The holiday season is the best time for helping and giving. How can you help if you lack things to offer? Regardless of sincerity, you need to develop a unique strategy to make your charity fundraising profitable.
If you are one of those charitable organisations, what can you do to make your fundraising campaign unique during competition, as everyone else is also racing for a profitable event?
To help you out, keep these profitable holiday silent auction tips so your year will end fruitful. Discover how we lend a helping hand to groups like you who genuinely want to help with your holiday fundraising event.
How to Inspire Silent Auction Bids?
You can do a few things to make your silent auction successful. Here are the ways to boost your Christmas silent auction campaign:
1. Make use of the power of social media.
Gen-Zs, millennials and almost everyone are constantly on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So create excitement around the event by telling people about the items up for bid and sharing pictures on your social media accounts. Add clickable links to your post and create stories that will interest them. People get hooked on things that are highly relatable to them, so use this to encourage them to register on your planned auction conveniently. You can even create QR codes to lead them to your registration page.
2. Print media is still a thing.
Aside from social media, you can also post announcements about your upcoming holiday fundraising event using your community to reach local people and inspire them to join your cause. Poster campaigns with attractive graphics and catchy details, whether handcrafted or computer-printed, will help you reach your audience. This is an old-school marketing approach that never goes out of style.
3. Use mass media to reach a wider audience.
Why not talk to DJs and insert an announcement between tracks if you want to reach a wider audience for your Christmas silent auction? Radio is still alive today. With this, people in transit will have a chance to hear your cause. No matter how random the approach, that one-in-a-million chance is still a chance.
4. Widen your network using PR.
Public relation is a solid tactic to magnetise people. Don’t worry; it’s not your PR alone that’s involved here. You can reach out or talk to your sponsors who are donating to your charity auction. These people from all walks of life may have connections to more other people in the industry. You can ask them to promote your event as well.
5. Consider influencers.
Celebrities, athletes, politicians, musicians or any prominent person interested in your locality can promote your event. Depending on your objectives, choose an influencer that can be effective in helping you reach a broader audience to patronise your cause.
How to Choose Silent Auction Items This Christmas Season?
Whether you’re planning to host a silent auction or not, it’s essential to keep an eye out for items that interest your guests.
When deciding what type of items you’d like to include in your auction, think about the kinds of people who might be attending and what they might be interested in. For example, if you know many military members are attending your event, you could consider selling patriotic or military-themed trinkets. If you have a large group of parents with children who attend your event, you could sell toys or other small gifts. Or if you know many single friends are attending your event, you could consider selling wine-tasting glasses or unique party supplies.
The items you will select for your Christmas silent auction should be of high-quality and high value. These things should capture your event’s spirit, joy or message. They should also have a unique appeal to the audience.
However, take note that not all items are suitable for a silent auction. They’re likely to go unsold if they’re too costly or overly sentimental. Be careful when selecting, and remember to consider the items’ size, storage and transportation needs.
How to Price Silent Auction Items
Silent auction items are priced as high as you can get them without driving away bidders. That means you have to set realistic expectations about what the item is worth and how much you can expect to get for it.
There are a few factors to consider when pricing your items:
- The price of the item itself—You can compare using apps and other platforms to see what similar items have sold for in the past. You can also take your measurements of the item to find an estimated value.
- The condition of the item—If it’s in good shape, you’ll get a higher price from potential bidders. If it’s scratched or heavily worn, you’ll want to decrease the cost accordingly.
- The location of the item—If the auction will be held in a secure space, you probably don’t need to worry too much about this factor. If it’s on a sidewalk outside your home, though, you’ll probably need to lower the price quite a bit due to the potential damage.
- The amount of time that has passed since the item was posted—Things tend to depreciate over time, so if you have an older piece sitting out in the elements for a whilst before being put up for a silent auction, you may want to reduce its value.
Helping Hand Group Auction Services: Lending You a Helping Hand
Make the most of your December with a successful silent auction. Silent auctions offer a fun way to raise money and awareness for your cause. Plus, they can be a lot of fun in the process! When choosing items for your silent auction, remember these tips we’ve shared here.
For more information on how to go with your holiday silent auction, contact us at the Helping Hand Group. We’ll make your auction event easy for you.