Profitable Silent Auction Items: Silent Auction Item Ideas to Improve Your Fundraising Events 

When you're planning your fundraising event, you have to handle multiple responsibilities. Aside from planning some fun activities that will engage supporters and encourage donations, you also need to market your gala to a wide audience and connect with them online. This can be challenging for small event teams that can find their focus split between two different but equally important responsibilities.

But what if there was a way to promote your fundraiser while getting people to start donating even before the actual gala? Many nonprofits have found that silent auctions are a very effective form of not only raising money but also generating hype for your upcoming gala.

Because silent auctions are held online, your nonprofit can easily start one days or even weeks before the date of your gala. And by engaging with donors this early on, you'll keep your fundraiser on everyone's radar, improving ticket sales and increasing the turnout at your actual fundraiser.

Of course, to generate this type of hype, it's important to offer popular items (or “lots”) that get your support network excited and spark bidding wars. The best silent auction items start generating revenue for your nonprofit immediately and let your supporters know that you understand their preferences -- which just gets them more excited for all the other events and activities you have planned at your gala.

This article provides a guide to selecting the most profitable items for your auction. By the time you're done reading this, you'll understand why certain lots sell so well, how you can secure high-value items, and how to price your fundraising items for maximum profit. We'll also discuss strategies for building smart auctions, effectively marketing your event, and engaging with bidders.       

How to Select Silent Auction Items

How do you select silent auction items that sell well?

Many people feel rare, hard-to-find items, like signed sports memorabilia, encourage the most bidding. Others focus on "hot" new items that match current trends -- like the latest iPhone or fashionable clothing.

However, the truth is that top-selling items are determined more by your audience's personal preferences than the latest fad. If the items you're selling connect with your guests' needs or interests, you'll get some good bids, and ideally start some profitable bidding wars. 

That's not to say you shouldn't look for rare items or trendy merchandise when you're selecting items for your auction. But be sure you know who you're selecting these items for. If your audience is comprised of mostly film buffs, than signed movie memorabilia will probably be more profitable than signed baseball cards or footballs. Likewise, travel enthusiasts in their 50s might find wrinkle-resistant fabrics and comfortable shoes more appealing than the latest teen fashions.

Another thing to keep in mind is your audience's budget. An all-expense trip to Jamaica might be a great luxury item to offer a group of financially independent philanthropists. However, if your bidders are comprised of mostly working-class teachers and parents, you probably won't get too many offers after the opening bid.

Be realistic about what you and your bidding audience can afford and you'll have a better idea of the type of silent auction items with a good return on investment you should include in your online auction.

So, how should you assess the demand for certain auction items? One good place to start is your donor management database (aka "nonprofit CRM" system). If you've been thorough about collecting data on your donors, your database should provide some invaluable information on your supporters' interests, preferences, and needs. You can access information on your donors' hobbies to see what kind of entertainment or sporting events they'd be interested in participating. You can also review reports on past silent auctions and see which items generated the most interest (and bids).

Another area to focus on is your audience's social media activity. Online discussions can reveal much about your bidders' interests and desire for certain items. Social media trends can also showcase what people in your target demographic value and are willing to pay a lot of money for. 

When assessing lots for uniqueness and high-value, consider the condition of the items. Donated items with noticeable wear or damage could disappoint bidders, especially if you don't acknowledge these flaws in your item descriptions. On the other hand, items with well-known brand names can attract a lot of immediate interest. 

If the item in question is extremely unique or valuable in certain specialized circles, it might be a good idea to bring in an expert to appraise them. A specialist can identify a limited-edition piece, items with high historical value, or custom items with unique design elements. These features could enhance your item descriptions, especially if you're marketing these items to members of those same specialized circles.  

As you get a better idea of what type of products and services you should be going after, it can be useful to place the items in different categories. Create separate lists for luxury items (like jewelry), experience-based items (like trips), and practical items (like clothing). See if you can create a balance between the different item categories so your silent auction offers choices that meet different price points and interests.

Grouping potential auction items into separate lists also gives you a better idea of where you might acquire these items. Consignment companies can help provide luxury and experience-based items. Local business sponsors might be able to donate practical items like clothes, meals, and gift certificates.

Popular Silent Auction Item Ideas for Maximum Profit

Okay, so what silent auction item ideas with a potentially high return on investment should you be on the lookout for?

While your audience's personal preferences will affect the specific nature of these items, the best silent auction items tend to fall into some common categories:

Luxury items

Offering luxury items in your event is a fine strategy if your audience can afford to bid on high-end products. This category is also one of the most versatile in this list since the luxury items you choose can satisfy many different interests and preferences. Thus, knowing your bidders is key to selecting the items most likely to sell. 

If your target audience considers themselves "foodies," for instance, you could offer luxury brands of caviar or fine wines that appreciate over time. Art lovers can appreciate classic paintings, sculptures, and ceramics or new pieces done by well-known artists. Books, jewelry, antiques, and even cars can appeal to other bidders, provided you highlight the qualities that make them exclusive, valuable items. 

Travel packages

Audiences who fancy themselves world travelers, adventure tourists, or digital nomads could offer high bids on attractive travel packages to exotic and/or exciting locations. You can obtain such packages from a consignment company and promote them as the centerpiece items of your silent auction.

When promoting such packages, highlight their most attractive qualities. Will your offering cover travel and lodging fees? Does it include exciting excursions like whale watching voyages or hikes in famous mountains? Mention all this in your item listings -- and include photos showing bidders what these travels look like.   

Unique experiences

Thrill seekers and eager novices are always on the lookout for a unique experience to cross off their bucket list. Whether it's taking a hot air balloon ride or journeying under the sea in a submarine, there's something incredibly appealing about doing something unusual for the first time. 

You can offer these unique items as part of another offering (like a travel package) or as a separate experience in and of itself. If you can get a sponsorship from a company that offers such experiences (like a hot air balloon ride business), you might be able to negotiate for multiple certificates that you can offer separately in your auction. This can encourage more bidding since bidders won't necessarily have to bid for an entire travel package (which might be out of their budget) and could have multiple chances to win the experience they want.

As always, let your audience know what they're getting with each offer. If your experience comes with a guided tour, lessons, photographs, or an official certificate, include this information in your description. And if this item starts generating a lot of buzz, promote it on social media to draw more people to your silent auction.  

Events

From box seats at sporting events to a guest spot at a red carpet premiere (including a limo ride, naturally), fun events can be just as popular as travel packages or unique experiences. The nice thing about this category is your events can be literally anything -- not just tickets to a football or basketball game.

If you're dealing with art lovers, tickets to an exhibit opening can generate plenty of hype. The red carpet premiere doesn't have to be to a Hollywood blockbuster but a local indie film festival. Comedy nights, academic seminars, and stage plays can also be prime events if you market them to the right people. 

Memorabilia

Autographed photos and other memorabilia continue to fetch high prices online, making them great items to include in your auction. That said, not everyone appreciates the same type of memorabilia. While autographed footballs and movie posters might draw bids, other people may prefer first editions of rare books, action figures, baseball cards, and comic books.

The great thing about this is that you can acquire potentially valuable memorabilia from anywhere -- including yard sales, estate sales, and even other online auctions. You might even be able to connect with local celebrities or world-famous movie stars visiting a convention and get them to autograph some of your memorabilia, vastly increasing its value in the eyes of your audience.

High-end electronics

Everyone wants to upgrade their smartphone or home audio system -- which is why it's always a good idea to partner with a local electronics store and see if they can provide gift cards and/or new merchandise for your auction. Keep in mind that electronics is a very broad category that can include everything from wearable tech to smart home devices to new storage drives for your computer. Learning the type of devices your support network uses (and needs to upgrade) will help you decide what high-end electronics to offer.

An alternative idea is to look at the different types of software people might need. More businesses are using software like customer relationship management (CRM) systems to manage their operations. Offering a subscription to bidders who've allocated a decent part of their business budget to software purchases can make your auction offerings more popular.

Classes

Self improvement is often a top priority for members in your network (and is likely one of the reasons why they support your nonprofit and your mission to improve the community). Thus, classes that can teach new skills and provide valuable knowledge could be potentially profitable silent auction items.

The exact type of courses you want to offer depends on your audience's interests. Music lovers could appreciate some singing lessons with a renowned vocal coach or a course that allows them to hone their skills on a music instrument of their choice. Active people might enjoy martial arts lessons, hiking courses, or classes in extreme sports like skydiving. 

With the growing popularity of online classes, it's more possible than ever to connect your winning bidders with highly respected authorities or even celebrity instructors like Natalie Portman, Steve Martin, or Martin Scorsese (who all teach courses on MasterClass). That being said, many people enjoy taking classes for the social aspect, so offering in-person courses like cooking classes could be a good call. 

Artwork

We've already discussed how offering luxury items like famous paintings can be a way to encourage generous bidding. However, there are other types of artwork that are historically popular silent auction items.

For instance, you might offer a chance to have a family portrait painted of the winning bidder and their family -- or perhaps have a professional photographer take a series of photographs of the winning bidder to build up a portfolio. Professional photographs of landscapes, underwater locales, and other exotic places could also fetch a good price (and look great advertised on your auction website). 

Fashion

Popular clothing brands, high-end shoes, and cool accessories like watches and purses can draw large bids from fashion-conscious bidders (or bidders with fashion-conscious friends and family members). Just be aware of the age group(s), genders, and budgets you're targeting. Gucci and Armani might be big names in the fashion world, but your audience may be more partial to Gucci or Louis Vuitton.   

Exclusive offers

One-of-a-kind items and experiences always carry an aura of exclusivity, and tend to be highly desirable. However, you don't have to limit your offers to lunch dates with celebrities or VIP previews of new collections. Sometimes, the most exclusive offers are the ones given at a local level.

For instance, you could offer bidders a coveted parking spot at your school or business. Or career counseling from a coveted professor with important connections. Once you realize what your audience values, you'll know how to shape (and promote) your exclusive offers.  

Auction gift baskets

A time-honored tradition, the gift basket has been used to raise money for generations. The great thing about this option is that the basket can be filled with literally anything -- including items from the categories listed above. You could, for instance, build an exotic travel basket full of useful items people could take with them to the locations of your travel packages. For example, if you're offering a trip to Bermuda, you might provide some high-end sunblock, fashionable swimwear, certificates to a popular local restaurant etc. 

Guests who place the winning bid for an all-inclusive trip may want to also bid on your gift basket since it provides a nice supplement to the prize they already won. Meanwhile, other guests may want to bid on the same basket since it could prove useful for their own travel plans.

Build your baskets around themes that resonate with your audience. You might consider combining items from multiple categories in ways that make sense. For instance, a hot air balloon gift basket could include two tickets for a balloon ride, a new digital camera to take pictures, and a nice bottle of champagne to enjoy afterwards. Be creative with your offerings and provide suggestions for how guests can use the baskets to create memorable experiences.     

The Impact of Experience-Based Items

What do bidders at a silent auction value more than anything?

While you could easily create a list of highly desirable material possessions, the fact is most people value experience-based items above cars, jewelry, and valuable paintings.

Think about it. When you go on a fun trip or have a memorable outing with friends, that experience becomes a meaningful part of your identity in a way no physical possession ever could. You'll have great stories you can share for years, stronger bonds with friends and family, and often a sense of self-discovery in what you're truly capable of.

This is why offering experience-based items like travel packages or concert tickets is so popular in silent auctions. The anticipation that they may be bidding on a once-in-a-lifetime experience they will treasure forever often motivates people to bid more enthusiastically on these offerings. 

So, what kind of experience-based items can you offer? Aside from the ones already described above, you might provide:

• Hotel stays at a five-star resort
• Cruises with port stops and fun excursions
• National park tours
• Helicopter rides
• Ski chalet stays
• Beach house rentals
• Tickets to a fashion week show
• Date night bundles (with transportation vouchers, event tickets, and restaurant gift cards) 

Keep in mind that what people consider a memorable (and valuable) experience can vary greatly depending on your audience. Show tickets and vacation packages may generate a lot of enthusiasm from thrill seekers and globe trotters, but other bidders may be more drawn to a private dinner at an exclusive restaurant or a chance to take a cooking class taught by a world-renowned chef. 

And don't discount the appeal of local attractions either. While you may instinctively want to invest in high-priced travel excursions that take people out of the country, there are plenty of more affordable (and obtainable) unique experiences closer to home. Think of the natural wonders in your home state that people always mean to visit but never do (like the Grand Canyon). Consider unusual group activities offered by local businesses -- like indoor skydiving, escape rooms, or rock climbing. Maybe you could get a sponsorship from these businesses and provide your participants with a chance to do something they've always wanted to do.

The key is framing these experience-based items in the most attractive way. Spend time writing enticing descriptions of the experience you're offering. List all the amenities you’re providing (free gifts, exclusive access, celebrity encounters). If you're offering a seasonal experience like ice skating or a beach party, highlight their unique benefits (great weather, gorgeous scenery, festive atmosphere). And don't shy away from including some reviews from satisfied clients who enjoyed the same experience (like previous auction winners).

How to Market Your Auctions for Maximum Participation

As previously stated, one great thing about your silent auction is it can help market your main fundraiser and get people to participate in your fundraising activities days or weeks before your actual gala.

That said, you need to also promote your silent auction if you want to generate some good bidder participation. One excellent way to do this is by taking advantage of digital platforms and social media marketing tactics.

Do you have an e-newsletter with a strong subscriber list? Then you should promote your auction weeks in advance. Offer sample listings of your most desirable items (making sure to include good photos) and provide a link to your online auction when it goes live.

Social media marketing provides a great way to attract guests to a silent auction. Offer sneak peeks of your main auction items and focus on creating social media ads and posts on the channels your target audience frequents. Fundraising platforms like PayBee make it easy for you to build and manage a social media marketing campaign with just a few clicks. 

Naturally, you'll want to promote your silent auction (alongside your main gala) on your website. Offer links to the auction, images highlighting your big-ticket items, and information on your main fundraising event.

During the auction, engage with attendees by sending updates on the status of their desired items. Being told that someone else has outbid them on the vacation deal they had their eye on can motivate participants to raise their own bids. If some guests are too busy to actively monitor the auction, tools like PayBee's Auto Max Bid feature let guests automate the bidding process. Bidders can just specify their maximum bid amount and let the system raise their bid up to that amount if they encounter competition. You'll enjoy more bidder participation and the bidders get to stay within their budgets.

We recommend ending your silent auction before your main fundraising gala. This will keep your auction from diverting attention from your other fundraising activities (especially if you decide to hold an in-person or live hybrid auction during your gala). Having to monitor two auctions can be taxing on your event staff, so don't strain your resources by holding too many events at once.  

Tips for Securing High-Quality Goods

High-quality auction items can come from many different sources, including local businesses, corporate sponsors, and even celebrity influencers. These potential donors can all provide you with some very in-demand silent auction items and can even help promote your events and activities.

That said, you want to approach these people professionally, which is why you want to plan for enough time to source these contributions. Keep the following tips in mind:

Generate an Auction Ideas Wishlist

Before you can start sourcing auction items, you need to know what sort of items you want to target. Consider the needs of your target audience and brainstorm some ideas. Use the auction item categories above as a jumping off point to create some more specific ideas.

For instance, if you'd like to offer some vacation packages, what destinations would appeal most to your guests? What type of vacation deals could you conceivably receive from your support network?

If it helps, work backwards. Maybe you know some local sports celebrities who could autograph some merchandise and/or connect you with other celebrities who could donate their memorabilia. If some of your sponsors run high-end wine store, perhaps you could build a basket out of their more popular brands.

Once you have a clearer idea of the type of items you want to offer, create an auction list and rate each item by priority. Attractive vacation packages that can draw people to your auction could be your "must haves" while signed memorabilia could fall into the "preferred" category and your gift baskets could be considered "back ups."  

Assign Teams to Procure Items

Now that you know what type of goods and services you want to secure, assign members of your event staff to procure different items. Leverage connections. A volunteer who has a pre-existing relationship with a sponsor, influencer, or supporter should approach these people for an auction item donation. Likewise, if you plan to work with a consignment company to get some high-end items, be sure the person who contacts them is familiar with how these companies work.

Make sure to allocate enough time for procuring items. We suggest anywhere from six weeks to two months -- or longer depending on how many items you're looking to include in your auction.  

Create Donation Requests

Crafting formal donation request letters that you can send via email or direct mail makes your requests more personal and professional. Even if you plan to approach your donors in person or via a Zoom call, outlining your donation request ensures you make all your important points.

In addition to a clear request for a specific auction item, you want to highlight the benefits of donating to your organization. Remind donors of your nonprofit's mission and what projects or programs the funds raised by your auction will go towards. Show how your mission benefits the community. And establish how you will recognize the donor's contribution -- perhaps by promoting their business in your marketing materials or honoring them during your gala.

You'll also want to provide a response deadline for each donor to confirm whether or not they can contribute to your auction. Make this deadline well in advance of your event so the donor doesn't feel pressured to make an immediate commitment. That said, if you don't hear back within a week, feel free to send reminder letters, emails, and/or phone calls to check on the status of each auction item. 

Manage Logistics

Depending on what your silent auction items are, you may need to arrange pickups for some of the donations as well as storage. Make sure to make adequate arrangements. While small donations like gift baskets can be stored in a staff member's house, larger donations like automobiles or boats may need special accommodations.

Other donations, like celebrity encounters or private consultations need to be scheduled so all parties can meet at a convenient time for everyone. You'll also want to work out any specific needs for certain valuable items. For instance, items like jewelry or valuable artwork may need to be stored in secure spaces to keep them safe from damage or theft before the auction. 

Creating Auction Listings

Once you have your auction items, you still need to spend sufficient time crafting enticing listings for each one. Spotlight the unique selling points of each one -- from the exotic locations of your travel packages to any special perks (like pet-friendly accommodations). If you're offering experience-based items, highlight the great memories and social connections the winning bidders will enjoy. If you managed to get any celebrities to offer a unique experience, emphasize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the event, whether that be participating in a cooking class with a celebrity chef or having a lunch with a famous actor or author.

Good high-resolution photos help sell your listings, so be sure to secure these for each item -- either from the donor or the consignment company. If you're accepting physical donations, you can take photos of each item yourself. Just be sure to use good lighting and staging.

Online fundraising platforms like PayBee can help you build and bulk upload your auction listings easily, so be sure to take advantage of these software tools when you're building your silent auction.  

Building Long-Term Relationships with Your Donors

Even after you secure your items, it's important to show your appreciation to each donor and lay the foundations for a long-term relationship. Your sponsors and donors can provide your organization with a lot of future support -- whether that means donating additional supplies for your events, promoting your nonprofit, or connecting you with other valuable supporters.

So, send your donors heartfelt thank you letters. Invite them to come to your galas and participate in your activities. If possible, arrange for them to get exclusive passes to some of your events, like a benefit concert or a fancy dinner party. The more you show your appreciation, the more likely these supporters will continue to sponsor your future fundraisers.  

Maximizing Bidder Engagement During the Auction

Unlike traditional in-person auctions, silent auctions don't have an auctioneer hyping up a crowd of people and driving bidding wars. Being able to hold your auction online for days or weeks can provide good publicity for your gala and draw in a good stream of revenue, but the very fact that people place their bids privately and anonymously does take away some of the excitement of a live, in-person auction.

Even so, there are ways to keep bidders engaged and excited during a silent auction. While the absence of an auctioneer does remove some of the urgency that drives live auctions, you can take advantage of silent auction tools to draw audience members into this event.

For instance, mobile bidding allows you to stay connected to all bidders through their smart phones. It's no secret that people spend a great deal of their lives on their phones, and you can use this by sending live updates to participants, letting them know when someone else has bid on their desired auction items. Nothing gets someone back onto their phone than the knowledge that they might miss out on an anticipated vacation deal or fun activity, and you can generate active bidding wars by sending automated live updates.

You can also send out an automated update informing people that the silent auction is about to close. Knowing they only have an hour or a few minutes to place their final bids can get people back on their laptops and mobile devices, so plan for a few "closing warnings" as the closing time for your silent auction nears.

Another strategy to create excitement during a silent auction is timed bidding. With this, you make an item available only for a set period, at the end of which the person with the highest bid wins. You can think of this as a "mini-auction" within your larger silent auction, allowing people with busy schedules to take part in some frenetic bidding during the bidding window. This is a great way to encourage some friendly competition, especially if the product in question is a high-value item. Just make sure to establish a clear closing time and communicate this to all participants.

Introduce games into your silent auction to draw in more bidders. For instance, "silent auction bingo" is a form of auction gamification that provides guests with bingo cards with auction items in the spaces instead of letters and numbers. To play, you need to bid on each item and then cross them off your card. The first player to complete a line wins a special prize (ideally one of your high-value auction items). Since playing bingo raises bids and encourages participation, this is a win-win for everyone. 

Did you manage to procure several high-end auction items? Then a progressive jackpot auction might be the perfect silent auction game for your fundraiser. With this game, you start with a highly desirable auction item like a vacation package or celebrity encounter. As the bids roll in and you start reaching established monetary goals, you add other desired items into the pot, like high-end electronics, restaurant certificates, experience-based items, and more. At the end of this game, the person with the winning bid gets all the items in the pot. To add to the excitement, you can place a time limit on this game and/or add items that enhance the original item (i.e. adding luggage, new clothes, or additional excursions to an existing vacation deal).  

While gamification can keep a lot of people actively involved in your silent auction, some bidders are simply too busy to keep returning to your auction. In this case, providing a software tool like PayBee's Auto Max Bid allows them to automate their bidding while staying within their budget. It's a nice way to keep the bids coming in (and encourage other participants to compete for auction items) while making things more convenient for everyone. 

Final Tips for Running a Successful Auction

Running a successful silent auction takes more than simply securing a lot of expensive items for people to bid on. You have to select items that appeal to your target audience's personal needs, tastes, and desires. Spend time tailoring each item to your audience's interests. See what sold well at previous auctions and stay in contact with sponsors who donated popular items. Talk to past participants in your auctions and learn if they're interested in new experiences -- like a cruise or hot air balloon ride instead of your usual travel packages. Knowing this helps you focus your efforts where they'll procure the best auction items.

Be sure to also take your audience's budgets into account. Don't price your opening bids so high that they discourage most of your guests from participating. We recommend pricing items at about 30-50% of that item's fair market value with bid increments at about 10% of your opening bid. Another smart tactic is to provide a "Buy It Now" option on some items, allowing people with busy schedules to simply purchase an item for a flat fee. Make sure to set your "Buy It Now" prices high enough to earn you a profit while still remaining within your guests' budgets.

Most of all, you need to engage your bidders throughout your entire auction -- which could last several days. While this is challenging without an auctioneer, silent auctions do provide several unique advantages when it comes to connecting with bidders. Mobile bidding, live updates, gamification, and automated bidding are all ways to keep people excited and bidding generously. Again, plan your games around your audience's interests (and technological literacy). By combining high-value auction items with silent auction tools and strategies, you'll create a popular and profitable silent auction that will keep all your fundraisers on people's radar.   

PayBee provides nonprofits with some of the most user friendly silent auction tools available on online fundraising platforms. Using our silent auction software solutions, you'll be able to auto generate silent auction landing pages and bidding sheets to promote and manage your silent auctions. Your donors receive live auction updates via email or SMS, keeping them actively informed about the status of their bids. Plus, no matter how many high-value auction items you secure, you can bulk upload them onto your website in minutes and customize them with minimum bid amounts and bid increments.

Need a way to promote your silent auction to wider audiences? PayBee provides social sharing links and automatic email invitations that let you reach out to your target audience and provide them with a simple way to participate in your auctions. With all the work your event staff will be doing to procure high-value auction items from your donors and sponsors, it's nice to know that building, managing, and promoting your auction will be easy with our easy-to-use platform.

If you need more help running your auctions and fundraisers, we've got you covered. Visit our PayBee Partner Ecosystem and connect with a vast network of professional auctioneers, event planners, and consignment providers who can offer the technical expertise and resources you need to build better silent and live auctions. Our partners are familiar with PayBee's software tools, which will be a huge plus when you use our platform and their help to run your fundraising events.

But don't just take our word for it. Sign up for a free demo of PayBee's fundraising platform and familiarize yourself with our user friendly technology. We provide a mock live auction to show how much fun your attendees will have participating (and donating) to your cause. And if you have any more questions about how to run silent auctions or use our software tools, our team of experts will be available to help. See how our platform can help you improve your silent auctions by signing up for a free demo today!  

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