January brings many state auctioneers conventions. The first weeks of the year are often a slow time for auctioneers and the cold weather makes having auctions in the elements less desirable. If auctioneers can’t sell the next best thing is talking about (and often exaggerating) the auction business to each other at state auctioneers conventions. This year was marathon of sorts for me in terms of conventions. I was invited to speak at and attend the Minnesota State Auctioneers Conventions in Duluth, Minnesota. There are only two things I want to do in Duluth and second on the list is talking about auctioneering. I had an amazing time and my hosts (lead by Col. Kurt Johnson) treated me like auction royalty. Matt Schultz won the Minnesota Bid Calling Championship and you can see his video on the Channel. More videos from the contest will be added later this week and next.

I jumped on a plane back to Columbus and as soon as I landed I drove directly to the Ohio Auctioneers Association annual winter convention just north of Columbus. I managed to catch the tail end of another great convention. They didn’t treat me like auction royalty however…they know me to well. Next week it is off to Kalamazoo, Michigan for the Michigan State Auctioneers Association convention.

All this conventioning and kibitzing plays an important role in the auction business. The Auction Industry is unique in that it is often an individualistic endeavor with individual rewards but no auctioneer can do it alone. Additional auctioneers almost universally share and techniques and trends and are an open book on the keys to success.  Conventions give auctioneers the safe harbor to compare notes, compete in contests and decompress about an industry that even in the best of times is high pressure and draining.  It is said in the world that there are only six degrees of separation. In the auction business it is often less than three and so auctioneers conventions always have old friends, college and past partners. The Auctioneer Channel is an attempt, as much as it is possible to capture that convention culture and share it amongst ourselves and with the world. 

Peter D. Gehres, CAI, CES is a first generation auctioneer and Realtor based in Columbus, Ohio. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin.