How to Encourage Group Bidding on Expensive Nonprofit Auction Items?

Dear Charity Clairity,

With an expensive Live Auction item, how do you get multiple people to bid together on one item they will enjoy together? For example, the item may be an Aruba trip in a 3-bedroom condo.

– Don’t Want to Waste Best Items

Dear Don’t Want to Waste,

Kudos for planning ahead to maximize the revenue you receive from the auction items you worked so hard to secure. It can be frustrating and demoralizing (both for the folks who solicited the items and the folks who donated them) when items don’t fetch top value.

But, many charities may not have constituents capable of making the types of bids that would cover the full value of, say, a $7,500 vacation. Or, perhaps they are capable, but haven’t been paying attention or are not particularly interested. Part of your job is to capture bidder attention.

Pique bidders’ interest early and often

Underlying your question is this truth: Most people don’t make spur of the moment “big purchase” decisions. If the night of the auction is the first time they’re presented with an opportunity to buy a big trip (or any other big-ticket item), they just won’t be ready to come to this decision. Here’s how to help bidders get over the decision-making hump – before and during the auction.

Make bidding easily approachable

Selling a trip can be tricky. Aside from the price, most Americans don’t have a lot of vacation time. They may be skeptical the opportunity you’re offering is worth their investment. They think about not just the immediate cost, but also the lost opportunity cost (in other words, other possible places to which they could have traveled).

Make the opportunity sound “one-of-a-kind” wonderful

Spend some time crafting an enticing description of the item. Use strong verbs and adjectives (e.g., indulge, discover, explore, savor, escape, luxurious, exclusive, handcrafted, limited-edition, award-winning). If it’s been donated by one of your donors, learn what’s unique about the property and destination so you can promote it on your website, social media and pre-event emails. Perhaps it’s only available once annually. Or it comes with housekeeping, an add-on chef and use of a car. Or it’s the only property in the area with a private plunge pool, hot tub and direct beach access.

Explain a bit about the location and sights

Emphasize moments, not just logistics. You might talk about what the donors have suggested the winner will want to do there. “Rent a car so you can go explore these amazing locations.” “It’s 10 minutes from the airport. You’ll be on the beach, in the sand, in just a flash.” “The famed Sunday market in town is a stroll away – a great place for fresh produce and local art.”

Make it sound easy as pie to get there

Use a map in your pre-event messaging, and on poster boards and slide shows at the event. “This is where Aruba is located. There are direct flights from several local airports, including X, Y and Z. You can easily take a day trip to…”

Prepare your auctioneer with some extra content tidbits

For example, you can check YouTube videos and online travel platforms to offer up some facts about native flora and fauna, traditional food, local shopping and other alluring details that paint a picture bidders will want to enter into. “And, they also have the most amazing scuba diving where you can go to see fish you won’t see anyplace else!” “They have a 3-star Michelin restaurant that’s a destination on its own!”

Use your auction committee to plant the seeds – for donations and purchases

The best auctions have the advantage of a great volunteer committee behind them. Make your committee large enough you have plenty of folks who can both offer and solicit items. Be sure to hold several brainstorming sessions in advance of the event so members can piggyback ideas off of one another.

Brainstorm items

A successful auction is all about having items that will (1) fetch a good price, and (2) resonate with your particular audience. For silent auctions, restaurants, wine, theater and sports events tend to do well. But for live auctions, your items should be something it would be hard to purchase anyplace else. Experiences do the best: a spectacular vacation property; dinner for 8 cooked by a celebrity chef; box seats for the World Series; the opportunity to conduct the local symphony, and so forth.

I can recall a meeting where one committee member suggested she could donate a meal cooked in-home by her private chef. Then two other members said they could offer the same thing! This was followed by another member offering up a flight on their private jet! Who knew?

Brainstorm selling ideas

Spend some time spit-balling how you’ll entice bidders. This is where you might bring up the notion of several bidders joining together on an item. It’s possible several committee members who are friends may jump on this idea. Or they may have friends or family members to pitch it to. The key is to get potential bidders thinking about this in advance, so they have a plan for the night of the auction.

Marketing strategies to prepare your guests for bidding

1. Email marketing

Rather than linking to all items simultaneously, big ticket marketing works best when you highlight live auction items individually. Use an enticing subject line to inspire opens (e.g., “Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime getaway.”). Link to your amazing description with pictures, testimonials, and even a video. You can even suggest: “This would be perfect for a family or friends getaway!”

2. Social media works

Storytelling is the best approach. For example, you can tell how excited you are to have just secured the exclusive summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Generous, who are offering up their amazing (“and this is what you have to look forward to”) Aruba condo. The more you do in advance, the more time interested folks have to talk their friends and family into joining them!

3. Event displays and descriptions

Use poster boards, or an interactive video screen, with a sensuous description and images. This also serves as entertainment for guests. Make sure you also have a printed program or handout. Different sources suggest items sell for 30% to 50% more when there are written descriptions at your tables. When people can see, hear, feel, taste and touch the item, it helps them trust they are making a good decision to bid on it.

4. Video on stage

During the selling process, it helps when folks can visually imagine themselves on the beach, at the pool, or sitting around the firepit. It gets them to care, so they’ll want to bid more – and continue bidding until they win!

Hopefully this will help you not waste all the benefits your item has to offer!

P.S. See more about What Elevates A Live Auction From Good To Great?

– Charity Clairity