By: Zack Krone
There are some benefit auctioneers that have a warmth, kindness, a sense of humor and ultimately a sunny disposition that inspires the rest of us to be gravitated towards.
They have an energy, and a friendliness that is genuine.
This is something that cannot be taught; but only learned from.
Combine those character traits with nearly 3 decades of experience serving nonprofits both in terms of development and on stage fundraising and you have Larry Flynn.
It’s quite a rare combination to find all of those attributes in one specific person yet alone the specialized profession of benefit auctioneer.
Larry Flynn Brings joy to anyone in his presence, he impresses audiences year after year. He is so well revered throughout treasure valley, Sun Valley and the entire state of Idaho as well as nearby markets such as Jackson hole, Salt Lake City, Denver, Tacoma, Seattle and Portland that it is beyond compare in any other market or region of the United States.
I have traversed this entire nation and worked with dozens upon dozens of amazing auctioneers that I respect and admire.
All of the auctioneers whom I admire most inherently have the same character traits and skill set as Larry Flynn. It’s rarified air.
Which is why I decided to partner with him on this new venture called “Idaho Benefit Events”
Do you ever meet someone and say to yourself “I gotta work with this guy”
That coupled with over a decade of friendship and mutual respect brought us to this point.
You usually don’t see the salesmanship of an auctioneer combined with the skill set of a polished entertainer matched with extensive wisdom and market familiarity that Larry Possesses.
Not to mention the energy level he brings to the microphone after all these years would impress anyone of any age
Larry simply won’t make the mistakes a rookie would. He knows the bidders and donors by name. He knows the causes inside and out.
He knows when to push, when not to push, when to make them laugh, when to stir emotion, and how to design a program to maximize the guest experience.
Usually Auctioneers are either entertainers who lack the background in the nonprofit world or traditional auctioneering and general salesmanship. Very few have both skill sets.
Or you find commercial auctioneers whom are accustomed “the hard sale” or liquidating hundreds of assets rather than entertaining and being able to relate to the crowd. They lack the stage presence/camera presence necessary to be likable and to entertain a crowd or carry a show.
In many cases being a traditional Auctioneer in a benefit auction setting will turn off most crowds. It’s simply a different method of salesmanship. For the same reasons you wouldn’t hire an orthopedic surgeon to do open-heart surgery even though they are both doctors.
Nobody would argue that the car industry or the real estate industry is completely different than the nonprofit world.
The job and intention of an auctioneer when collaborating with nonprofit means more than you might think.
If You’re reading this then you might know something about the nonprofit or scholastic fundraising world. You may have even produced an event or you’re shopping for potential benefit Auctioneer for your live or virtual fundraiser.
With a very skeptical eye you have to determine if the Auctioneer is trying
to raise money for you or to raise money for themselves?
Be wary of any Auctioneer that’s start slinging software programs and Consignment right from the start. Also be wary of any Auctioneer who’s offering free items in conjunction with their service. If they were worth hiring they wouldn’t need such incentive.
That was another impressive factor of Larry. He remains impartial and neutral so he can be honest in his consulting to give you the best recommendations for everything from venue to vendors.
It’s absolutely and most imperative to make recommendations that fit your needs more so than anyone else:
Thats a quality I wholeheartedly admire.
As benefit auctioneers Larry and I also share very similar philosophies in our approach to conducting virtual or live events for nonprofits and schools in the treasure valley or the entire state of Idaho for that matter.
Our job is to maximize the “joy quota” as well as the monetary quota of any fundraising event. To utilize the trifecta of giving which is to inspire, motivate or to incentivize A crowd.
In order to do those three things you must first retain attentiveness and offer them a value proposition in listening to you other than the item or cause itself.
That comes via entertainment value, The innate character traits I mentioned prior and consulting in program creation. 90% of the work of a benefit auctioneer is accomplished in preproduction. Many groups consider us to be auxiliary board or committee members.
It’s this level of depth and attentiveness that make us all the more affective on stage.
Plus very few benefit auction specialists have such polished performance as Larry Flynn.
He had reverence within the community
He is so well respected amongst the nonprofits and donors within the treasury valley, sun valley The entire state of Idaho and beyond.
I went to dinner with Larry in downtown Boise at chandlers restaurant a couple years ago.
A minute didn’t go by where socialites and trend setters didn’t come up and greet Larry. Executive directors lawyers, prominent business people politicians they all knew where he was and greeted him as a friend you don’t see that every day with Auctioneer’s or with others.
As a ten year benefit Auctioneer veteran myself I can attest to his on stage ability his knowledge and his kindness.
I have Always been proud to call Larry Flynn my friend but now I am proud to call him my collaborator and my partner as we strive to sustain the nobility that exists within the community of treasure Valley and uphold its values by fundraising for the causes it holds dear.
The only way we get through this pandemic is together. And by making the most important and valued efforts to fund raise to uphold the pillars of our community.
There are no two individuals better suited to meet this challenge and need then Larry Flynn and Zack Krone