Recording your contest performance (bid calling and interview) is a great way to evaluate both strengths and weaknesses. This analysis is also useful if you were interviewed for radio or TV program as those opportunities have a great deal in common with the contest interview. When you look back at the tape there are four questions to ask:

1. What did you practice that went well? Keep practicing and repeating that.
2. What was impromptu that went well? Start practicing that as well so it can be repeated
3. What did you practice that did not work? Improve it or stop it.
4. What area(s) need continued improvement? Game plan for next time. 

If you struggle with this exercise this is an area where your spouse or mentor(s) can readily step in and make a huge difference and be of great value.

There have been many positive comments about this year’s IAC Champion’s Interview but there is always room for improvement. The interview is provided above with post game notes below.

1. What did I practice that went well?
   1. Addressed the interviewer (Joseph Mast) directly and looked at him as he asked the question. This made that huge ballroom seem much smaller and more manageable.
   2. Paused then addressed the judges and crowd with the answer.
   3. Final comments and sentences delivered memorability and with forcefulness and authority; finished strong
2. What was impromptu that went well?
   1. Addressed the interviewer with the formal “Mr. Mast”. This was not planned but sounded different and interesting.
   2. The use of a prop (the card in my pocket) was not planned. I had it there so I could review it throughout the day. It worked out well.
3. What did I practice that did not work?
   1. Hand gestures and purposeful movement have always been something to practice and in this interview they were largely irrelevant at best and maybe slightly distracting.
   2. One area of practice was to stop talking when a thought was complete and to not continue talking. Question two there was discussion of a negative story and that whole line of thought was unnecessary and maybe counterproductive.
4. What area(s) need continued improvement?
   1. Several awkward uses of words and grammatical errors.
   2. Factual error – NAA membership is $300 per year. The IAC entry is $350. In the moment those numbers were crossed.
   3. Voice quality and sound greatly improved when the mouth is completely opened. Several times I talked out of the side of my month. Poor technique for any form of public speaking or bid calling.

This blog post accompanies “How to Win an Auctioneer Contest: Part 7 – Winning the Interview” and is offered in partnership with the Fast Talking Podcast and IACInsider.com.

Thank you to the series sponsor: