Lessons From Motivate Monday | Mobile bidding, yay or nay? Sherry Truhlar shows us the way…

April 30, 2019


In the age of the internet, we have this idea that online works better for accomplishing what we want. It’s quicker, it’s easier, and it gets things done. When it comes to silent auctions, it’s easy to understand why so many nonprofits would be drawn to mobile bidding. We’ve become so used to doing things on our phones. Why not add charitable bidding to that never-ending list?

Well, actually, there are plenty of reasons why not.

Luckily for us, just last month, we had charity auction extraordinaire Sherry Truhlar as a Motivate Monday guest. Sherry is an auction facilitator, auctioneer, and fundraising educator. During her session, she provided some invaluable insight into why mobile bidding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sherry laid out a compelling case for why she’s actually not a fan of mobile bidding for most silent auctions, and she addressed some of the myths (hype!) surrounding the practice. Her wisdom is backed by concrete evidence gained through working with a number of other organizations over the years, from schools to small nonprofits.

For those who’ve not yet forayed into mobile bidding territory, Sherry provided a useful virtual walkthrough of what a typical scenario looks like. One of my favorite takeaways from Sherry’s presentation is her point about what mobile bidding does and does not do. First off, it’s task-based. It helps to simplify tasks. It gets rid of bidding sheets and creates a more seamless experience. But mobile bidding doesn’t build relationships. Technology tools rarely have the capacity to replace human relationships. Mobile bidding draws our eyes to our phones, not each other. And when it comes to fundraising, aren’t relationships what it’s all about?

Sherry packed the full 411 into a fun power half hour, and you can find it in entirety below.  So kick back with your beverage of choice to watch and listen when you get a chance!

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