10 Auction Tips
10 Tips for a Running a Silent Auction, Live Auction or Charity Auction
1. Choose the right date for your silent and/or live auction
Choosing the right date for your auction is critical. Most auctions are held in either the spring or the fall. Summer is not a good time to hold a major event since many guests may be vacationing. Winter is also considered a bad time of year as many are preparing or recovering from the holidays. Fall is normally considered the best time of year to hold an auction because many of your guests are beginning to get into the holiday shopping mood and may find that what you have to offer is on their shopping list. Weekend evenings are the most popular time to hold auctions since most auctions last well into the night. "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" also discusses other planning considerations such as themes, locations, and whether your event should be formal or casual.
2. Pick the right auctioneer for your live auction
You have two choices, a professional auctioneer or a volunteer. This decision generally comes down to the following considerations. A professional auctioneer will charge for their services. However, they will auction more gifts faster and for more money. A professional auctioneer can auction approximately 75 items in an evening, at 20-25% higher than an amateur auctioneer. If you are running a small auction, you may want to use a volunteer. It might also make sense to use a volunteer if you have someone in your organization that has a great personality and is known by many of your potential guests. Best of all, they are free. However, volunteers can cause the evening to run very late and ruin the opportunity to get guests to return to future auctions. For other tips on working with a professional or volunteer auctioneer order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
3. Use the most effective strategy for acquiring gifts for both your silent auction and your live auction
Teams provide the moral support necessary to approach a potential donor. Additionally, using teams helps ensure that the paperwork is completed properly. When setting up teams, pay attention to personal dynamics. Certain team members will be more comfortable asking donors for gifts than others. These individuals should be teamed up with team members who do not necessarily have this talent. Also, this allows teams to share the workload by allowing the more reserved person to take on tasks which are more suited to them (documentation, collection of the gifts, etc.). "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains many other effective gift acquisition strategies, as well as all of the forms and letters you will need for the gift acquisition process.
4. Obtain tangible gifts for both your silent auction and your live auction whenever possible
Many businesses, especially restaurants, will offer to provide you with gift certificates instead of actual gifts. Focus on local businesses that can donate tangible items. You should not turn away businesses that can only provide gift certificates, but they should not be the focus of your campaign. Tangible gifts create a very exciting auction night environment. Just imagine an auction with no actual gifts, but rather just a bunch of gift certificates lying around on a silent auction table. Secondly, a gift certificate is only going to bring in the amount on the certificate, or unfortunately, sometimes not even that. A tangible gift is much more likely to bring in a value that exceeds its real value. For an exhaustive list of the types of gifts you should look for, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
5. Know what to put in your "Auction Packet"
The auction packet is given to guests when they arrive. Some of the items you should include in your packet are:
-
The auction program
-
Addendum to auction Catalog
-
Organization fact sheets
-
Auction rules
-
Payment options
-
Advertising
-
Silent auction table closing times
-
Drink coupons
-
Raffle tickets
-
Flyers for other upcoming events
-
Auction paddles
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains all of the templates, forms, and checklists, like this one, that you will need. They are all in Microsoft Office format (Word, Excel, and Power Point) which means you can easily customize them to meet your auction needs. Why create everything from scratch? Save your team and yourself countless hours of work.
6. Close down the silent auction tables properly
Closing down the silent auction can be a bit tricky. There may still be several bidders bidding on the same item right up until the closing time. To prevent a situation that is perceived as unfair, it is important that the table be closed at exactly the time advertised. It is a good idea to announce the closing of table at prescribed intervals before, such as 15 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. This helps to get interested bidders to enter their "best and final" offer before the time for bidding expires. It is also helpful to close different sections of the silent auction at different times, to allow your volunteers time to pick up all the bid sheets quickly. For detailed diagrams on the entire process of running your silent and live auctions, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
7. Take advantage of other opportunities to make money at your auction
Admission fees, the sale of beer, wine and cocktails, raffles, door prizes and the sale of advertising in your program are a few of the ways you can augment your auction revenue. For complete information on the details of each of these methods, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
8. Send out invitations for your auction
If you are lucky enough to have a database of your members or guests from previous auctions then you can send out formal invitations. The design of your invitation can range from very simple to very elegant. Your should mail them approximately 90 days before your event to make sure your guests have not already made other plans for the evening. You should also develop a plan to send out reminders at periodic intervals to those who have not sent in their RSVP. Remember, RSVPs also tell you who has declined, which reduces the number of reminders you need to send. For a sample invitation, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
9. Know the laws regarding silent and live auctions and stay out of trouble
Fundraising events create tax consequences for the guest and the organization hosting the event. According to the IRS; "A donor cannot claim a tax deduction for any single contribution of $250 or more unless the donor obtains a contemporaneous, written acknowledgment of the contribution from the recipient organization." Also, "A donor may only take a contribution deduction to the extent that his/her contribution exceeds the fair market value of the goods or services the donor receives in return for the contribution; therefore, donors need to know the value of the goods or services. "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" discusses all the laws. It even covers non-profit status, tax exemptions, quid pro quo donations, special rules for churches and religious organizations, and gaming.
10. Use checklists to make sure everything goes smoothly
Here are the checklists contained in "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit"
-
Room reservation checklist
-
Room setup checklist
-
Refreshments checklist
-
Sound system checklist
-
Check-in checklist
-
Check-out checklist
-
Raffle and door prize checklist
-
Silent auction checklist
-
Live auction checklist
-
Auction cleanup checklist
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains all of these checklist plus these ready to edit documents;
-
Sample Initial Meeting Agenda
-
Sample Recurring Meeting Agenda
-
Committee Sign Up Sheet
-
Auction Fact Sheet
-
Prospective Donor Calling Script (Previous Donor)
-
Prospective Donor Calling Script (Not A Previous Donor)
-
Contribution Agreement
-
Contribution Agreement For Quid Pro Quo Contributions
-
Letter of Introduction
-
Thank You Letter
-
Sample Auction Acquisition Tracking Sheet
-
Sample Auction Flyers
-
Gift Ideas
-
Sample Auction Announcement
-
Sample Invitation
-
Guest Check In
-
Silent Auction Bid Slip
-
Sample Auction Invoice
-
Financial Statement
-
Sample Auction Program
-
Thank You Letter To Committee Members
-
Supply Costs
-
Door Prize Registration Slips
-
Auction Web Site
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit"
-
Saves your team countless hours of unnecessary research and work.
-
Makes it easy for you to plan and run both the silent auction and the live auctions.
-
You get all of the templates, forms, and checklists you will need in Microsoft Office format (Word, Excel, and Power Point)
-
Why create everything from scratch? You can easily customize everything for your silent or live auction.
-
No other silent and live auction guide is as comprehensive!
Download the entire toolkit right now and get started immediately!
10 Tips for a Running a Silent Auction, Live Auction or Charity Auction
1. Choose the right date for your silent and/or live auction
Choosing the right date for your auction is critical. Most auctions are held in either the spring or the fall. Summer is not a good time to hold a major event since many guests may be vacationing. Winter is also considered a bad time of year as many are preparing or recovering from the holidays. Fall is normally considered the best time of year to hold an auction because many of your guests are beginning to get into the holiday shopping mood and may find that what you have to offer is on their shopping list. Weekend evenings are the most popular time to hold auctions since most auctions last well into the night. "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" also discusses other planning considerations such as themes, locations, and whether your event should be formal or casual.
2. Pick the right auctioneer for your live auction
You have two choices, a professional auctioneer or a volunteer. This decision generally comes down to the following considerations. A professional auctioneer will charge for their services. However, they will auction more gifts faster and for more money. A professional auctioneer can auction approximately 75 items in an evening, at 20-25% higher than an amateur auctioneer. If you are running a small auction, you may want to use a volunteer. It might also make sense to use a volunteer if you have someone in your organization that has a great personality and is known by many of your potential guests. Best of all, they are free. However, volunteers can cause the evening to run very late and ruin the opportunity to get guests to return to future auctions. For other tips on working with a professional or volunteer auctioneer order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
3. Use the most effective strategy for acquiring gifts for both your silent auction and your live auction
Teams provide the moral support necessary to approach a potential donor. Additionally, using teams helps ensure that the paperwork is completed properly. When setting up teams, pay attention to personal dynamics. Certain team members will be more comfortable asking donors for gifts than others. These individuals should be teamed up with team members who do not necessarily have this talent. Also, this allows teams to share the workload by allowing the more reserved person to take on tasks which are more suited to them (documentation, collection of the gifts, etc.). "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains many other effective gift acquisition strategies, as well as all of the forms and letters you will need for the gift acquisition process.
4. Obtain tangible gifts for both your silent auction and your live auction whenever possible
Many businesses, especially restaurants, will offer to provide you with gift certificates instead of actual gifts. Focus on local businesses that can donate tangible items. You should not turn away businesses that can only provide gift certificates, but they should not be the focus of your campaign. Tangible gifts create a very exciting auction night environment. Just imagine an auction with no actual gifts, but rather just a bunch of gift certificates lying around on a silent auction table. Secondly, a gift certificate is only going to bring in the amount on the certificate, or unfortunately, sometimes not even that. A tangible gift is much more likely to bring in a value that exceeds its real value. For an exhaustive list of the types of gifts you should look for, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
5. Know what to put in your "Auction Packet"
The auction packet is given to guests when they arrive. Some of the items you should include in your packet are:
-
The auction program
-
Addendum to auction Catalog
-
Organization fact sheets
-
Auction rules
-
Payment options
-
Advertising
-
Silent auction table closing times
-
Drink coupons
-
Raffle tickets
-
Flyers for other upcoming events
-
Auction paddles
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains all of the templates, forms, and checklists, like this one, that you will need. They are all in Microsoft Office format (Word, Excel, and Power Point) which means you can easily customize them to meet your auction needs. Why create everything from scratch? Save your team and yourself countless hours of work.
6. Close down the silent auction tables properly
Closing down the silent auction can be a bit tricky. There may still be several bidders bidding on the same item right up until the closing time. To prevent a situation that is perceived as unfair, it is important that the table be closed at exactly the time advertised. It is a good idea to announce the closing of table at prescribed intervals before, such as 15 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. This helps to get interested bidders to enter their "best and final" offer before the time for bidding expires. It is also helpful to close different sections of the silent auction at different times, to allow your volunteers time to pick up all the bid sheets quickly. For detailed diagrams on the entire process of running your silent and live auctions, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
7. Take advantage of other opportunities to make money at your auction
Admission fees, the sale of beer, wine and cocktails, raffles, door prizes and the sale of advertising in your program are a few of the ways you can augment your auction revenue. For complete information on the details of each of these methods, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
8. Send out invitations for your auction
If you are lucky enough to have a database of your members or guests from previous auctions then you can send out formal invitations. The design of your invitation can range from very simple to very elegant. Your should mail them approximately 90 days before your event to make sure your guests have not already made other plans for the evening. You should also develop a plan to send out reminders at periodic intervals to those who have not sent in their RSVP. Remember, RSVPs also tell you who has declined, which reduces the number of reminders you need to send. For a sample invitation, order "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit".
9. Know the laws regarding silent and live auctions and stay out of trouble
Fundraising events create tax consequences for the guest and the organization hosting the event. According to the IRS; "A donor cannot claim a tax deduction for any single contribution of $250 or more unless the donor obtains a contemporaneous, written acknowledgment of the contribution from the recipient organization." Also, "A donor may only take a contribution deduction to the extent that his/her contribution exceeds the fair market value of the goods or services the donor receives in return for the contribution; therefore, donors need to know the value of the goods or services. "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" discusses all the laws. It even covers non-profit status, tax exemptions, quid pro quo donations, special rules for churches and religious organizations, and gaming.
10. Use checklists to make sure everything goes smoothly
Here are the checklists contained in "Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit"
-
Room reservation checklist
-
Room setup checklist
-
Refreshments checklist
-
Sound system checklist
-
Check-in checklist
-
Check-out checklist
-
Raffle and door prize checklist
-
Silent auction checklist
-
Live auction checklist
-
Auction cleanup checklist
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit" contains all of these checklist plus these ready to edit documents;
-
Sample Initial Meeting Agenda
-
Sample Recurring Meeting Agenda
-
Committee Sign Up Sheet
-
Auction Fact Sheet
-
Prospective Donor Calling Script (Previous Donor)
-
Prospective Donor Calling Script (Not A Previous Donor)
-
Contribution Agreement
-
Contribution Agreement For Quid Pro Quo Contributions
-
Letter of Introduction
-
Thank You Letter
-
Sample Auction Acquisition Tracking Sheet
-
Sample Auction Flyers
-
Gift Ideas
-
Sample Auction Announcement
-
Sample Invitation
-
Guest Check In
-
Silent Auction Bid Slip
-
Sample Auction Invoice
-
Financial Statement
-
Sample Auction Program
-
Thank You Letter To Committee Members
-
Supply Costs
-
Door Prize Registration Slips
-
Auction Web Site
"Running a Profitable and Fun Charity Auction: The Complete Toolkit"
-
Saves your team countless hours of unnecessary research and work.
-
Makes it easy for you to plan and run both the silent auction and the live auctions.
-
You get all of the templates, forms, and checklists you will need in Microsoft Office format (Word, Excel, and Power Point)
-
Why create everything from scratch? You can easily customize everything for your silent or live auction.
-
No other silent and live auction guide is as comprehensive!
Download the entire toolkit right now and get started immediately!
