My friend Ron Harke of Harke Auction & Appraisers wrote the following on his blog, www.harkeauction.com/blog. This is a big topic of negotiation with every benefit auction committee and a professional benefit auctioneer. However, usually after the event and using professional ringman, that organization will not want to go back to using :volunteer bid spotters" . Thank to Ron for allowing me to repost.
Just about every Professional Benefit Auctioneer across the country has written a blog or article about this subject. Volunteer bid spotters, or Trained Professional Bid Assistants, i.e. Professional Ringman.
I understand reasons why a school or non profit would not use their help. At the schools (large & small) all the moms, dads and grandmas and grandpas love to see their kids working the auction. Waving that flashlight or sparkly wand. After all the parents are bidding and they get a kick out of seeing their own working in the crowd.
Non profits many times just do not want to spend the money for extra help, and yes many of their volunteers love to stand up and have fun and do the same as the students, wave the flashlight or sparkly wand, many do love to entertain and believe they can and add to the evening, I do appreciate that.
Let’s consider the simple definition of each.
Bid Spotter: A bid spotter stands in an area assigned by the chairman of spotters, does not move from his 4 or 5 table area and puts up his hand so the auctioneer can see the bid. Usually only with a flash light or wand, with no yell or "Yep" and yes ,sometimes after a while just loses interest or starts talking to their friends around them.
A Bid Assistant:
Hired by the auctioneer (via, the organization) he is there for one thing, "To Work" he is trained, (there are Professional Ringman schools that many attend) he has worked auctions, and knows the auctioneer. He moves from bidder to bidder, he is as active as the auctioneer. Many times he does not use a flash light etc, because auctioneers and bid assistants communicate by sound as well as "gestures". An assistant "Yeps" a bid and the auctioneer reacts to that, without even seeing the bid, because he knows his "assistant" has that bid.
The Bid Assistant is animated, adding excitement and helping to hold audience attention. He is not afraid to step in again asking the bidder to raise his bid. It has been proven again and again that a Bid Assistant will more than pay for his fee, before the auction has ended.
Ok, so why don't more non profits and schools use trained Bid Assistants. I think the answer is they just do not know enough about the Professional Ringman, or have not attended an auction using Ringmen. They have not witnessed the excitment. If they had they would know what the Ringman does for a fast moving money producing auction. Estate, consignment, gallery or the Benefit Auction.
Many of these same schools and organizations still use volunteers and celebrities to auction (sell) their items and try to raise the bids at their one large benefit of the year.
Benefit Auctioneers around the county agree! An Auctioneer and 3 perhaps 4 Professional Ringman can work an audience of 400 people. Less if the crowd is smaller. That should tell you something right there. That’s much easier that organizing 12 volunteers standing around the parameter of the room waiting for someone to raise their bid card.?
I think the old model is changing and will change, as more organizations have an opportunity to visit a Benefit Auction using Professional Ringmen(Bid Assistants) Non-profits and schools are beginning to take notice that other groups are adding to their evenings, bottom line. That’s what a professional, who does this for a living, can do for you.
Please watch this clip from the NAA Ringmans Competition, tell me it would benefit you to use Professionals!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsngqAvBQjI
Non profits many times just do not want to spend the money for extra help, and yes many of their volunteers love to stand up and have fun and do the same as the students, wave the flashlight or sparkly wand, many do love to entertain and believe they can and add to the evening, I do appreciate that.
Let’s consider the simple definition of each.
Bid Spotter: A bid spotter stands in an area assigned by the chairman of spotters, does not move from his 4 or 5 table area and puts up his hand so the auctioneer can see the bid. Usually only with a flash light or wand, with no yell or "Yep" and yes ,sometimes after a while just loses interest or starts talking to their friends around them.
A Bid Assistant:
Hired by the auctioneer (via, the organization) he is there for one thing, "To Work" he is trained, (there are Professional Ringman schools that many attend) he has worked auctions, and knows the auctioneer. He moves from bidder to bidder, he is as active as the auctioneer. Many times he does not use a flash light etc, because auctioneers and bid assistants communicate by sound as well as "gestures". An assistant "Yeps" a bid and the auctioneer reacts to that, without even seeing the bid, because he knows his "assistant" has that bid.
The Bid Assistant is animated, adding excitement and helping to hold audience attention. He is not afraid to step in again asking the bidder to raise his bid. It has been proven again and again that a Bid Assistant will more than pay for his fee, before the auction has ended.
Ok, so why don't more non profits and schools use trained Bid Assistants. I think the answer is they just do not know enough about the Professional Ringman, or have not attended an auction using Ringmen. They have not witnessed the excitment. If they had they would know what the Ringman does for a fast moving money producing auction. Estate, consignment, gallery or the Benefit Auction.
Many of these same schools and organizations still use volunteers and celebrities to auction (sell) their items and try to raise the bids at their one large benefit of the year.
Benefit Auctioneers around the county agree! An Auctioneer and 3 perhaps 4 Professional Ringman can work an audience of 400 people. Less if the crowd is smaller. That should tell you something right there. That’s much easier that organizing 12 volunteers standing around the parameter of the room waiting for someone to raise their bid card.?
I think the old model is changing and will change, as more organizations have an opportunity to visit a Benefit Auction using Professional Ringmen(Bid Assistants) Non-profits and schools are beginning to take notice that other groups are adding to their evenings, bottom line. That’s what a professional, who does this for a living, can do for you.
Please watch this clip from the NAA Ringmans Competition, tell me it would benefit you to use Professionals!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsngqAvBQjI
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