Silent Auction Catalog Template and Playbook (PDF)

What's included

Catalog size ratios: how many items to list, worked out by guest count
Price ladder: tier-by-tier targets, so there's something for every budget
Starting bid and increment cheat sheet: set both as a share of fair market value
Description formula: lead with the experience, with before-and-after examples
Category and bundling tables: build variety, and combine similar items into packages
Photo requirements checklist: what every item needs to look its best
Staged launch plan: release your catalog in a way that builds anticipation
The playbook also includes a 60-second pre-launch audit.

List fewer items than you think. Oversized catalogs dilute bidder attention.
Build a price ladder, with at least three items under $100 and one or two anchor items above $500.
Use the cheat sheet to set every starting bid and bid increment.
Give every item at least three clear, well-lit photos.

FAQs and suggestions

Fewer than most organizers expect. Base your item count on your guest numbers, because an oversized catalog leaves items with a single bid or none.

Lead with the experience, not the object. Bidders aren't buying a voucher. They're buying the evening they imagine.

At least three. Photos are the first thing a bidder sees, and they do work that text can't.