When it comes to putting together a silent auction there are a lot of tips and tricks to dramatically increase your profits and your donor’s experience. Here are just a few to help get you to your goal:
- Separate sections by category or color to differentiate the tables with good high signage. This way if you close the tables at different times, the audience can easily find the tables you are closing for last minute bids.
- Have a live auction table clearly describing the live action items. Have a volunteer or the auctioneer at the table a head of time to answer any questions, presell the items and identify the interested parties.
- Limit your items to 1 item for every two people.
- Start your bids at 40% - 50% of value and increase by 10% of value. If your item is worth $100.00, start at $40.00 and increase by $10.00.
- Have a video or music at your tables to draw in your audience.
- If there are restrictions, be clear and transparent about what they are.
- Yellow Line: Write your bid increments on your bid sheets. Draw a yellow line at the increment that is a stretch goal. Then announce that anyone who bids at or under the yellow line will randomly be drawn for a prize. This encourages people to keep bidding to win something else.
- If you have a goal for your silent auction, make sure you have the items to support the goal. This is also true with the live auction.
- If you have a really great silent auction item, do a live auction right there at the table to sell it.
- Make sure everyone has a bid card, never have couples share.
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