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You are here: Home / Auctioneers / How to choose a benefit auctioneer by understanding one of their marketing tactics
Sep 03

How to choose a benefit auctioneer by understanding one of their marketing tactics

Sherry Truhlar 2 Comments

In a couple of weeks, you can learn how to negotiate with an auctioneer in this live Easy First Auctions course. But before starting your negotiation, you’ve got to select an auctioneer. This article examines one marketing tactic an auctioneer may use to sway your opinion. 

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Have you ever heard of any of the hubbub over truth-in-advertising cases?

There’s no shortage of stories. Taylor Swift’s Cover Girl ad was pulled when it became known that the mascara she was wearing really didn’t make her eyelashes look like the photo. H&M was slammed for putting real model heads on fake computer-generated bodies. Naked Juice, Reebok, Splenda … there are many examples.

So what about truth-in-advertising in the benefit auction world? Do you think there are ways I can sound impressive as an auctioneer when maybe … I’m not?

Of course there are.

A few years ago, I was at an educational session attended by a number of auctioneers who either worked benefit auctions or wanted to work them. One marketing suggestion was to state how much money an auctioneer has helped charities raise.

Do you know what I mean? For example, the auctioneer’s website might say “proud to have helped charities raise over $10 million dollars.” Something like that.

“Wow,” you think, “$10 million.”

But what does that number mean? How was it determined?

As I listened to our class, I learned that methods for “counting dollars” varied.

  • Some determine their number by adding the total amount raised from every event they’ve ever worked. If a gala advertises that it raised $500,000, the auctioneer takes credit for the full $500,000.
  • A handful of other auctioneers count the total earned from the items they sold.

That can be a big difference!

For instance, my largest client raised ~$2 million at its gala. Of that, ~$415,000 was auction-related revenue (~$315k from the live auction; ~$100k from the silent).

That’s three different numbers I might use:

  • $2 million
  • $416,000
  • $316,000

If I wanted an impressive number, I’d add the $2 million to my total number raised for charity.

And if I wanted to be more specific, I’d only include the auction revenue (or even just the live auction revenue) from the gala.

Do you see as how a larger number might be more easily created to sound impressive? It might sway prospects to buy.

My advice is to focus instead on referrals. What other events has the auctioneer worked that are most like your own event? 

For instance, when I worked at GE and hired vendors as part of my event management position, I wanted to know about the other similar events the vendor had worked.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I’d think, “So you worked at the White House. My event isn’t even close to being like a White House event. I want to hear about other corporate events you’ve worked.”

I preferred to work with vendors who could provide references that most closely mimicked my own situation. A corporate holiday party, for instance. Or a corporate sales management meeting. 

A vendor could drop impressive names like “the White House,” but I was most interested in hearing about other clients like me.

When chatting with your auctioneer, be savvy. Any vendor can drop impressive numbers, but you might not fully understand how those numbers were calculated. 

My suggestion is to form your opinions about the benefit auctioneer after visiting with other groups holding events similar to yours.

What do you think?

Leave your comment below.

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Copyright © 2013 Red Apple Auctions Co. All Rights Reserved

About Sherry Truhlar

Fundraising auctioneer and educator, helping schools and nonprofits plan more profitable benefit auctions. A prolific writer for her own blog and other fundraising sites, she’s been covered in The Beacon-News, Town & Country Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Wiley's Special Events Galore!, AUCTIONEER, and other publications.

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Comments

  1. Larry Snyder says

    December 31, 2013 at 1:23 PM

    You’re spot on Sherry. Referrals from not only similar sized events but also from an audience member. Although most event planners want to hear from a peer, it’s been productive for me to share the comments of an attendee when possible. I admire your thoughtful writing. I hope 2014 is all you wish it to be.

    Reply
    • Sherry Truhlar says

      January 1, 2014 at 5:24 PM

      Larry, I totally agree with you. Offhand I’d say that at least half of the testimonials that show up in my sidebars and on this page are from attendees — not clients. The attendees are the ones donating; they are the ones forced to “sit through” the performance of whichever auctioneer the nonprofit opts to hire.

      I’ve had many, many audience members (and I’m sure you have, too,) say, “Boy, it sure was nice to have you on that stage! Last year the auctioneer was (fill in the blank).” I just wish the nonprofits themselves would always hear the guests share that with me.

      Reply

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Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!

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Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!

Diane Albano, Director of Development
St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School (St. Augustine, FL)

Sherry is flexible and easy to work with. She gives honest feedback and advice throughout the planning and implementation process. Without a doubt, Sherry and Red Apple Auctions has helped take our annual fundraising event to the next level.

Beckie Middendorf, Development Director and Janet Gulla, Development Coordinator
St. Henry District High School (Erlanger, KY)

Sherry is “on board” from day one of auction planning, works closely with our steering committee and is only just a phone call away. The night of the auction, we toss her the keys and let her drive the event! We are never disappointed!

Charly Ryan, Director of Institutional Advancement
The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD)

I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!

Pete Goldlust, Director of Development
Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)

If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.

Erin Banda
2016 NYUMBANI Board member

The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.

Darrell, a long-time attendee

We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.

Nicole Carr, Director of Grants and Special Events
The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)

2012 Oakcrest Anne and CarolinaSherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year!… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”

Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple? PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiIHNyYz0iaHR0cDovL3JlZGFwcGxlLmV2c3VpdGUuY29tL3BsYXllci9NakF4TWkxSGRXVnpkSE10UW5Wc2JHbHpMVXRMTFdGdVpDMU5hV05vWVdWc0xVcHZjMlZ3YUM1dGNEUT0vP2NvbnRhaW5lcj1ldnAtV0JBVTkwTlVBUyI+PC9zY3JpcHQ+PGRpdiBpZD0iZXZwLVdCQVU5ME5VQVMiIGRhdGEtcm9sZT0iZXZwLXZpZGVvIiBkYXRhLWV2cC1pZD0iTWpBeE1pMUhkV1Z6ZEhNdFFuVnNiR2x6TFV0TExXRnVaQzFOYVdOb1lXVnNMVXB2YzJWd2FDNXRjRFE9Ij48L2Rpdj4= They liked that I “moved the crowd along … kept the crowd engaged but wasn’t obtrusive or invasive. We were able to talk but still keep track of what was going on.”

Staci Meruvia 150 ptYou have NO idea of how many people came up to me (I know Julie as well) and said, ‘That auctioneer was incredible … she engaged the crowd, …… Read The Rest “Staci Meruvia”

Geri said: “Great job of getting potential donors in the room to step up to the plate and not feel guilty or bad about it. They actually wanted to give more … and that’s not something I’ve seen in many other auctioneers.” 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 The following… Read The Rest “Geri”

Irene attended one of my New Hampshire auctions and assumed I must be a radio personality — until I started to chant that fast talk. PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiIHNyYz0iaHR0cDovL3JlZGFwcGxlLmV2c3VpdGUuY29tL3BsYXllci9SM1ZsYzNRdE1qQXhNUzFPU0ZOUVEwRXRTWEpsYm1VdWJYQTBMVEU9Lz9jb250YWluZXI9ZXZwLTVHMlVHQlFGN1YiPjwvc2NyaXB0PjxkaXYgaWQ9ImV2cC01RzJVR0JRRjdWIiBkYXRhLXJvbGU9ImV2cC12aWRlbyIgZGF0YS1ldnAtaWQ9IlIzVmxjM1F0TWpBeE1TMU9TRk5RUTBFdFNYSmxibVV1YlhBMExURT0iPjwvZGl2Pg== “I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal… Read The Rest “Irene”

Most product & consulting remarks are found on their respective webpages, but I’ve listed two below so you’re assured my products are as spot-on as my auctioneering.   Not only was our 2013 auction a blast, but our Washington, D.C. public school raised $67,000 — that’s $25,000 more than last year! The evening went… Read The Rest “Carolyn Kahn-Hall and Andrea Del Vecchio”

Cynthia Steele Vance_150X180As a former Fox News Anchorwoman, I am often called on to perform at auctions. So, I know first-hand that auctioneering can be a difficult job. Sherry Truhlar is one of the best in the business.… Read The Rest “Cynthia Steele Vance”

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