A decision that faces most charitable fundraising boards is whether to engage a Professional Auctioneer to run their live auction. In most cases, the use of a Professional Auctioneer maximizes bids (and revenue) for the items that your team worked so hard to secure.
A Professional Auctioneer should more than pay for himself/herself by generating “the sizzle as well as the steak.” Professional Auctioneers are adept at creating excitement, drama a truly entertaining event.
When compared to a board member or celebrity auctioneer, a Professional Auctioneer will be well-versed with all of your live auction items and will be able to tailor the pitch to the donors and the room. In addition, a Professional Auctioneer will work with you during the event setup to help position your auction items for maximum exposure. It’s a must for your team to engage a Professional Auctioneer early in the event-planning process. Most Auctioneers are more than happy to advise your team as to the number of big-ticket items, consignment items, etc. The Auctioneer can be your secret weapon in your battle for donations and a truly invaluable resource.
A Professional Auctioneer also brings an exclusive feel to your event. An Auctioneer can evoke thoughts of exotic sports cars and dashing spy stories. Who doesn’t want to be part of something so mysterious and competitive?
Our clients often ask us whether a Professional Auctioneer should also serve as the event’s emcee. We recommend that you pose that question to your Auctioneer. Oftentimes, Professional Auctioneers prefer not to serve as emcee so that they can generate excitement when they’re introduced. When serving as the emcee, many Auctioneers believe that their presence gets diluted by the time the live auction begins.
Another reason to keep the Auctioneer and emcee duties separate is to ensure seamless transitions throughout the event. A Professional Auctioneer is busy gauging the room and the donors – and even working the room to generate a buzz. His/her time is better spent building up the donor base instead of announcing that the buffet line is open.
Your team’s efforts are better spent anointing a local celebrity to handle the emcee duties and leaving the live auction to a professional.
Do you or your Event Team need help organizing your event? Do you need to add the auction items that will put your fundraising over the top? We at Auction Packages can help. Our team of Event Specialists can guide you through the myriad of options to make your next event a success. We Live to Give.
Guest blogger, Jeremy Rubinoff is the Founder and President of Auction Packages. Auction Packages now in its 10th year of business is the non-profit sectors leading source for risk free consignment packages offering a wide variety of travel and unique experiential packages for use in live, silent, raffles and online charity auction fundraising events. Auction Packages has partnered with numerous travel companies, hotel chains and experienced providers to offer our clients access to the most exhilarating experiences including concerts, award shows, domestic & international vacations, fantasy getaways, adventure expeditions, golf and ski trips, shopping adventures and spa retreats and more. All travel is booked by Auction Packages concierge team who are all well versed with travel destinations and have years of experience meeting the expectations of seasoned and demanding travelers.
See a list of auction packages here.