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Hosting a silent auction is a popular way for nonprofit organizations to engage event attendees and bring in significant fundraising revenue. During a silent auction, organizations take bids on auction items either on paper or electronically, then sell each item to the highest bidder. Silent auctions can serve as standalone events or be paired with another fundraiser like a gala or garden party.
Whether you choose to host your silent auction in-person or virtually, there’s an art to making it as successful as possible. In this guide, you’ll learn four silent auction tips to raise more funds and create a memorable experience for supporters. Let’s get started.
With some creativity and the right resources, you’ll likely find that running a silent auction isn’t as daunting as you might think. However, the most successful auctions are typically the ones that are well organized, so the sooner you can start planning your event, the better.
Some key decisions you’ll need to make in the planning process include:
You should also consider the kind of atmosphere you want to create for event attendees. Will this auction be part of a formal gala that attracts mid-level and major donors? Or do you want to host a more casual, family-friendly event for supporters of all ages and giving levels? Consider which donor segments you want to appeal to and plan the details of your auction accordingly.
Understanding your audience through donor segmentation will also help you plan the most important aspect of your auction: what items you’ll sell. As you go about the procurement process, consider your supporters’ preferences as well as the types of items that typically sell well at auction, including:
Once you’ve brainstormed a list of potential auction items, narrow down your ideas by sending a survey to supporters. Doing so engages supporters early in the event planning process and helps your nonprofit procure items they’ll be excited to bid on when the auction opens.
As soon as you know the event date, start promoting your auction to supporters so they can mark their calendars. It’s okay if you don’t have every detail finalized at that point—you can always share more information with participants after they register.
To spread the word, leverage all of your organization’s marketing channels, including:
Developing a multi-channel marketing strategy creates multiple touch points for more supporters to learn about your auction and register in the way that is most convenient for them.
If your organization’s silent auction will be hosted virtually or in a hybrid format, investing in mobile bidding software is essential, and livestreaming capabilities are also helpful to engage supporters from afar. Even nonprofits hosting fully in-person auctions can benefit from using event fundraising software to streamline registration, operations, data collection, and more.
To get the most out of your investment, look for a solution that includes all of these tools in one, such as Bonterra Guided Fundraising (formerly Network for Good). User-friendly, all-in-one software allows you to focus on your sponsors and attendees while having the confidence that the bidding and payment process will be seamless.
As you collect bids and track fundraising data in your event software, remember that your work isn’t quite finished when your silent auction closes. Thanking each of your participants, volunteers, and event sponsors for their contributions after your auction goes a long way in building strong relationships that can benefit your organization long-term.
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