Bid Cards - They are your friend

Bid cards come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and branding you can imagine – but there are clear winners conducive to raising money and ensuring your auction team gets the right number, every time. For the best bid numbers, follow the four B’s: Big, Bold, Black, and Block.

Big

This is fairly self-explanatory, but it bears repeating again…and again. If you don’t believe me, print something in 20-pt font then read it from 20 yards away. Your auctioneers are good, but we don’t have x-ray vision! Make those numbers super-sized so we can read them in a snap. Remember, momentum is important at an auction, so don’t dampen it with tiny numbers. The best bid cards are 8.5”x11” and raised with spirit! 

Bold

We at TBF like our bid numbers like we like our coffee…BOLD! Numbers should be clearly legible front the front of the house all the way to the back. When donors bid from every spot in the room, bold numbers that are clear from anywhere are an auction team’s dream.  

Black

This one might sound a little silly, but trust us…colorful bid cards are no good. These often happen when a team decides to handwrite bid numbers then there aren’t enough black Sharpies to go around. Before you know it, your auctioneer is looking out across a sea of Skittles-inspired bid numbers. While we love colorful personalities, keep the bid numbers to a traditional black ink on white background! There are plenty of other opportunities to show off your organization’s signature color, so stick to the classic blank numbers on white paper for your bid cards.

Block

Fonts, fonts, fonts galore! But what is the best print for your bid numbers? Something clear with no frills. Skip the “themed” fonts and elegant script to match the rest of your gala and opt for an impactful block font. 

Other reminders

Always remember the 4 B’s, plus these helpful tips for the best bid cards:

·       Use 3-digit numbers – this is very important for maintaining rhythm!

·       Put your computer to work! Pass on the handwritten cards and go for printed numbers.

·       Use a minimum size of 5” x 7”. The bigger, the better!

Do your own test - take your bid cards and post it on a wall 50 feet away. If you can’t read it, better bid cards are needed.