How did I decide to become an auctioneer?
Prior to auctioneering I was actually a high school teacher. However on a Saturday I would drive around with my brother Damien Cooley, director of Cooley Auctions, and would pencil the bids for him at his auctions. After the first few weeks of doing this, I began to develop a strong interest in the craft of auctioneering. I began to practice calling numbers with Damien in the car in between his auctions and actually would practice auctioning off the car in front of us at the time at traffic lights. This is where my passion began to grow. I found myself looking forward to work on a Saturday more so than my Monday to Friday job as a school teacher. After a few months of doing this, I was hooked. I began to practice every day and would conduct dummy auctions with family and friends. Later that same year, I entered the REINSW Novice Auctioneers competition (Eastern Suburbs division). I then made it through to the State Finals and did very well there also. That’s when I made the decision to become a full time auctioneer…and since then, I have never looked back!
How many Auctions do you do on a Saturday on average? Individually and your team?
On any given Saturday I personally conduct anywhere from 7-12 auctions. As a team of 7 auctioneers however, we generally conduct on average 45-60 per Saturday. Including in-room auctions, we are on target to conduct 3,403 auctions this year.
Do you have a preference for on-site or in room auctions?
In terms of in-room auctions and on-site auctions, both have strengths. Personally, I love an on-site auction. To me there is nothing better than having all the neighbours, friends and family come out to watch the auction.
Do you practice in front of the mirror? And do you have a voice coach?
In terms of practice, every week Damien, Australia’s leading auctioneer, and myself spend approximately an hour together training – normally we go to a park, or have even been known to conduct dummy auctions on Town Hall steps in the city to really put some pressure on! I also make a note to view our other Cooley Auctions auctioneers so that we can all provide feedback for each other, and in essence continue to learn and grow from each other. Even when I am driving in the car, I practice auctions. Basically what I do is call a number until, for example, I reach a stop sign, then I will increase the bid. Or if I am at a red light, I cannot progress onto the next number until the light turns green. This is all part of training. In terms of a voice coach, yes we do use a voice coach. Auctioning can place a lot of strain on your voice, particularly when I am doing the in-room auctions. So before an auction, I will warm my throat/voice up with numerous exercises – make sure I drink lots of warm water throughout the day, and try basically not to strain my voice outside of auctioneering.
Have you ever lost your voice?
I have not lost it from auctioneering, though I have from a common throat infection. In that instance, as I mentioned earlier, we at Cooley Auctions are a team of 7 auctioneers, so we are always able to cover for each other in that event.
Have you noticed that since the bidder’s registration became compulsory that buyer’s are more comfortable with the auction process?
Yes and no. I think some buyers take comfort in the knowledge that one needs to register before being able to bid, however others don’t seem to mind. As an auctioneer though, I personally like the idea of registrations. It gives the agent and auctioneer a clear understanding of who the buyers are, and also shows a commitment/desire from the buyer to potentially place a bid at the auction.
