Hi Glad to be a part of the community of colonels (IYKYK). See you again soon..

Have you ever had a client not let you have your normal chant? One of my three events last weekend asked me to really slow down. They said they didn't want a normal auctioneer chant. Last year, they asked me to slow down, and I did; then this year, they said I had to slow down even more. They were very happy with this speed, and we blew past last year's numbers, so that was a bonus! Here is my best attempt at a slower chant! What is a request you have had from a client?

How many of you know that benefit auctioneers MAY be considered "professional solicitors" in some states and must (in Florida) register with the state and pay for a $50,000 surety bond? I just saw this today. I don't remember hearing about this in my auctioneer course (I may have simply missed it). I asked several Florida auctioneers I know who do benefits and they hadn't heard of it either- which alarms me that so many may be at risk. This is what I found for Florida: "....Under the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act (Chapter 496, Florida Statutes), a benefit auctioneer working on behalf of a nonprofit generally must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as a Professional Solicitor. If you are paid to conduct, manage, or carry out a charitable solicitation or auction, you are legally considered a professional solicitor. Did you hear about this in your auctioneer course?

The review I received today totally gave me confidence boost. Have you received a review or testimonial that gave you a confidence boost? Google Review: I’ve attended and donated to multiple benefit auctions throughout the Magic Valley over the years, and I can confidently say that having a skilled and experienced benefit auctioneer makes a massive difference. One example really stands out to me. I donated a custom handmade whiskey barrel cabinet to a fundraising event where it was placed in the silent auction. It only reached $350 — well below the actual value of the piece. In the end, I actually purchased the barrel back myself and donated the proceeds because I knew it was worth far more than that. Later, I donated the exact same barrel cabinet to another benefit event where Brian was the live auctioneer. The difference was unbelievable. Through Brian’s energy, ability to engage the crowd, and talent for building excitement and momentum during bidding, that barrel sold for $7,500. The bidding atmosphere became so energized that I offered to build a second one on the spot for the next highest bidder — and that one sold for another $7,500 as well. What once brought in $350 at another event ultimately raised $15,000 because of the environment Brian created and the way he connected bidders to the cause and the moment. That experience alone showed me firsthand that a great auctioneer is not just someone talking on a microphone — they are a true value-add investment that can dramatically impact fundraising success. I would absolutely recommend Brian to any organization looking to maximize both fundraising and engagement at their event.

An Auctioneer friend was in NYC last night helping a long term client and reached out to see if I knew any ringman that could help. I said..."I would love to ring for you!" This was a great opportunity to support a friend, help an organization and keep me sharp in the ring. Here's a little example of how two professionals can join together to make some auction magic happen! $400k raised in just a few moments!