If you are hosting a silent auction at your charity fundraising event, it’s important to strategize the best way to present items to your guests. Presentation can have a huge impact on how much donors bid and directly affects how much money you raise at your event.
Use these 3 helpful tips for displaying items in a manner that will encourage fierce bidding from your audience.
1. Display All Information Upfront
It’s important that auction items not only look appealing to donors, but that donors know exactly what they are buying. Accurately representing the contents and restrictions of every item is critical to protect the credibility of your organization and sustainability of the event.
Donors need a clear idea of what they are bidding on, so make sure all pertinent information is displayed on easy-to- read accompanying display sheets. For each item, include:
- Item title
- Item information (this is where you can get creative to market the item in an appealing way)
- Any restrictions or expiration dates
- Location
- Minimum bid
The item title should be big, bold and obvious (24-30 pt. font) with one or two easy-to-read sentences (14-16 pt. font) describing the item. Underneath the description include a list of all additional information, such as restrictions and other details. Use bullet points whenever possible!
To make silent auction item displays even easier at your next event, click below to download our customizable, easy-to-use templates.
2. Create a Shopping Experience
Think of your silent auction as a shopping experience for your guests. Just like retailers want to display merchandise in a way that attracts customers, you will want to present your items in a way to encourage bidding.
Even tiny improvements can make a big difference. For example, instead of putting two lift tickets to a local ski resort on the table, place them in a duffel bag with some hand warmers, sunglasses and some chapstick. You could even spruce up the display with a snow globe from home.
If you have gift certificates, use photos to entice donors. Bidders may just pass over a massage certificate on its own, but if you display a large photo of customers looking relaxed and enjoying themselves at the spa, people might be more tempted to bid.
3. Provide Adequate Space
When setting up auction items for a silent auction, don’t clutter the tables. Too many items crowded together can make bidders feel overwhelmed. To make the table look less cramped, leave 6-12 inches of space between items. Fewer items on a table will also help draw more attention to each individual package or basket.
You spend time decorating the party venue to look nice, but how much time do you spend on auction item logistics? Presenting your auction in an appealing and informative way will help encourage bidding and boost your fundraising efforts.
