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Testimonials
Over the years I’ve earned industry awards and press accolades, but the best reward is a high level of client satisfaction.
Real customers. Real photos. 100s of submissions (~20 per page)
You are an AWESOME auctioneer.
You have NO idea of how many people came up to me (I know Julie as well) and said,
‘That auctioneer was incredible
… she got the bidders to bid without being rude/pushing,
… I loved observing her, I just watched her,
… she did a great job.’
It was very FUN to watch you in action!!! Thank you so much for offering us your time and talents.
Staci Meruvia, Gala Co-Chair 2013
Bishop O’Connell High School (Arlington, VA)
(I had no idea that a journalist sat in the crowd that night. The performance inspired him to write this magazine feature .)
As a former Fox News Anchorwoman, I am often called on to perform at auctions. So, I know first-hand that auctioneering can be a difficult job.
Sherry Truhlar is one of the best in the business. She is skillful at managing an audience and keeping them focused on the task at hand —which is bidding up the numbers! She has a laser-like focus in keeping track of where the bids are, what the bids are and engage the audience simultaneously—this is an exceptional talent.
She also does her homework and is able to talk knowledgeably without the use of notecards. This takes a great deal of preparation and she is always on target.
She recently handled The Potomac School auction and we had a record breaking event. So, if you are looking for someone with a proven track record—Sherry is the one!
Cynthia Steele Vance
Guest at The Potomac School 2014 auction (McLean, VA)
Here is a thoughtful – but rarely captured – comment. Hugh and his wife attend charity auctions in the USA and Europe. Among other things, he says, “You have an amazing ability to assimilate information and present that to the buying audience.”
I’m not the type of auctioneer who simply reads your descriptions or asks you to have a third party read them. Nope. Nada. My extensive preparation and polished presentation makes your donors feel special for donating, and your buyers eager to listen.
Sherry, you did such an outstanding job last night at our Treasure Island-themed auction.
With your expert help, we blew past our $100,000 net revenue goal by more than $20,000 — and raised the most money in auction history for The Heights.
Rose and I kept looking at each other during the live auction and saying, “Wow, she’s soooooo good!”
Thank you from the bottom of our black hearts!
M’Liz Riechers, Auction Co-Chair 2012
The Heights School (Potomac, MD)
They were some of the friendliest pirates I’ve met.
Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple?
They liked that I “moved the crowd along … kept the crowd engaged but wasn’t obtrusive or invasive. We were able to talk but still keep track of what was going on.”
Sherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year!
Some of the tidbits:
You added EXCITEMENT and ENTERTAINMENT…
You added EXPERTISE and FUN…
You helped the evening FLOW, in a wonderful and positive direction…
You were FUN, and KNEW WHAT TO DO to get the job done with positive results…
You kept things rolling in a manner that made people want to continue to KEEP ON GIVING…
The auctioneer was, absolutely, a breath of fresh air and made the environment one for GIVING!
These are but a few that I committed to memory. Personally, I hope that this year was simply the FIRST year of a long association with you!
Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair
Oakcrest School (McLean, VA)
(Anne is on the right, celebrating post-event with 2nd year Gala Co-Chair Carolina Agostini)
Ivymount has been holding successful auctions for many years, and was ready to take the next step.
After considerable debate as to whether we could afford it or even needed it, our school opted to hire – for the first time – a professional benefit auctioneer.
We felt there might be a difference between a benefit auctioneer and the regular auctioneers we’d been using. We weren’t disappointed!
In addition to maintaining her professionalism during what became an uncomfortable situation during the live auction, Sherry at Red Apple Auctions was a great partner for us prior to the event, providing advice and insight on solicitation, organization and pricing of auction items that was new to our committee even after years of experience.
The night of the event, Sherry brought a floor team that was simply outstanding as they assisted in the silent and live auction. Most importantly, they handled encouraging the bidders, closing the silent auction categories and spotting during the Live Auction – things we have always had problems teaching volunteers to do well.
They also brought a wonderful, personal touch. One example — one of her floor crew endeared herself to one of our special needs students, holding his hand between each sale and high-fiving him after each item sold. The team did more than what was required of them. We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.
Nicole Carr, Director of Grants and Special Events
The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)
Happy clients since 2008!
This private school worked with Red Apple Auctions for the first time and Darrell, a long-time attendee, shared differences between past events and this one, in which we used a “tag team” approach with two auctioneers.
“The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.”
Kerry is an experienced acquisitions chair. She makes a great point: Her hard work goes up in smoke if the auctioneer isn’t strong!
“You were fun and light, but you kept it going,” she exclaims.
Religious organizations
I have been to a lot of auctions and I have never seen such a comfortable auction atmosphere. Sherry is totally engaging and so easy to understand (you know how some auctioneers talk so darn fast, you cannot understand them? I’d always get turned off and scared of them.).
She’s got a “working from within the crowd” approach that was an exciting and welcome surprise — I watched her do this as she closed the silent auction items, and again during the live auction when she came into the crowd to sell.
And because she’s just so relatable, the audience becomes more anxious to please her by bidding higher, or paying attention, or following her requests … whatever she’s asking us to do.
You can just tell by watching her that she’s got a personality that’s fun to be around … so happy and smart!
Susanne Fyffe
Guest at St. Agnes auction (Arlington, VA)
St. John the Evangelist offers a Fall Gala and Auction to the parish community every two years. It’s a wonderful way to raise funds but also a fun way to celebrate with friends and family. We were asked to co-chair this year’s event. With this being our first-ever Gala to plan, the work seemed daunting. One of the first decisions we made was to hire a professional auctioneer.
Not only did we hope our fundraising would increase, but we knew from talk on the street that an auctioneer would add a whole new level of fun, and did it ever!
Based on several people’s recommendations, we contacted Red Apple Auctions. Sherry met with the co-chairs and the committee and we quickly knew we were on the right track! Sherry’s advice and guidance about promoting the event and trying new ideas was invaluable.
Our expectations were far exceeded: On the night of our Gala and Auction, we raised almost $20,000 more than ever before AND the crowd was held captive during the live auction by the lively banter of our auctioneer. He kept us on track throughout the silent auction by highlighting noteworthy items, but also by creating a sense of “now or never” for those trying to decide when or what to bid.
If your auction needs a “pick-me-up” or even just a change of pace or personality, we would highly recommend calling Red Apple. You won’t be sorry!
Maureen Hathway and Kyra Lyons, Auction Co-Chairs 2010
St. John the Evangelist School (Silver Spring, MD)
Happy clients since 2010!
The auction was amazing, and everyone has said it was due primarily to you.
People got caught up in the auction fever and made comments such as, “I was so excited to bid, I didn’t care on what — I was just spending money left and right!” At least a dozen people have already talked to me about wanting to have you back next year. You were the main reason they enjoyed the auction so much.
We raised nearly double what we raised last year with a similar number and type of items.
Eric Carlson, Auction Co-Chair
Colonial 1st Ward Auction Co-Chair, Latter Day Saints (Mount Vernon, VA)
Nonprofits
We have utilized Sherry and her excellent team at Red Apple Auctions for three fundraisers and continue to be impressed! Sherry is professional, well spoken, entertaining, and she gets the job done.
Showcase 2014 was our most successful fundraiser yet – raising $400,000!
Sherry’s work doesn’t begin when she steps up to the microphone; it begins months in advance with guidance on auction items, how best to market to our group, consignment items if needed, how to sell strange or high-value items, recommendations for vendors and so much more.
After three events, we are also benefiting from the consistency of having the same auctioneer. Sherry understands the unique format of the event and she knows our donors – what they’ll buy, how much they will spend and even how to get their attention. All of this, and more, she puts to good use.
We also appreciate Sherry’s team members who help to sell raffle tickets, solicit donors to our bid-box and assist in the live auction as spotters. They are professional, efficient, and always look fabulous dressed in the theme of our event!
Another advantage of Sherry’s years of experience is her ability to analyze results after the auction; providing guidance that will help lead us into our next fundraising event.
Red Apple consistently exceeds our expectations. We wouldn’t consider using another auctioneer and look forward to working with Sherry many more times.
Cindy Merz and Rea Hacker
Suburban Hospital Foundation (Bethesda, MD)
I’ve never said this before about a live auction, but I wish that it had gone on another 20 minutes.
David Dickinson
Guest at 2014 Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (Washington, DC)
(Be honest: How many of your guests beg for a longer live auction?)
When the Carpenter’s Shelter decided to add a live auction to their annual fundraising event and then asked me to serve as chair of the auction committee, the first call I made was to Sherry Truhlar with Red Apple Auctions. She guided me through the entire process.
Her professional expertise and ability to connect with the bidders has led to five successful years of meeting or exceeding our goals. I can’t imagine doing an auction without her.
Joan Greene, Auction Chair Carpenter’s Cook-Off
Carpenter’s Shelter (Alexandria, VA)
There’s no more powerful combination than a worthy cause and Sherry Truhlar – I’ve seen her work at a number of charity auctions and by way of direct comparison, Sherry is, without a doubt, the best of the best.
She energizes the room and paces the evening just right – mixing humor and fun with the serious side of doing good by giving.
Sherry turns attendees into donors.
Richard Jacik, VP of CGI Federal, Inc.
Geri said: “Great job of getting potential donors in the room to step up to the plate and not feel guilty or bad about it. They actually wanted to give more … and that’s not something I’ve seen in many other auctioneers.”
The following year, she herself ‘stepped up’ and became one of the gala chairs.
Irene attended one of my New Hampshire auctions and assumed I must be a radio personality — until I started to chant that fast talk.
“I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal with people in a way that isn’t intimidating — men, women, it didn’t matter. It was friendly.”
She continues, “If there was a lull in the action, you added value by the way you described things. And the added ‘thing’ is being able to build that competition.”
Most product & consulting remarks are found on their respective webpages, but I’ve listed two below so you’re assured that my products are as spot-on as my auctioneering.
Not only was our 2013 auction a blast, but our Washington, D.C. public school raised $67,000 — that’s $25,000 more than last year!
The evening went off without a hitch (we heard a lot of “best auction ever!”) and there are plenty of examples where your consulting advice paid off. Here’s just one, which I think you’ll be very happy about:
The condo in Florida went for $350 in our online auction last year. This year, our auctioneer sold two weeks totaling $1,550. That’s a $1,200 gain right there. Hiring you was the best decision our committee made.
Andrea Del Vecchio, Auction Co-Chair
Oyster-Adams Bilingual School (Washington, DC)
Andrea and her team invested in gala consulting.
I have meant to write to you for almost two months now, to thank you both for the volunteer auctioneer training you provided and for the inaugural Profitable Auction Blueprint class which I took this winter/spring.
Green Hedges School’s 2010 Gala~Auction, held on March 12, was a big success. A huge part of that was our volunteer auctioneers, whom you had helped prepare.
Ellen and Jock were fabulous, raising 164% of fair market value for our live auction items (and exceeding the performance of the professional auctioneer used the previous year) and surpassing our goal of $15,000 for “Raise The Paddle.”
I know that the preparation you provided made them much more comfortable working the crowd and gave them the confidence they needed to tackle the evening head-on. Their performance got rave reviews.
As for me, I greatly appreciated the Blueprint classes and the Lounge information. I was a first-time auction chair, but felt much savvier and more confident about what we were doing with the knowledge your classes gave me. Many, many thanks!!
Carolyn Kahn-Hall, Assistant to the Director of Development
Green Hedges School (Vienna, VA)
Green Hedges School invested in the One Hour Auctioneer™ program and the Profitable Auction Blueprint™ course.
Click to read the next page of testimonials.
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What auction planners say
Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!
Krystal Fenwick
Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!
Diane Albano, Director of Development
St. Joseph Academy Catholic High School (St. Augustine, FL)
Sherry is flexible and easy to work with. She gives honest feedback and advice throughout the planning and implementation process. Without a doubt, Sherry and Red Apple Auctions has helped take our annual fundraising event to the next level.
Beckie Middendorf, Development Director and Janet Gulla, Development Coordinator
St. Henry District High School (Erlanger, KY)
Sherry is “on board” from day one of auction planning, works closely with our steering committee and is only just a phone call away. The night of the auction, we toss her the keys and let her drive the event! We are never disappointed!
Charly Ryan, Director of Institutional Advancement
The Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington, MD)
I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!
Pete Goldlust, Director of Development
Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)
If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.
Erin Banda
2016 NYUMBANI Board member
The auction was entertaining .. proactive … the crowd was involved and felt a part of it,” he said, emphasizing, “The entertainment value was huge.
Darrell, a long-time attendee
We plan on booking Red Apple Auctions much earlier for our next event so we can take advantage of more of the pre-event offerings.
Nicole Carr, Director of Grants and Special Events
The Ivymount School (Rockville, MD)
Sherry, personally, I can’t even begin to tell you the immense amount of positive feedback that I received having YOU (and Darby) there with is this year!… Read The Rest “Anne Livaudais Knudsen, 5th year gala co-chair”
Aren’t KK and Michael a cute couple?
They liked that I “moved the crowd along … kept the crowd engaged but wasn’t obtrusive or invasive. We were able to talk but still keep track of what was going on.”
You have NO idea of how many people came up to me (I know Julie as well) and said, ‘That auctioneer was incredible … she engaged the crowd, …… Read The Rest “Staci Meruvia”
Geri said: “Great job of getting potential donors in the room to step up to the plate and not feel guilty or bad about it. They actually wanted to give more … and that’s not something I’ve seen in many other auctioneers.”
The following… Read The Rest “Geri”
Irene attended one of my New Hampshire auctions and assumed I must be a radio personality — until I started to chant that fast talk.
“I’ve been to this event before with a couple of other auctioneers,” she said, “Your ability to get personal… Read The Rest “Irene”
Most product & consulting remarks are found on their respective webpages, but I’ve listed two below so you’re assured my products are as spot-on as my auctioneering. Not only was our 2013 auction a blast, but our Washington, D.C. public school raised $67,000 — that’s $25,000 more than last year! The evening went… Read The Rest “Carolyn Kahn-Hall and Andrea Del Vecchio”
As a former Fox News Anchorwoman, I am often called on to perform at auctions. So, I know first-hand that auctioneering can be a difficult job. Sherry Truhlar is one of the best in the business.… Read The Rest “Cynthia Steele Vance”
Cynthia Steele Vance
Guest at The Potomac School 2014 auction (McLean, VA)
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