Charity Auctions

Why is a benefit auction a great way to make money for your charity?

Benefit auctions are a fun, flexible, and financially rewarding way to raise money for your charity. Patrons open their pocketbooks quickly to bid on items at the auction! At a benefit auction, you are not just asking people to write checks, they are getting the opportunity to bid on exciting items in a fun competitive atmosphere. Perfectly functional as a standalone event or an easy addition to your already existing gala, meeting, awards or recognition event, benefit auctions get crowds engaged and returning year after year. Convinced on having a benefit auction, but don’t understand why you need a professional auction service? Keep reading for more information on the financial rewards and excitement a professional auctioneer can bring to your benefit or charity.

Why hire a professional auctioneer to run your benefit auction?

Before we get started explaining the benefits of a professional auctioneer, ask yourself this question: for your important event, do you cook your own food or hire a caterer? You hire a caterer because you want a professional in charge of this important element of your event. Then why would you put the most important part of the event, raising money, in the hands of an amateur?

Many groups planning benefit auctions that do not hire a professional auctioneer just have not been to a benefit auction with a top-notch professional auctioneer. A great professional auctioneer’s chant, industry language for their speedy talking, is rhythmic, exciting and brings an element of entertainment to your benefit auction. When bidders get excited, hands start flying in the air, and money starts flying into your charity’s coffers! Jonathan Kraft of Kraft Auction Service is an award winning auctioneer with that great chant you need to get people going. He won the Indiana Auctioneer Championship in 2010 and the Michigan Auctioneer Championship in 2008. He has been named a finalist in the International Auction Championship 3 years – 2012, 2013, and 2014. He was also named reserve champion International Junior Auctioneer in 2007.

In addition to a professional bid caller, we can bring a variety of other services to help you plan and run your auction:

Professional Ringman:

A professional Ringman is a requirement for most benefit and charity auctions.  Jonathan’s ringmen do a great job of encouraging bidders and ensuring Jonathan sees every hand that goes up in the air! They also work with the bidders to encourage more bidding and keep excitement in the room. We are equipped to handle benefit auctions anywhere in the world, and are willing to travel.

Provide Consultations:

Kraft Auction Service’s years of experience can help you plan your benefit auction to ensure it will run smoothly and maximize dollars raised.  Once we learn a little more about your particular event and items you plan to sell; we can develop creative solutions tailored just for you.  Our previous clients have found our consultations useful in the following ways:

• suggesting proven items
• ordering items for the catalog
• timing of various events on auction night
• closing silent auction booths
• using the dinner to your advantage
• instructions for workers
• advising on how much to charge
• advising on other auction night activities

Professional Sound Equipment:

Sound requirements for an auction are very specialized.  Your guests need to be able to understand the auctioneer at a comfortable sound level.  We bring the specialized equipment that will make the auction a pleasurable experience for your guests.  This is an extremely important consideration to the success of your event.

Clerking, Cashiering and Credit Card Services:

Unsure of how to register bidders, keep track of items sold, check people out, or take payment? Upon request, we are happy to bring our staff to complete all these tasks. We also have a mobile credit card machine to run all major forms of credit card.

Supplies:

Need bid cards, silent auction forms, bidder registration documents or other supplies for your auction? Upon request, we are happy to supply you with the necessary tools to make your auction a success.

Call Kraft Auctions at 219-973-9240 or email us at jonathan@kraftauctions.com to learn how we can assist with your event!