What if our organization doesn’t have anything exciting to sell in the auction?
You have access to more than you think you do. Tap into your organization’s board members, staff and volunteers. Someone might have an vacation property to donate for a weekend. Anyone with their own business can donate their services, gift cards or merchandise. Season ticket holders can donate tickets. Ask friends and family to ask their employer if they will donate items as well. Sometimes a bundle of small items (if they make sense together) can be a great item in your program. If all else fails, we can source exotic experience and travel packages on consignment for you.
How much does an auctioneer cost?
The cost of your auctioneer will depend on the number of attendees, the skill and experience of the auctioneer, day of the week, and the pay plan. Larger crowds need more staff and ringmen to effectively relay bids to the auctioneer and field questions from the audience. Fridays and Saturdays are in high demand and will cost more than an event held on a Wednesday. A new auctioneer may be willing to do it for stage time experience and new head shots from your photographer, while a seasoned auctioneer with proven results will charge more. You can pay a flat fee or a fee with a commission structure on the event results. There is no right or wrong way to do it. We can help you find the right fit for your event and budget with our network of auctioneers. The cost ranges from FREE to $10,000 or more. Let us give you a free, no obligation quote.
Can one of our volunteers be the auctioneer for free?
They can, but should they? How much money is at stake? Your friend could also volunteer to rebuild your car engine, because they saw a few videos on YouTube, but is it worth the risk? A professional benefit auctioneer knows how to work the crowd, raise the bids, and when to move on to keep the audience engaged and the program fun. This is a skill that takes time to develop. Benefit auctioneers are professionals when it comes to asking for money because they are trained to connect your mission with the guests at an emotional level that unlocks giving. Do you have a volunteer that will be comfortable on stage asking your guests to write a check for $10,000? We do it successfully every week. That is what you are paying for. Investing in an auctioneer will make you more money. The “FREE” route will almost certainly cost you thousands of dollars.
Can small organizations afford a good benefit auctioneer?
Absolutely. Finding the balance between the cost of the auctioneer and the financial goals of the auction will be the key. Sometimes an auctioneer will discount their rates if they have a personal connection with the mission. After your first meeting with our team, we can find the right auctioneer to match your budget and deliver the financial goals of your benefit auction. Jake Addams has worked with nonprofits doing their first event, as well as major organizations with 6 figure expectations.
What is the difference between an auctioneer and benefit auctioneer?
Auctioneers are trained to sell merchandise, property, cars, etc often to experienced auction attendees and collectors. They have a lot of items to sell, so they go fast and talk even faster. They sell items, not a mission. A benefit auctioneer is trained to entertain the crowd while creating an emotional connection to the mission of your organization. The live auction is only a part of what they do. Benefit auctioneers are master storytellers who connect the hearts and minds of your donors to the financial need of your organization. A benefit auctioneer is able to deliver a appeal for donations that can exceed the money from the live auction. The best part is that it’s all 100% FREE, no cost, pure giving, directly to the organization.
Are women benefit auctioneers available?
Yes, and we work with some of the absolute best women in the industry. If your organization is female focused or deals with sensitive topics around women’s’ issues, sometimes it just makes more sense. For organizations that would prefer a women to deliver their messaging, we can help. Let us know what you are looking for and we can get you connected.
What is a paddles up / fund a need / special appeal?
Whether your group calls it the mission moment, fund a need, paddles up, special appeal or anything else, we are talking about the most important part of the live fundraising program. During the paddles up, the auctioneer creates an emotional connection between your audience and the mission of your organization. A true benefit auctioneer specialist knows how to craft the perfect messaging. They feel the energy in the room and know exactly when and how to ask for donations. A good auctioneer will pull as much or more money in the mission moment as the live auction. It sounds too good to be true for organizations new to the paddles up, but do it almost every night. The auctioneer will start at the highest level usually determined ahead of time, then work down the scale. Most appeals will range from $5000 – $250 to $1000 – $100 with 4 or 5 levels in between. With each level the auctioneer brings up another tangible benefit or success, tying it to the significance of the need. These donations are 100% revenue, because they cost the organization virtually nothing. They also create a bond between your donors and the mission that can develop into a long term partnerships.
What are the best items for a charity auction?
This depends entirely on your audience and expected guests at your event. Do not get caught in the trap of picking item that you like. Get a variety of items at a variety of price points that match the means of your audience. In general, the trend has been shifting to experiences, travel (sports tickets, local winery tour or vacations) and services ( private chef dinners, landscape makeover, carwashes for a year, etc.) over stuff. Millennials are the next wave of donors, and they value experiences more than accumulating things. Offer a variety that will appeal to your audience. When more people that participate and bid, the auction more fun for everyone, even if they don’t win.
Is it legal or do I need a license to have an auction?
In Texas, and most other states, a nonprofit organization does not need to get an auction or auctioneers license. If the auctioneer is a volunteer, and not being paid or compensated for bid calling, they also generally do not need a license. If you are hiring a benefit auctioneer with compensation, they need to be licensed in the state the auction will be held.
How many items should we feature?
Charity auctions typically feature 5 to 7 items. Remember that you might have 300 people there, and only 5-7 will win. You don’t want the other 295 people to lose focus on the mission if the auction goes on too long. There is significantly more money to be made in the Paddles Up appeal. Everyone can be a part of it and feel like they are part of the mission.
What is the difference between a live auction and silent auction?
The live auction will feature the auctioneer on stage. They will also be the center of attention while they promote and sell items. In a benefit auction, the number of items is usually limited to 5-7. These are typically the biggest and best items of the night. The benefit of a silent auction, is that most events are able to feature 10 – 50. The guests are able to browse the items throughout the event and place bids at their convenience. Bids can be tracked via the event website or with a hand written sheet (though this method is becoming less common). Silent auctions are great tools for moving a high volume of lower cost items. These totals can add up to significant revenue if you have quality items, a nice presentation, and enough guests to generate competitive bidding on each item. Just make sure you don’t over do it. A common pitfall is too many silent auction items. It spreads out the bidding too much, so there is little competition and the items sell at lower amounts.
What are auctioneers saying? Will it be hard to understand our fundraising auctioneer?
Traditional auctioneers are trained to talk fast. It can create excitement and urgency in order to get the crowd bidding fast too. They also might have hundreds of items to sell that day, so they have to move fast to move through all the inventory. To chant quickly without repeating the same numbers over and over, the auctioneer uses filler words. These can be things like “X dollar now,” “Bid ’em on X,” Would ya give,” and many others. Each auctioneers chant is unique and part of their signature style. Each different industry within auctioneering has its own style and cadence as well. A cattle auctioneer is fast, often hard to follow for 1st timers. Fine Art auctions are slow, deliberate and clear. As a benefit auctioneer, we have 2 main goals. First, charity auctioneers speak more clearly so the audience can follow along and place their bids. Secondly, we are entertainment for many people in the audience who have never been to a live auction before. Fundraising auctioneers will include more humor and crowd interaction as well as their rapid chant to put on a great show. In the end, the benefit auctioneer is there to raise money for your organization. Style and entertainment techniques are best used when it helps bring in higher bids.