How to Run a Silent Auction With Donations
Silent auctions are used to raise money for charities, organizations or special causes. Organizing a silent auction requires a lot of preparation, but typically produces results as good as a live auction. In a silent auction, the organization accepts donations of goods and services. People attending the auction bid on the items offered. All money received is kept by the organization and used for whatever purpose it was planned for.
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Instructions
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Organize an auction committee. The committee meets together, makes decisions and performs all necessary work that needs to be accomplished for the auction.
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Collect donations. Donations can be almost anything, including all types of goods and services. Common items are baked goods, vacation trips, service work, and items such as purses, baskets and gift certificates. Organizations collect donations by advertising about the event. Donations are generally accepted for a specified time period.
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Create bid sheets. A bid sheet simply states the item up for auction and often contains a starting bid price. Below that information, blanks are left for people to fill in their auction number and bid price.
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Create item sheets. Each item up for auction should have a description of the item attached to it. Generally, list the name of the person who donated the item as well as a brief description of the item. These small sheets are generally typed on a computer to make them look more professional.
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Display items on tables. All auction items should be displayed on tables. Each item should have a description sheet and a bid sheet.
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Give people bidding an auction number. Each person attending the silent auction is given an auction number. Ask a few people from your organization to work at a table collecting and distributing this information. A person attending the auction gives his name and, often times, his payment information. He is then handed a number. Any items he bids on will include his auction number.
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Begin the auction. Many silent auctions offer multiple groups of tables with auctions running in different time frames. The first group of tables may close at 8 p.m. while the next group closes at 9 p.m. After the tables close, workers take the bid sheets and notify the winners.
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Receive payments. When winners are notified, they should pay for their items. After their items are paid for, they are free to take them home.
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Send thank you cards. After the auction is complete, write out and send thank you cards to all people and businesses that donated goods or services.
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References
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