The growing popularity of online events has charities and other organizations experimenting with a new kind of silent auction — one held entirely online.
These auctions are identical to their offline counterparts, but with a few extra benefits for participants — like improved accessibility and potentially indefinite auction length.
However, they can be tricky to run without the right technology, preparation and planning.
Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know to run your first virtual silent auction.
1. Working Out the Basics
If you’ve ever run an in-person silent auction before, much of this process will be the same. Depending on your event’s size and scope, you may want to begin by organizing a planning committee or assembling a small team who can help you put the auction together.
First, you’ll need to select the items that will be up for auction and decide on starting bids for each. Often, organizations source these items from their staff or ask local businesses to donate in exchange for publicity or branding opportunities.
If you’ve already secured a sponsor for your event, or if you’ve worked with a business in the past, you may ask if they have anything that could be a desirable auction item. You can also tap into your network.
You’ll also want to ensure you have all the necessary licensing, and that you can provide documentation for donors.
2. Planning Your Timeline and Choosing Event Tech
Next, you’ll need to decide on a timeline for the auction. Most online silent auctions will last around a week to 10 days, which gives participants enough time for back-and-forth bidding without exhausting anyone. Shorter auctions are also a possibility, but going longer could be risky.
Once you’ve got a firm idea of your auction’s basics, you’ll need to decide what platform you’ll use to host it. There are dozens of options available. Most come with features like donor relationship management, event registration handling and mobile bidding support.
Researching platforms, reading reviews and soliciting advice from your network are some of the best ways to know which one will be right for your organization and this particular event.
You’ll also want to ensure you have staff ready and committed to help during the event itself. That may mean promoters, technical staff or a support team that can help auction attendees if they get confused about the tech you’re using or have questions about the auction.
3. Promoting the Event
In the lead-up to the auction, you’ll want to promote it widely.
Reaching out to your network and local business contacts can help here. Businesses who have donated items to your auction may be happy to spread the word about the event. Professional and personal contacts may also be willing to help.
Standard advertising practices, such as compelling calls to action, are also essential for success. Social media posts, search ads and print flyers can promote the event and share registration details.
Some auction runners also create event pages using social media platforms like Facebook or websites like Eventbrite. These event pages will allow potential attendees to RSVP and invite friends, possibly expanding your online advertising reach.
It’s crucial to advertise the event and the items that are up for auction. Potential attendees may be much more likely to check it out if they know what they may be able to bid on.
Some items are a better fit for silent auctions than others. According to data from Give Smart, for example, 3.69% of health- and fitness-related items never receive a single bid. On the other hand, only 0.60% of food items see zero bids.
To promote individual items, many online auction runners create digital auction books before the event that include high-quality photos. These images can also be useful for social media posts or other online promotional materials.
You may want to promote items that are less likely to receive any bids leading up to the auction and continue to advertise them as the auction runs.
4. Running the Auction
During the event, you’ll need to keep your attendees informed and engaged.
You can post updates and relevant content to your social media pages, letting your audience know about available prizes or significant bids.
If you’ve teamed up with a local business, you may also encourage them to post about the event and any items they’ve donated that may be up for bidding.
Some online auction platforms also come with features that alert people when a competitor is outbidding them or when there’s been a new bid on a prize they’re following.
5. Winding Down and Recapping the Event
Once the auction has wound down and you’ve taken some time to celebrate, it’s time to review the event.
Spend some time with your planning committee or co-planners and recap what went well and what didn’t.
If you’ve received participant feedback, now would also be the ideal time to quickly review it with your team.
You should also budget some time for post-auction administrative work — like delivering prizes to the highest bidders.
Planning a Flawless Virtual Silent Auction
Planning a virtual silent auction can be tricky, but it won’t be much more complicated than putting an in-person event together. If you have compelling items, a team you can trust and a robust promotional strategy, you have an excellent chance of pulling off a successful silent auction.
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.
