06/17/2021
When it comes down to it, Auctioneers are marketers. I do most of my personal property online nowdays, but that does not mean that I am anti live. In fact, I love live, and am good at it, judging by other auctioneers that I work with. It is just, with the dynamics of the company I have developed, the online model is more efficient for me.
Regardless of how it is delivered, the auction industry is co-dependent upon 2 things, our clients ( sellers) to which we have a fiduciary obligation, and our buyers, to whom we owe honesty, transparency, and accuracy.
We sell a wide variety of assets (stuff). Land, everything on it, under it, over it, and the thoughts that make it possible (Intellectual rights). To do so, we must have the ability to get the right buyers to the right assets. So, you best find someone with a proven track record in the asset that you're selling, or conversely, an auctioneer that you know, has the expertise to target the right buyers and get them to a sale.
Case in point. I recently was retained to sell, at public online auction, a collection of Beatles Albums. 900 of them. I am not/was not an expert in Beatles memorabilia. To be clear, I still am not an expert, but I know what a 2nd and 3rd state Butcher cover is, and how to spot an authentic one. That said, I was hired, via referral, because I know how to target the right buyers, using online advertising, targeting, and funnels, that I was able to get 224 registered bidders that pushed the sale to 130% of my sellers expectations.
There are many auctioneers, Nationwide, that I consider not only colleagues, but friends, specialists in a large variety of asset classes.
It is said that anyone can run an online auction. That is true, as well as a live one. However, it takes experience and a level of professionalism, to conduct one well. I chose the word conduct, because, being a musician.... conducting resonates with me, to the point of bringing sections together in a climactic crescendo that can leave the audience, the auctioneer, and the sellers, breathless at the end.
Shawn J Dostie, Auctioneer/Realtor, CAI
Gryphon Realty
UBidNWin
740.502.1017