Nonprofits and charity executives struggle with the proverbial question. Do I hire professional auction experts, or do I use the untrained volunteer or hobbyist for our special event fundraisers and auctions? The mistake should be fairly obvious.
I am part of a proud group professional benefit auction experts who has worked for over a quarter century, and I can personally attest that the role of professional benefit auctioneers has changed. We are more than just charity auctioneers. Special event fundraisers and auctions being with planning provided by your auction consultants, event planners, event managers, business partners, your nonprofit staff members, and of course volunteers. In order for benefit auctioneers to be successful in their careers they must respect their clients, and in return our nonprofit clients must also respect us, our experience, our advice and our direction or instructions in order for their special event fundraiser to be incredibly successful.
How do professional auction experts raise record revenue at benefit auctions? From the general public’s perspective, they only see benefit auctioneers in the role of performing at the benefit auction itself. Unfortunately, and in most cases, this is all the benefit auctioneer does for his nonprofit client, just performing his chant at the benefit auction for one hour or less. In my opinion the nonprofit should not accept the services of a “bid caller” only, but instead they should seek more from their benefit auctioneer. We provide a suite of services that the volunteer, free hobbyist auctioneer would never considering undertaking such duties without pay, and why should they? For that matter why should we professional benefit auctioneers work without pay?
Nonprofits and charities should seek to partner with the benefit auctioneer in the development of event plans that ensures the fundraiser’s greatest success. Hire professional benefit auctioneers, and if you truly wish raise for money for fundraising cause then do not hire the hobbyist (free auctioneers). To make money you must spend money! Nonprofits should spend their money wisely and hire benefit auctioneers that will truly deliver the best results for their future benefit auctions.
Benefit auctioneers (the skilled, licensed, professionals) offer their clients a suite of services that ultimately lead them to success. Of course, a nonprofit can ignore this sage advice, but then they find themselves tangled in the classic definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Wise charity and nonprofit clients will follow the advice and the direction provided to them by the contracted benefit auctioneer. What can these charities and nonprofits expect in return? Most of the time the charities will achieve the following: (1) A new live auction record; (2) a record setting Fund-A-Need program; (3) achieve a new silent auction record; and (4) realize miscellaneous records achieved in the fundraiser’s raffles, ticket sales, and also their sponsorship dollars.