Running a successful silent auction depends on the number of valuable auction items you have available. But how do you know if your items are exciting enough for big bids? The answer lies in how you make a silent auction donation request.
The planning process for your silent auction involves collecting donations from different vendors. It’s at the goodwill of each vendor to either say yes or no to your request, but there is an art to making a silent auction donation request—and we’ll tell you exactly how to approach it.
As a bonus, we’ve also included a free downloadable template that you can use to kickstart your future donation requests.
Make a Silent Auction Donation Request that Delivers
You must be respectful when making your silent auction donation request. No matter what company you’re asking for donations from, your letter should be well-organized and communicate the purpose of your auction and the cause it supports. It should also explain to the vendor how they can contribute to enable a smooth process.
Follow this step-by-step guide to create a silent auction donation request letter that delivers bidding war-worthy items.
1. Research the Vendor
Researching the vendor is by far the most important (and often overlooked) step in a silent auction donation request. Since each vendor is different, you should check their values and priorities firsthand.
You can tell if you align with the vendor’s values through simple research. The more you have in common, the more you’ll increase your chance of securing a high-value auction item.
Some helpful research techniques include:
- Researching Their Name: Look at online search results to see if their name appears in local publications.
- Checking on LinkedIn: Proactive professionals often include causes they support or charitable organizations they’re involved in on LinkedIn. Some may also have websites with contact details, guidelines, and silent auction donation forms.
- Searching Local News: If your vendor was involved in a notable fundraising event, you’ll know they care about making a difference in the community.
2. Introduce Yourself
Tell a little bit about yourself and your organization in the introduction. Include your mission and accomplishments that could resonate with the vendor, such as charitable donations or community projects.
If you have an existing donor relationship, keep it professional by acknowledging the connection and thanking them for past contributions.
3. State Your Purpose
When you state your purpose, you reveal the meaning of your actions. Tell the vendor what motivates you and what your goals are.
What are your reasons for acting the way you do? Captivate them with a story hook relevant to the silent auction donation idea you’re about to propose. It has a similar effect as a sales pitch, but the goal is to connect with the vendor and gain their trust.
4. Get Specific with Your Request
As you draw the vendor toward your silent auction donation request, make it specific. Don’t be shy to ask them for help. They’ll be eager to hear your silent auction donation ideas as long as you’re clear about the exact auction items you’re after.
5. State the Benefits to the Vendor
Tell the potential silent auction donor the benefits of their contribution. These may include gaining recognition and further exposure to auction enthusiasts.
You want to increase the profits for the cause, so highlight the good chances of competitive bids and their positive outcomes.
6. Get Clear About Logistics
Show the vendor that you have everything planned out perfectly, from organizing an auction committee to deciding on a venue. Next, outline your promotional ideas, such as printing flyers and advertising on Facebook Events and other social channels. Share names of any mutual partners and contacts who are willing to promote the event.
Prepare a timeframe for auction item delivery, pricing, and registration before the event setup.
7. Express Gratitude
End your silent auction donation request with deep gratitude. Thank the potential vendor for taking the time to review your proposal and tell them that you look forward to working with them in the future.
Lastly, invite them to ask questions and ensure your signature includes a phone number, email address, and physical address (if your nonprofit organization has a registered office).
Free Silent Auction Donation Request Template
Have you been searching high and low for a silent auction donation request template that actually works? If you already have a list of companies that donate to silent auctions, you’ve come to the right place. Making donation requests for silent auctions has never been easier.
Important: Remember that each one must be personalized to your specific auction donor. You may or may not have things in common, but there is always a way to find common ground if your goal is to serve the community.
How Risk-Free Item Shop Simplifies Silent Auction Donations
No matter the type of auction event you host as a nonprofit organization, Risk-Free Item Shop is your go-to consignment shop for item sourcing.
They’ve backed thousands of nonprofits and event fundraisers through partnerships with trusted online auction platforms. They are committed to helping the nonprofit community streamline its fundraising events, enabling a simple online shopping experience where items are instantly secured without any upfront payments. This defines their risk-free concept.
Maximize Silent Auction Bids with Bid Beacon
Silent auctions are naturally discreet and orderly, allowing you to place bids quietly and mingle with people at the same time. Aside from raising money for good causes, the whole process of fundraising should be fun and entertaining!
At Bid Beacon, we aim to help nonprofit organizations host fast and efficient silent auctions. Having supported 2,000+ causes with nearly $30 million raised, we are proud to be your top online auction platform to help you succeed.
As we continue to improve and streamline our auction processes, we have a downloadable Bid Beacon app to enhance the guest experience (available on both Google’s Play Store and App Store). Take a look at the demo and pricing here and get started.
You can have all your preferred auctions at your fingertips at any time, no matter where you are. Get instant notifications when new items are added or when you get outbid, making it easy to continuously engage with the auction.
