Profile of a Bidder Buddy: The Silent Auction Game-Changer
In my last post, The Not-So-Silent Auction, I presented the idea of re-inventing the silent auction with Smart Auction Technology. If you’re looking for a little transformation for your auction, you’ve come to the right place. As you’re planning and executing a “Not-So-Silent Auction,” there are several new ideas on the table. While these ideas didn’t really apply to the traditional silent auction, now the stars (and technology) are aligned, so they can have a huge impact on your fundraising success.
We believe that the most successful auctions result from the best catalog of auction items. Our Auction Experts are a wellspring of ideas for how to build a successful auction catalog, and you can read some of their blog posts on that very topic here.
Here’s the catch: your auction items are not jumping off the tables to sell themselves. Even with the perfectly-crafted catalog, bidder engagement is KEY. Because of that, there is one subset of people in the room that I want to focus on: the “bidder buddies,” or those volunteers who are tasked with helping bidders navigate your new (and improved) silent auction.
At the most basic level, bidder buddies are there to help event attendees bid on your auction items. And, if your auction includes In-room Mobile Bidding, their job is to help attendees with a quick lesson on how to bid from their mobile devices, what we like to call a “one-bid learning curve.” However, bidder buddies’ real strength is in how they can affect the competitive dynamic at your silent auction, by using a borrowed (and slightly modified) technique from the worlds of retail and hospitality – the fine art of “upselling.”
So, what makes an ideal bidder buddy? First, you want to look for volunteers who aren’t afraid to be social and outgoing. The best schmoozer you know should be on your list. If you have a volunteer who is shy and reserved, find them a different job. Your bidder buddies are going to be proactive, not reactive. It’s a whole different ballgame now…
Ready to serve. When your attendees walk in the room, is that bidder buddy looking for a way to connect with them? Smiling, saying hello, asking if the attendee needs any assistance – these are things the bidder buddy can start with. You can help your volunteers get ready for this with some simple training. Get your group together for pizza or coffee, and do some role-playing.
Ready to connect. The best bidder buddies are eager to connect with people. Encourage volunteers to get to know attendees a little better. Asking a couple of questions and showing genuine interest will go a long way toward understanding what bidders like and want. Ultimately, you want bidder buddies and bidders to form a partnership. If a bidder buddy takes note of the items someone is interested in and can gauge how much they want to spend, they can provide a valuable service, to both that bidder and your organization.
Able to turn up the heat. Bidder buddies can help ignite your attendees’ psychological instincts to win, and this competitive drive helps you get more bids and raise more money. Live auctioneers are masters at creating this environment during the live auction, and now your bidder buddies can bring that spark to the silent auction. The goal is to help more people get more competitive earlier in the night. Checking back in with bidders, suggesting other items they might be interested in, sharing tidbits about those who are placing the highest bids or how much money the auction has raised at strategic points are all ways that you can keep bidders engaged and coming back to bid again. Brainstorm with your team about how your bidder buddies might be able to turn up the competitive heat as they work the room.
Show your bidder buddies some love. Consider incenting your bidder buddies by rewarding them for their efforts based on bids placed or dollars raised. Set goals for each bidder buddy and gather the team to recap, again over pizza or coffee (food always makes people happy). See how many bids each person helped to get in the system and estimate how much money that represents. The numbers don’t have to be exact, but showcasing the value of the team’s efforts will make everyone feel good. Also, gather ideas from your team to put towards the next event. What worked? What didn’t? Were there missed opportunities, and if so, how might you overcome those obstacles next time?