It’s important to think about your silent auction items the right way. Realizing the right way to think means that you have to realize there is a wrong way to think about your silent auction event.
Charity Fundraising is here to help you procure higher silent auction profits at your next event! We are here to knock down the preconceptions about what a silent auction is for!
It’s easy –
Think Excitement . . . Not Silence
Think Quality . . . Not Quantity.
Think excitement!
It is regular for established nonprofits to have staple silent auction events that bring in thousands each and every year. But sometimes, it’s also regular for these events to go downhill over time.
Why?
It’s simple. When given success, it’s natural to try to recreate the success by repeating every detail time and time again.
This reasoning, however, if flawed. No two events can be the same. Therefore, every silent auction cannot compound its success and grow if it does not entertain and engage guests.
Be honest.
Does your auction items surprise? Do they delight your donors? Are these items something your donors would be interested in?
. . . Not Silence
A silent auction’s name is a misnomer. Silent Auctions should not and cannot be silent. Increase Participation!
That means encouraging spending and generating buzz.
There are two simple ways to encourage and generate excitement during an event.
First, with a cordless mic, highlight special packages and deals. Create the buzz yourself! Hire an Emcee or utilize the skills of your loyal volunteers.
Second, close sections of the auction at different times. The compressing time gets more eyes on the important items at the right time. “The clock is ticking” produces buzz and excitement by nature!
Think Quality
Procuring higher profit items gives your auction a much higher retention rate as well as a much higher profit return.
Obviously, the answer to what the “best selling” silent auction item is depends on your audience. Traveling packages, exclusive experiences, and Memorabilia are home runners.
Thankfully, here at Charity Fundraising, we offer all of these knockouts! Better yet, our zero-risk guarantee makes it possible for any and every nonprofit to have quality high profit silent auction items at their event. We take the auction back, free of charge, if it does not sell. We pay for shipping.
. . . Not Quantity
What does that mean?
Be Choosy.
Really, It’s ok!
The last thing you want is to have your guests feel like they are at a consignment shop or a garage sale. Endless options does not guarantee more profit. In fact, it clutters up the space and cheapens all of the auction items. “A dime a dozen” becomes the unsaid feeling.
There are two ways to be choosy.
First, it’s ok to ask potential donors for a cash donation rather than accepting a service or product donation that would not sell well at your auction. A sponsorship should benefit both parties. A service or product donation can undervalue or be largely ignored, which does not help your event or the sponsor.
Second, it’s ok to limit the amount of silent auction items. You don’t want to have too few items for the number of people in the room. On the flip side, you don’t want to have too many items for your donor list either! The former weeds out the donations from the lower bidding donors, the latter leaves you with low bids on multiple items and no competition (and therefore, no excitement!). The general rule is to have close to half of the amount of items as donors.
Contact Charity Fundraising today to reserve your silent auction items.
