Part 1: Raise More with the Perfect Bid Paddle
A Three-Part Step-by-Step Guide to Designing the Perfect Bid Paddle for Your Event Live Auction and Paddle Raise
Your fundraising event is more than a fancy evening out—it’s a powerful opportunity to connect your audience with your mission, raise critical funds, create lasting relationships and steward your donors.
At the heart of your gala’s most impactful moments—the Live Auction and Paddle Raise—are the bid paddles. Your bid paddles are powerful tools that enable your guests to say “I believe in this cause, and I’m here to make a difference”. They are symbols of generosity, connection and purpose.
In this three-part step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to create a bid paddle that raises more money. In this first post, we’ll cover the basics of design. In post two, we’ll cover how best to distribute your paddles at your event. We’ll also talk about sponsorship strategies that can fully cover my fee as your auctioneer. In our final post, we’ll cover how to best prepare your guests to get busy with their paddle! This is hands-on, practical advice learned through building my own half-million gala as well as conducting almost 400 gala and event auctions over the past decade. These tips will help you maximize your gala’s bottom line.
Who wants to raise more for their nonprofit? Read on…
Step 1: Get the Design Right
The design of your bid paddle needs to balance form and function. Here’s how to get it just right:
1.1 Size Matters:
The perfect sized bid paddle is the same as a sheet of paper—8.5” by 11”— and slightly thicker so it is a card stock. Any bigger and your bid paddle is a clownish placemat that just annoys your donors and gets in the way all night. Any smaller and it can get lost in the room. No stick needed.
1.2 Big, Bold Numbers:
The paddle’s primary purpose is to be seen—clearly and quickly. Use a clean, sans-serif font in a large size. Your auctioneer needs to spot paddle numbers from across the room, often in dim lighting and during fast-paced bidding. As much as you might love to use the cutest font out there, this is not the moment you want a 3 to look like an 8 or a 5 like a 6.
1.3 Landscape Print:
This enables you to make the numbers bigger as well as fit other important information on the front.
1.4 Start with 100 and Go Up:
It’s just easier and faster for your auctioneer. Numbers that begin with two zeros are cumbersome. If you have more than 900 guests—great problem!—go above 1000.
1.5 Personalize It and Raise More:
This point is so important. It was the whole reason I starting writing this post in the first place. Add each guest’s name below the number. Why? First, if your guests don’t have a paddle when the time is right, there is very little chance they are going to make a gift to your organization-–even if they are motivated in the most powerful part of your program. I have seen so many events where paddles with no personalization are simply abandoned – on high boys, at the bar, even in the garbage can in the bathroom.
I came across this table in the cocktail space at a recent event. Just one table of many with paddle after paddle abandoned, unable to do their job.
To Reiterate (because it’s so critical): Print each guest’s full name on their paddle. Guests are much less likely to misplace or abandon a paddle with their name on it. This is especially true if you can get your guests to register a credit card prior to the event or at registration.
Another reason why it is so important to personalize your paddles: As I move through the room, I will use many donor’s names to conduct what I like to call “instant stewardship”.
For example:
“Paddle number 242 at $10,000. Thank you, Maria, for your generous $10,000 gift!”
This adds a powerful, emotional moment of recognition and it drives others to crave that same recognition when they raise their paddle. This is “hand-to-hand combat” – I look donors in the eye, I thank them meaningfully, I have fun with them, complimenting their hair, their shoes, their dress, the fact that they tied their own bow-tie – whatever it takes to saythank you and create a joyful celebration of giving to your cause.
1.6 Consider Your Brand:
With all the above said, I encourage you to get creative. Look at this beautiful paddle used at a large dog rescue (left) or this bid paddle on a lanyard (right) which nailed it at a standing/mixer style event:
Expensive? Yep. Nailed the brand? Absolutely. Did it miss some of the points above? Sure did. Was that OK? Yes, it was. All rules are meant to be broken.
Can’t lose your paddle when you’re wearing it. And the lanyard nails the organization’s brand. They even managed to get the donor’s name on it, too!
Putting It All Together
So, what does the perfect bid paddle look like? My friends at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital nailed it!
Size 8.5” by 11”. Check.
Big, bold sans serif numbers. Check.
Landscape printed on card stock. Check.
Numbers starting at 100 and going up. Check.
Personalized with the guest’s name. Check (and an added bonus with Table Number for wayfinding).
Branded? Check
(with both the hospital logo and the gala logo.)
Perfection!
Pretty simple, right? Check out part two of this three-part series. Where we talk about all that open space on the back of your perfect bid paddle and what you can do with it. We’ll also cover the best way to get paddles in your guests’ hands so they can raise them into the air.
—Chris Hensley