If you are wondering how to display gift cards at a silent auction for your charity or nonprofit organization, it means that you are way ahead of the game.
After all, if you are looking at this level of detail already, it’s safe to assume that you understand the intricacies of fundraising opportunities like live auctions, online auctions, and other donor-engagement events very well.
Displaying items on tables as part of a silent auction or during a fundraising event is a great way to generate extra funds while you have your venue all set up.
This type of set-up works very well for nonprofit organizations for various reasons.
First of all, it's an ideal offset point for donated items. Businesses and individuals may want to contribute to your cause by donating goods or services. A silent auction serves as a way to make their contributions visible while also making them available for bidding.
Additionally, a silent auction is a simple way to gain new prospects. Regular supporters could bring along friends and family who may place a bid. Once you have their contact details, your team can then contact them afterward to see if they want to become more involved.
However, to grab the attention of potential bidders, you need to display your items in a way that is appealing and eye-catching. This can be particularly difficult if you need to display gift cards for various services and experiences. How would you display a gift card for something like a helicopter ride or spa voucher?
Plain text on a white piece of paper isn’t going to catch anyone’s eye, right? So, it’s important to put a little thought and effort into how to display gift cards at a silent auction in the best way possible.
Here are a few tips and creative ideas for displaying gift cards at silent auctions to make them stand out and attract bidders.
Let's start with the basics. Before you start thinking about visual appeal and aesthetic arrangement, you need to ensure that all the relevant information is front and center. After all, the credibility of your organization, and the sustainability of future events, depend on an accurate representation of the contents and restrictions of each item you put up for bid.
No matter what cause your charity focuses on, all prospective silent auction participants tend to want the same information about the items available.
Ensure that your donors have a good understanding of what they are bidding on. To do so, tailor the display sheets for each item. These should feature:
Your title and intro line (short and snappy description of the item) should be in bold and in a bigger typeface.
Beneath that, the descriptive item information should really entice prospective bidders to put pen to paper. This is where you can get a little creative! Make sure that you present the benefits of the experience or voucher in an attractive way.
If your nonprofit organization has access to the services of a copywriter, this is a good time to use it! Professional writers know how to use persuasive language well. They can bring ideas and concepts to life in a concise, yet appealing way.
As such, it can really benefit your silent auction to have one of these word mavens on hand to write your gift card descriptions.
These days, many silent auction items come in the form of vouchers and gift cards. There are still occasions in which a benefactor may give a physical item to be auctioned off. But, these are less common.
As such, nonprofit teams need to rise to the challenge of creating an inspiring browsing experience around what are essentially 2D pieces of paper!
To get bidders to take the plunge, your approach should be to give them a taste of what they are ‘buying into’ when they put down their name.
For example, imagine you have a spa experience up for bid. You could dress the table in calming hues of white and green and add fresh flowers or a diffuser with a beautiful scent.
Adding pictures of the treatment rooms and playing some soft music could also generate some of the desired ambiance. This is sure to get people in the mood for a relaxing spa experience! Thus, they will want to place a bid.
Or, if you are auctioning off a stay at a wildlife resort, you could bring in elements and textures from nature that mimic the beauty of the bush.
You could also consider using a tablet or small digital screen to play video footage of the resort on a loop. This way, browsing bidders can truly see what they’ll experience if they win the gift card.
It all comes down to giving your prospective bidders a look at what their bid could get them if they were successful. Get creative and take some time to set the scene with colors and other elements. After all, the more bids you get, the better!
Nobody likes to be jostled, especially while browsing! So, it’s very important to ensure that there is plenty of room for bidders to walk around and consider their options in a leisurely fashion. They won’t want to wait in queues to see what’s available.
Make the entire process as friction-free as possible by placing your item installations on separate tables if possible.
Most donors and event attendees are extra cautious of crowds these days as social distancing remains the norm since the spread of COVID-19. So bear this in mind and make sure that you provide adequate space to ensure everyone is comfortable.
Getting to grips with how to display gift cards at a silent auction takes a little time and practice. But once you have it down, it can really make a difference in your bidding conversion rates.
Start by making all relevant info readily accessible so that people know exactly what they’re bidding on. Then, focus on creating an inspiring browsing experience to inspire people to bid!
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