The age old adage is true; in life if you fail to plan you are planning to fail. This is also true for the world of competitive auctioneering and auctioneering contests. The planning and preparation for a successful contest run and achieving the goal of being named champion often begins months in advance. If you speak with past champions, especially those of the world and international contests, the goal of winning and the steps in that process often are years in the making. The effortless performance we all marvel at in the finals or the interviews is in fact the result of countless hours of practice.

The most critical aspect of the planning is understanding the ultimate, end goal; what being the champion means. An intense focus early in the contest preparation process on three questions will yield huge dividends on championship day:

1. Why does this contest exist?
2. What does the host organization expect from the champion?
3. How will I use this championship to serve the association/host, the industry and my career?

Having those visionary questions answered and crystal clear in your own mind will make the planning equally clear and the daily preparation more focused and impactful.

Get a plan and good luck.

This blog post accompanies “How to Win an Auctioneer Contest: Part 3 – How Auctioneer Contests Work” and is offered in partnership with the Fast Talking Podcast and IACInsider.com.