Arkansas March 2020 Newsletter

I would like to start off by saying WOW, what a convention we had this year. Thank you to all of the Vendors, Sponsors & so many more who helped in any way to bring everything together.  Also a special thank you to our Past President, Shannon Hunter, and Board Member, Nick Stover, for the endless hours you both put in to the association during your terms on the Arkansas Auctioneers Association Board. Shannon served as Board President for two terms and was very instrumental in improving the quality of the conventions by obtaining top notch speakers, bringing in fantastic vendors & increased sponsorships at all levels. With that, I would like to say it is an honor to be selected as the 2020 Board President for the Arkansas Auctioneers Association.

My goal is to continue to maintain the level of excellence that has been set for this association.  As a board, we truly strive to bring quality speakers and information, not only to the yearly convention, but also to the continuing education classes scheduled throughout the year.

Every year, fellow board members are assigned to various committees, such as: membership, education, convention, etc.  This year, we would like to invite any member who would like to be involved and volunteer time and help with any of these committees to please let us know.  Each committee will have a Chairperson along with committee members. The chairperson and members of the committee will work together to help accomplish tasks that each committee is assigned.  We become a much stronger and closer association when we can all work together and promote our chosen profession.

This year our focus is to promote and educate the public about our profession. I would like to invite all members to take photos of your daily duties as a professional auctioneer.  Feel free to take photos of the "daily grind." Send us the photos of your auctions, but also send photos of the time spent in the trenches such as lotting, tagging, setting up your auction, moving the items around, sweeping the floor, etc.  If you will send in your photos, we will post them to our association Facebook page with the goal of showing the general public what we do is so much more than calling bids. We want to emphasize the professionalism and pride that our members take in what they do. To send your photos, simply tag the association's Facebook page or you can text them to any board member. Also, feel free to email them to our Executive Director, Cali Crissup. Her phone number is 580-327-7525 & email is: .

As I mentioned earlier, what a fantastic convention we had this year. We have received numerous phone calls from vendors who have already committed to join us at next year's convention.  The success of the convention is not just due to the efforts put in by the board members, but in large part due to great attendance from you, the members. Without your participation at the convention and meetings, none of this would be possible.

We have a very strong association, so much so, that other associations are now calling and asking "What are you doing in Arkansas?" We definitely have others watching us.  It's not only up to the board to help promote the association, but it's up to you as well. If you know of auctioneers in your area who are not members, please contact them and urge them to join and be a part of this fantastic association.  Again, it is an honor to be selected as the Board President for 2020. My hope is everyone will have the best, most successful year you have ever had. Feel free to contact any board member if you have questions. If you are a new auctioneer just getting in the business, don't hesitate to contact myself or a board member. We would be happy to try and answer questions you may have about what to do in a certain situation. If you are looking for help trying to find a second auctioneer because you have a large auction, or you are looking for a ringman, clerk, set up help, etc., but don't know who to call, let us know. We have board members spread out across the state, and I'm sure we can find someone to give you a hand.  Have a great year and if you did not attend the convention and will be attending the upcoming continuing education classes, I look forward to seeing you there.

Thank you,

Dennis Huggins, President

Hello fellow auctioneers! If you missed our January Convention in Hot Springs, you missed one of the most exciting and informative conferences in the auction industry!  Arkansas is leading the way with knowledgeable and well respected speakers and trade show vendors!  Mark your calendars and make plans now to be with your peers and fellow auctioneers, February 4-7, 2021.  We will return to The Hotel Hot Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for another great convention and trade-show!  This year we are working diligently to offer you continuing education sessions on varied topics that will help you improve your business and also motivate you to be excited about being in the auction industry!  I hope to see you soon in one of our continuing education classes.

Good luck with all you do this year,

Gladys Webb, Education Chair

First, let me say thanks to our membership for another outstanding convention this year! It was a great time of fellowship, learning and fun in Hot Springs. If you haven’t been attending our annual conventions over the last few years, you’re truly missing out. Our association is definitely trending up and if you’re not already involved, please consider doing so!

As we head into spring headlong, auction season is in full swing. It’s time for auctioneers to shine. I just want to issue a statement of encouragement to my auctioneer friends… bet on yourself. The world markets are stumbling over a multitude of factors ranging from election year to the corona virus. Consumers are scared.

Without a doubt, we will likely start to see a notable impact on auction prices realized over the coming months, but I still maintain this is an opportunity for auctioneers. In our business, the recipe for success is either highly motivated buyers or highly motivated sellers. Both at the same time is ideal, but really, one is enough to start the mix. I contend that we’ll see a mixture of both over the coming months and that means it’s time for the auction method of marketing to shine. Not only will there be assets that need to be liquidated on an accelerated time table, but auctions will move to the lime light as the trusted value indicator for assets of all classes.

One of my favorite business quotes is from Warren Buffet… “it’s wise to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” I’m not advocating actually being “greedy,” but I am advocating being aggressive. Bet on yourself, on your talent and ability, on the method of marketing that we know is the most powerful in the world. Don’t hold back during these times of uncertainty. This may be your opportunity of a lifetime. Stand up and grab it.

Kirk Witcher, Treasurer

It was many years ago when I first entered the ring. Tom Blackmon said “Get out there and do your best. Listen for the changes. Keep up. And most importantly know that I’ve got this under control – just do your best.” That was 1986 when I started to learn how this thing called “Auction” works. Wow how things have changed. From typewriters to voice recognition. From rolls of film to 2,500 digital photos for one auction. From pre bids needing to be placed via hotel room telephone the night before to real time live online bidding. Lots of changes. But many things are still the same. We still have to decipher if a potential client is really READY to have an auction before we sign him/her up for one. Even when our client decides they want an auction we still need to really LISTEN to what they are going through and how we can serve them best. We need to remember that, although we have been through this auction thing a hundred or a thousand times, we need to understand that this is probably our client’s first time so we need to be patient and thorough. And still, we must know that an auction for our client often doesn’t just involve a bunch of his or her “stuff”, but that this “stuff” is a big part of their life. Finally, your word and your handshake must still be your bond. So 34 years later a lot of things haven’t changed. In fact, I entered the ring again just a few short weeks ago during the finals of the Auctioneer Championships at the Arkansas Auctioneers Convention. The words weren’t quite as encouraging this go ‘round. During the Junior Championships, 14 Year Old Griffin Witcher just said, as I brought up his first item to sell during the competition, “That’s the wrong item.” He was right. I think I probably made a mistake or two back in ’86 also.

Bill Hartnedy, Director

With the end of the first quarter approaching at a fast pace, your Arkansas Auctioneer Association Board has started planning for the 2021 Convention. As a new member to this board, I would encourage you to invite other auctioneers and their support staff to our upcoming education classes.

In January, our company decided to invite some of our support staff to the 2020 Convention. They attended classes concerning auction software, setting up an auction, and how to maximize press exposure. After returning home, they were excited and offered suggestions that could streamline our process as well as potentially save money. You know the old saying “A dollar saved is a dollar earned!”

Your staff is a direct reflection of your company. I want to encourage others to include their staff in the education process. As a board member, I look forward to working for you in the upcoming year.

John Nutt, Director

Coronavirus; So this is a hot topic right now. The stock market is jumping up and down, large events are being canceled, toilet paper is becoming a scarcity, so what does this mean for the auction industry?

So to be up front, I do not know, and I don’t say this out of fear or concern, I say this because I am still relatively new to the business. I have been a Licensed auctioneer for 3 years now. I do know that being in this industry, one has to be quick on their feet and be able to overcome obstacles and work around many different things.

So my personal thought on this is, use technology that we already have. Many of us do online only auctions, if your clients or customers are scared that a large crowd and live auction might not be the best idea for public health concerns, use the internet. While schools, sports teams, and festivals may be canceling events, if I start canceling all my auctions, then neither my sellers or I make any money. While we do need to heed the warnings and wash our hands and avoid contact with people, we also need to realize that bills still need to be paid, business has to continue on, and while the Dow Jones might be down 1000 points in one day, there is still money to be made. The best thing to do right now is to keep calm and bid on.

Wade Andrews, Director

John Nutt

Name: John Nutt

Family: Wife-Kelly (she became an auctioneer in 2014) Son-Cody (lives in Atlanta, GA) Daughter-Jordan (lives in Magnolia, AR) Son-Dalton (sophomore in high school)

Awards: 2018 Louisiana Bid Calling Champion

Company & Location: Nutt Auction Company, located in Texarkana, TX

Specialties: Farm, Construction & Real Estate

Years in the Auction Business: 26 years

Favorite Auction Memory: I’ve been blessed to have worked with my dad for the past 26 years.

Best part about being a member of the AAA: I feel like I could call any member of the AAA with a problem or question and they would always be willing to help.

Favorite Auction Education Topic: I’m always interested in ideas and avenues other auctioneers are using to sell unique items.

How/when did you decide to become an auctioneer: I went to car auctions with my grandfather when I was younger.

Who introduced you to the AAA and when: While attending the Missouri Auction School, the instructors encouraged all students to get involved in State organizations.

Wade Andrews

Name: Wade Andrews

Family: Single and failing to mingle. Parents, one brother, grandparents

Company: Wade Andrews Auction Services LLC, Camden AR

Specialties: Estates, Guns, Real Estate, purebred cattle

Years in the Business: Since 2017. I went to the Missouri Auction School in January 2017 then worked for another local auctioneer here in Camden, Bill Bacon, before I started my own venture in 2018 when I graduated from college.

Favorite Auction Memory: Here is two of my favorites; I was attending a NWTF dinner and I was not the auctioneer for the event. The auctioneer had left and somebody that had either bought or won a shotgun wanted to donate it back. So the emcee asked if there was anyone in the crowd that knew how to bid call. I quickly jumped up and raised my hand. They handed the mic to me and I sold the gun for $2500. I received many compliments of how I was a better bid caller than the guy who they had earlier. Another memory is from another charity event, I was selling a few items at a well-attended state party political dinner, it came time to sell a custom Henry Rifle. Special serial number and engravings, I had made a joke about what the previous years gun sold for, and I started the bid at $5,000. It wasn’t before I finished saying the word “thousand” when I see a hand shoot up! I say “Im bid 5000 here wood-a-bid 5100” I ask for 5100 a few more times, realizing that nobody else was going to bid and I drop the hammer and say “SOLD!” That was the first and only time I ever sold an item on the first ask of money.

Best part about being a member of the AAA: Just being in a great organization with so many great people that are willing to offer advice at any time is truly a blessing.

Favorite Auction Education Topic: Online Auctions, because I was hesitant at first to do online auctions, nobody in my area had ever done them so I was a little uneasy on how they would work, but low and behold they have been very successful for my business.

How/when did you decide to become an auctioneer: I grew up going to purebred Hereford cattle sales, and I really enjoyed listening to the auctioneer. While I was in college, I was thinking about what I was going to do when I got out. I always knew that I wanted to be my own boss and own my own business, but wasn’t sure what or how to do it. Then I saw where a friend of mine went to Auction school. She did it just for fun, but I looked into it and began to research the auction industry and saw that it was a very viable career option. So I put it on my “to do/bucket list,” and I had to save up enough money to go spend a week in St Louis. It just so happened that one day in the hay field, the hay mower broke down. Well instead of fixing it, my Grandpa decided it was time to buy a new one. He told me to take the old one, sell it, and use that money to go to auction school. So that is what I did, and here I am today.

Who introduced you to the AAA and when: I knew I had to do CE and saw the flyer in the mail for the 2019 CE. I went for CE, I joined the association, but gained so much more.