Congratulations on taking this step to increase your benefit auction revenues.
What you’ll learn in “Lucrative Live Auctions: A from-the-trenches guide to better vocal auctions.”:
- What to sell in a live auction. (This is different than a silent auction. ) We’ll examine the top performing 5 categories.
- You’ll understand the difference between a silent auction procurement versus live … and get the scoop on what’s worth packaging together or not.
- How to determine the right number of items for your live auction
- How to improve bidder interaction in the live auction.
- Timing: When to hold the live auction, whether you’re scheduling it around headline entertainment, a silent auction, a buffet dinner, a great band, or another program element.
- Crowd control: Getting guests (even loud ones) to pay attention and bid.
- Selecting and training the volunteers you’ll need for the live auction
- How to market the live items for maximum sales … including that tricky fair market value. Do you list
it, or not? - Auctioneer savvy: How to find, hire, and work with an auctioneer, be that a pro or a volunteer.
Training Video
Extra Training Video
Tools
The information you learned in the training will help you stage a top-producing live auction. And to ensure you have everything you need to launch a live auction (or tweak the one you currently oversee), I’ve created several resources for you. Some of them are in the companion guide (the workbook) for the course, but these were best shared electronically as they need to be edited for your own purposes.
Save these to your own computer so you always have access to them. (Right-click on the links below and select “Save link as” or “Save target as”)
- Template for a Centerpiece Auction (hint: Also watch the bonus 3 videos below to see this ‘live’ at an auction)
- Template for a Dessert Dash (hint: Also watch the video at bottom)
- Template for Impulse Auction® auctioneering services activity
- Template for a live auction clerking sheet
- Sample live auction rules (You’ll need to pick-and-choose what is appropriate. Smart Auction Chairs run these by their attorney.)
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EXTRA GOODIES
In addition to the tools above, I’ve posted some resources (videos, in this case) below. These aren’t officially part of the training and will likely change over time. I might update the videos, come across a new idea, or find a better way of teaching what I’ve already shared. These “extras” below aren’t downloadable to your computer, but are helpful (maybe even fun!) to watch.
VIDEO: 2012 tutorial on how Sherry orders live auction items, (21-minute tutorial)
VIDEO: A centerpiece auction taking place at a benefit auction (3 parts below)
VIDEO: 2010 Sherry conducts a Dessert Dash.
Warning: Video camera operator wasn’t that good!
Note: I had two items to sell in this auction, this dessert and a necklace. We had a lot of time to use.