Auctioneers… Born or Made?
Auctioneers... Born or Made?
Auctioneers... Born or Made?
Rich Schur, Champion & Master Auctioneer
While there are a handful of auctioneers who just naturally come by their ability, most auctioneers are trained in Auction Academies. I'm fortunate that I get to be an instructor at several schools helping new auctioneers learn the basics.
This week I was in Dallas at the Texas Auction Academy, with a group of 35 students from all over the country. The youngest was 18 and the oldest was in their 70's. We had a father-son team, and a husband-wife team. Ranchers, real estate agents, students, a hair dresser and more. It is an amazing experience to be with this mix of students.
This 80+ hour class of 8 days is intense. The students learn auction law, salesmanship, job cost estimating, farm and agricultural equipment sales, marketing, ethics, HR, antiques, auto sales, and so much more. Of course, for many students, it's learning to call bids, or the "chant” that is the most exciting part.
Every day, several times a day, we take the students through number drills and tongue-twisters to build their speed and clarity. Day One, they sound pretty rough. By Day Eight, we can already pick out the potential champions. The Texas Auction Academy has trained thousands of students, and many have gone on to be industry leaders and Champions. Several graduates who are Champion Auto Auctioneers work for Manheim Auto Auction in Dallas. We have the privilege of taking the students to the auto auction where at peak times, where more than 20 auctioneers are selling cars at the same time. Thousands of cars move through the sale each auction day.
The students get to see the organized chaos, and as the sale winds down, we get a couple of empty lanes so the students can experience what it's like to sell in that environment. For many, it's their first experience using a microphone or "selling" from the auction block. It's an incredible experience, even for someone who has been around as long as I have been.
It's rewarding to be able help these auctioneers as they break into the business. Not only do these folks work hard, but about half of them stayed with me after class until nearly midnight to practice their bid calling and ask questions.
If you've ever thought about becoming an auctioneer, and would like more information, give us a call. We're happy to help. (719) 667-1000
Here are a few of the Auction Academies we work for or for which we've been guest instructors:
- Texas Auction Academy http://www.texasauctionacademy.com/
- Worldwide College of Auctioneering https://worldwidecollegeofauctioneering.com/
- Western College of Auctioneering https://www.auctionschools.com/
- Reppert School of Auctioneering http://www.reppertschool.com/
Check out the videos of the class:
Welcome to Class & Tongue Twisters
