| When volunteer benefit auction committees get | | | | follow. |
| donations, the reoccuring questions are about | | | | Let's just take a look at the marketing opportunities |
| packaging, marketing and promoting. | | | | available for a live auction item during an event. At |
| If my client is only conducting a silent auction, I am | | | | most benefit auctions, the silent auction concludes |
| never asked whether an item belongs in the silent | | | | before the live auction starts. So, live auction items can |
| auction or live auction - there's no choice! But if the | | | | be viewed and featured during the silent auction. This |
| auction fundraiser includes both components, the "silent | | | | leaves more time to educate bidders on the items and |
| versus live" debate often arises. | | | | generate excitement. |
| In this article, I want to discuss how an auction item can | | | | A good benefit auctioneer - volunteer or professional - |
| be affected by its placement in a silent section versus | | | | will use her time on stage to build even more |
| the live auction. | | | | excitement. Sometimes that starts with educating |
| One of my clients has a wonderful patron who looks | | | | bidders on the items then moving on to help bidder see |
| like Santa Claus. He's a friendly guy and looks | | | | themselves using those items or enjoying those trips. |
| remarkably like Santa. All around the world, people | | | | This might be summarized as the difference between |
| stop him to comment on his resemblance to St. Nick. | | | | car sales happening in the classified section of a |
| In 2008 the charity created a fun auction item package | | | | newspaper - if anyone still does that- and a great TV |
| in which this patron agreed to dress as Santa and | | | | commercial featuring a car. It is hard to build the |
| attend a holiday party. The item sold in the live auction | | | | enthusiasm for silent auction items to the same level |
| almost $2000. It was so popular, we might have even | | | | that comes with live auction items. |
| sold it twice. | | | | My recommendations for marketing silent auction items |
| In 2009, the item was moved into the silent auction. | | | | will be in a future post. |
| There were two active bidders, and it sold for around | | | | Even when all marketing principals followed, there will |
| $600. | | | | be a difference in sale price because of the method |
| Why the difference? Marketing. The successful runs | | | | of sale and the marketing to support it. Putting an item |
| of charity auctions tell us about good marketing | | | | in the live auction will always garner it more money |
| techniques for silent auction items. At the same time, | | | | than what it can bring in during a silent auction. |
| there is a different set of marketing techniques for live | | | | Keep this point in mind as you structure your |
| auction items that a charity auction committee should | | | | fundraising auction to maximize revenue. |