Step by Step Guide to Having a Successful Silent Auction
Having a silent auction is a wonderful way to generate funds. The task of setting up a silent auction may seem overwhelming, at first, but it need not be. If you stay organized from day one, your silent auction for fundraising will be a great success.
To start, you can not do it alone. You need to set up a committee. This group needs to consist of people that have the same goals and feelings you do in regards to the reason for the auction. These people will be organized into job catagories.
One team will be in charge of finding the location where the silent auction will be held. You may already have a place. If you do not, and are looking for a building to hold your auction, check at your local community center, church, or school. Many times these organizations will open up their facility to groups that are charitable in nature. Be sure that wherever you do choose to hold your auction that it is a secure facility. Check and make sure all doors lock properly, and all windows are down and locked.
Another team will be in charge of contacting prospective “clients.” These are people, or businesses, that will donate an item to be placed in your auction. What do they get out of it? Free advertising, for one. Make sure they are aware that they will be given credit, and their name will be in full view as the one donating the item. If you are unsure of what items to request for your auction, think of things that you would be willing to buy, yourself. Go to furniture stores, art gallery’s, children’s stores, book stores, your local wood crafter, your local painter’s, grocery store chains, your local hardware store, restaurants, travel agencies, doll stores, your local lawn and garden center, the list is endless. Be sure to also check the local pet store. Sometimes they will donate an animal. Nothing will attract attention more than a small pet needing a home! Don’t forget to contact your friends that are into handy, or holiday craft making, as well. Quilts are a big seller, as well as antiques.
The team that is in charge of picking up the larger items, that won’t be delivered, need to be sure that they are timely in their scheduling. They should be very friendly to the company, or individuals, doing the donating, and be sure to extend the invitation for them to come out to the auction. They can even stand at the display of their item to rally up interest for their own business. Who knows, they may bid on something!
The team that is in charge of the “office work” will also be the team that does the advertising. This team needs to make sure that word is spread far and wide about the auction, and who the proceeds will benefit. You can usually advertise in the local paper and radio stations. Some churches will also put announcements of these auctions in their weekly bulletins, if it is a charity that will benefit the community as a whole.
The office team will also be in charge of preparing the auction sheets that will be placed with each item that is up for bidding. At the top of each page it should list what the item is, who donated it, and any special features of the item. If the committee agrees, you can list a minimum bid to start. Some people may not write down a bid if they do not know where to start, so help them out by setting a minimum, especially on the more expensive items. If someone wants to bid on the item, they simply write their name down and their bid. The person behind them who wishes to bid, also, will write their name on the next line, and of course list a higher bid.
There should be a decorating committee. These people will be in charge of assembling the items in a manner that is neat and draws attention. There should be a sign, or poster, placed at each item telling who donated the item and what it is. This poster, or sign, should be large and visible for everyone to read.
The hours of the auction should be visible at the entrance doors to the auction. Everyone needs to know when the final bids will be taken. It should also be posted that no bids will be taken after the auction is closed. That will cut out someone coming up at the last minute and verbally trying to outbid the poor individual who thinks they have the item.
As with most events, if you can arrange someone to have a bake sale, that would generate revenue, and allow people the chance to visit and relax. The longer they stay around the chances of getting them to bid on other items increases. Be sure to have garbage cans in strategic places to keep the litter down. Also, local bands will sometimes come out and make music for a nominal fee. That really sets the tone of the day.
When the time is up, and the auction is closed, the papers should be gathered from each booth immediately. Someone will get up and announce the winners of each item. Have an ample amount of change on hand for those paying cash. You should also expect checks for the more expensive items.
Everyone on the different committee’s should help in the clean-up, and it shouldn’t take no more than a couple of hours. Now, all you have to do is put the money you have made to good use.
