Many small business owners will be happy to do so, both to support a good cause, and because these donations can serve as good publicity. These could potentially become future donors to your organization. An event like an auction can get you mentions, comments, tags, and posts. Nonprofits host silent auctions in tons of different places, from golf courses to art museums to school gymnasiums. By analyzing the data on file, you may be able to glean insights into your supporters interests to help you zero in on the most appropriate items for your auction. var gclid = document.getElementById('footer-newsletter').getAttribute('data-gclid'); Its important to create excitement and get people bidding., 4. We guarantee you'll Steps: 1) Go to the manage auction page, and locate the silent auction item and the action button on the item. Is a silent auction part of the fundraising calendar for your nonprofit? You could also ask that your volunteers all share the details of the auction to their networks via social media or other means. They could be any of these, VIP event tickets to concerts, sports events or theater performances. Being afraid to select consignments items you believe your community would enjoy. All good things must come to an end, and your silent auction is no exception. Assumptions arent useful so we urge you not to make them. raise more in your first Hosting an event like a silent auction increases visibility for the nonprofit. That can be a big hassle! Download Neon Ones Donor Retention Checklist for tools and insights that you can use to convert those brand-new donors into long-term supporters. It provides an opportunity to share the organizations mission and stories with a wider audience. Do you have a theme tailored to them? Fine dining opportunities may be in poor taste (so to speak) at a benefit to raise funds for famine relief. For example, you could: Mobile bidding on auction software is useful for engaging your audience because it features notifications to keep them informed. 1. Takeaway: Ultimately, the bidding method you choose is up to your organization and whether an online or offline method would appeal more to your base. This creates a hard stop and an automatic tally of winners and the total amount that they owe at the end of an event. Some things to consider include: Its important to keep your audience engaged during your silent auction. Here are some steps for planning your silent auction: If youre hosting a silent auction thats in-person or hybrid, youll also want to consider the venue. Then, you can set up processes for both in-person and online bidders. Direct winners to where they can make payments and receive their items. . document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { In this step, its time to focus on the main event: the items that will be up for auction. How to Plan a Silent Auction: Updated Guide - OneCause Once you have a clear goal in mind, youll need to determine a reasonable budget. It normally takes place without an auctioneer. Following up should include three main tasks: The proper follow-up will set you up for success with both your future auctions and your fundraising in general, so take this step seriously! If the auction is large, close bidding in segments, announcing the end of bidding in each section in turn, from lowest to highest-value lots. Silent Auction Planning A large part of running a silent auction occurs in the planning stage. The only fundraising software that guarantees your nonprofit's success. Ask friends, family members, and colleagues if they know of a company willing to donate . Procurement team Responsible for sourcing the items to be auctioned. Market! The only fundraising software that guarantees your nonprofit's success. Preparing registration Set up a registration station at the door. Keep this in mind if your silent auction is to operate within a fundraising event youre holding event planning takes a lot of time too! For any other seats you wish to fill, but dont have a guestlist for, social media is your best bet. Today, many silent auction organizers aim to solve this problem by having guests place their bets digitallyeither by placing tablets next to each item on display (which can be expensive), or by having guests download an app that allows them to bid from their own devices. This means setting a buy now price which gets the purchaser the item right away. To ensure your items see plenty of bid activity, its important to be thoughtful during the procurement process. Before you begin setting all the details of your silent auction in stone, you must first set a fundraising goal and an event budget. And with good software to support you, running an online auction is simple! Takeaway: Just because your auction is over doesnt mean your work is quite done yet. If youre interested in running a silent auction at a live fundraising event but youre not entirely sure where to start, then dont worry, youre not alone. And with good software to support you, running an online auction is simple! Talk To Us What is a silent auction? If the people attending the auction will primarily be members of your nonprofit organization and close supporters, invite speakers to give short presentations on new developments or innovations in your field. We suggest you move forward a step and discover more about the type of event youre going to run. 5 Things to Avoid When Running an Auction. It is very common for silent auctions to occur alongside specialty dinners, opera etc. The Basics of an online auction. 3. Source Silent Auction Items To Sell. Traditional silent auctions have paper bid sheets where bidders manually write their bids on each item. Want a Free Demo of iWaves Fundraising Intelligence Platform? This integration allows Neon CRM users to easily pull up contact info as guests check into your event, match sales to those records during the event, and easily export sales data post-event without any intermediate files. 6 DOs and DON'Ts of Hosting an Auction A fundraising event is a wonderful time to bring your community together to share the impact of your mission and to offer your guests the opportunity to support your work. The more planning and preparation you put in, the more successful your event will be. Make sure to have a variety of different skills represented, including: With your planning team assembled, the next thing to determine is where to hold your silent auction. Marketing needs to create compelling invitations that bring in plenty of auction guests. If you want to learn more about how Neon CRM can support your silent auction and donor management needs, click the button below and lets chat! Because the auction depended on item donations from local businesses, advance planning was crucial. If you know someone whod enjoy this page, share it with them via email, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. With vouchers and certificates for services, include a pictorial representation to improve the aesthetics and provide a more tangible value. Everything You Need From a Fundraising Software, Organize and Manage Contacts Effortlessly, Transform Your Online Fundraising With a Few Clicks, Host your most successful fundraising event ever, Easily Understand Your Fundraising Campaign Results. Our intelligence software can also help with screening attendees after the event and creating lists for potential future use. The last thing you want is having barely any donations a couple of days before the event and having to cancel. Like any good auction, a silent auction hosted online still requires proper planning. 3 big steps to run an auction fundraiser How will you host the auction? Bidders write down their name (or number if it's anonymous) and bid amount, and the highest bidder at the end of the designated time period wins the item. There are a variety of elements to consider in this process, from determining which items will excite supporters, procuring these items, and finalizing your budget. This is where your marketing team comes in. Savannah Early, Garden Manager, shares, For the auction items, we make sure we have really nice, unique items. Way ahead. Auction attendees should have a reason to stick around for the duration besides keeping an eye on their bids. } else { Stay in contact with donors and be sure to. Logistics team These are the people responsible for every aspect of the mechanics of the auction, from timing, to how people will bid, to coordinating the dissemination of auction purchases. In-person, online, or a hybrid version? These skills are highly transferable and can help nonprofits with almost all the other initiatives the volunteers are working on. If so, take a look at our guide on how to run a successful silent auction so that you can make it a key revenue driver! Youd have to work out what a fair price is, and of course, you risk that the item could have sold for more during the auction process. Set minimum bid increments at a fraction of the minimum bid. Ask for Donations & Silent Auction Items What Is and What Isn't a Great Silent Auction Item 3. Decide beforehand how to handle situations where the person with the winning bid does not show up to pay and receive their item at the auction itself. Nonprofits can conduct silent auctions around popular movie themes or historical eras to make the experience more interesting and engaging. Do they have the connections you need to secure the must-have items or experiences your donors want? Likewise, if there is a heavy item, asking your guest to walk down five flights of stairs with it probably wont encourage people to bid on it. Takeaway: To see the biggest turnout at your auction, start promoting early and through multiple channels. Ultimately, this is a charity auction and people will want to know and share in your success! They should be logged, including a description, fair market value, and who donated it. April 8, 2022 13 min read Silent auctions are an enjoyable and engaging way to raise money. Send thanks as well to those who bought items at the auction (assuming you received their email address through auction registration). All rights reserved. Silent auction bidding can be conducted in one of two ways: Bid sheets or mobile bidding software. Everything You Need From a Fundraising Software, Organize and Manage Contacts Effortlessly, Transform Your Online Fundraising With a Few Clicks, Host your most successful fundraising event ever, Easily Understand Your Fundraising Campaign Results. Since there are so many facets to silent auctionsincluding planning, organization, and set-upyour event will need a strong team to make sure that all your ducks are in a row. How to Run a Silent Auction Online - ACME Technologies The suggestions in this article can be a great starting point. Perishable items, such as food or plants, may need to be brought to the auction site on the day of the auction. Generate table tents listing the item number, the description, any restrictions, the retail value, and the starting bid and minimum bid amounts. Likewise, you should avoid weekdays when theyll be tied up with work. The event includes a silent auction, which was entirely online for the first time in 2021. 2. This creates partnerships and exposure among new networks of potential supporters. This is very helpful from a nonprofits perspective as affinity to donate across the participants increases as the cause is the one common topic connecting everyone. You can use screening to find guests to invite. The process itself is very engaging and interactive in nature which makes it more of an experience than just another standard fundraising event. Put out the word on suitable Facebook groups, get people talking about it in communities and share information for free. The more you can drive up the sale price, the better. Some examples include: Having rules laid out and communicated prior to your silent auction will better ensure its success. window.removeEventListener('scroll', setFooterIframe, { once: true, passive: true }); How to perform a Hybrid Live Auction with in-person and virtual guests Here are the eight different steps well look into: Now lets plan an unforgettable silent auction! The pandemicwhich caused so many nonprofits to cancel events and create virtual event opportunities has made the need to employ auction software even more important. Have multiple payment stations to avoid bottlenecks, and make sure your volunteers are trained in processing credit card payments and watching for incorrectly filled-out checks. Plan ahead . The entire process of hosting and running an online auction can be streamlined using good technology, such as Network for Goods events and auctions platform. In this case, the auctioneer experiences virtual bids coming in from online guests, as well as guests in person raising their paddles to meet the current bid being asked. Home Blog How to Run a Silent Auction: The Definitive Guide. With an understanding of your supporters, a little creativity, and good technology to support you, youll find that its not as intimidating as you might expect. How to engage your audience during a silent auction. In the virtual world we live in today, running your auction online gives your audience great accessibility. This safeguards your organization against unforeseen circumstances such as last-minute withdrawals or additions. Accelerating Major Gifts: How to Find Canadian-Based Donors With Wealth Screening, Capital Campaigns: A Guide to Planning, Preparing and Executing Successful Capital Campaigns, Lessons Learned in a Campaign: Advice to Accidental Campaign Directors. Plus, event sites also support online bidding, so your organization could even choose to host an online auction before or after your event to raise even more money! If this is your first, or even second time running a silent auction, it can be tricky knowing where to start. Lisa Knapp, Director of Development & Communications, advises, If youre relying on sponsorships, especially if your sponsors are donating items, you need to provide a couple of months of lead time. url= url + '?GCLID=' + gclid; You may also need people assigned to help with things like registration and parking. 3) In the edit window that shows the item details, update the following fields as preferred. Think beyond securing physical items and gift cards from local businesses. Whether you are a charity, non-profit organisation, fundraising for a school or holding an event, silent auctions are a great fundraising technique for any event. Think of your audience, the donations on offer and how easy you want the paperwork to be afterwards. Lets break down each method to help your organization decide which might be right for your event. This is potentially the most important step to take. Hosting your silent auction online using mobile bidding software allows you to set an end time for your auction. A fundraising event is a wonderful time to bring your community together to share the impact of your mission and to offer your guests the opportunity to support your work. All of the time, money, and energy you put into your silent auction will only be worth it if you can raise enough to meet your overall campaign goals. All items are sold in their current condition. Donations are ultimately going to dictate a lot of your success. Silent Auction Secret Sauce: Mix and Match Off-Site & In-Person Be creative. Think outside the box. At the end of the night, those who are announced as the winners are trusted to come up and honor their bid. A contact list, especially an email list, is handy for this. Make it very easy for your supporters to access the software and bid on items by using asoftware that allows bidders to participate easily in-person or online from their mobile devices. For in-person bidders Go ahead and set up your auction item tables as usual. Silent auctions are one of the most popular annual events for nonprofits. You want to encourage bidding wars! You may be calling on their aid again for the next auction. What makes a silent auction successful? Some may be interested in making crafts or commissioning art and poetry for your silent auction. These live updates make the silent auction more dynamic, and will inspire bidders to look for hidden gems or be drawn into the competitive bidding for the most sought-after lots. Alert all registered bidders as the final hours of the auction approach to increase a sense of urgency and encourage final high bids. Provide light refreshment: cookies, pastries, finger sandwiches. Stay in touch with your guests throughout the event to update them on the silent auction. Perhaps something luxurious like a new car. The event includes a silent auction, which was entirely online for the first time in 2021. hosts a fundraising event to coincide with National Health Center Week. The key difference between silent auctions and traditional-style auctions is that instead of a loud environment with an auctioneer and items being auctioned off sequentially, silent auctions allow bidders to browse all of the items at their leisure before deciding to place a bid. Weve found that starting planning early is important.. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, in southeastern Minnesota, whose mission is to empower people to become lifelong stewards of the environment, hosts. On the popup window, leave the Purchase Options dropdown as Silent Auction Item as this is the default. If theres a brand new car on offer, you want to be able to get it into the event hall to showcase it. In 2021, the teams event showcased the work the organization has done to provide extra programming and services related to the pandemic, with an online auction to increase their fundraising results. A digital silent auction is becoming more and more popular. Use an online platform for ticket sales, and ideally an all-in-one solution that means guests who purchase tickets will already have their payment details stored for winning bids and donations. As you approach the auctions close, give the bidders a last call warning at ten and five minutes before the end of bidding. Bidding will begin and end at designated times . Silent auctions may be popular, but dont let that popularity fool you: Silent auctions are difficult to run. Not only can you find suitable donations after defining an audience, but you can also market the silent auction event accordingly. Presentations should be short: ten to fifteen minutes long, with breaks of comparable or slightly longer length in between to give people ample opportunity to bid on items. var url = 'https://www2.neonone.com/l/679793/2021-01-05/gj4ty'; Looking for creative ideas to raise money? Join 73,000+ of your peers getting industry news, tips, and resources straight to their inbox. Tailor the programming to your audience. Booking early will provide you with the most options and plenty of flexibility. A local benefit auction open to all may do well in a school auditorium or public library, emphasizing the connection between the organization and the community. The chair coordinates team members and volunteers and ensures good communication with all those who need to be in the loop. State when the auction will begin and end, regardless if you're hosting an in-person, hybrid, or online auction. You cant have a silent auction without items to bid on, but you also cant have a silent auction without people to do the bidding! Make sure the venue suits the donations so you can encourage worthy profits. Traditionally, in-person silent auctions display items around a room with enticing descriptions and designated opening bids. You'll need to source the perfect items and experiences to auction off at your grand event. } Well, paper is the more traditional method. The further your guests have to travel, the less likely they are to show up. Collect contact information from attendees and provide them with a bidder number they can enter on the bid sheets. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions. Silent auctions bring supporters together in a fun, social environment. Setting your starting bid or your buy-it-now price too high or too low. return false; Silent Auctions: 8 Steps to Running a Stellar Event - Neon One