Why do auctioneers talk so fast?

Dave asks:

I want to become a licensed auctioneer and have a good business knowledge and I know antiques. My question is: Why do auctioneers talk so fast, and do I have to learn how to do that well to become a good auctioneer?

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get that tounge-twisting talk out of my mouth!

AW says:

No worry Dave, you don’t have to call bids in the rapid fashion that many of us do. There are many great auctioneers that talk at a normal cadence. In fact, some of them sell faster than the auctioneers that bid- call with a chant.

Concern yourself with selling 2 items a minute as a goal. You’ll find you can do this at a normal pace quite easily if you stay focused.

Now, there are several reasons why an auctioneer talks fast. One is to cajole the bidders, two is to keep them from getting distracted, and 3rd is to keep the flow of the auction going.

An auctioneer’s worst enemy is interrupion, but this can be avoided with other tactics. You just have to find what works best for you.

Good luck!