Professional Ringmen/Bid Spotters at your Gala Auction

Professional Ringmen/Bid Spotters at your Gala Auction

I’ve written here several times about the wisdom of using Professional Ringmen/Bid Spotters at your benefit Auction. Even if you are using a Volunteer Auctioneer like a local celebrity or politician the addition of Professionally Trained and Experienced Ringmen can add Thousands to your bottom line. Below is the Transcript of a panel discussion on the subject recorded at the Certified Auctioneers Institute Training recently. The actual recording is at

 

http://traffic.libsyn.com/fundraisersolutions/ep017final.mp3

The Panel on this Podcast is:

 

Panel: Logan Thomas, BAS  – Atlanta Ga.

Yve Rojas – Kansas, MO     
Toney Thorhill, BAS – St. Louis, MO    

Jonathan Larsen, BAS- Souix Falls ND    
Bobby D Ehlert, BAS – Phoenix, AZ      

John John Genovese, ATS, BAS, – Kauai HI    

Question 1: Can anyone share a horror story using a bad ring person or a volunteer that didn’t know what they were doing?

Toney: I had an event where the group insisted that they use their own ringman. I always bring at least some of my own ringmen (ringpersons) as well. However the bid spotters the group provided were not able to keep up with the ringmen I brought. So after two items, they sat down, and as a result we ended up losing coverage for spotting bids in the areas of the room they should have been covering

Yve:  I always use professional ringmen. I guess there is always that element of the evening ou just can’t plan on. Imagine an outdoor event, with the sun setting, you may not be able to see anything. Knowing you have professionals out there allows you to have the confidence that they got you [covered even though you can’t see].

Bobby D. : Everyone one of the professional bid spotters or auctioneer assistants I use are also auctioneers as well. I am bringing 2, 3, sometimes 5 actual auctioneers with me that make their living that way. It’s key because we all speak the same language, and we all have a sort of ESP where we all know where the same bid is. Jonathan you have a unique experience?

Jonathan: I have never used a professional Ringman. To bring in another auctioneer, the groups wouldn’t really understand. I do use my father who does a good job, but I have used with volunteers in the past. But you do have to do some training with them, and you do have to be very very clear with what you need from them, and you still can’t rely on them the way you can with a professional.

Yve: when volunteers are there, the intentions are good, but they are often distracted.

Question 2: What are some tips you could offer volunteer bid spotters?

Jonathan: I show up early to the event and do special training with the volunteers. At least some basics like what is polite or proper auction etiquette, and let them know they need to remember where the bid is. They almost always end up turning out to be more shy than you might hope.

Toney: Logan where you are at in Dallas, you have quite a few auctioneers in you area. Do you have a specific set of ringmen?

Logan: We do. We have a team, and sometimes teams of specific people. Volunteers are very common, but even with good intentions, they can not understand the process as well as a professional, and a professional will more than pay for themselves. There is not an auction I want to do without them.

Toney: I personally won’t do one without [prfessional ringmen]. Even if they don’t want them, I bring them even if it is a cost to me. You may have a group of volunteers that can confuse where and when to acknowledge a bid inadvertently raise the bid on accident.

Jonathan: Also, sometimes it can be their first time at the event, and some volunteers can forget where they are or that they need to be working they get “WOW Factor”

Bobby they get “Auction shock!”

Jonathan: Yeah. and I think its cool that we can do that, but we really need to know we can count on them.

Question 3: Does anyone have any success stories using professional ringmen?

Toney: I got to work with Bobby this past Saturday. One thing I like about using professionals I know if something were to happen like I fall off the stage, or my voice goes out I know I can call someone up to come up and sell. If something goes wrong, we have no backup.

Bobby: I had so much fun getting to go work the crowd, and even getting to sell a bit. Now Yve, I know you have participated in an event with me where we do the “Dueling Auctioneers”

Yve The evening we are out there working we have to remember there are so many people that need to be engaged. I love doing the dueling.  So when the extension goes from stage, and out to the audience ti becomes shared.

What do you mean by Dueling auctioneers?

Bobby: Myself and Yve participated. We switched off ever two items, and then we had one item where one auctioneer took one-half of the room and we battled to see which side of the room could raise the dollar amount more. I call this Live Auction Theater. It’s an experience the crowd gets to be part of.  A great ringperson is really an extension of the auctioneers arm.

Question 4: What is one piece of advice you could offer to nonprofits on how to set up your event for success?

Logan: You gotta hire a professional ringman if available. The two things you want at your event is having fun and raising more money and hiring a professional allows you to do that!

Yve: Always, always I work with professional ringmen that are also auctioneers. They truly are that part of the enthusiastic entertainment that you want to provide you guest. There is more of me, when there is more of an auction team.

Toney: They don’t get choice. I bring them with me. I have had too many times where they didn’t ant to hire them, and then they come back to me and say “wow that was really worth it”

Jonathan: One benefit I can mention is that they can keep the crowd under control. They are much more likely to listen to the professionals who can keep everyone enthusiastic, but in control.

Bobby: I am going to give you a tip. If you have to use volunteers lets arm them not only with information, but also with an apparatus if possible. A whistle a glow stick, a blow horn. Something that helps communicate to the auctioneer on the stage.

Thanks to all!