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►Silent Auction Displays, sample

photo of silent auction display

If you’ve got a trip, help people spend money with photos of the resort(s)


No matter how good your descriptions, it’s the visuals that sell a trip.
For every hotel, weekend getaway, B & B, home stay, condo, time share, yacht, resort or castle, include as many visuals as possible. If it’s a high-end package, especially in the live auction, it’s a great idea to use technology to really showcase the destination. Have gorgeous photos visible in a looping digital photo frame (you know you’ve got one lying unused around your house!), or a laptop or an iPad. Assign a volunteer if you’re worried about someone walking off with your display.
For all the other stays in your silent auction, just get the visuals on display, preferably on a brochure or promotional sheet with the donor’s logo for added validity and trustworthiness.
For your attendees to want to bid on a vacation, they have to really *see* themselves there!

►Silent Auctions – Better Displays
photo of silent auction display

If the donor sent a brochure, display it!

If you’ve ever been in the office or on the committee when donations come in the mail, you know that many of them include an informational or promotional piece, like a brochure, menu of services, takeout menu, postcard, folder, etc.

It may be your first inclination to give these items to the winning bidder, so you just stash them away in the winner’s envelope with the certificate.

DON’T!

In order to make it easy for people to spend money (one of my mantras), make sure promotional items that would help potential bidders understand an item, see the value, or get excited are put on display next to the bid sheet. Either stuff into a clear plexi sign holder, or, for small items, I lean them against a 4″ x 6″ plexi.

If you hide all the juicy details until after the bidding is over, you’ve lost the opportunity to promote your donors and encourage more (and higher) bids. Promote your items better next time!

►Silent Auction Posters
photo of a silent auction poster

Make it easy for people to spend money by hanging a poster listing this silent auction section’s items in order

Here’s a simple way to make it easier for people to shop your silent auctions.

This is just a table made in Excel with columns for the Item Number, Item Name, and an extra column where later you will write in the winning bidder’s name or number.

Simply save the table as a PDF, and then FedEx/Kinko’s can blow this up to a 20″ x 30″ for about $4 in black and white. You can tape or spraymount it onto a standard foam core board (about $4 at Michael’s craft store). If you’re going to hang it, attach a cord or ribbon.

These boards should be easily visible (up high!) within each auction section, and make sure that the items are then displayed in the order listed on the board. Guests should be able to look up at the board, see “514 Massage, Mani, Pedi” and walk right to that bid sheet to bid. If you have electronic (text) bidding, signage like this still helps guests to see what items interest them at a glance.

After each silent auction section closes, it’s fast and easy to write in winning bidders and display these in front of the Checkout area so patrons can easy check to see who won.

►Auction Signage, the Signs
photo of silent auction signage

Clearly label each silent auction section

People often ask me about the Silent Auction Signage I use.
Providing much of the standard event signage is one of additional benefits I provide to my nonprofit clients. Why should each of my clients spend hundreds of dollars on signage they’ll only use once a year?
Instead, over the years I’ve purchased all kinds of handy signage, and I can pull from this stash and bring 8-12 signs for a client, saving them time, hassle and money. (With the added benefit that I know we’ll have good signs to add polish and professionalism!)

Ask your auctioneer if they provide signage that says:
-LIVE AUCTION
-SILENT AUCTION (or silent auction section names like SUPER SILENT, DON’T MISS, BLING THINGS, OUT ON THE TOWN, or many others)
-REGISTRATION (and/or EXPRESS CHECK-IN, REGISTERED ONLINE, WILL CALL, NEED TICKETS)
-CHECKOUT (and/or PAY HERE, CREDIT CARD CHECKOUT, CASH/CHECKS CHECKOUT, EXPRESS CHECKOUT, -DONATIONS ONLY, GET INVOICE HERE)
-PICK UP ITEMS (or ITEM HANDOVER)
-CHANCE TO WIN
-PURCHASE TICKETS
-BIG BOARD

If that’s not part of the services for the auctioneer you choose, then I hope these signage ideas help you to create your own signage and make it easy for your guests to experience all your event has to offer them!

►Silent Auction Signage
photo of silent auction signage

It’s easy to see these silent auction sections

In 2004 I built these tabletop sign poles for a client. They are about 5 feet high, and have a wide base meant to sit on top of the table so that guests can see and read them from 50-100 feet away across a ballroom or down a long hall. The problem I see groups make is either that they don’t have any silent auction section signage at all, or the signage they have is lost on the tables or lost on easels, only readable to the handful of folks standing within a few feet.

Get your auction signage higher, clearer, and bolder.
Make it easy for people to spend money!

►Registration – Make it easy to find
photo of Registration table in lobby

When possible, have your Registration tables be the first thing guests see

Isn’t it handy when your ballroom or event space is directly in sight from the hotel’s main entrance? There’s often a lot of distraction in a hotel lobby, so do everything you can to make it easy for your guests to stroll right to your Registration tables. Update the hotel’s electronic billboards, of course, but also add mylar balloons every so often down a corridor, or post volunteers (with nametags) along the hallway. Easels with posters welcoming guests to the events (and possibly thanking sponsors at the same time) are another good option.

A fast and easy entrance to your event enhances your first impression. An a free glass of champagne at the door helps too!

►Best Auction Items
Picture by Moyan Brenn on Flickr

Picture by Moyan Brenn on Flickr

This article made me smile!

I am always telling both nonprofit committees and auctioneers in the BOOTCAMP class I teach about the Best Categories for Auction Items, in order of desirability.

While most committees think they need to “get stuff” for the auction, in fact, “stuff” (physical items) often hasn’t the lowest potential for selling above retail value, because we all have enough “stuff” already, and we can all find out what “stuff” costs with a quick check of our phones.

But experiences? Experiences – whether exclusive, travel, attendance, pampering, indoor, outdoor, solo or group – experiences mean memories, the joy of human life.

And, according to this article http://qz.com/255963/another-reason-to-spend-money-on-experiences-rather-than-things-the-positive-benefits-of-anticipation/ research suggests that auction attendees will actually enjoy spending money more due to anticipation of a future experience!

“anticipation of an experience is more exciting and pleasant than the anticipation of a material purchase—regardless of the price of the purchase”

So, ask your Professional Benefit Auctioneer to help you brainstorm unique experiences for this year’s gala, and up the anticipation (and excitement) for your guests.

Oh, and after Experiences, what are the other Best Categories for Auction Items, in order of desirability?

1. Experiences

2. Food and Wine

3. Travel Near and Far

4. Entertainment

5. Pampering

6. “Stuff” (tangible items whose value is readily found online)

Go get creative! Call me for help 🙂

►Dates Still Open!
image Jenelle Taylor Auctioneer

Summer’s already over! It’s auction time once again

August is wrapping up, winding down, and the Fall Fundraising Season is full of fantastic events! I’m currently working with nonprofits in Tampa, Naples and Orlando, catching up with returning clients and happy to add 3 new events so far this fall.

Just this week I’ve helped committee members select auction items, design bid cards, a choose mobile bidding provider, figure out how many volunteers they’ll need, edit the event timeline, and energize the Board! I’ve still got some dates open, so just shoot me an e-mail if you think I might be the one for you.

►Give Day Tampa Bay!
Give Day Tampa Bay logo

May 6, 2014

Let’s DO this!

Please join me in helping great causes during this 24-hour fundraising challenge. Today, nonprofits in Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties who’ve registered for Give Day Tampa Bay will get a big boost in donations with your help.

Grab a friend, sit down with your kids, and simply click over to http://givedaytampabay.org/ and decide who should get your $25 (or more).

And don’t forget, numerous studies confirm that giving to charity usually increases your own happiness! How much money can greater Tampa Bay give in just one day?

►WOW! Does your auction team look like this?
photo of Gala Gal and team

Your Auctioneer and Bid Spotters can look like this!

I am so thankful to these four lovely ladies for joining me a few weeks ago for a fantastic live auction and scholarship Fund-a-Need for the 18th annual Starry Starry Night!

All 5 of us are Florida-licensed auctioneers with specialized training in fundraising, and they did an awesome job working the crowd as Bid Spotters for me.

Would your big event benefit from an all-female team?

Your auction doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s. It can look like this 🙂

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