How to Have a Silent Auction

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Have a silent auction for your charity or organization and raise a huge amount of money.

Step 1: Pick a location
Pick a location for your silent auction. Someone could volunteer their home or it could be a business that will donate their space for your event.

Step 2: Ask for donations
Have members of your organization take part in asking businesses for donations and locating items to donate at the silent auction. Offer unique, big ticket, and packaged items.

Step 3: Make information sheets
Make information sheets to display near the donated items mentioning the business, the retail value, what is included, and any restrictions.

Tip
Display the items attractively. Display clothing items on a mannequin and show descriptive pictures of items that cannot be shown.

Step 4: Highlight big items
Place the most valuable items prominently.

Step 5: Secure bidding sheets
Place bidding sheets securely on the tables with plenty of writing utensils.

Step 6: Remind people
Hand out a brochure listing all of your silent auction items and have auction volunteers around each display to answer any questions bidders may have.

Step 7: Make announcements
Make periodical announcements throughout the event mentioning how much time is left to bid on the items.

Step 8: Collect money
Collect the profits and distribute the auction items.

Tip
Avoid long lines and keep the process moving quickly.

Step 9: Send thank you cards
Send out thank you cards to all attendees and auction winners.

Did You Know?
Barack Obama broke fund-raising records by raising $32.5 million in a three-month period during his presidential campaign.