How to Hire the Right Auctioneer for Your Benefit Event

Are you running a charity gala and need the help of a benefit auctioneer? Hiring an auctioneer can seem daunting, particularly if it’s your first time as the auction chair.

Not to fear! Regardless of whether you’re running a small live auction, a big gala or perhaps even a virtual gala, this post will teach you how to hire an auctioneer for your benefit event.

The Three Options for Hiring an Auctioneer

To start, you generally have three main options for obtaining an auctioneer.

Volunteer Auctioneers

First, there’s the volunteer auctioneer. As the name suggests, the volunteer auctioneer is your “free” option, where a celebrity, parent, or other person close to the cause shows up and takes bids.

Volunteer auctioneers (especially first-timers) should only be considered for small events, where there is a relatively low ceiling on the funds that could be raised during the live auction. While the volunteer auctioneer is “free”, you will “pay” in foregone revenue.

Commercial Auctioneers

Next, there are commercial auctioneers. Commercial auctioneers are seasoned bid takers, but they don’t specialize in fundraisers. For example, a commercial auctioneer could be a local real estate auctioneer who moonlights at benefit galas.

Hiring a commercial auctioneer lowers your risk that a volunteer will totally tank on stage. However, a commercial auctioneer may lack fundraising expertise, like how to entertain an audience or craft a fund-a-need presentation.

Benefit Auctioneers

Finally, there are professional benefit auctioneers who exclusively serve fundraisers. In addition to taking bids, they consult on procurement, audience development, event planning, storytelling and other key aspects of your gala.

Any gala seeking to raise above $60k in revenue should strongly consider a benefit auctioneer, as your expense will be a drop in the bucket relative to your total proceeds.

Hiring a Benefit Auctioneer

So how do you go about hiring a benefit auctioneer?

Step 1: Create a List of Candidates

The first thing you will need to do is create a list of eligible candidates. Two places to start are:

• The National Auctioneers Association’s list of Benefit Auction Specialists. The Benefit Auction Specialist, or BAS, designation is awarded to auctioneers who complete a course in benefit auction fundraising.
• The second place to look is TravelPledge’s Directory of Certified Professionals. Each TravelPledge Certified Professional agrees to operate in a financially transparent way and coach key strategies to maximize donations.

Narrow your list based on auctioneers who serve your region and who are available on your preferred event date. Most benefit auctioneers work regionally, though some top professionals travel cross country to present at big events.

Step 2: Conduct Interviews

The interview is the best chance you have to understand a fundraising auctioneer’s personality, skills, and commitment. To get the most useful information from your interview, ask questions like:

• How do you prepare for an auction?
• What strategies do you use to energize the crowd?
• What successful auctions have you managed in the past?
• How do you engage the crowd when bidding is slow?
• How do you tailor your auctioneering approach based on the event?
• What other services do you offer besides bid-taking?

Besides asking auctioneering questions, gauge their connection to your nonprofit’s mission. While not required, auctioneers who have a connection with your cause will be more committed to your event’s success.

Also, while conducting each interview, ask for evidence of their skills. Most established benefit auctioneers have a highlight video showcasing their talents in a live auction setting, which can be useful in your evaluation.

Step 3: Analyze Costs and Benefits

The final step to hiring a benefit auctioneer is determining which candidate is the most aligned with your event, mission, and budget. Consider the following elements that might impact your decision:

• Compensation structures. This can vary significantly between auctioneers or their management companies. You will likely encounter candidates who operate on a flat fee, commission, bonuses, and service premiums.
• Your event’s predicted turnout. Events with a higher projected price ceiling or higher-value items on the table may need a more expensive and skilled auctioneer.
• Your event’s fundraising goal. Determine how much wiggle room you have between your auction’s projected revenue goal and expenses. This takes into account not only the auctioneer’s fee, but other overhead event fees, such as those for venue, entertainment, and other required staff. 
• The auctioneer’s track record. Based on the interview, their highlight reel, and their previous fundraising results, your nonprofit might find it worthwhile to spend on a more experienced auctioneer.

The optimal structure will depend on your organizational preferences and the size of your event. However, if your auctioneer works on a commission basis, ask for a cap on the total compensation so you can determine if it’ll be a feasible partnership.

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Keep careful notes about the performance of your benefit auctioneer so next year’s committee can decide to sign them again to start a new search. This a a good practice not only for your auctioneer, but also for any other vendor you hire.