Silent auctions aren’t just a great way to raise funds for a cause – they’re also a fantastic tool for bringing people together and building a community! This has become even more true as we see organizers move their silent auction events online. In a world where we often feel disconnected, online silent auctions can create a shared sense of purpose and help us feel more connected to those around us.
Hosting an online silent auction can help organizations build community and engage their supporters, all while having fun! Compared to before where a traditional silent auction was limited, and reliant, solely on guests physically in attendance, an online auction opens the door to allow a wider audience to participate!
Silent Auctions Create a Sense of Togetherness
When people participate in a silent auction, they become united around a common goal – supporting a cause they care about! This sense of togetherness can create a strong bond between attendees, as they work together to raise funds in support of the causes that matter most to them. Plus, knowing that they’re making a difference can give attendees a real sense of joy and purpose.
Bid Beacon can help by giving admins the ability to set a fundraising goal for their online auction. As bids come in, the goal updates in real time, allowing guests to follow along and stay up to date throughout the event. From our experience, as you get closer to your fundraising goal, guests tend to be more generous with their bidding. So, as your auction gets closer to achieving its goal, it’s not uncommon to see an overall increase in bidding activity. Be sure to consider setting a fundraising goal that your guests can work towards at your next event!
Silent Auctions Can Generate Some Serious Excitement
Silent auctions are a great way to spark excitement at any fundraising event, especially if the auction is hosted online! With an online silent auction, attendees can freely browse items, place bids at the press of a button, and receive instant feedback on auction activity such as being outbid. The online aspect makes it easy for guests to participate in the auction without missing anything else going on at your fundraising event.
Another key benefit of online silent auctions is the amount of people you can reach. With an effective marketing and promotion strategy, your fundraiser has the potential to reach a far wider audience. And that’s not all! Being online also means you can have the silent auction open to your supporters sooner than ever before. For example, if your in-person gala has a silent auction, why not make the auction available to your guests a week or two prior to the actual gala? This is a great strategy to not only maximize your fundraiser’s revenue, but also spread the word and generate serious hype for your upcoming event. Pair this with the overall excitement factor that silent auctions bring, and you have yourself a recipe for success.
Silent Auctions Make It Easy to Bring Organizations and Supporters Closer Together
Silent auctions provide a unique opportunity for organizations to connect with their supporters. By engaging with attendees both at the event and online through Bid Beacon, organizations can build relationships with their supporters and create a sense of loyalty. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love to feel appreciated and valued? The key here is to invite your supporters and make sure they join your fundraiser. With Bid Beacon, we’ve made it incredibly easy for organizations to invite their guests and track those who have accepted or not. On top of that, guest registration is a breeze, so it doesn’t take long for your supporters to get in on the bidding action.
Organizations will have many tools available to invite their guests, and for the best part, they are all accessible from the auction dashboard. As an admin, you can add emails individually to create a custom invitation list. Bid Beacon then automatically sends out email invitations to your audience which includes details on your organization and the silent auction itself. If you have a list of guests that you would like to email in one go, we also support bulk email imports. To make it even easier for organizations who use Bid Beacon repeatedly, admins can also invite their supporters from previous auctions!
Lastly, while you’re sending out your invitations, you can keep track of all the guests who have been invited. As guests accept your invitation, your invite list will shrink, making it super simple to reengage those who haven’t responded.
Silent Auctions Make Attendees Feel Like Part of the Team
When attendees participate in a silent auction, they have a sense of ownership over the success of the fundraising event. This is especially true when there’s a fundraising goal and attendees can see their contributions making a difference. Ultimately, participation will lead to success, and guests are aware of that. This is also a reason why many silent auction items end up selling for a higher price than their actual retail value.
Bid Beacon also allows admins to set up their auction in a way that doesn’t rely solely on silent auction items. Auction admins can include Buy It Now items and Donation items which means that guests have more ways to participate and support the fundraiser’s cause. With Buy It Now items, guests can outright purchase an item. This is a perfect alternative for admins who have merchandise to sell in addition to their traditional silent auction items. Admin’s can also include a Donation item type which allows guests to make a monetary donation directly to the cause. With both alternatives, guests can support the fundraiser and contribute to the auction goal without needing to bid on items over the course of the event.
Giving attendees multiple ways to participate and support a cause will also create a stronger connection between attendees and the organization they’re supporting. By creating a sense of ownership, silent auctions can help build a community of supporters who feel invested in the success of the organization. It’s a win-win!
Silent Auctions Bring Diverse Groups Together
Silent auctions can attract a wide range of supporters, from all walks of life. By reaching a diverse audience, organizations can build a more inclusive community of supporters. And let’s face it – it’s always more fun to work towards a common goal when there’s a group of diverse and interesting people involved!
When it comes to hosting fundraising events, it’s easier than ever before to spread the word and reach larger audiences. With Bid Beacon, we’ve made it simple for admins to share their auction and get their supporters signed up and ready to start bidding.
- Auction URL: This is your standard website link that will take guests directly to your auction. Sharing this link through email or social media will generate a custom link preview that includes your auction name, description, and banner image!
- Access Code: Every auction has a standard, six-character code that guests can enter when they log in, which will automatically add them to your auction.
- QR Code: Coming out of the pandemic, everyone has become more accustomed to scanning a QR code to access information, such as viewing a restaurant menu. It’s no different for online silent auctions. Simply scan the QR code to be taken directly to your auction.
- Item specific URL and QR Code: Each item has its own unique URL and QR code. If you have popular or high-valued items up for bid, you can share these online through emails, social posts, digital materials, and more! Like the auction URL, a detailed link preview on the item will appear when shared through emails and social posts.
By coming together around a common cause, having fun, and creating a sense of ownership, you can build a strong support system and establish a real sense of community. So, the next time you are considering hosting a silent auction, remember its potential to bring your community closer together and how Bid Beacon can help.
