As a benefit auctioneer we have access to new information , trends, models, etc. coming onto the the market , before many Development Directors, Special Event Directors and other organizations catch up to them,--- just by way of our associations , discussion forums and networking.
We know the marketing companies that would have you do away with your "in house" silent auction and run the whole thing on line before the gala. They make the one point-- less work. Now your guests could come in, visit , drink , eat and bid on a few live auction items and go home. Wow what a fun evening. They forget to mention the costs of running that program. Listing, running the bidding, packing, shipping , insurance and the collecting of money , all these costs are charged to your organization.
Now newer companies marketing more electronic equipment for Benefit Auctions, would have you do away with the live auctioneer, the showman, the entertainment of the evening. Just sit in your chairs and bid on your i-pod. Why not just form a committee and call all your clients and ask for a monetary donation. That's even less trouble. But what happens to your support building yearly Gala.
Here is a reply , with credit given to the writer, about the new auction tools, being offered to nonprofits to set up and do all your biding from ipods. Wow what a fun evening setting around the table or setting at home watching TV in their PJ;s and bidding on items shown on a screen. No "Vania's, no re-pore between MC and Auctioneer. Just set they and use your touch pad to bid.
________________Reply to a post on our NAA discussion board -------------------------
Phillip L. Pierceall
Swing City Auction Co Plano, TX Posts: 508
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« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2010, 05:45:32 AM »
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the problem with most organizations is that they can not see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and so they are hard pressed to hire anyone at the beginning of the journey. Then there are those gala chairs that at the end of the gala can go to that organizations BOD and say look at "How Much Money I Saved" never thinking about how much money they left on the table.
Then there are the smart ones that hire us the professional auctioneer to do what we do best, Create Energy and get all the money while entertaining the guest, but more importantly we put together a plan of action long ago and consulted with our client on how to do this so that on gala night all our efforts put tons of money into an organizations bank account to sustain them for another year.
Those Ipod's sure are great in the silent auction, funny thing is that whole set up cost about the same as a professional auctioneer.
Remember: You think hiring a professional cost a lot of money just wait till you hire an amateur.
it's never the money you did not spend in the beginning - it's the money you left on the table in the end.
John Henry beat the steal driving machine and I can beat an Ipod any day of the week.
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We are all aware that many changes are coming into the Benefit Auction arena, but directors and chairpersons, don't forget the electronics are not going to share with you years of experience, putting together the silent auction, helping you select and arrange the live auction. They are not going to add to the excitment of the closing of the silent auctions and that last 10 second count down. They are not going to coax that last 100 or 500 out of a bidder that is having trouble making up his mind.
No---don't count us out just yet. We are still the best tool to help you increase last years return--- and have the folks leave talking about coming back next year because the evening was so much fun.
Don't forget each years auction is another building block for next years auction.
We want to help you plan and conduct your next auction. If we have not contacted you, give us a call, for a lunch meeting.
Ron
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