You have to hire a professional auctioneer to get the most $$ for your Live Auction items. My husband, Mark Alman, is a professional auctioneer and has done Hillbrook School's Annual Auction for the past 8 years as well as Children's Musical Theatre, and local Rotary Auctions. Hillbrook's Live Auction brings in over $100,000 with 18-20 items, that's just the live items! You have to realize the value in hiring a professional. It's expensive but well worth it!
For our auction dinner we have been fortunate enough to find a member of our parish (we're a catholic school) who has been conducting school auctions for a few years. He is animated, familiar with our parents, and great at getting the event attendees involved in the auction (ie - shaming them into writing really big checks). My suggestion is - if this is a first year event - to try to find someone (a friend, a parent, etc.) who is VERY outgoing, very smart, very quick witted, who is also willing to be involved in the planning process. It may take some time to find the right person, but once you start asking around, you may be surprised at what you find. Even though you are using a 'lay' person, you are also (1) not paying for the services, (2) utilizing a member of your community who is familiar with your parents/students, and (3) setting the ground work for next year's event, when you can build on what you already have, by moving up to a professional auctioneer. Just a personal note - If you decide to hire someone from the yellow pages, go to a couple of their auctions before you hire him/her. Then you can see what you're getting into.
My Kids Mom - according to my reference book (which is about 6 years old) Colorado does not have an auctioneer licensing law. Usually when a state chenges to or from license/non-license laws, I would read about it in our National Auctioneers Association monthly magazine. But just in case I don't have the right information you can email The Colorado Auctioneers Association to find out at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
mom3boys - Our auctioneer ethics prevents me from broadcasting auctioneer fees/commisions so I am not a liberty to offer you what amount you could expect. Let me say that I base my fees somewhat on the anticipated auction total, and charge less for a "First Time" auction with the anticipation that the school will enjoy the success and will continue to have auction in future years, growing bigger each year so that I can charge a bit more as they become more successful.
What I would suggest is that you narrow down the field to 2-3 auctioneers, then make your decision on the various services that each is offering as well as how you think their personality and style will fit your needs, then compare each one's fees, then make your deciion based on all of the above.
Norman O'Neal
President, Auctioneers Association of Maryland
I'm in Colorado and want to do an auction for next year but learning we need a license. Does that sound right?
As far as an auctioneer-my brother is great but he's in Iowa! Sorry! (and he doesn't fly well!)
Thank you for your input.. Norman care to move to Massachusetts your services sound wonderful.. curious as to the fee.. what would we be looking at for a charge.??? Will attempt to find the person from Brattleboro. I do have some "lay" people willing to do the auction but as Norman pointed out I certainly wouldn't want to have a "lay" person operate on me. I am nervous to choose someone out of the phone book fear they aren't animated... etc.. thank you all for your input
I forgot to say on that last part - for the Brattleboro auction, you didn't have to buy the dinner.
You could just attend the auction, although most folks did opt for the lobster!
