SilentBid makes use of existing technology in everybody’s pocket, the ubiquitous mobile phone. If a guest can send a text or access a website, they can make a bid.

Bidding by phone

At a SilentBid auction, all bids are made using the guests' own mobile phones. Each lot in the auction is allocated a simple keyword (for example 'Madonna') and details of each lot, together with the current highest bids, are displayed on big screens at the event venue.

There are two ways to bid; using the interactive SilentBid app or by sending a text message to SilentBid containing the keyword and the amount of the bid. In a matter of seconds, SilentBid processes the bid, updates the highest bid tables on the screens to show the new bid amount. That's it!

This ability to bid by phone means that guests can do so from their table, from the bar or from anywhere at the venue. This makes bidding non-intrusive and encourages bidding throughout the event.

Making auctions fun and competitive

SilentBid's unique split screen presentation and high-quality HD graphics means that guests are always in touch with what's going on. One half of the screen scrolls information and pictures for each of the auction lots, while the other half of the screen shows a league table of highest bids and bidders.

A scrolling 'ticker' at the bottom of each screen keeps guests informed of new bids and any important information about your event, plus details of any items that have yet to meet their reserve prices. Guests therefore have continuous, visual and non-intrusive feedback on whether they are winning or losing.

As the evening progresses and the bids change, the competition mounts and the bids increase. The fact that guests can continue to bid on items without even interrupting a conversation means it's the perfect formula for maximizing fund-raising!