Silent Auction bidding!

I see it, MUST have it, but how do I bid?

Perhaps you are new to the silent auction style of fund-raiser, perhaps your head is too full of useful new data about your profession from that session you just left.  And now, there you are, standing before the Shhh…Silent Auction! donations, yearning to bid yet  uncertain how to proceed!  Fret not, here is your primer on how to bid.

Shh… Silent Auction! consists of prizes (lots) that will be won by the highest bidder for that lot.  Each lot is one or more items with a description and a bid sheet listing the lot’s stated value, its minimum bid and increment the bid advances.  To bid, write your name and your bid on the next available line of the bid sheet, increasing the bid over the previous one by at least the increment stated on the bid sheet.  For example, if the minimum bid is $40 with an increment of $5 and the previous bid is $55, your bid must be at least $60.  The final, highest bid on the sheet wins the lot.

At 6:30 on Saturday night bidding closes and the bid sheets will be collected by volunteers, recognizable by the Shhh…Silent Auction! buttons they will be wearing.  Volunteers will also be on hand to assist bidders during the finale.  Bidding begins once the lots are set up in the Exhibits Hall Friday morning (March 25) until closing at 4:30 p.m.  Bidding resumes at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 26, until 6:30 p.m.

Saturday evening slake your end-of-the-week thirst at the CASH BAR starting at 6:00 p.m. as we count down to the finale.  After the bidding closes, and while the winners are determined, we invite you to participate in or be entertained by the Jeopardy! game show in the same venue.

Winning bidders may pay with cash, check or MasterCard or Visa at the “check out” table at the finale.  You do not have to be present to win, however, we urge to you attend and keep an eye on your bids.  You wouldn’t want to be outbid because you didn’t attend and someone else topped your bid, would you?  All winners must claim and pay for lots no later than 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 27 at the Registration Desk.  If you wish to ship the items home, this can be done through the business center at the hotel on Monday (business center is closed on Sunday), or through the FedEx Kinko’s located on 8th Street and Marquette Avenue (3 blocks from the hotel) which is open 24/7.

Know ahead of time what is up for bid by visiting the Shhh…. Silent Auction! photo gallery . More items are being donated all the time so visit frequently.  Practice signing your name clearly (printing is preferred, so we can read it!) and come prepared to outbid for that special item– because it’s just gotta go home with YOU!  Finally, a reminder and a plea for items to be shipped, arriving by March 11.  We hope to not be slammed by the arrival of multitudes of donations at the conference- our plan is to form them into lots ahead of time, when we have time to do it thoughtfully.

Empress Patti, Janice, Julie and Allan

Next week- well, tune in to find out!