Auction Tips

Triumph Over Resistance... Handbid Heroes Part 3

A story of how clients overcame resistance to have an amazing auction with Handbid mobile bidding
A story of how clients overcame resistance to have an amazing auction with Handbid mobile bidding

Throughout the year, we run into people who truly make us smile -- people who exemplify what we are all about. Ironically, most of them are our customers! So I am going to jump in here and add another post to a series called Handbid Heroes.

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Why Handbid?

There are many reasons why someone becomes a Handbid client. Just amuse me... because I am going to list a few. To make this even more fun... – just add the phrase “and so you see the need for mobile bidding” to the end of each one of these:

  • Your event has a LOT of items...(and so you see the need for mobile bidding...)
  • Your organization is holding its annual conference over multiple days...
  • Your event has a lot of last-minute changes or additions...
  • Your bidders that hide pencils, guard bid sheets and even cross out bids of other bidders (all totally true: I cannot make this stuff up)...
  • Your organization is made up primarily of volunteers who need a streamlined system to work with...
  • You run multiple auctions throughout the year and see the importance of keeping all the data in 1 place...
  • You love being fun, technical and relevant...
  • You realize that change is going to make some people uncomfortable and you are ok with that...
  • Your event needs an update, a facelift, a modernization, if you will…

This last reason is one we hear a lot and we applaud those who are willing to embrace change to make it happen - we call them Handbid Heroes. We also love to share their story - which I am going to do here...

BOYCOTT THE AUCTION - LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN THE CAR

One thing I love about my job is that my clients often become my friends. Why not? We talk a lot. Often more than we should (perhaps) - but hey, that is why Handbid customers return to us every year.

While I connect with some customers on Linkedin/Facebook/Instagram, most just have an "event-focused" relationship with me. In fact, we often joke about it. It is not uncommon for me to talk to my clients daily or weekly leading up to their event. We talk strategy, tactics, personal issues and sometimes I just (very plainly) become their counselor as they struggle to keep things (including themselves) together and push for positive change.

Possible overshare here: one of my clients goes to Pilates class on Tuesdays at 8am, one just celebrated her grandson’s 1st birthday, one is preparing for her daughter’s wedding in September. I have shared recipes, given “teacher gift ideas”, and have even connected 2 different clients who knew one another in high school! So, as a result, we become temporary BFF’s and during this time…they tell me things.

We, at Handbid, counsel to the elite, the progressive-thinkers, the visionaries, the pioneers – those of you who see how your event needs to change, but are met with hard-line “no’s” and excessive negativity. We even wrote a blog about how to combat the negativity and push for change that we often reference.

So back to my story....

Last fall, I was working with a client (a delightful woman – and the president of her organization). She had also recruited an astute and confidant “right-hand woman”/volunteer; and between the 2 of them, I had great aspirations for their event. Then, “The E-Mail” showed up in my inbox.

My client, (my temporary BFF), forwarded me an email she received from one of her Board Members that might have been mistaken for an argument not to live on the moon, but was actually a letter expressing his extreme displeasure in the decision to move to mobile bidding. It had phrases ranging from “most of us will be totally unprepared” to “my phone will be in the car where it belongs” and, of course, she just had to share it with someone. Why not her auction change counselor (me)?

Well, of course, I called her. Because a) she was my temporary BFF and b) So many of our clients have faced a similar situation and we want them to know that they are not alone.

She and I talked about the E-Mail and I encouraged her to stay the course. She did, and the auction was a great success. What was even more rewarding was that this Board Member, (the one who planned to keep his phone in the car), well...he had a change of heart. He followed the instructions she sent out via email (2 days before the event, mind you) and downloaded the app, created a Handbid account and EVEN placed bids BEFORE the event even began. In the end, he won a silent auction item and a live auction item. And, while we cannot deduce his actual level of fun based on my Fun Scale of 1-10, he did not do any more complaining.

So while we love the awesome Handbid success stories that often occur, that path is often wrought with frustration and politics. We get it - in fact, Handbid's founders encountered the same challenges with their Board when launching Handbid for the first time!

So we feel it is particularly important to share these success stores, because the triumph over the politics is often as great as the outcome of the auction! And, we also know that you may be facing the same challenges. Don't give in - if your gut tells you this is the right move- well then make it!

So what is the secret here? Over and over and over again, the only answer is perseverance, to stick to the plan and to be confident in your decision. In other words... be a Hero - because your organization needs one!

Do you want to be a Handbid Hero but are having trouble helping the Board or Committee see the vision you have for mobile bidding? Call us! We can strategize with you to create a plan!

-Diana

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