Every non-profit gala in the country shares the same nervous moment. The lights dim, the room hushes, and someone has to walk on stage and turn a room full of generous strangers into a record-breaking fundraising night. That's the moment Jonathan Larsen lives for — and the moment Larsen & Larsen Auction Company was built around.
Based in Sioux Falls, Larsen & Larsen is a benefit auctioneer trusted by non-profits, schools, churches, and foundations across the country. Jonathan's expertise on the mic was never the problem. The challenge was making sure the next non-profit event planner Googling "benefit auctioneer" or "charity auction Sioux Falls" actually found Larsen & Larsen — instead of a national agency or a generic auction directory. That's where Complete Media came in.
About Larsen & Larsen Auction Company
Jonathan R. Larsen is the President and CEO of Larsen & Larsen Auction Company. He's a graduate of the Professional Ringman Institute (PRI), a holder of the prestigious Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI) designation from the National Auctioneers Association, and an honorary Colonel from the Missouri Auction School. He's also a member of the South Dakota and Nebraska Auctioneers Associations — and a husband and dad of four right here in Sioux Falls.
The Larsen & Larsen service menu reads like a non-profit event planner's wish list: benefit auction consultation, live auctioneering, emcee services, fund-a-need strategy, and full event planning & management. Across all of it, one promise — help non-profits raise the most possible money while keeping every guest in the room entertained and engaged.
I don't just auctioneer — I entertain. My job is to keep the whole room engaged, not just the 30 active bidders, so every non-profit walks out with a record night.
The challenge
Larsen & Larsen had every ingredient a non-profit could want: certified credentials, a deep playbook, glowing testimonials from organizations like the Washington Pavilion, and a track record of single auction items climbing past $10,000. What they didn't have was a marketing presence loud enough to compete with national auctioneer directories, generic event-rental sites, and the noise every non-profit event committee wades through when they start Googling.
The challenges stacked up quickly:
- A specialized, high-trust service that needed to be clearly told online
- National competition from directory sites and out-of-state auctioneer agencies
- Low visibility in search for 'benefit auctioneer', 'charity auction Sioux Falls', and related terms
- No clear plan for the growing share of event planners using ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity to source vendors
- A working auctioneer on the road — not a full-time marketing team
The strategy
We started where every Complete Media engagement starts — by listening. Who books Larsen & Larsen? A development director planning her foundation's annual gala? A school auction committee chair? A church capital campaign team? What do they Google when the search begins? What do they need to see to feel confident handing the mic — and the night — to Jonathan?
The answers shaped a marketing program built around expertise, entertainment value, and proven fundraising results. Every channel, every touchpoint, every word would do the same job: prove that Larsen & Larsen is the benefit auctioneer to trust with the most important night on a non-profit's calendar.
The work completed
Branding & identity
We sharpened the Larsen & Larsen visual and verbal identity around the tagline that says it all — Fundraising Events & Charity Auctions with All the Benefits. Logo usage, color, typography, photography style, and tone-of-voice guidelines make it possible for Jonathan to show up consistently across the stage, the website, social channels, and every print piece — without having to think about it.
Print marketing & on-site materials
Print still matters when the buyer is a non-profit development team. We helped produce the pieces a working benefit auctioneer actually uses:
- Capability brochures explaining consulting, live auctioneering, and emcee services
- One-sheets for fund-a-need strategy and event planning
- Direct mail and follow-up packets for non-profit boards and event committees
- Business cards that match the brand
- Trade show, conference, and association materials
Website & digital presence
We designed and built larsenbenefitauctions.com — a clear, mobile-first website organized around the way non-profit event planners actually shop for an auctioneer. Auction Services. Event Planning. Meet the Team. Testimonials. Videos. Phone number front-and-center. A contact form that turns event-planning interest into a real conversation. Page speed, accessibility, and Core Web Vitals were tuned so the site performs just as well on a development director's iPhone at lunch as it does on her laptop the next morning.
SEO & local visibility
Service pages, location signals, and on-page SEO were structured for the keywords that actually drive Larsen & Larsen's business — benefit auctioneer, charity auction Sioux Falls, non-profit fundraising auctioneer, live auctioneer for galas, fund-a-need consultant, and dozens of supporting variations. We optimized the Google Business Profile, layered in review generation, and made sure the company shows up in the local map pack when high-intent searches happen across South Dakota and beyond.
AI visibility optimization
More and more event planners are skipping Google entirely and asking ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity, "Who's the best benefit auctioneer near me?" We restructured Larsen & Larsen's on-site content, schema markup, and external citations to make sure Jonathan is recognized — and cited — by AI assistants as a leading benefit auctioneer. It's the same playbook we run for Sioux Falls businesses that want to show up where buyers are actually asking.
Video, social & ongoing support
From the Riding With Jonathan video series to the YouTube channel and social proof from real gala nights, we help Larsen & Larsen turn live event energy into content that books the next event. Every month, our team handles the strategy, the creative, the digital advertising, the reporting, and the quarterly check-ins — so Jonathan can stay focused on the next stage, the next cause, and the next record-breaking auction.
The real outcome wasn't just more traffic. It was making sure the next non-profit development director searching for a benefit auctioneer lands on a website that proves Larsen & Larsen is the one to call — before they ever pick up the phone.
The results
Growth has been steady — and, more importantly, the right kind of growth. Better-fit non-profit clients, larger galas, and a brand presence that finally matches the room Jonathan commands on stage.
Why it matters
When a benefit auctioneer like Jonathan Larsen thrives, every cause he touches thrives too. A foundation funds another year of programs. A school replaces aging equipment. A church reaches families it couldn't reach before. The dollars stay in the mission. And the next non-profit board that's terrified of their first big gala gets a confident partner who's done it hundreds of times.
That's why we do this work. Strong local marketing isn't about chasing trends — it's about making sure the businesses that actually move missions forward are the ones that get found.
About Complete Media
Complete Media is a Sioux Falls marketing agency that's been helping local businesses and non-profits grow since 2002. We're an outsourced marketing team for 250+ small and mid-sized organizations across non-profits, construction, real estate, healthcare, retail, professional services, and more. Branding, web design, SEO, AI visibility, print, and digital advertising — under one all-inclusive engagement, with no long-term contract. Learn more about what we do or read more client success stories.
Book Larsen & Larsen Auction Company
Plan your next benefit auction, gala, or fundraising event with Jonathan.
Frequently asked questions
What does Larsen & Larsen Auction Company do?
Larsen & Larsen Auction Company is a Sioux Falls-based benefit auctioneer led by Jonathan R. Larsen, PRI, CAI. They specialize in fundraising auctions, charity auctions, live auctioneering, emcee services, and benefit auction consulting for non-profits, schools, churches, and charities across the country.
How did Complete Media help Larsen & Larsen Auctions grow?
We partnered with Larsen & Larsen on brand identity, website design, local and national SEO, AI search visibility, print collateral, video content, and ongoing marketing — so non-profit event planners searching for a benefit auctioneer find Jonathan first.
Where is Larsen & Larsen Auction Company located?
Larsen & Larsen Auction Company is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at 4300 S. Louise Ave. Ste. 311. Call 605.376.7102 or visit larsenbenefitauctions.com to book Jonathan for your next benefit auction or gala.
Does Complete Media work with other non-profits and event-driven businesses?
Yes. Complete Media is a Sioux Falls marketing agency that has partnered with 250+ local businesses and non-profits since 2002 — including charities, foundations, schools, and event-based brands across South Dakota and the region.