You’ve penciled in your bid during a silent auction, you’ve raised your paddle at a live auction, but have you experienced a Super Silent Auction
You’ve penciled in your bid during a silent auction, you’ve raised your paddle at a live auction, but have you experienced a Super Silent Auction – the mix of a Keno game and live auction. Guests at Natural High’s Sunset Splash Gala had the opportunity to experience first-hand the excitement of a Super Silent Auction, which helped raise over $200,000 to support local and national Natural High® Programs.
How it Works – The Super Silent Auction starts similar to a Keno game with bid sheets scattered around the bar and standing tables for guests to fill out. Guests are encouraged to fill out and turn in the bid sheets to “The Board.” As new bids are made, “The Board” gets updated with the newest bid. Toward the end of the reception/evening, depending on how you schedule the Super Silent Auction, bid sheets stop being accepted and your auctioneer turns the Super Silent Auction into a live auction, with the current bid as the new starting bid.
Set-Up – “The Board” is a way of displaying or projecting the current bids in a way that all guests can easily view – this is key. At the Sunset Splash Gala, we had a board raised above the crowd which was updated each time a new bid was turned in. In addition, we highlighted the six Super Silent Auction items on boards above the silent auction, keeping these items viewable throughout the reception was pertinent.
Timing – At the Sunset Splash Gala, the Super Silent Auction took place during the reception and wrapped up just as guests where invited into the main room for dinner and the live auction. The “mini live auction” at the end of the Super Silent was a great warm up for what was still to come.
Super Silent Auction Items – Items that don’t make it into the live auction but deserve more attention then the silent auction are ideal for a Super Silent Auction.
All proceeds from the Sunset Splash Gala were used to directly support local and national Natural High® Programs, which focus on encouraging youth to discover and pursue their natural highs and reject drugs.
