At high-rolling events, an auctioneer’s quick thinking and ability to be present in the room can lead to fun payoffs for a nonprofit or charity group - sometimes even raising $1,500 cash in a few seconds.“Being flexible and being able to go off-the-cuff” is one of the most valuable attributes of an experienced professional auctioneer, says Taylor Beveridge, Director of Philanthropy at Carlsbad Educational Foundation.Auctioneers often also serve as hosts, emcees, and hype-people at an event, and must be lithe on their feet, present in the moment, and good on a mic. This often is the difference between a duller, less-profitable event and an exciting one. Rachel Schmidt, Director of Marketing and Events at English in Action, says that “Bringing the energy and being able to shift as needed is a key element to having a professional run your auction.”Schmidt details one such example at their event last year, when Keith was encouraging donations during the Fund-A-Need and suggested that people donate an equivalent of cash in their wallets - that “change” that people might have forgotten about and haven’t used in a while could do a lot to serve the organization’s mission. Maybe they had a ‘C-note’ in their pocket that’s been there a while - wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to leave that money here tonight with the organization?To some surprise, one bidder pulled out an actual $100 bill from his wallet and offered it up. Audience members saw this and began doing the same - as it turned out, many were carrying cash they were willing to part with for a good cause.Keith realized what was happening and jumped on the opportunity, accepting the money and building on the energy by encouraging the audience to do the same. Simply by asking if anyone in the room had “a C-note in their pocket”, KLM Auctions was able to take advantage of an unexpected moment, raising $1,500 in cash for the organization from one off-the-cuff suggestion.Schmidt notes of hiring a professional auctioneer: “The advantages are… working the room, feeling the energy and reading the energy, and being able to pivot when needed.” You never know when an opportunity to turn someone’s reaction into a donation will arise, and being able to capitalize on those moments, as was the case for English in Action, is key.- - -“Friends With Benefit Auctions” is a new video-podcast talking all things auctions, benefit fundraising and live charity events. This clip is from Episode 1 of KLM Auctions’ new video podcast 'Friends with Benefit Auctions', featuring an expert conversation with Taylor Beveridge, Kristi Maryman, and Rachel Schmidt.And follow KLM auctions on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/63hyjlFUUYkRucubl0zJRU?si=23f8da286d4e4c20KLM Auctions is the nation’s premier provider of event-based fundraising advisory services and professional charity/benefit auctioneers.Get in touch with us here:https://www.klmauctions.com/contact-us#benefitauction #auction #fundraising #nonprofit #KLMauctions #fundaneed #liveauction #pivot