Offer value IDR 300,000, can I get a bid value of IDR 400,000? Can I get an offer value of IDR 500,000? How about the offer value of IDR 600,000? Most people think of the insanely fast but clear talk of an auctioneer as their primary skill, but there are actually many other skills than that. Their behind-the-scenes involvement is as important to auction success as their talent for generating bids. Auctioneers perform many tasks, such as marketing, public relations, business management, accounting and basic administration. Use the following steps to become an auctioneer.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Entering a Business
Step 1. Get your high school diploma or equivalency diploma (GED)
To qualify for a license (or to be taken seriously), you need to obtain a diploma or equivalent. Take speech, marketing, history, business and agriculture classes while in school. This course will help prepare you for the various roles required as an auctioneer,.
Even if college isn't important, it can be useful. A recent poll conducted by the NAA (National Auctioneers Association) of America's National Auctioneers Association, 35% have a degree while another 36% have college experience
Step 2. Attend the auction
This is a natural first step to becoming an auctioneer. Start attending auctions! Pay attention to the roles that auctioneers fill during a typical auction day. Observe his actions, decisions and skills. There's a lot more to it than just talking fast!
Step 3. Work part time at an auction company
If you're in high school or just looking to gain experience, start working for an auction company doing whatever odd jobs you can get your hands on. Even if you're just organizing things to sell or sweeping the floor, this helps open up opportunities for you.
- Serves as helpers on the side of the circle handing items over to auctioneers and helping control crowds.
- Work as bid supervisor. Auctioneers need help identifying everyone making bids, especially during busy and crowded auctions. Bid supervisors identify bidders that are not visible to the auctioneer.
- Help arrange auctions before they start. Auctioneers rely on help unpacking, organizing and arranging auction items for viewing and bidding. Learn more about the business by working with the setup crew.
Step 4. Study national and local regulations regarding required licenses
Now that you've gained experience, do you like what you see? You may choose between obtaining a license and becoming an auctioneer. Currently, 37 states in the United States require a license. Continue with the licensing guidelines as set by your state.
Some states require you to go to an NAA-affiliated school, some states require a year or two of experience before you are allowed to take the final exam, some require internships, and some states will allow some combination of the types of experience listed above.. If you can gain hands-on experience, you may not have to take the course
Step 5. Start working at a charity event
That's right – you “don't” need a license to be an auctioneer for a charity event. This is basically volunteer work (you don't earn any money), so it's open to anyone kind enough to donate their time. This is a great way to start developing a resume and getting your name out there. In time, this is all about your reputation. It is also well-intentioned; did we mention it before?
Part 2 of 4: Obtaining a license
Step 1. Follow auctioneer school
While this is not always mandatory, it is certainly a valuable experience. Unless you grew up with a hammer in your hand instead of a pacifier (aka getting into the family business), this might be the route for you. The NAA has a list of schools on their website.
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Currently the NAA has schools in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and affiliates in Australia. Depending on your location, you may be able to get courses that are only a few weeks long or you may have to take almost the same amount of time as a standard semester of college. Whichever it is, it won't be too long.
Choose between an on-site school or a virtual program. Auctioneer schools exist all over the world and many programs are offered online. You'll take call-to-call, marketing and basic business management classes
Step 2. Do an internship
Some American states, such as Ohio and Tennessee, require 1 or 2 years of work experience (respectively) before you are allowed to take the exam. But regardless of the rules in your area, it's a good idea to start gaining work experience as soon as possible.
There is such a thing as an auctioneer's license. This is generally a stepping stone (often required) in states that “indeed” require work experience before the exam. Exam fees currently range from a few million rupiah in most areas
Step 3. Take the exam
In most areas, exams are offered quarterly. Your state usually provides study information for the test, such as the Texas Green Book. But since you're already on the auctioneer's network, you'll also have plenty of other resources to study.
Certain states have reciprocal laws. This means that your license is valid in states that recognize licenses from your state, but not in other states. If you want a license in a state that doesn't recognize you, you will be required to meet their requirements and take their exams
Step 4. Submit your license application
After you take the exam and pass (if you fail, you can usually do it again twice next year), you can apply for your license! This usually just proves that you have done the job and that you are a legitimate auctioneer. Safe! And yes, this will cost another few million rupiah.
Step 5. Join a professional organization
Almost every state in America has a professional organization for auctioneers. National organizations also exist, and offer further education and other resources to members. NAA is a great place to start. There are many competitions and conferences that you can also participate in.
Many organizations, including at the state level, provide auctioneers with test opportunities to prove their skills. Becoming legal or accredited increases your credibility and professionalism as an auctioneer
Step 6. Take care of other careers
It is quite difficult to become successful overnight as an auctioneer. Keep doing your regular job or stay in your current career until you have managed to find success to replace regular income. Most auctioneers start out with part-time jobs.
Part 3 of 4: Obtaining Events
Step 1. Work for an auction company or auction house
Most auction companies are self-employed – people like you who start out as auctioneers and then start their own business. However, there are some “houses” that are networked and quite large. Just like any entrepreneur, some are better than others, but you never know until you try.
Try to find an auction company that is specialized in your specialty (agriculture, antiques, etc.) and willing to work with you and your schedule. Do they provide guidance? How much do they charge? Will you be a worker or contractor? These are things to consider when looking for a job
Step 2. Become an expert on various topics
Auctioneers are often sought after for their expertise in an area. You have to look at an object and be able to say roughly how it is and what factors are important about it. If you miss a streak, you could start the price “far” too high. Here are the most common sub-topics of auctions:
- Learn about livestock and agriculture. Many auctions sell livestock and farm equipment.
- Gain knowledge about antiques. Auctions regularly include antiques, and it can be helpful to have information about historical eras and historical items.
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Auction vehicles as an expert. Learn about the make, model, year, engine and unique things about vehicles.
Some states, like Tennessee again, have special licenses for public car auctioneers
Step 3. Market your auction
You will be responsible for participating in the auction. To get bidders, you first need to market the auction in the right medium, in the right place, at the right time and to the right people. If the auction goes on and the product doesn't work, your client won't be happy.
It is very important to know the bidders who are present. If you're auctioning off the contents of a house and it's mostly Elvis memorabilia and thousands of LPs, this is very different from selling a home's contents which are all modern 19th century art and fine china. The breadth of your network will be very, very important here
Step 4. Go look for opportunities
If you live in a less populated area, you will obviously get more to offer elsewhere. Consider networking throughout your area or even moving to a region that caters to your specialty (full of farms or just simply prosperous, for starters). The more people you can reach, the more opportunities you have to build yourself up.
Part 4 of 4: Rise to the Top
Step 1. Practice the bidding call
Use a mirror, record yourself, make a loud bidding call and use your skills in public. If you've ever been to auction school, they'll get you started with this. Calling bids is an art, as is drawing auction items and dealing with customers. Improve your skills by practicing them regularly.
Calling for bids is the most visible part of an auctioneer's job, but it is only a small part. While this is important, you'll also need to be charismatic, a great salesperson, and have good administrative skills to get started
Step 2. Become an entertainer
A good auctioneer is not just someone who knows their product and can speak very quickly and still maintain clarity. They entertain the whole room! An auctioneer who charms his audience can increase the price by up to 20%. Don't make crowds and auctions worthless.
- If this is still not clear, you will almost always be working on a commission basis. So the more you get participants to spend their money on, the better for you. So you have to make it work!
- To some extent, you will persuade participants to pay more. People will automatically become hesitant when the price goes up – it's your job to be persuasive and convince them (without them knowing it) that they made the right decision by raising the stakes.
Step 3. Use ethics
Good auctioneers are often quite classy. You may be working with objects of high value and your attitude should be appropriate. The bidder is not an “unidentified woman in an orange hat” and you are not appointing anyone to bid. You work with ladies and gentlemen and your hands should always be with your palms open.
If you're on television, there's going to be a different protocol for that – you'll need to occasionally say hello to your new listeners. Increase your charm, be very diplomatic, and wear a brightly colored tie or top
Step 4. Know that this is a lot more work than it looks
In addition to all the preparatory work you have to do (working with clients, working with agents, etc.) and guarding the booth at the time of the auction itself, you will sort out every little detail that happened that day. And that's a lot!
