5 Typical Methods In Silent Auctions

A silent auction is a great fundraiser concept and there are numerous unique online silent auction ideas you may try out to make the affair stay ahead of conventional auctions. Regardless what form of auction you want, enough preparation is vital to the success of the occasion. Here are several of the common procedures that happen during silent auctions:

Make a master inventory list of the auction goods

Keep an eye on the items which you'll have in the auction. Develop a complete checklist which accounts for each item to be included in the silent auction. You can include an item code and stick a corresponding duplicate of the code on the object. Write a description regarding the product, how much the beginning bid should be and the minimum increments. You can make a brief copy of the master list that contains only the information that prospective bidders will find helpful such as the item description and also starting bid. You could publish this list around the room or distribute individual duplicates to your guests when the auction starts so they will be guided concerning the available goods.

Organise the location

Make agreements for the place where you will be hosting the silent auction. The physical setup needs to be reflective of what the concept of the auction is. For instance, if you will be auctioning artworks you need to pick out a unique and elegant area. Plan the layout of the place. You could display the goods all in one area or distribute them all over the room.

Get ready the bidding sheets

Silent auctions are different from other auction sales because rather than asking for bids out loud, serious parties note down their bids on a sheet of paper. For this reason, you should prepare bidding sheets for attendees to write on. Small, clear pieces of paper will do. Supply a space for writing the bidding sum and the name and contact information of the prospective buyer. You can even create a little code on a corner of the paper designating which object that sheet is designed for. Place a number of these sheets close to each sold item.

Set up the auction period

Be sure the designated bidding periods are reported to ensure that all attendees will know the moment they should begin bidding and when you will not be accepting bids. You could ring a bell to signify that the auction is finished or ring it thrice to let them know that there are a quarter-hour remaining before the bidding process ends. In case you observe any kind of things with active buyers, you can extend the bidding for several more minutes.

Make preparations for delivering the objects to the successful customers

When the auction ends, you can prepare the specified forms for shifting the objects to the winning buyers. Phone the bidders and inform them that they have won. Make preparations concerning the form of payment and the shipping or pick up of the products. In the event that they're unable to pay for the item, you can forfeit them as the winner and contact the 2nd highest bidder to claim the merchandise.

As an after-sales gesture, be sure to send thank-you cards to all the guests who attended the event.