You wouldn't ask your auto mechanic to perform dental surgery. So why are you letting someone who isn't a trained auctioneer ask your guests for money?

I get it. Professional auctioneers cost money and budgets are tight. But what happens when you hand that microphone to the wrong person? Let me introduce you to Pam.

The Pam Story

A prospective client called me after their annual gala. They needed a new auctioneer. Their budget was tight but they could offer me "a lot of exposure." I asked how they raised money at last year's event. Turns out Pam — a board member had emceed a school auction once and had a blast. She volunteered. They were grateful. What could go wrong?

Pam did love the microphone. She also loved vodka. And when the donations weren't coming in the way she hoped she did what untrained people do when they panic on stage, she started shaming the crowd into giving.

The organization had invested thousands of dollars in venue, food, entertainment, and centerpieces. They had invested months of emotional labor and countless hours of planning. And they walked away disappointed because the most important moment of the entire evening, the ask, was handed to someone who meant well but had no idea what she was doing. Pam is not the villain of this story. The budget decision that left that role unfilled is.

What a Professional Auctioneer Actually Does

Here's what people get wrong. They see a great auctioneer on stage and think it looks easy. And because it looks easy they assume anyone can do it. That's not how it works. What you see on stage is the result of a partnership that started months sometimes over a year before the night of your event. A professional auctioneer brings a very specific lens to every decision: how do we design this experience, from the physical space to the emotional arc of the program, so that guests feel genuinely moved to give? That's not magic. But it creates magical moments. 

The Real Difference

It's the difference between someone shaming your guests to give and a trained professional guiding them along a journey of falling in love with your mission. It's the difference between inappropriate humor that makes people cringe and someone who knows how to read a room and adapt in real time. It's the difference between someone showing up right before showtime with no context and a strategic partner who treats your organization's fundraising night like it's their own mission on the line.

The Bottom Line

Your fundraising gala is often the one time a year you bring your entire donor community together. The stakes are high. The investment is significant. And the person holding the microphone during your paddle raise will either elevate that investment or undermine it. Budget for a professional auctioneer. Not because it's a nice to have — but because every other line item in your event budget depends on that moment going well.

Debbie Scheer is a licensed benefit auctioneer, professional emcee, fundraising event consultant, and keynote speaker based in Colorado, serving nonprofits nationwide. With hundreds of fundraising events under her belt she helps organizations create events that are strategic, inclusive, and meaningful — where guests feel great about giving and come back year after year. Reach out to Debbie to start the conversation.