I have an old video (it was my first video ever) that educates on what makes for a good fundraising auction bid paddle.
It’s hideous. It has all the markings of a first-time video, including awkward speaking, less-than-perfect audio, and bad hair.
But the content is good.
Even 9 years later, people comment on the video, thanking me for the information that helped them decide on a good bid paddle for their fundraiser.
One idea the video doesn’t share is the idea of reusable bid paddle sticks.
I’m calling this a “reusable stick” because only the bid card, which has the bid number and a sponsor on it, changes each year. The stick portion of the paddle is used again and again. (The video makes it easy to understand.)
When a new sponsorship is sold, the sponsor’s logo goes on the back of a ~5″ X 8″ card. On the other side of the card is a bid number.
As guests arrive at registration, a reusable stick (the sticks are spray-painted paint stirrers, like you find at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, or other home improvement stores) is attached to one of the 5″ X 8″ bid cards via a small piece of VELCRO.
This concept also makes storage easier. Anyone who has invested in bid paddles cut into unusual shapes like houses, apples, cows, and the like will tell you that storage isn’t all that convenient. The paddles don’t “line up” well in hanging files or storage boxes. Also, it’s not uncommon to have a few bid paddles “go missing” each year, which may mean you need to replace certain numbers.
In contrast, these reusable sticks fit into a small box and are ready for use the next year.
Watch the video below to see how this auction committee has created a system that works for them with reusable bid paddle sticks.
What tips do you have for bid paddles?
Share below.
Hi Sherry,
I’ve become a big fan of printing bid paddles with the guest’s name on them – it helps with people figuring out which of the paddles they laid down on a table is theirs. Your thoughts?
Roger
Yes, I like that too, Roger. I also see this often used when the paddles are already sitting on each gala table, meaning that the guests do not receive the paddle at registration. In that case, I’ll ask that the paddles are distributed to the appropriate person at each table and it’s easy when there’s a little Avery label on each paddle with the bidder’s name on it.