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10 GUARANTEED BENEFIT AUCTION DISASTERS!
Take Cover With Lindsay & Vander Kolk Certified Fundraising Auctioneers
Although the weatherman is not an auctioneer ©, a Lindsay & Vander Kolk auctioneer is your weatherman when it comes to forecasting a impending disaster for your beneift auction event.
What may sound like a wonderful idea during your committee meetings may actually be a disaster waiting to happen that will ultimately leave a less than favorable impression with your guests and volunteers and a financial killer for your biggest fundraiser event of the year.
Lindsay & Vander Kolk Certified Fundraising Auctioneers is unique in the way that what we do behind the mic is equally if not more important than what we do in front of the microphone.
We are certified Benefit Auction Specialists and charity auction consultants specifically trained and experienced with coaching auction committees on how to create a fantastic fundraising auction event.
Here is a sampling of our industry exclusive
'10 Guaranteed Benefit Auction Disasters'©
LONG SPEECHES! Yawwwwn! The recipe for a good speech requires some shortening. Regardless of how touching a personal story may seem, the vast majority of attendees at fundraising events truly want to be entertained. They’ve spent all week working long hours on their job, typical family issues at home and for your event, they’ve cut a check to be in attendance that evening and the last thing anyone wants to hear is a long drawn out speech - from anybody.
The big issue we see at all too many fundraising events is too many people are struggling for the microphone. The President of the organization, the Guest of Honor, The award recipients and the list drags on and on. It’s true that select persons need to make a statement to their guests and thank them for being there and offer some encouraging words but the timer must be set and limited to a maximum to 2 or 3 minutes. Generally and collectively, your total allotted speech time should not exceed ten minutes.
Events that leave a bad taste in attendee’s mouths are events that drag on throughout the evening. We live in a fast paced society and people don’t stick along for very long. Many of your attendees have a relatively long drive home and babysitters on the clock. They want to step in, enjoy a meal and a couple drinks, socialize and get the heck outta there. This may sound a little harsh, but its reality and you need to be in tune to your attendees if you want them to speak highly of your event and attend next year.
AUCTION AT LAST! The number one killer for any benefit auction is seemingly making it a last priority! All too many times we run into the scenario where the auction seems to be the last on the list of priorities. One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “How long will the live auction take?” My half jokingly response is typically, “As long as possible.” If the bidding is fast and furious and the money is rolling in, who cares how long the auction will take. It’s the whole purpose of the evening is to tactfully raise as much funds for the benefit as possible.
Now please allow me to vent a little here. I’m going to let you in on our number one pet peeve in the benefit auction business. We up on stage generating thousands of dollars for the cause and a committee member slips us a note that reads, “We are pressed for time because Billy Bob is supposed to play his violin in five minutes.”
Keep in mind that your auctioneer, Ken Lindsay and Scott Vander Kolk are professional competition auctioneers that can easily sell 70-90 items an hour. That’s zoom, zoom, zooming fast. If we are going to sell like we are selling livestock, then we can hustle through 15-20 items in a benefit auction in a matter of a few short minutes. However, unless you have an audience of professional bidders at your charity event, then this style of bid calling will leave your attendees a bit cross eyed.
It’s important to recognize that there a systematic and strategic approach how we conduct a benefit auction that keeps the momentum alive and the bidding fast and furious. For the sake of the bottom line, provide an ample amount of time for the professional auctioneers to effectively do their job for your organization - and if we are running over a bit, consider that a good thing.
10 Benefit Auction Disasters© is FREE to your auction committee when you call
Lindsay & Vander Kolk Certified Fundraising Auctioneers©
Metro Detroit Headquarters
(248) 473-1547 24 hrs.
Our professional and exclusive fundraising auction consultation services will empower your organization
Lindsay & Vander Kolk Certified Fundraising Auctioneers are certified Benefit Auction Specialists through the National Auctioneers Association. We provide benefit and charity organizations with professional consulting, live and silent auctions and general auction services in metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and throughout the State of Michigan, United States and Canada
