How to Run a Silent Auction

Looking for ideas and guidelines to answer the question, "How to run a silent auction"? Look no further! Silent auctions and online charity auctions have become very popular fundraising initiatives for nonprofit and community organizations. Not only do silent auctions have tremendous fundraising potential, but they are relatively easy to plan. In addition, organizing a silent auction can bring people from your organization and community together in a meaningful way including employees, volunteers, event attendees, and those who donate time, talent and items to auction off for donations.

Steps to Organizing a Silent Auction

Collecting Donations

The first step in organizing a silent auction is to reach out to the community, businesses, local celebrities and any networks you have to receive donated items, talents or treasures to auction off. Examples of items include autographed CDs, movies, pictures from famous people, sports-team memorabilia, antiques, dinner donations from local restaurants or time or talent from local community members such as free piano lessons, knitting or other crafts lessons, handyman for a day, baked goods, etc. Visit our silent auction ideas section for more creative ideas!

Auctioning off Items Online

Perhaps you plan to host an online charity auction, or an online auction in conjunction with your silent auction event. For an online auction, your organization will invite attendees to visit a web page to view and bid on auction items. This type of auction allows for more information about the organization and the purpose of the fundraiser. It also allows for more detailed information about each item up for bid including: product images, starting bids, item values, reserve amounts, bid increments, links to the donor's web page, optional "Buy Now" pricing and more. In addition, it gives people who are unable to attend the actual event a chance to bid on items. If conducting an online auction, we highly recommend sending an email invitation with a link to the auction webpage and promoting the online auction on your organization web site, making it much easier for people to access.

Auctioning off Items at an Event

A silent auction can be held as a stand-alone event, or part of another fundraising event, such as a gala dinner or charity golf tournament. For a silent auction, your organization will want to set up a display featuring all auction items. The actual display makes all the difference here... make sure you use linens for tables, consider lighting, and add other accessories to dress-up the table. You may want to consider assigning volunteers with decorating skills to this job. The display area will be a focus of the silent auction event as this is how attendees are able to view the items up for bid, read descriptions and estimated values (including minimum bid and raise amounts), and place bids for each item on silent auction bid sheets. If your silent auction began as an online auction, bid sheets will note the most current bid placed online prior to the event. Bids are closed at a set time with an announcement made announcing last-round of bidding. Once closed, the winning (last) bidder is notified and can collect and pay for their items.

Promoting your Silent Auction

Make sure to spread the word about your online charity auction or silent auction event. Distribute a press release to local media announcing the event and listing the web address where online bids can be made. Make sure to highlight any special "one-of-a-kind" items such as antiques, rare artwork or celebrity autographed merchandise. Post announcements on your organization's web site, send email invitations, and create event flyers to post on community bulletins. Don't forget to promote the silent auction at your fundraising event as well. Consider creating a silent auction program that lists all items up for bid including photos, descriptions and starting bids. Distribute this at the start of your event as a quick preview of what items are available to spark interest of attendees and send them over to the display table to place bids.

Managing the Details

DoJiggy Charity Auction software is a complete web-based auction management system for charity auctions. This easy-to-use program allows administrators to easily post auction items, manage event registrations and sponsorships, and provides a secure way for people to place bids. Download a 14-day Free trial today!

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