Episode 34: Day of Auction Details
There are a number of things you must do in the month or two leading up to and on the day of the auction to make everything run smoothly.
In this episode I share:
When to open & close your auction
Determining your layout at the venue (# of tables needed
Creating a seamless process for check out
Common Volunteer Roles
Merchandising items
What to do if someone doesn’t pick up their item at the end of the night
Packing up and heading out
TRANSCRIPT + LISTENER ACTION ITEM
*This post contains affiliate links
Today's episode is part three in a five-part series on auctions. If you missed parts one and two, I suggest going back and listening to them so that you're listening in order.
We're going to talk about the day of the auction. And you can't talk about the day of the auction without covering those last few weeks or even month or two leading up to it because it all goes together.
I just finished my biggest event of the year, which hosted over 2,000 people, and I'm capturing some of my thoughts about that event for some future episodes. As the event wraps up, one of the most important steps that I'm going through right now is gathering event feedback.
We had multiple audiences for this event, and it's important to capture feedback from all those stakeholders. I'll be putting together an episode where I'll talk about the importance of gathering feedback, ways to gather it, what to do with that feedback once you have it, and how not to dwell on any negative feedback. I'll put that in an episode after I finish this auction series, so watch for that to come.
Today we're going to talk about the day of the auction, but really, I'm going to cover everything that you should be doing in the month or so leading up to the auction. We'll talk about decisions to be made and tasks that need to be done to get you to the finish line.
The most typical scenario for auctions is that they are held in conjunction with a larger event, such as a gala, but are also online. This is also known as a hybrid auction. The majority of what I'm covering today is for a hybrid auction. However, if you're only hosting an in-person auction using bid sheets, there's still valuable information for you in this episode, so stay with me.
Here's what we're going to cover…When to open and close your auction, determining the layout at the venue, creating a seamless process for checkout, common volunteer roles, merchandising items, what to do if someone doesn't pick up their item at the end of the night, and then packing up and heading out. There's a lot of stuff to cover, so let's get to it.
When to open & close your auction
Knowing when to open or launch your auction and close it can be tricky, especially if your auction is mobile or online. Remember, even though you have an auction that's in person, I highly recommend you use an online auction platform to increase bidding and to make the process easier for everyone, especially at checkout time.
Go back and listen to episode 33, Online auction basics. When opening your auction, you want to give people enough time to look through all the items in bid, but you also want to create a sense of urgency.
With most online auctions, you will see a flurry of activity when the auction opens. Things will slow down quite a bit midway through, and then you'll see a big flurry of activity on the day of the event, especially right before the close of the auction. I suggest opening your online auction three to five days prior to your event.
It gives people time to peruse and explore and get some of those starting bids placed, but it doesn't drag it out for weeks to the point where people have forgotten about your auction.
When you close your auction will depend on the type of event you're hosting and the time of year. Make sure you consider any holidays around the time of your event. I consulted with a nonprofit that was hosting an event around Mother's Day. Their auction didn't close until the Monday or Tuesday after.
I told them they were missing an opportunity for people to bid on items for gifts. So, make sure you consider any holidays or gift giving opportunities. around the time of your auction. If your event is part of a larger event, such as a gala, you want to make sure to close your auction before the ask or the fund a need moment.
And there's a very simple reason. Your audience member likely has a budget of what they can or are willing to spend at your event. If they're waiting to see if they won an auction item, it can impact how much they will donate during the ask.
Determining your auction layout
One of the first things you'll need to determine for your auction is where to put your auction items at the venue. What is the flow of your event?
Is there a pre function space where you might have cocktails and appetizers before you ask your guests to take their seats for a meal in a program in a separate ballroom? Or, will your auction be in the main space where the rest of the event activity is taking place?
I've coordinated events with both scenarios. I've even coordinated golf tournaments where the auction tables were outside on a patio. We did have a backup plan in case of weather, but, the main factors for your auction display location are visibility and guest comfort.
For that golf tournament, we put it outside on the patio because that was the most visible spot for our guests. You want to make sure that your audience has maximum visibility of your auction items.
If your auction items are in a corner where no one can see them, it can affect bidding, even if the auction is online. People at the event want to be able to see those items in person. On the flip side, you don't want your auction in the center of the room. If it impedes traffic flow. You have to find a good balance of visibility, guest comfort, and of course safety.
The benefit of having a separate space for your auction is that once guests move into the ballroom or wherever it is they're going next, it gives your volunteers and staff time to get the auction prepped for checkout. The downside is that those volunteers and staff don't get to see or take part in what's going on in the main space. There are some volunteers who don't care and some that may care quite a bit if they're removed from the rest of the activity. We're going to talk more about Day of the Auction volunteers in just a bit.
In Episode 32 Preparing to Host an Auction, I gave you my Goldilocks formula to calculate the ideal number of auction items. You do this by taking your approximate guest count and divide it by either 3 or 4, depending on the makeup of your audience. If your audience is largely couples, you divide your number by 4. If it's singles, you divide the number by 3.
Once you have your ideal number of items, you will need roughly one to one and a half feet of table space per auction item. This is an approximation to help you determine how many tables you'll need for auction display. It will, of course, depend on how large your auction items are, but you can calculate approximately one foot of space for an online auction, or one and a half feet of table space for a bid sheet auction. That extra half foot of space is to accommodate the bid sheet and pen.
But before you can plan your layout and calculate how many tables you'll need, you first need to know what types of tables and the sizes available from the venue. So be sure to get that information. Another thing you want to ask the venue is about the condition of the tables.
Some venues have nice tables that don't need to be covered, and some have rental quality tables, which are a bit more rough looking and will need to be covered with linens. If the venue has the more rough looking tables, ask if the linens are included in your rental cost, as that could be an unexpected expense and hassle to rent the linens at the last minute.
You can get creative with layouts using a mix of banquet tables, round tables, and high top or cocktail tables, so it's really important to understand what tables are available.
Don't assume that you can just show up at the venue to set up and have any tables you want available to you. Some venues have that capability and capacity and others do not. Be sure to get quantities available and work with your rep to create a layout that fits your needs and includes the types of tables you want so that they are ready to go when you come in to set up the day of the event.
Not enough table space?
What if you determine you don't have enough table space? Maybe you didn't do this process and found out you don't have enough table space. There are a number of reasons this could happen, and I won't go into them here, but if it does happen, you have some options if you're hosting an online auction.
This is another benefit of hosting an online auction. You aren't limited to a finite amount of table space because you don't need a bid sheet and a pen.
Option # 1 - Use wall space instead of table or floor space.
If you have a number of auction items that are only gift certificates or gift cards, you can put the display sheets of those items on the walls around your auction.
Just be sure to check your contract and get approval from your venue before hanging anything on the walls. Most venues will allow you to put stuff on the walls as long as you use painter's tape or 3M strips, something that isn't going to remove the finish of the wall, but just double check with them. You don't want to risk your deposit or get fined for doing something that's against venue rules.
Option #2 - Put all of your items that are just certificates on a foam core poster board. Then put that poster on an easel stand in the auction area. Your poster should include the name of the item, the item number, and if you have room, you could include a brief description or use a QR code that goes right to that item. Most online auction sites now are utilizing QR codes where each item will have its own dedicated QR code. So, you could put the name of the item, the number, and a QR code. A guest comes along, if they want to look at that item or bid on it, they scan the QR code, it goes right to that item. It's very slick.
Option #3 - Utilize a V or audio visual. If your auction space has a built in TV or LED screen, you could show a scrolling or looping PowerPoint on that screen or screens.
You could use that PowerPoint to showcase some, or all, of your items along with the item number so that guests can easily bid. There are actually lots of things you could put in the PowerPoint, if you had this capability. You could put the Wi-Fi information, the URL or QR code that goes directly to your auction site.
You could announce the time when the auction closes, make sure that's front and center for people. And it's another opportunity to put sponsor logos and give them some more recognition. The downside to this option is that using AV has a cost to it. So, you'd have to weigh the cost versus the benefit. If you only have a couple of items that won't fit on tables, AV probably won't be worth it. This option is also limited to venues that have a built in TV screen. And not many do, but there are some, which is why I wanted to mention it.
When it comes to determining your auction layout, work with your venue. Especially if you're new to planning events or have never used the venue before. Your venue rep has likely seen a variety of ways other clients have set up their auctions and should be able to help you come up with a solution.
When it comes to creating your auction layout, get creative and be flexible. Don't get set on one layout option. You need to keep an open mind because you may need to play around with the layout to find a solution that works for your guests, your auction team, and the venue.
Create a seamless checkout process
Next step in the pre-event tasks leading up to your auction is to create a seamless checkout process. If you're using an auction platform, you need to thoroughly understand how it works. You don't want to be figuring things out on the fly.
So make sure you're watching video tutorials, getting instructions from the software reps, and practicing on a demo site, if that option is available.
If you're hosting a bid sheet auction, determine your process for checking out guests and accepting payment. That's one of the benefits of having an auction platform, is that you can require your guests to enter their credit card information before they even start bidding, so you don't have to worry about that stuff on the back end.
But for a bid sheet auction, you have to determine how you're going to accept payment. Will you have a square or a credit card reader on hand? Are you planning to only accept cash or check?
If you're only accepting cash or check, it has to be plastered everywhere; on the site, in emails to guests, and at the auction. And I will caution you against only accepting cash or checks because it will affect bidding. Most people expect to be able to pay with a credit card. I personally don't ever carry cash or checkbook, so unless I knew well in advance and could plan ahead, I wouldn't be able to bid because I wouldn't be able to pay for my item.
No matter what type of auction you're hosting, I have six tips that will help your checkout go a little more smoothly.
Tip #1 - create written instructions for all your auction volunteers.
If you're the auction leader or chair, you will be pulled in multiple directions on the day of the event. You'll want to minimize the number of questions you'll get asked from your auction volunteers. And the best way to do that is to put together detailed instructions for them.
For your checkout volunteers, if they're using auction software or any kind of technology such as Square or a credit card reader, use screenshots or include visuals to go along with your instructions to make it easier for them to understand. You can also email the instructions to your volunteers. in advance, so they have a chance to review them before the day of the event.
And then, of course, you'll want to print them out and bring them to the event. For some jobs, like checkout, you want to have one set of instructions per checkout volunteer. For others, you can have one set of instructions total for all your volunteers that they can refer to as needed. For instance, if you offer a volunteer-staffed coat check, this is not a difficult task, but there might be a couple of steps that you want them to follow. You don't need to print that out per volunteer. You can just have one set of those instructions, those steps, to keep at the coat check station that outlines your process.
You should include any information your volunteer might need that night on every instruction sheet, such as Wi Fi info, answers to frequently asked questions, and your cell phone in case a volunteer needs to get a hold of you.
For one event, I laminated the volunteer instructions so the client could use them year after year. My heart and my head were in the right place, but what I found was this was an unnecessary step.
Tip # 2 - number the auction items.
As I mentioned in Episode 33, I highly recommend numbering your auction items, no matter how small your auction. This helps eliminate or minimize any confusion about items that might be similar.
The auction item numbers should be clearly shown on the display sheet, but also can be put on the item as well. Depending on the type of item, you can use a variety of stickers or tags to display the item number on the auction item. I'll link to some tag and sticker options in the show notes.
Tip #3 - Separate the physical items from certificates.
On any auction, there are typically physical items, gift cards or gift certificates, and then oftentimes it's a combination of both physical items and certificates when you've bundled things together.
I don't like putting gift certificates on the display tables because as much as I want to put absolute trust in event guests, and you want to trust your guests, but the sad reality is that theft does happen. And certificates are one of those things that are really easy to slip in a purse or a pocket and walk away with.
You can also do this for small items that are high value. For instance, if you have a pair of Air Pods, you may not want to put that on the display table. Maybe you only have a display sheet and the winning bidder picks that up at checkout.
Tip #4 - Create certificates for unique experiences.
Every auction winner should leave with something in their hand. Whether it's a physical item that they've won or an envelope that contains a gift card or gift certificate. We'll talk later about what to do if someone doesn't pick up their items, but for the winning bidders in the room, they should all leave with something.
I've coordinated many auctions where a board member or a supporter will donate a weeklong stay at their cabin or a themed dinner at their house or some type of unique experience. In those cases, I will make a certificate that includes the name and number of the item, the description, along with any restrictions, and the instructions for how to redeem their item.
Once the certificate is in the hands of the winner, this takes you out as the middleman. You're done with that item. It's now up to the winner to contact the donor to get their item.
I found it easiest to simply print a second copy of the auction item's display sheet and then add instructions for how to redeem the item.
Tip #5 - Use an accordion file.
When setting up your auction display, rather than putting certificates or auctions on the tables, I recommend having an accordion file to organize them numerically that you keep at your auction checkout station. Now keep in mind that all your certificates are going to be in this accordion file, so you have to keep it in a safe location until checkout time. But, this method has worked for me for many years, and I find it's a lot easier to keep track of one accordion file than to try to monitor a bunch of envelopes on the various auction tables. As I said, I don't like to put those on the tables because of theft.
Tip #6 - Create a system for items with certificates.
Your checkout volunteers likely won't know which physical items also come with a gift certificate. You are probably intimately familiar with every single item on the auction. Your checkout volunteers may not be. So, you need a system for your checkout volunteers to know when they need to go to that accordion file to pull a certificate that goes with a physical item.
There are a few ways you can do this…
One is to simply have a spreadsheet of all your auction items, and you highlight the physical items that also have a certificate with them. This isn't the most efficient method, especially if you're using auction software, to check out your guests. Your checkout volunteers have to switch between looking at a computer screen and a paper spreadsheet. It's not ideal.
Another method is to label every auction item with the auction number, as I recommended, and then put a red dot sticker on the tag of that item. The red dot is a visual indicator to the checkout person that that item includes a certificate. If you go to the show notes at that sounds like a plan.net Episode 34, I'll have a list of auction supplies that you can order, or you can just use as inspiration for your auction.
In full disclosure, I am an Amazon affiliate, so I do get a teeny tiny portion of anything that you would buy using my links. Please note, I only recommend things that I have or would use. I'll never recommend something that I wouldn't use myself. And if you do purchase supplies, I would be so grateful if you used my links as that teeny tiny commission can help offset some of the costs to produce this podcast. Thank you in advance for that.
The last method is to organize all of the items by winning bidder. The only time I've had this luxury is when the auction is in a separate space from, say, the meal and the program. The audience is essentially held captive in another room while the auction team gets everything organized.
The time that the guests are having the meal, listening to the program, gives auction volunteers time to sort items alphabetically by last name, or you could do it by bid number, and put all the certificates with those physical items, so that when the guest comes to the checkout table, all of their stuff is ready to go, no matter how many items they won.
You simply process their payment, hand them their stuff, and they are on their way. This is my preferred method and preferred scenario, but as I said, the situation has to be just right.
There will always be the occasional guest or two that wants to leave before auction checkout is ready. They, the second that auction closes, they're right at your table, ready to go. If that happens, just do the best you can. Get them checked out, get them their stuff, send them on their way. If a certificate is left behind, it's not the end of the world. They're easy to mail or email.
Common volunteer roles
I mentioned in Episode 33 that your planning timeline is going to look a bit different for an online auction compared to planning a bid sheet auction.
The same is true for volunteer roles for the day of the event. I'm going to talk about the volunteer roles you'll need no matter what type of auction you're hosting. And I'll break down each role for an online auction compared to one with bid sheets. Here are the most common auction volunteer roles.
Bundle and photo shoot volunteers.
Most often the bundle and photo shoot tasks are handled by your auction planning team, but I wanted to include this as an option when creating your list of volunteer needs because you might have an outside volunteer that is really good at putting together gift baskets or maybe is a great photographer and you could use their skills.
My recommended process for any auction is that you set a deadline to solicit and collect auction items. The deadline should be a couple of weeks prior to the event OR prior to when your auction launches.
So, if you are hosting an online auction, you want to make sure that your deadline is a couple of weeks prior to the auction launch, not the day of the event.
Once the deadline is up, you compile all the stuff that you've received, look it over and then determine what items can go solo on the auction, and which ones should be bundled with other items to make larger packages.
For this task, you may need a variety of baskets or vessels, filler material, or even basket wrap. If you're hosting an online auction, I recommend waiting until after you do the photo shoot process. to wrap baskets. Now, you don't have to wrap baskets, but if you want to, wait till after the photo shoot to do that because the wrap or the cellophane causes a glare in photos and it makes it really hard to see things.
To make your bundle photoshoot process go more smoothly, it's nice to set it up as an assembly line of bundle, photoshoot, wrap, tag. Or just bundle, wrap, tag for a bid sheet auction. During this time, you can also have your volunteers help with bid sheet displays, which I'm going to talk more about in a bit.
Load in and set up.
You want to get as many people as you can for loading in and setting up as possible. This can be a physically demanding task. So the more people, the lighter the workload. You also want to get people who have good mobility and can lift heavy items, if you have them.
There are some people that are really good at making auction items look appealing once they're on the auction table. I call those people your merchandisers.
If you have one or two people like that, they can actually help you generate more money. Now it's not a guarantee. Just because something looks pretty doesn't mean somebody's going to bid on it. It has to actually be something desired or useful to that bidder. But, all things being equal, something that looks more appealing is likely going to get more bids or higher bids than something that doesn't. So, that's a role I would actively recruit for. And there are people that love to do it. So it's a great way to get people involved with your organization.
Auction floaters or assistants.
You can really call them what you want, but these are the people that are on hand to answer questions about the auction in general or about individual items.
I find it's best to put members of your planning team in these roles as well because they already have knowledge about the items, so it saves you time having to do any type of training.
For an online auction, your auction assistants can help guests with the auction platform, or they can make bids for guests who don't have a smartphone or don't want to use theirs to bid.
So make sure your assistants for an online auction are tech savvy and know your auction software well. This may require some training prior to the event, but it's worth it. If you're using the same software year after year, it can help to have the same volunteers in these roles each year.
For a bid sheet auction, you'll want to have one auction floater or assistant for every two auction items. You don't necessarily need all those volunteers for the entire duration of the auction, but you will definitely need them right before the auction closes.
You want to place your volunteers so that one volunteer can grab two bid sheets at once from the table at the close of the auction. I have seen tempers get very heated when someone tries to write a final bid in after the auction is closed. And the best way to keep that from happening is to have your volunteers at the ready to grab those bid sheets as soon as the auction closes.
Buy it now
Another task your auction floaters or assistants can help you with is to mark buy it now items as sold. With any item, whether it's a bid sheet or an online auction, you can set a buy it now price. The price is typically anywhere from 150 to 300 times the fair market value of the item. Not everything on your auction should have a buy it now option.
For instance, items that are really popular, maybe you have sold-out concert tickets, you should let those ride and see how high the bidding goes. But for other items, if a donor is willing to pay a premium for that item and they don't want to wait till the end of the night to see how high the bidding goes or wait to see if they've won, they can simply pay more to buy it now.
I keep a stash of slips of paper in my event kit that say sold on them. I create these slips by putting the word sold over and over again in a word document, as if I were printing large mailing labels. I print that out on red paper, so it really stands out, and then cut them into little slips of paper that say sold.
Your auction floater or assistant can take those slips of paper and attach it to the display stand for any item that has been bought
For an online auction, it's not a necessary step to add a sold sign because people will see through the app or the platform that the item is no longer available. However, it is a nice visual on the display table to show your audience how popular that item was and to remind them that they can buy it now for any item that has that option available.
If you're hosting a bid sheet auction, your auction assistants or floaters should pull the bid sheet and leave the display sheet on the table with a sold sign on it so that everyone knows that that item is no longer available.
Checkout volunteers and runners.
The checkout people are typically on a laptop or an iPad for an online auction. For a bid sheet auction they have squares, credit card readers, or a cash box, along with the bid sheets so that they can see who won.
The checkout volunteer's job is to confirm the items that the guest has won and take payment or make sure that the guest's credit card has gone through on the online auction.
They are the face of the checkout process, so they need to be friendly, calm under pressure, efficient, and they have to know the software or credit card processing system really well.
Auction runners grab the items a guest has won and bring it to the checkout table.
I like to assign one auction runner per checkout person so that there's a dedicated runner for each checkout. They work only with that person throughout the entire checkout process. The checkout person simply asks the runner to go grab an item number and bring it back to the checkout table. If a guest has won multiple items, the checkout person can use a post-it-note or slips of paper to write down the numbers so that the runner doesn't have to try to memorize several auction numbers.
They can use that slip of paper, go around and collect the items, bring them back to the checkout table. Runners can also help guests get items to their car if it's an especially a large item or if they've won a number of things.
I’ve found this is a great role for high school students who need volunteer service hours if the event is family friendly.
Merchandising your items
To make your auction look more appealing, there are some things you'll need or want that you should acquire or purchase in advance.
There are some basic things and then there are things that you can do to take your auction to the next level. We're going to talk about both.
I'm going to include links in the show notes to all the items that you can use to merchandise your auction. As I mentioned, if you use the links to order I get a tiny commission from that, so thank you.
The basics:
Plexi stands:
Every item should have, every auction item, should have a description sheet next to it. Whether you're hosting an online auction or one with bid sheets. The most common way to display bid sheets is using an 8. 5x11 acrylic sign holder. I call them plexi stands, because they're made of plexiglass.
They're lightweight and easy to use, but they can be somewhat expensive. At the time of this recording, which is fall of 2023, you can get 20 frames for about 64 on Amazon in the U. S.
If you're planning to host an annual auction or even more than one auction per year, and you have the space to store them, they are a good investment. I actually use them for more than just auctions. I use my PlexiStands a lot.
Easel back stands:
I had a client that had minimal available storage, so PlexiStands didn't work for them. So they used cardboard self-stick easel back stands.
It's a mouthful, and it's hard to explain what these are and look like, but I'm going to try to explain it as best I can. In a nutshell, these easel back stands look like you took the backing out of a picture frame, you set aside the glass in the frame, and you're just left with that backing. But instead of a fuzzy board, it's just a plain white sheet of cardboard, Cardstock, thick, thick cardstock.
You attach your display sheet to that cardboard using double stick tape or a glue stick. And then that cardboard has a little triangle flap on the back that folds out to hold it up like you would a picture. They are definitely more work than using a plexi stand, but they're less expensive.
It's around $16 for 50 of them, and they store flat. They're not as durable as a plexi stand, but they can be reused for a couple of years, depending on how well you take care of them. If you're still confused about what these easel stands look like, I'll post a photo on my Instagram page.
You can go and search Ripple Event Marketing to find and follow my page. Or you can go to the show notes, find the link, and take a look at those easel back stands on Amazon.
Card stock table tents
Another option that you don't have to store at all, it just gets recycled at the end of the night, and is very inexpensive is to simply put your item display information on a half sheet of cardstock and fold it like a table tent.
The downside to this is that It's probably going to be more work because if you're using auction software, the display sheets typically print in 8.5 by 11 format and are usually not editable. They are made to go in plexi stands, or the easel back stands, because that's what most people do. That's what most people use.
If you went the table tent route, you'd have to create your own template and then do a mail merge, add photos. It's just an extra step. The other downside to this method is that the display sheet, when it's folded in half like a tent, isn't as visible on the table as a tall plexi or easel back stand.
So you'll have to make the decision based on your available storage and budget. And future needs.
Next level
If you want to take your auction to the next level, it's all about levels. If everything is in a single row on your table, it can look a little boring, so add levels to your auction display
And again, it goes back to that merchandising. So, if you have a volunteer that's great at merchandising, pretty much all you have to do is provide the supplies and they do the rest.
Here are the items you can use to merchandise your auction. I'll start with the free stuff that you might already have on hand, and then I'll tell you about some things you can purchase.
Free stuff
A bag of rice or beans can actually be a really easy, inexpensive tool to use for your auction display. You have to put them under a tablecloth. You don't want to have a bag of rice or beans sitting out. But you put them under the tablecloth and then you can use them to prop things up.
You can stack them, if needed, or use a single bag of rice or beans under the tablecloth to prop up items.
You can also use a 2x4 board, or I guess any size board really, and cans of soup to make a riser. This also needs to be put under a tablecloth. It can really elevate parts of your display. Just make sure that your board is very flat and that that riser is stable and fits the item that you want to put on it
And the last are empty boxes. You can't put anything heavy on them, super heavy But you can cover them with a tablecloth, or you can wrap them in wrapping paper or craft paper to use as a level or a riser
Items for purchase.
Think of these things as investments. Don't purchase them unless you have the space to store them, and you think you're going to use them more than once or more than one year. I have every one of these things. but I coordinate multiple auctions per year.
So for me, it makes sense. For you, it might not.
Acrylic cubes or risers.
They can be used to elevate parts of your display. And there are a few reasons I like them.
They don't have to be covered up. You don't have to have a tablecloth. And they don't distract from the item. It's a clear display. It really makes your item pop. And these acrylic risers and cubes have a variety of uses.
I've used them behind items to prop them up, or to display smaller items that might get lost on a full auction table. Just like in a museum, when you see something on a riser, it really draws your eye
Tabletop easels.
They can be used to hold trays, artwork, books, anything that looks better standing up than lying flat. Next are clipboards. if you're hosting an auction with bid sheets, putting the bid sheet on a clipboard can make the table look a little nicer. And it makes it easier for your volunteer to grab that bid sheet when the auction closes.
I've coordinated many auctions where an item will come with some type of certificate of authenticity. You could put the certificate on a clipboard, and you can either set that on the table, or if you want to take it up a notch, you can put the clipboard on a tabletop easel for display and make it really stand out.
Jewelry stands.
There has been at least one piece of jewelry on nearly every single auction I've coordinated since 2010. That's a lot of auctions. It's typically a necklace, but I've also had earrings or bracelets.
If you find that you have one type of jewelry on your auction each year, purchasing a stand for that type of jewelry is a good investment. I have a necklace stand.
Ball holders
A popular auction item is getting signed sports balls. And trying to display a ball, whether it's signed or not, can be a challenge. I've had footballs, soccer balls, signed baseballs. But if you really want to call attention to that ball, especially if it's signed, there are these acrylic ball stand holders, and they're nice because they're small, easy to store, and are relatively [in]expensive.
Mannequins or busts.
This is a nice to have, not a need to have item, but I have a half mannequin that I call Auction Annie. She's armless and headless, and I use her to display t shirts, hockey or football jerseys, sometimes scarves.
I've also used her to display branded t shirts or sweatshirts the client is selling at the event as merch.
If you don't have the budget to purchase display items at retail prices, check out Facebook Marketplace for used items. Another option is to see if you have a store in your area that sells used retail display items.
I have one in my city. That's where I got Auction Annie. These stores typically have everything we mentioned. They have mannequins, risers, cubes, jewelry displays, and more. The price of each item is dependent on how many they have available and the condition of the item. Items that are a little more banged up tend to be cheaper, but if it's going to be covered up with something, like a mannequin wearing a t shirt, it might not matter.
If you have a store like this, in your area, it's worth a visit because it can be pennies on the dollar compared to buying retail, so check it out.
What to do with items that don’t get picked up after the auction
Picture this. The auction is closed. You no longer have a line at the checkout. Guests are heading for the exit and you start tearing down the auction. You notice that there are five items still on the auction table. What do you do?
Before we talk about what you do that night, let's back up. Because before you launch your auction, you need a plan for guests that don't pick up their items. It happens more often than you'd think, and especially if you're hosting an online auction and bidding is open to anyone. That person who won the item might not even be at the event.
So, before you launch your auction, you should create a plan for how items will get to the people who don't pick them up that night. With most online auctions, you can put these instructions on the auction site, put it on there once, and it will show up as a detail under each auction item.
You can also put this information in a confirmation email that goes to all winning bidders.
Here's the language I use, so feel free to copy it. I'll have this information for you in the show notes. If you're outside the U. S., you'll have to adjust it for your location. But here's how it goes.
Items not picked up at the event will be available for pickup at____________(location), on ___________(date) from _______(start time) to _______ (end time).
Gift cards can be mailed to you free of charge via USPS (U. S. Postal Service). Shipment of items can be arranged via ______________(your preferred carrier e.g. UPS or FedEx) and you will be charged market rate.
Please note that gift baskets, alcohol, and large items cannot be shipped and must be picked up. Please contact us at, and then you insert your email address and phone, if you'd like us to mail or ship your items.
So, if a guest wants you to ship their item, you have to figure out what that's going to cost and collect payment from them in advance before you ship it. I would not go on any kind of honor system. So, make sure you find out what it's going to cost from your carrier and charge them, preferably with a credit card. Get their payment and then ship it to them.
The very last line is “please contact us if you'd like us to mail or ship your items.” I would not assume that, if they didn't pick it up that night, that they want you to mail it or to ship it.
Wait to hear from them. You might have to follow up, but wait to hear from them if that's the case, even if it's a certificate. They may be planning to come to your scheduled pickup and just grab the certificate then. So, don't assume.
For nonprofits that are entirely volunteer-based, where you have no office or no physical location, you can reserve rooms for free at local libraries, or at least that's the case here in the Twin Cities. You can reserve rooms at coffee shops, that might come with a small fee, or you can ask a local retailer or even one of your event sponsors if you can use either part of their office space or a remote part of their parking lot for auction pickup, if it's a time of year or place where it's good weather.
Just make sure that for auction pickup there's at least two people on hand. You want two people for safety, to stave off boredom, and just for general, for bathroom breaks and other things.
Okay, now we're back to the night of the event. You're on your euphoric high because the event has ended, it went well. You have your five items left. But guess what? You're not panicking. Because you have a pickup plan after the event.
Before you start packing up, set those five items aside, or however many it is you have left. Set them aside. You'll want to load them up last.
The winning bidder could actually still be in the building if they're at your event. They could be chatting with another guest, going to the bathroom, grabbing their coat.
If those items are still left, everybody's gone, those are still left at the end of the night, you can assume the person is not there and they're not going to pick it up and that they will either show up on your designated pickup date or they'll contact you to have that item mailed or shipped per your instructions.
Whew! That was a lot of information. As always, you can go to the show notes at thatsoundslikeaplan.net and everything will be written out for you.
Listener Action Item
There are seven steps to this action item.
Step #1 - A month or more prior to your event, decide when to open and close your auction. You're going to want to figure this out fairly early on because you need to communicate this with guests. Make sure you close your auction prior to the fund need or ask and take any surrounding holidays into account.
Step #2 - If you haven't already, use the Goldilocks method to determine your ideal number of auction items and then talk to your venue about the numbers and types of tables that they have available. Work with your venue rep to create a layout for that number of items. And be sure to find out if table linens are included if you find out the conditions of those tables are not great.
Step #3 - Determine your volunteer needs and recruit volunteers for the day of the event.
Step #4 - Purchase the items that you plan to use for your auction to merchandise and display it, including plexi stands, easel backed cardboard stands, or just cardstock to make those table tent displays. You want one display sheet per item.
Step #5 - Create a seamless process for checkout and put together clearly written instructions for your volunteers. Learn how to check out guests through your auction software, if you're using it, and document easy to follow, step by step instructions using screenshots and visuals whenever you can for your volunteers. If you're not doing an online auction, determine how you're going to accept payment and write down those instructions.
Step #6 - Create your sold tags to put on the buy it now items.
Step #7 - Determine your procedure for items that don't get picked up at the end of the night. As I said, you can feel free to copy my language that I use on auction sites. Tweak it, put it on your site, and put it in all your communications with potential bidders.
Coming up in the series…
Part Four - Post Auction Duties.
Holy buckets, you're almost there. Almost done. But even when you're done, the night of the event, it's still not over. There are still a few things left to do to wrap up the auction. And we're going to talk about what those tasks are in the next episode.
Part Five - Should I Have a Live Auction?
A live auction has the potential to raise more money for your organization.
But live auctions come with added duties and costs, and they're also not suitable for all types of events. We're going to talk about that and more in episode 36, which is the final part in this five-part auction series.
But don't worry about that for now. Just start going through your listener action item list to start preparing for your day of auction details.
Now that sounds like a plan. Thank you so much for listening. I'll see you next time..
LINKS
Ep. 32_Preparing to Host an Auction (Part 1 of auction series)
Ep. 33 - Online Auction Basics (Part 2 of auction series)
RIpple Event FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/RippleEventMktg
Ripple Event Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rippleeventmktg/
Podcast Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thatsoundslikeaplan
PRODUCT LINKS*
These are the supplies I use for auctions. *Each item contains a link to purchase it on Amazon. Please note that I get a small commission if you use my links to purchase any of these items.
Bundling & tagging items
Display & Merchandising items
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