| When I visit with some organizations about their | | | | be "calling the numbers," but must have good rapport |
| auction, they insist that their event is unusually loud. | | | | with the crowd. If the auctioneer has poor rapport, the |
| "Our crowd likes to party," one will say, or "We can't | | | | crowd will get louder and louder as they talk to their |
| ever get them to pay attention." Truth is, I've yet to | | | | neighbor and try to be heard over the sound system. |
| see an auction which really is louder than I imagined. | | | | As a benefit auctioneer, it doesn't bother me that the |
| Let's talk straight up: Your guests see the benefit | | | | crowd is visiting while I'm selling. As long as I have a |
| auction as a party. It's a celebratory event ... a chance | | | | good sound system, I know I can engage the |
| to honor volunteers ... a roast to tease a community | | | | interested bidders while others chat. |
| leader ... a chance to see friends ... and -- by the way | | | | 3. Stick to the timeline |
| -- an auction. It's no surprise they are loud. Your guests | | | | Guests will be less likely to pay attention when the |
| want to have fun, and I want them to have fun, too. | | | | schedule spirals out of control. They'll start talking to |
| The key point is to plan for it. | | | | their friends, "What time do you have?" they'll ask, |
| 1. Invest in the proper sound system. | | | | "Weren't we supposed to be eating by now?" Stay on |
| If we assume that 10% - 20% of the crowd are | | | | task. When it's time to start the program, start the |
| bidding in the live auction, it means the other 80% - | | | | program. If the Board Chair has 3 minutes to speak, |
| 90% of the audience are chatting with friends. The | | | | ensure he really only speaks for three minutes. Keep |
| sound system needs to cut over the din of the | | | | the program moving at a good clip. |
| audience and allow the auctioneer to be heard with | | | | 4. Change the layout; change the experience |
| clarity and distinction. Guests won't bid or follow | | | | The loudest auctions I conduct are when guests are |
| directions if they can't hear. | | | | seated around a table. The quietest auctions are those |
| 2. A dynamic auctioneer | | | | in which the guests are seated theatre-style. If you are |
| If you want to have a prayer at keeping your | | | | concerned about the sound level, consider having |
| audience's attention, put someone on stage who has | | | | guests sit in a theater layout. This drops the sound |
| some personality. Benefit auctioneers should not simply | | | | level because guests cannot as easily converse. |