work. Best of luck.
    Greg
    The Pen is mightier than the Sword

    www.artisanpens.com.au
    www.facebook.com/artisanpens.penmakers

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