Toavs Says Trust Is Key With Auctions
In his 14 years of owning Toavs Premier Auctions, Robert Toavs has experienced several changes in the business, but he says being a successful auctioneer still comes down to relationships.
“It’s a trust and reputation based business,” Toavs explained. “You have to build your trust with people.”
He got his taste of the auctioning field when he worked with Tande Auction Services under Rod Tande. Toavs helped set up for auctions and started to have the goal of running his own business.
“One thing led to another,” Toavs remembered. “He was slowing down.”
Robert took correspondence courses to learn how to chant. He also listened to recordings of experienced auctioneers. “I was kind of self taught,” he said.
One day, Tande had Toavs visit a family about a household estate auction. Toavs discussed the upcoming auction with the family and went over the sales. When he called Tande to provide an update, Tande said, “Congratulations, you just booked your first auction sale.”
Toavs said Virgil Nelson and others assisted him to make that first auction successful. “I called in a lot of favors to do that one,” Robert remembers. “There were no major mistakes. We made it through it.”
Since that time, Toavs has established himself throughout northeastern Montana. He earned the Montana Auctioneers Association’s Rookie of the Year bid caller award in 2010 and was the Montana Auctioneers Association’s bid call champion in 2013.
“It certainly didn’t build overnight,” Toavs said of his business. “It’s building trust with people.”
He possesses great interest with the families and their treasures that he works with in the process.
“Every sale is interesting,” Toavs said. “You start seeing family history, generations of farmers and ranchers.”
He remembers while searching for items with a family, they came across a 1967 Pontiac GTO.
“Every sale as some neat stuff,” Toavs said. “It’s almost like taking a trip back in history.”
One adjustment that Toavs has experienced is on-line auctions. Toavs said those type of auctions became more and more popular when the country was dealing with COVID.
Toavs takes his own photos and writes descriptions for the items. A representative from Auction Time in Lincoln, Neb., then puts the items online for the public.
“COVID really started online auctions. We had to adapt to online. We had to adapt due to the circumstances,” Toavs said. “The online auctions are really changing the dynamics of live auctioneers. You don’t have to have the chant or go in front of people.”
He explained an online auction was a benefit for a truck company that had 450 items and not enough space to conduct a live auction.
Although the numbers of live auctioneers are slowly decreasing, Toavs feels it’s a service that is valuable. “I still feel a good auctioneer can push the price higher,” he said. “I don’t think online auctions will ever take over the business. There will always be a need for live auctions.”
In addition, bidders at live auctions may be more likely to increase their bids. “You see the competitiveness and the opportunity to buy something today,” Toavs said.
Live auctions can also be social activities for many rural residents. “Neighbors and friends may not come to buy something but just to support the families,” he added.
Toavs sees his assignment as an auctioneer, similar to his role as a rodeo announcer, is to keep audience members interested in the event.
“If you can keep people engaged, it’s part of winning the battle,” he explained.
