A couple of months ago I posted a video tip about how you can read bad handwriting on silent auction bid sheets. Spoiler alert: It's the use of bid stickers. I explained that auction chairs shouldn't require guests to write their name, address, email, phone number, or any other information on the bid sheets. To generate the highest bids, the only information required should only be the bid number. If the idea of only asking for a bid number troubles you (perhaps because you are ... Read On >
Silent Auctions
An alternative to the silent auction
Last week I received an email. A benefit auction volunteer was reaching out. Her charity-of-choice raises money for schools in overseas countries. They have a smaller auction (~120-150 guests) managed in a walk-around food station-styled event. She wrote: We have begun discussions about next spring fundraiser. We have found that the silent auction route has not given us much in return for all the work it takes. We want to keep the live auction, but are looking for an alternative to the ... Read On >
Silent auction jewelry display ideas to add to your supply kit
I've written before about creatively displaying jewelry in your silent auction displays. That post showed some unusual ways to showcase your jewels. This suggestion is more straightforward. Use jewelry stands. Stands ... props ... displays ... whatever you want to call them. When you find jewelry displays on sale, it's not a bad idea to invest in more than one. These become part of your permanent supply kit. Consider this story. Shortly after I graduated from college, I flew to visit a ... Read On >
Wine silent auction idea: Sommeliers drive bigger bids
I'll be working a wine auction later this month in Texas and thought I'd share a wine silent auction idea I witnessed at another event. If you've got a lot of wine in your auction, why not have a sommelier onsite to educate guests and "talk up" your packages? At a school auction earlier this year, one entire silent auction section was devoted to wine. Large formats. Hard-to-find wines. Rare vintages. Some were sold as cases or collections; others were sold as single bottles. Though many of ... Read On >
Part 3: The raging debate on silent auction bid numbers versus names
This is a 3-part blog post, explaining why benefit auctions should identify guests with bid numbers instead of names. The first post looked at the benefits of using numbers in a Fund a Need. The second post examined the use of numbers in the live auction. Today we'll turn to the silent auction. +++++++++++++++++ Why you should use silent auction bid numbers (not names) on your bidding sheets. Why do this? It's an easy answer. Because you'll raise more money. A big ... Read On >