I’m guessing you’ve probably organized, witnessed, or participated in a silent auction in your lifetime.
Over the years I’ve been to several charitable events that include a silent auction as part of their fundraising strategy, and I’ve always struggled with the mix of thoughts and feelings that come with the bidding process.
Yes, I want to give.
I also want to win.
Even better if I win something at a bargain price.
Then the guilt sets in. If I win something at a low price, then the nonprofit isn’t getting as much money from me. And that feels crappy for me and even crappier for them. And what about the person or company that donated the item and sees it go for a “steal” when they were hoping it would generate contributions for the cause they care about?
If I don’t place the winning bid, I am bummed because I didn’t get to support the cause nor did I get the item or service I really wanted. Now, don’t get me wrong. I usually find another way to make a donation, but still…there’s got to be a better way, doesn’t there?
As a long-time follower of Seth Godin, I am intrigued by his launch of a recent brainchild, GOODBIDS. In a nutshell, the concept is a positive auction where everyone wins. Here’s how it works. A nonprofit creates an auction through GOODBIDS. The catch is that EVERY bid is a non-refundable donation to the charitable cause. The highest bidder gets the reward, every bidder gets the satisfaction of supporting a good cause, and charities get more contributions and more donors, which means more opportunity to do their important work of changing lives for the better.
I’m really curious to know what my friends in the nonprofit sector think of this idea. Yay? Nay? Why or why not?
Please share your thoughts below, so we can learn and grow from each other. And for more information on GOODBIDS, check out their website here or check out a recent blog post by Seth that goes into more detail here.
Hat Tip to Your Success,
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