If you’ve ever stepped foot in an auction house or spent time around auction sales, chances are you’ve heard a spattering of words and figures that sound like gibberish — or some form of it.
There’s a purpose to these expressions. Auctioneers aren’t just fast-talking, hammer-wielding salespeople. In fact, they spend countless hours perfecting the art of chanting, number-counting, learning auction laws, and understanding etiquette as part of the entire auction process.
You’ll need training or schooling (some states require it) and, in some cases, rigorous tests to pass to call yourself a certified auctioneer. We’ll discuss the steps you can follow to become an auctioneer and the career perks associated with it.
There are two ways to get an auction license. The most direct route is to attend an auction school. Years ago, schools offered auction courses over the course of a two-week period. For example, Bill Rackley, a longtime auctioneer, appraiser, and consultant with Dakil Auctioneers, Inc., received his auction training at a two-week, 40-hour course at Cecil Abernathy’s Auction School.
Nowadays, coursework can range from 40 hours up to 90-plus hours of intensive training at various auction schools across the country. You can learn the basics of auctioneering in as little as a week via eight-hour sessions across five days.
Currently, Oklahoma doesn’t have an auction school (the state used to have two). The closest program is America’s Auction Academy in Dallas, Texas. You can check out other auction schools throughout the country here.
Enrolling in an auction school can cost several thousand dollars. But there’s an alternative for anyone who has time and is looking for a different route. You can shadow and train with a licensed auctioneer, then they would sign off with another auctioneer to get you certified. Consider this an apprenticeship of sorts, as they will teach you the ins and outs of the business.
Occasionally, vocational-technical schools may host auction courses. Check with your local program to see about any potential offerings.
Locally, Rackley mentioned the idea of starting a free seminar to spark interest in auctioneering (additionally, anyone interested in a personal lesson can contact Rackley at 405-751-6179). He remembers the days when 15 or 20 people would enroll in classes. Without an auction school in Oklahoma, the interest in auctioneering has dwindled.
Auction school curriculum varies by program. In general, the courses cover chants, auction laws, cashier and clerk skills, sales management, sales setup, ethics, contracts, and advertising.
You’ll spend a majority of time learning chants and counting numbers with pace and rhythm. In business, time is money. The same applies to the auction industry. The faster you can get through the figures, the more products you can auction off. More items, especially sold at higher prices, is a win for everyone involved.
Learning numbers starts off with a simple scale that includes six types of figures you’ll say 20 times each. You’ll recite quarters, halves, 1s, 5s, 10s, and 2 ½. Here’s an example
At first, it may take a beginner two or three minutes to run through the numbers. If you spend a week of classes practicing speed, you should be able to say the 120 figures in 30 or 40 seconds, or about three numbers per second.
“With that scale, you can sell anything in the world,” Rackley said.
After a person learns the figures front and back, you’re challenged to use a filler word as part of the cadence. The word comes after a number. If your filler word was, for example, bee, you’d say “1 a bee, 2 a bee, 3 a bee” and so on.
Filler words are what the general public associates with auctioneers. These words, when said fast, can be hard to understand. Truth is, they don’t mean anything, hence why auctioneers call them filler words.
“We challenge them to choose whichever word rolls off their tongue the easiest,” Rackley said. “It’s just any word that will fit. I had one guy who came to our school and he used banana. Another used bum in between figures.”
A filler word isn’t always necessary. Rackley said it’s sometimes best to change numbers without a filler. The theory is the more you change the numbers, the more money you can make off bids.
After that, you’ll learn auction laws and what you can and can’t sell. You’ll also understand business etiquette and how to interact with customers.
You’ll also learn how to become a cashier and a clerk, how to organize a sale, and how to write a buyer’s guide, which we use to showcase items for each sale.
“A lot of people will come out of nothing and jump right into the auction business. Some of them don’t know about the business,” Rackley said. “We teach them contracts, how to write a contract, and how to bid a sale.”
Once you are a certified auctioneer, either through an auction school certification or by two auctioneers signing off on your training, you can then apply for an auction license.
Requirements vary by state and city. For example, Oklahoma doesn’t have statewide regulations (you can find a full guide on auction certifications here). Instead, each city has certain specifications in how they regulate auctions. At Dakil, we are licensed in Oklahoma City. Other cities in Oklahoma may require a license. Some cities will sell you a one-time license ranging from $25 to a couple hundred dollars.
In Oklahoma City, you need to show proof of an auction school diploma or two years of service experience under a professional auctioneer. You’ll also need a sales tax permit and a background check conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Once approved, you’ll pay $100 for a $1,000 bond.
A merchant auctioneer license runs $91 annually, which is what we possess. A general auctioneer license fee is $61 and a temporary auctioneer license sets you back $32. A general auctioneer must buy an $18 permit each time they go to a location. As a full-fledged auction house, our fee is all-inclusive and doesn’t require a permit for each sale.
In other areas, like Texas and Arkansas, the state requires you to pass a test to qualify for a license. We hold auction licenses in Texas and Arkansas. They reciprocate with many other states, meaning we can hold auctions in a majority of the U.S.
Rackley described the tests in Texas and Arkansas as among the most difficult he’s had to take. The 100-question exam isn’t a joke and requires studying. You need to answer at least 70% of questions correctly to pass. Additionally, Texas requires annual continuing education as part of the recertification process.
Obtaining the proper certifications is crucial when conducting auctions. Selling items in Texas without an auction license will result in a hefty fine.
The honorary title “colonel” is often used with auctioneers. Why? Back in the Civil War era, colonels would head to the nearest town and auction off items — ranging from guns, ammunition, and uniforms — acquired during battles or raids.
It’s a reminder of the longstanding auctioneer tradition and the role they played, and continue to play, in our history. By becoming an auctioneer, the benefits are endless.
“It works for all ages. I’ve taught people that are 70. I’ve taught people who were 15,” Rackley said. “It gets them out of being shy. We throw you before a crowd of people. It gives you confidence. It makes you more of an extrovert and not an introvert.”
In an industry forged on relationships, you can meet anyone from business owners and CEOs to blue-collar workers. You’ll interact with people from various income brackets.
While entrance into the field is competitive — unless you’re starting your own business — the start-up costs to become a licensed auctioneer are minimal. Classes can run from $500 to several thousand dollars. You’ll need bid cards and an additional several hundred dollars for bonds, tax permits, and fees.
But the payoff is enormous.
“Auctioneers who work for big companies, they’ll make six figures a year. You have to be good, though,” Rackley said. “You can make as much as a lawyer or a doctor with only a few weeks of school instead of seven years.”
If you’re interested in learning more about auctioneering or want to receive training from one of our experts, get in touch with us today using this contact form or call us directly at (405) 751-6179. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to speed with the latest trends in the auction industry. Check out our list of upcoming auctions to learn more about specific dates and what we have to offer.
