Best Practices: During the Event
Display Bids on a Large Screen:
- A leaderboard can be projected on a big screen for all guests to see, keeping them informed of current bidding levels, time remaining in the auction, and who sponsors are. A dedicated laptop ensures the leaderboard is on display throughout the event.
Master of Ceremonies:
- A Master of Ceremonies can be very effective at letting the attendees know about the silent auction, keeping them informed of:
- How to access the mobile auction
- Some of the amazing items available
- Highlight some of the bids and who has made them
- Items that have no or minimal bids
- How much time is left in the auction (30 minute and 15 minute warnings)
- A count-down in the last 60 seconds
- How the system will email and/or text all winners with an invoice and payment instructions
right to their phone, so they can skip the lineup.
Broadcast to Patrons:
- Use the broadcast tools within the system to send out messages of encouragement, perhaps between 30 to 15 minutes prior to closing.
Closing & Checkout:
- Have a laptop at the checkout desk, so the administrator can monitor results, edit bids if required, and provide general help to the small number of guests who may have issues or questions. This laptop can also be used to record payments by cash or cheque in the system, and to process split payments. A printer is optional, for those guests that may want a printed invoice or receipt acknowledging payment.
- Consider having two lines at the checkout desk – one for payment, and one for item pickup. Those that have paid on their phones don't have to wait.
- Should winning bidders miss the announcements and line up to pay, have a volunteer walk down the lineup and explain how they can pay on their phones and skip the line.
- Stripe takes fraud very seriously, but may block some payments that their fraud detection algorithm thinks are “high risk”. You may have to process payments manually, or perhaps the patron has an alternative credit card. Some payments may have an “elevated” risk, and will be placed in a “review” queue for your attention (see your Stripe dashboard.)