The Professionals any auctions are executed entirely with the free labor of volunteers. Anyone who
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has planned events knows that as wonderful as volunteers are, some can disappoint and fail to deliver. Volunteers forget, get sick and have any number of crises that can derail the best of intentions. I have many stories but the one that is forever burned into my memory is the volunteer who was in charge of the end‐
of‐the‐night raffle. She left for the auction and forgot the raffle tickets and supplies on her kitchen table. Instead of immediately returning home to get them she flat out refused. Her husband offered to return home, other volunteers offered to return to her house and get them yet; still she refused to let anyone save the day. As you can imagine, the auction chair fumed all night and the story spread like wildfire through the volunteers. This volunteer parent became the focus of gossip for the rest of the night and I’m sure for a long time after the auction. It’s been 7 years and her name comes up every year when we discuss the raffle. She simply did not understand or care that we depended on her integrity. Every activity in the auction is done for a reason bigger than the activity itself. Excitement builds with each segment and every winner. The raffle was part of the bigger picture. The charity world has evolved into an
The auctioneer coaxes another bid from the guests as the MC stands by with the microphone.
amazing industry filled with a dozen services all designed with the intent of raising more money, having more fun and handling the nuts and bolts of the event. These are vendors and suppliers who design their products and services for planning events but may know little about how to raise money. In fact, some vendors and their staff actually block bidders from bidding and guests from giving. If you are going to use outside service providers it is important to determine if they can work cooperatively with other vendors and enhance the buying and giving activities.
Charity auctions almost always include a master of ceremony and catalog reader. Joining them are bid catchers, auction proceeds managers, sound and video providers, arena designers that supply décor and props, printing companies for catalogs, banners and signage, catering companies, bartenders and specialty beverage companies, dessert dash bakers, swag bag and gift suppliers, consignment services, valet and courtesy staff, shipping and delivery for buyers and even coat check services. Most of my clients use at least 6 professional vendors and a few use all of the above. I believe that once we solicit and accept donations from donors it is our responsibility to honor their contribution by the way we display it, talk about it and show it off before, during and after the auction. We must offer that donor nearly expert representation. The sales process or auctioning must be fair, simple and understood. Inventory and financial transactions must be kept and recorded and guests must be accommodated and managed and of course the production needs to be engaging and somewhat entertaining. Few volunteers have the experience, ability or inclination to provide the necessary services and support to make an auction come together for the desired results. It is simply easier to produce an event that uses experienced professional people and time tested procedures and tools.
The Raffle Ticket sellers standby as the master of ceremonies announcing the last chance to buy tickets during the live auction.
The Live Auction Method Auctioning is a sales method used to create a fair competition among buyers with the intention of gleaning the maximum amount of money the market will deliver during the selling period. The components of an auction sale require 3 aspects: •
A Legitimate Offering The items being sold must be honestly and accurately represented and transferred to the winning bidder under the conditions and representation at the time of the closing of the sale.
•
Qualified Buyers By registering to bid, buyers agree to pay the amount of money cried by the auctioneer either publicly or by written absentee bid or voice commitment by phone.
•
Legal Transfer of Money A sale is finalized by the auctioneer during active bidding and payment is due under the published terms and conditions of the sale.
If your organization plans on holding an upscale affair that will attract the support of businesses and donations of new merchandise then plan on surrounding the volunteers (free labor) with professional vendors (paid labor). Experienced vendors working cooperatively with the venue personnel, volunteers and each other are in a position to make the event planner and auction chairs’ vision a reality. More importantly these pros know what to do when something goes wrong.
The Master of Ceremonies announces the names of the raffle winner as the sponsor awards the prize.
The Sales Team The Auctioneer. Master of Ceremony. Catalog Reader. The point of my advice is to help you make money. So pay close attention. An auction is not an auction with out a real auctioneer. Period. I’ve never understood why anyone would spend weeks, months or a year planning an event called an “Auction” and then ask the principal, priest or banker to dress up and play auctioneer. Every auctioneer I’ve ever met can give you a hundred reasons why you should hire them and I agree 100% with what they say so I won’t waste your time or mine going on and on about it here. Plainly said, the odds that your auction will be successful greatly increase when a qualified auctioneer is at the podium.
I attended Missouri Auction School in 1992 and after graduation as part of my continued training I joined the National Auctioneer’s Association. The first convention I attended was held in Niagra Falls, New York in July of 1995. I caught a terrible cold the week before leaving Seattle and despite a horrific sore throat decided to make the trip. That summer the temperatures in the Buffalo area soared to record levels and the surrounding waterfalls did little to bring relief. I was so sick that I left the convention by noon every day to sleep off my fever and escape the heat. I was miserable, in a bad mood and because I was sure I was contagious, I avoided making new contacts and sat away from the rest of the crowd. Occasionally someone would say hello and make small talk. One morning as I seated myself at the general meeting, a cowboy slid his chair up behind me and introduced himself as an auctioneer. He was surprised to discover that I was an auctioneer rather than the wife of an auctioneer. He proceeded to tell me that “women can sell antiques and doodads but no one would take them serious sellin’ real estate and machinery”. He went on to say that he sold equipment and cars and he “didn’t know of one woman who could sell a farm”. “You gotta get up on those tractors and start ‘em up for the crowd”. So I asked him, “What body parts do you have that I don’t for startin a tractor?” As you might guess we did not become fast friends. I’ve thought often of that good ‘ole boy over the last 18 years. The truth is the ability to auctioneer only requires a set of vocal chords (or the ability to sign to the hearing challenge), an alert brain and one working eye preferably corrected to 20/20 vision. Talent is learned and expertise is developed. Auctioneering does not come natural. Anyone who has attended auction school can recount those first few days stumbling over the basic numbers 1 through 10 and the Betty Botter tongue twister. Any kid can count to ten and rattle off Bette Botter, right? Yet, when combining counting and poetry and then adding speed and clarity, chanting is not that simple. The skill is acquired over time through practice. The auction business comes by experiencing the many challenges audiences and clients present to us. Only 1 percent of the people that attend auction school earn a living calling auctions and less than 1 in 100 learn a usable chant. I chant. I love to chant. I love to hear other auctioneers chant and I have the desire to be really good at it. Chanting is the mark of an auctioneer.
Charity auctions are very different than estate auctions, livestock auctions, car auctions and business liquidations. Even though auctions have been around since the days of the Pharaohs, the charity auction model has only been around for about 30 years. None of the auction schools or professional auction associations teach one The emcee arrives early to makes notes and changes in his master catalog and time line.
word about how to sell to the charity auction audience or how to meet the needs of a non‐
profit. Further, few auctioneers call enough charity auctions to understand the makeup of the client or audience then blame both for not responding to them. It is the job of the charity auctioneer to know and understand the nonprofit organization and their respective arena of influence and not the other way around. So what characteristics make a charity auctioneer good? The chant or conversation with the bidding audience is the key to gathering the audience around the sales activity. A charity auctioneer should be able to establish an instant connection with the audience. When we consider that a very small percentage of the audience is able to bid and then win live auction items, then it is completely understandable that the rest of the audience is likely not paying attention to the sales activity. As the auction progresses, there are fewer buying opportunities and more members of the audience will turn their attention elsewhere and may even distract others from playing the auction game. A professional auctioneer is entertaining
A wireless microphone allows the auctioneer and emcee to move about the venue.
simply because of their ability to chant and communicate with the audience through that chant. We know how to bring buyers back into the bidding process and how to enlist non bidders to help other bidders bid higher. A charity auctioneer should be able to modify their chant and style to fit the audience and to some degree, the wishes of the client. Experience is important, especially if the auction is high profile and involves notables and celebrities. An auctioneer needs to be able to sell donations, captivate interested buyers, guide volunteers, cooperate with vendors, and wrap themselves in the organizations message. They need to be able to adapt to the unexpected and have a doable suggestion when problems arise. It is critical to be able to make a connection with the different kinds of buyers and the sometimes strange situations those people bring to an event. I care deeply about my clients and their causes. I’ve worked with nearly a thousand auction committees and I understand to my core how important fundraising events are to them. I absolutely love the art of auctioning. I wrote this book because I am very interested in the successful out come of your auction. I know how critical money is to your organization and I know how powerful relationships are to your mission. I really do believe that I am changing the world one auction at a time. I think it is important that not only the auctioneer, but that every vendor exude the same passion. Vendors and auctioneers missing that passion can keep an event from reaching its’ potential and gleaning maximum profits. There are many more things to consider when selecting an auctioneer. If you decide to preview an auctioneer, make sure you talk with them afterward and ask if what you observed is typical of their performance. As I mentioned earlier, a good auctioneer can change their style, attire
and delivery by request. Even how they play to the audience can be morphed somewhat. The point is, you are likely viewing just one performance model and IF they offer another style, they might want to share that with you. There is also a chance that you were viewing them on an off night through no fault of their own. They could have been missing the tools they need to do their job, like good sound and readable scripts. The audience could have been over served alcohol or the food may have been served late or worse, taste terrible. The presenters may go on too long and the timing may be ruined. Even the best auctioneers rarely are able to save a poorly managed event from the stage. There really is no other profession like auctioneering. We are not actors who rehearse our lines and play off other actors. There is no director, no script, no one waiting in the wings to save us. We are not vocalists who sing the written word melodiously. We are not musicians following the composers’ inspirational notes. We are not public speakers who rehearse just the right words to say at just the right moment to provoke a
The auctioneer must be flexible and adjust to program changes and adapt to the actions of others.
predictable response. We are not comediennes throwing punch lines at people waiting for a belly laugh. We simply love to sell. We are a living sales tool attempting to bring together the wishes and expectations of everyone. We work without a net. We are limited by our skill and the support our clients provide us. We can soar to great heights with their thoughtful consideration and the performance of those around us. Our intention is always to be the one auctioneer that stands out among all others. The auctioneer you invite back. The auctioneer you refer to others and the auctioneer that raised more money than you ever dreamed possible!
The emcee and auctioneer work together as a sales team.
April Brown is an 18 year veteran auctioneer and specializes in fundraising auctions. She is also the founder and Director of Whisker City, a feline rescue organization located in Shoreline, Washington. Brown also hosts April Brown’s Charity Auction World, the only internet television show designed to showcase the world of charity auctions. She is the author of Money is Marvelous and The Foundation ‐ Secrets to A Successful Charity Auction. April has a long history of dramatically increasing revenue for charities with a goal of $30,000 to $500,000 and higher. The Auction Powerhouse Training Method has helped thousands of volunteer and professional fundraisers attract new donors, develop profitable demographic and put together memorable auctions. Brown’s innovative strategies and concepts are used by auctioneers, development officers and volunteers throughout North America. She is a skilled auctioneer and combines her passion for business and love for charity by training others to do great things. April’s clients include private and public schools, hospital foundations and guilds, business and community service organizations and individuals