🎯 From Helicopters to Heirlooms: How Spicer’s Auctioneers Keeps Bidders Coming Back
When you walk into Spicer’s Auctioneers & Valuers in East Yorkshire, you never quite know what you’ll see — a mahogany dresser from the 1800s, a vintage motorcycle, or even (yes, really) a full-size helicopter perched on a shipping container.
That mix of the unexpected is what makes Spicer’s… well, Spicer’s. It’s also what makes their marketing sing.
✈️ Trading Desks for the Auction Floor
When Andy and Barbara Spicer took over an existing auction business in 2018, Barbara swapped a civil-service career for the hum of the auction room. “I went from sitting at home on my own to being in a busy environment where everything’s happening at once,” she laughs.
Since then, they’ve grown from 120 lots per sale to around 700, and their bidders now come from Australia, Canada, Malta, and Chile — not just Yorkshire.
💌 Bringing the Auctions to the Inbox
Running weekly auctions means keeping customers informed — constantly. That’s where Constant Contact stepped in.
Using email and list segmentation, Spicer’s now sends targeted messages based on customer interests:
🏍 Classic-car fans hear about motor auctions.
💎 Antique lovers get updates on fine art and homeware.
🦋 Niche collectors are alerted to specialty sales (like the famous taxidermy estate!).
“The great thing about Constant Contact is that we can segment so people can choose what topics they want to hear from us about,” says Barbara.
The results?
Open rate: 67% (🎉 +28% above industry average)
Click rate: 11% (+10% above industry average)
List growth: +7.8% this year alone
Every send becomes a quick feedback loop. Barbara’s team checks open and click reports, tweaks subject lines, and watches engagement soar.
📱 One Send, Many Channels
Email isn’t the only place Spicer’s auctions come alive. With Constant Contact’s social posting tools, each email can instantly become a Facebook or Instagram post, keeping the message — and the momentum — consistent across channels.
That single-click integration means every campaign can reach their 5,500+ social followers too. Their social posts have racked up a 200,000-person reach in just 90 days.
🏁 Scaling Without Losing the Human Touch
As the business grows, the Spicers are determined to keep their trademark personal service. With automation and segmentation handling the heavy lifting, Barbara says she can focus on what matters — genuine connection.
“Winning to me looks like leaving the building, switching the lights off every day, and all the staff have gone home, waving a cheery goodbye,” she says. “If we get an odd five-star review, that is an amazing day.”
✉️ The Takeaway
From helicopters to heirlooms, Spicer’s Auctioneers proves that smart communication can make a traditional business feel global — and still keep every message personal.
Tools they love:
Email automation
Audience segmentation
Social media publishing
Performance reporting
Impact in Numbers:
67% open rate (+28% vs. industry)
11% click rate (+10% vs. industry)
7.8% list growth
200K social reach in 90 days
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