What Sells Overvalue at Silent Auctions?
You may have seen our recent blog hot live auction items. Now we’re going to take a look at what sells for more than it’s worth at silent auctions. The short answer? Not much! The long answer? First and foremost, know your crowd before you focus any energy.
Carefully Curated Experiences
Just like with live auction items, there’s a trend toward experiences, instead of material things. But not just any experience. Carefully curated packages matching your demographic’s interests can – and do – sell overvalue. School auction? Consider setting up a “teacher feature” – lunch or a cool outing with a well-liked teacher or the school principal. For a higher-end donor base, private chef dinners with wine or cocktail pairings are popular, and even more so if it’s for a group of six or more. Throw in housekeeping, servers, ride-share vouchers or babysitting – and you’ve got a fantastic offering! Wine tastings and excursions also consistently perform well, especially for groups of six or more. People love to enjoy experiences with their friends! Same with vodka and bourbon tastings – they’re not as common but can sell very well in front of the right crowd.
Sporting Events – Focus on the Fan Experience
Seriously – not all sporting events are for die-hard fans! There are plenty of reasons why sporting events can be a ton of fun, even if you don’t know a basketball from a soccer ball. Socializing. Halftime entertainment. That Bingo game, with thousands of people participating simultaneously – often for a great cause. Giveaways! Play up the “fan experience” angle and you might be surprised at how much money you can raise selling tickets to a sporting event. Better still – procure a suite, parking and food/drink vouchers – the more people, the more money raised!
Night Out – Date, Ladies, Guys…theme geared toward your folks!
Ah, the tried-and-true night out package. When building a great night out package for your silent auction, think beyond just dinner and drinks – think of the overall experience! Consider pairing food with a group activity, geared toward known buyers and interested parties (don’t know this? Survey them!). Painting, cooking, thrift store shopping, escape rooms, roller skating, mini golf, hot air balloon or helicopter tour – endless possibilities! Who’s in the room? Are they active, adventurous, into sports, shopping, love the arts? The better you know your crowd, the better your chances of delighting them with exactly what they want – hence driving up sale prices!
Depending on your geography and market, local trips can and do sell well. With so many fabulous activities just a short car ride away, local trips are popular year after year. And with just a touch of encouragement, folks are happy to fill up their tanks and venture out.
Need help coming up with unique and original ideas for your next silent auction? We’ve got ‘em – reach out!
