You’ve been there before.

Your agent swears they’ve got four solid bidders lined up. Another agent has three locked in. Saturday arrives and suddenly those four bidders become one. The three bidders? Zero.

Your agents are flustered. Your vendors are disappointed. And you’re left wondering why this keeps happening when everyone seemed so interested during the week.

The problem isn’t your agents’ enthusiasm or their buyer engagement. The problem is the lack of a systematic process to qualify and lock in bidders before auction day.

Most real estate principals run auction campaigns the same way they did 20 years ago. Agents talk to buyers, gauge interest, and hope for the best. There’s no structured qualification process. No way to measure genuine intent versus casual interest.

When you don’t have a system to track buyer commitment levels, you end up in what I call “the scramble.” The scramble is that frantic 48 hours before auction when agents realise their buyer numbers don’t stack up. They’re making desperate phone calls, applying pressure, and trying to manufacture urgency that should have been built systematically throughout the campaign.

The scramble doesn’t work. Pressure tactics backfire. Buyers feel manipulated and often don’t show up at all.

The Bidder Magnet System was developed specifically to solve this problem. The goal was simple: agents should be relaxed the day before auction. Not stressed. Not scrambling. Playing golf if they wanted to because all the work was already done.

The Bidder Magnet System is a tick-box framework with 10 engagement steps. Each step represents a commitment point that qualifies buyer intent. When a buyer ticks six out of 10 boxes, they’ll show up on auction day ready to bid.

Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Have They Submitted an Offer?

The first qualification point is simple. Has this buyer put forward a pre-auction offer? Even if the vendor rejected it, the act of submitting an offer demonstrates serious intent. They’ve moved beyond browsing into genuine consideration.

Step 2: Mortgage Broker Referral

Have you referred this buyer to a mortgage broker for a second opinion on finance? This isn’t about doubting their pre-approval. This is about creating another touchpoint and ensuring they’re genuinely ready to transact. Buyers who engage with a broker recommendation are invested in the process.

Step 3: Building and Pest Inspection

Did they request or complete a building and pest inspection? This is a significant commitment. Buyers don’t spend money on inspections unless they’re serious about proceeding. Encourage every potential bidder to complete this step early in the campaign.

Step 4: Independent Phone Calls

Has the buyer called you or the agent directly to ask questions about the auction? These unprompted calls signal genuine interest. They’re thinking about the property outside of scheduled inspections and communications.

Step 5: Legal Documentation Review

Have you communicated about getting the contract reviewed by their solicitor? Buyers who engage their legal counsel are taking concrete steps toward purchase. This box is easy to tick through systematic communication during the campaign.

Step 6: Deposit Variation Discussion

This step surprises most agents, but it’s incredibly powerful. Have you discussed varying the standard deposit terms with this buyer? Perhaps offering a smaller deposit with vendor approval. This conversation serves two purposes: it locks the buyer further into the process, and it reveals how flexible they’re willing to be.

Get permission from your vendor at the start of the campaign to offer deposit flexibility. This becomes a qualification tool, not just a negotiation point.

Step 7: Settlement Terms Variation

Similar to deposit discussions, have you talked about varying settlement terms? Standard might be 60 days, but would they prefer 90 days or even 30 days? The conversation itself is the qualifier. Buyers who engage in these discussions are mentally preparing to purchase.

Step 8: Second Inspection Request

Has the buyer requested a second inspection? This is one of the strongest signals of serious intent. They’re bringing back partners, parents, or building consultants for another look. They’re visualising themselves in the property.

Step 9: Pre-Auction Meeting

This step confuses many agents initially, but it’s transformative. Have you invited this buyer for a coffee or office meeting to discuss auction day expectations? Walk them through what happens with the auctioneer, how bidding works, when you’ll communicate with them during the auction.

This meeting does two things: it educates the buyer so they feel confident, and it cements their commitment because they’ve invested additional time in the process.

Step 10: Reserve Conversation

Have you had a conversation about the reserve price? Not telling them the exact figure necessarily, but discussing the concept, what it means, and how it influences the auction. This conversation demonstrates the buyer is thinking seriously about their bidding strategy.

Here’s the key insight from implementing this system across hundreds of auctions: when a buyer ticks six out of these 10 boxes (60%), they show up on auction day ready to bid. Every single time.

Six ticks is the threshold. Below six ticks, they’re interested but not committed. At six ticks or above, they’ve invested enough time, money, and mental energy that they’ll follow through.

This is where the system becomes powerful for your business. You’re not hoping for bidders. You’re not scrambling in the final 48 hours. You’re systematically moving buyers through commitment points throughout the entire campaign.

The Bidder Magnet System transforms your auction business in three specific ways.

First, it dramatically improves your clearance rates under the hammer. When you show up with multiple qualified bidders who’ve each ticked six or more boxes, competition drives results. No more passed-in properties because nobody bid.

Second, it increases your average number of bidders per auction. The system isn’t about finding the one buyer. It’s about gathering multiple bidders. That’s your job as an auction agent. Create competition, not just locate a purchaser.

Third, it removes the stress and frustration from your agents. They’re working a clear process throughout the campaign instead of hoping for the best and scrambling at the end. The system gives them confidence and removes the emotional rollercoaster of auction campaigns.

The difference between average auction businesses and high-performing ones isn’t talent. It’s systems. The principals who consistently achieve strong clearance rates and multiple bidders per auction aren’t getting lucky. They’re working a repeatable process that qualifies buyer intent systematically.

The Bidder Magnet System gives you that process. Ten clear steps. A 60% threshold for qualified bidders. And a clear implementation plan for your agents to follow throughout every campaign.

Stop scrambling. Start systematically qualifying bidders from the moment a property hits the market. Transform auction uncertainty into predictable results.

Your business deserves the clarity and confidence that systematic processes create. When your agents can relax the day before auction because all the work is done, you’ve built a truly scalable auction business.

Ready to build systematic processes that transform your auction business? Book a Real Estate Business Assessment & Brainstorm Call and let’s identify the specific systems your business needs to improve clearance rates and reduce agent stress.