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Have you ever wondered how auctioneers learn to speak so quickly? On this show we'll pull the curtain and reveal the art of auctioneering — specifically as a method of fundraising. Kelly Russell moved to Oregon a few years ago, and not long after her arrival, she discovered she wanted to become a benefit auctioneer. Her career path has taken off almost as quickly as she can do a tongue twister. Russell says she loves her job because she gets to broker transactions between givers and receivers — an art she says, that benefits all.
People have been auctioning their wares since Ancient Roman times when Marcus Aurelius sold family furniture at auctions to pay off debts. An auctioneer's job is to attract the highest bidder to convert stuff into cash. It's a vocation that requires special marketing, speech and interpersonal communication skills. The range of auction forums has expanded since the advent of the Internet, but there are still some types of auctions that are well served by a live auctioneer; among them are benefit auctions.
Benefit auctioneers serve the nonprofit sector, which has been hit hard by the recession. Charities are reporting that overall donations remain below pre-recessionary levels; restricting many nonprofits' abilities to give aid, according to a new survey (pdf). Have you donated money through a charity auction? Have you been inspired (or convinced!) by an auctioneer to give more?
If you donate money, what do you know about the people your gift supports. If you've received support from a charity, do you feel connected to the people who gave?
Tagged as: auctioneers · charity · giving · receiving
Photo credit: Kelly Russell Auctions, LLC
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Dear TRIVIALPAC,
do you really think you have SOMETHING to say (worth considering) about FREAKIN' EVERYTHING??
maybe you are in the WRONG LINE OF WORK?
are there no openings for a pseudo-pontificating loud-mouthed ignorant god anywheres?
"NO OFFENSE" ??? what a crock!
sure, you've got a right to whatever ill-formed opinion you can scrape off the street, and you've also got the right to keep it to yourself. why not exercise that right too?
Now, don't go out and mistreat the farm animals 'cuz you' got yourself all steamed up! Do something constructive with all that pent up energy - go out and dig a ditch, in a straight line, then fill it back up. That will be more useful than the distraction you make here, Sideshow Bob.
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Hey, lolo, at least Sideshow Bob is erudite and well-educated.
I do agree, however, TrivialPac is entitled to his own opinion, but he may not have his own facts. (I don't remember the original source of that, but I have heard it quoted by both Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow.)
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Penny, I am pretty sure that was a scientist talking about climate change. I forget right now who it was.
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Hi, Tom...
If you mean my re-quote of "...own opinion, ...own facts." it may be so, but it still applies, as Vitalpac seems to believe that he may have his own facts, regardless of what reality actually is.
"I reject your reality and substitute my own!" -- Adam Savage (Mythbusters)
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Why is their a nonprofit secotor? Why should churches and charities dole out resources to society's offal? Society can function without wasteniks.
I do not participate in auctions since I've never had the resources to bid up others' largess. I tend to distribute meager resources to several entities. This way I avoid being arm twisted by crafty auctioneers.
Isn't it time to address the real problems? People would not have to rely on charity if they had sufficient opportunities to conduct their lives in a predictable manner more insulated from the vagaries and vicissitudes of boom-and-bust cycles.
People could afford sufficient lifestyles if they earned sufficient wages and their jobs weren't taken away each time the economy suffered a sour stomach.
People create economic systems and choose to make them stable or unstable. We have chosen greed and instability every time. Instead of being satiated with 20% profit we've chosen (as a society) to bend suckers over and take them dry. Maximum profits and bonuses for shareholders and executives while we make the rest dumpster dive for scraps.
I'm cranky today so I'll just wing it here without worrying too much about this idea's veracity or perspicacity. Warren Buffett didn't start giving back his vast wealth until Bill Gates chucked him under the chin. Bill Gates might not have become a philanthropist without encouragement from his wife, Melinda. I'm not upset with Melinda, Bill and Warren. They've worked damn hard to get where they are and I thank them for their munificence and awareness of the world's sorry state.
I'm calling out the oligarchs and oil barons who light cigars with the foreclosed deeds of the exploited. My imagination envisions a corner of Hell set aside for those who've decided to amass stupendous wealth on the ever growing pile of dispossessed skeletons.
Cream rises to the top but represents less than 10% of the milk whilst the remaining 90% becomes sour. We really don't need to repeat the "crying over spilled sour milk" thing.
Thank you for suffering the rant of a fool who imagines an auction where wisdom, enlightenment, compassion, creativity and integrity are dispensed to the lowest bidders.
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"... People would not have to rely on charity if they had sufficient opportunities to conduct their lives in a predictable manner more insulated from the vagaries and vicissitudes of boom-and-bust cycles."
This is only one type of charity. There are other charities out there that don't just help the poor... like charities that help abused children (see the Oregon Network of Child Abuse Intervention Centers), or nonprofits that provide education and services or conservation (Nearby Nature in Eugene, Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah)... then there are arts organizations and nonprofits working to increase sustainability in our communities (Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts, and the Eugene Symphony Guild.)
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I can admire personal generosity in charity but that old Conservative idea of "Noblesse Oblige" never was effective as a safety net for those at the bottom or even those others from the top or middle who for whatever reason have fallen on hard times. Our current local, state, and national problems are the perfect example of it not working.
In a democracy we ought to tax ourselves to keep what the Jesus character taught was "the least of these" out of too severe a spat of troubles.
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noblesse oblige may have been clothed in many conservative or even feudal notions, but it is also nobly liberal -
if the better-off are not obliged to give something of worth to those less fortunate, and it is most often they who are the real source of that wealth, then what?...we just kiss their arse and say how happy we would be if they have left what they shat behind?
we do not have to accept this idea with all the accoutrements and doilies somewhat arbitrarily attached, to accept the ideal of it.
it is NOT a justification of position, it is a movement toward a realization that with greater privilege must come greater responsibility, and it should be coupled with the knowledge that position is accident (and hard work along the way), never birthright.
when position is birthright we are all lost, the rich in their excesses, the others in the mess the rich will have made
just as the suffering need some relief from their burden of privations, so the rich do need to de-burden themselves of some of their cornucopia of excess
[please see below for conclusion]
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[from previous]
if anything stifles the human spirit, it is an excess of ease - too many of the rich in this country have way too much ease and no sense of social or even personal responsibility - what kind of new company is a fat overfed slob going to think up anyway? If they can’t even take responsible care of of their own body, what are they going to do to their employees and customers?
The fortunate owe society a HUGE debt. This does not let others off the hook.
this is a big topic and i barely scratch the surface
give the ideal of noblesse oblige a rethink - strip away all the hogwash and self-justification of it and re-consider
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Lolo, the problem of Nobless Oblige is that it does not have the force of law. So when the economy is going well for everyone and the rich actually give, it works a little bit, but in times like the present, it is failing "the least of these".
And often it is just a PR ploy, like old man Rockefeller who had the Standard Oil Monopoly and was robbing The People but polished his image by giving out dimes to the children of The people who he was stealing multiple dollars from through his monopoly.
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Personally, I'd prefer auctions if the auctioneer would slow down and speak in a manner that is clear and easy to understand. I won't bid if they go too fast. I was at an auction this summer that was very well handled and had a good 'rythm' but every word was clear and I appreciated that. Guest could slow down her speaking a tad when not auctioneering also!
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Until we succeed in restructuring society to eliminate the need (if we can), we do have immediate needs for charities and fundraisers for the same.
Auctioneers like Kelly are incredibly useful for those groups who need these fundraisers in order to provide their services.
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This past October, my husband and I had the opportunity to go to our first charity auction. We wanted to purchase something to use in my husband's dental practice. We were immediately drawn to two art pieces made by children in the school that the auction was benefiting. We ended spending much more money than we had budgeted. The energy in the room was amazing, and it was exciting to bid, and even more exciting to win! The auctioneer as well as the spotters on the floor really kept the room's energy up. It is a great way to raise money for non-profits. We most likely would not have given as much as we did at a different type fundraiser.
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Kelly talks fast like a New Yorker. That's no condemnation just an observation. Most North Westerners are pretty laid back in their speech compared to the fast paced New Yorkers.
People who talk rapidly tend to be shallow breathers, breathing high up in their chest, compared to deep breathers who breathe from their diaphragm. Deep breathers tend to be more emotionally calm and relate better to people with empathy and compassion. Shallow breathers tend to be more highly stressed and run right by and miss the emotional connections with people, they tend to be more about things than people.
Of course these are just generalizations and there are exceptions.
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I've hired her in the past for a school auction I chaired, and worked alongside her at many others (I work for a benefit auction-software company).
I'd point out that the speed that she speaks at isn't nearly as remarkable as her clarity and the ability of everyone in the room to follow the flow of each sale. Listen to her today; like all good benefit auctioneers, her sentences flow very clearly.
Fast isn't a problem unless the listeners get left behind.
Roger Devine
Tofino Auctions -
Today's conversation is a timely talk. The founder of Facebook, and arguably the world's youngest billionaire, is already pledging to give away half his wealth.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/zuckerberg-and-icahn-join-buffett-and-gates-giving-pledge/?src=me
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I have attended auctions for benefit and auctions for personal purchase and the difference beteewn the two is black and white. The auctions that people attend who are looking to buy can be very cut throat. You get ebayers and dealers who are there to further their business and can be quite rude. The benefit auction is a fun and festive time and even when people loose, they still are laughing.
I helped orgainize a benefit auction where a corn broom made by the schools 4th graders sold for $450! The kids grew the corn, dried it and wove the sweep and carved the handle. The auctioneer we used still talks about it 6 years later.
I have wanted to get into auctioneering for sometime now and even volunteered to work events, but I still can't seem to get anywhere. Any suggestions? Thanks!
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I don't know about auctions because i haven't participated in it. But last sunday i had a mini fundraiser at home for an NGO called Prajwala (prajwala.com) which rescues sex workers. I think its a little hard to get people to give money away without giving them something in return. But when you get something for your money like food at your friends place and generally having a good time, people don't mind giving. Even if it is something small like $5. it goes a long way
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The question came up a few minutes ago: "why not just give $100" (rather than buy an auction item)?
The key to the answer is: Auctions are philanthropy-as-spectator-sport. They give back to the donor some very public recognition and a wonderful feeling that they contributed to something they care about.
Sometimes, in the moment at an auction, a bidder will find within them a willingness and resources to contribute that they may not have been convinced they had earlier.
Roger Devine
Tofino Auctions -
coming late to the conversation, but have you covered the for-profit auction company models? for instance, perhaps you remember the "cow parade" years ago in portland? i find these particularly questionable. seems like it should be part of the conversation if it hasn't been already.
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My first experience with both attending an auction and organizing an auction was one in the same event recently (Sept 2010) where Kelly was our auctioneer. As a new non-profit organization in Portland, we are the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank, our hiring Kelly was a leap of faith--having to pay for that expense--that this would benefit our event.
We were sooo pleased and happy at the results--$10,000 raised at the auction--of Kelly's skill and expertise at our event. We now have funds to be used to hire a grant writer to help our organization raise funds in order to open and become a NW resource.
In addition to the end result, auction attendees commented on how much fun and energy Kelly brought to the event.
She was a huge asset to the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank and we were very happy with our relationship.
Sincerely,
June Winfield, Board Chair
Northwest Mothers Milk Bank
Portland, OR
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I think it's fascinating, the idea that someone found this a way to be philanthropic.... bring people with money to people who need it. I'm the theatre director at Lincoln High School (yes, we still have a theatre program) and I'll be acting as a sort of auctioneer when we have our big fundraiser show PopCycles this weekend. It's really helped me to listen to this episode, as it's help me solidify in my own head why we are asking for money. Let's face it, everyone needs money right now, so it's hard to meet those people with the means to help. Thanks for a great episode! (and as a shameless plug, anyone reading this.... please come support Lincoln High School this Friday or Saturday and attend PopCycles. There will be all kinds of talent on stage, and we'll be holding a silent auction. Thanks.
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Kelly is a wonderful person to interview. Finding out how she does her job and her attitude is great. I'd love to see her working.
Recently I had to step into the job at our church auction and I loved doing the job as auctioneer but I wish I'd heard what she had to say before I did it.
I've seen a lot of different auctioneers at different charities and I know how important they are.
Thanks for the information.
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Thank you, Kelly for doing the work you do. If I didn't have that connection to PWCL I'm not sure I would have found the level of success that I have in my life. I was in a pretty deep depression. That level of sadness just lays a person out to the point where you can't really function normally.
Because of PWCL and the money you helped raise for them, I was able to put a name to what had happened. I was blaming myself, now I put the blame where it rightly belongs. That frees up my self-image to flourish, which very clearly led to my success in future endeavors like finishing school, getting married and finding deeply rewarding work with a local non-profit.
Plus, you can't forget that the night of the auction with all that laughter and levity helps more than just the survivors. It helps the people doing that work day in and day out to take a breath and remember why they are doing the work they are doing. I call that self-care!
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Thanks to everyone who tuned into Think Out Loud today! It was great fun to be a part of the show. I also want to say thanks to those who had questions on the air and who commented online as well.
I hope everyone found something of interest in the conversation. If you have any other questions that I can answer, I'd be happy to do so. You can find me online at the following locations:
www.kellyrussell.com
Facebook: Kelly Russell Auctions, LLC
Twitter: AuctioneerKelly
Here's to your fundraising success! Thanks again!
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Thanks for coming on the show today, Kelly. And thanks also to Abby, Rose and all the callers/bloggers who participated in the conversation.
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I caught a portion of this show the other night in a rebroadcast. A gentleman caller talked about how he was sometimes hired to sit in the crowd (not sure if it was for these charity auctions or not) and raise bids. Kelly Russell then talked about how there may be reserves on auctions and that having people in the auction place bids was one way of reaching a reserve without disclosing a reserve. By any other name, this is known as SHILL bidding, and is an illegal practice. I don't think the host of the show knew about this practice, because if she had, she would have asked some pointed questions about it.
Charity auction or not, if there is a reserve on an item, then the reserve should be disclosed. Allowing shill bidding is a shady way to get top dollar for an item. I noticed that Kelly Russell did a bit of back pedaling when this was discussed on the show, and that she sidestepped the issue.
I'm quite surprised that no one has said anything about this. Shill bidding is an abhorrent practice that should be condemned at all levels.
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Hi Adriana,
My appologies for not being clear on this topic. I mentioned earlier in the show that I do not like to have SHILL bidders in the audience. And in regard to the reserve (after reviewing the interview) I realized that how I worded this would make you think things shady.
So, here is the deal, when I have the control over a reserve item, I can disclose that it has a reserve, or let it be known that the item was "made affordable by" rather than "donated by" said donor.
There are times when an organization will request for me to use the reserve method for an item to get it to the donors requested selling amount. Many times all the money will still go back to the organization, but (in the case of art) the donor doesn't want their work undervalued. Or in the case of a consignment, they will have to pay the base amount of an item, if it doesn't go over that price. I think many auctioneers use this method of Reserves and bidding against the audience to keep the momentum of the night. At a benefit, there is nothing worse than the item that doesn't sell, and you have to announce it. We want to keep energy up, so the item is sold to a house number.
Thanks for your comment, and feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
Best,
Kelly
www.kellyrussell.com
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Comments are now closed.
AUCTIONEERS ARE JUST BELOW LAWYERS AND TOW TRUCK DRIVERS
>.NO OFFENSE