|
It’s Spring Cleaning Time! The
weather is getting warmer and it is time to dig through those
closets, garages and storage areas and turn your unused items
into cash! Traditionally, this is the busiest time of the year
for classified advertising. Motor vehicles and recreational
vehicles are especially big sellers during the warm weather. If
you are considering selling, now is the time. Hundreds of
potential buyers are out there reading the Sunday morning
newspaper every week, so take advantage of the opportunity to
sell your items. Below you will find some great tips to help you
get the ball rolling.
1.PREPARE: Determine the items
around your home that you no longer need. Once you have
collected these items, confirm that they are in working order
and in good selling condition. If items have been in storage for
a long period of time, you may need to clean them up to make
them more attractive to potential buyers.
2.RESEARCH: After all items are
collected, do your research. Determine the value of your items
and decide whether it would be worth you time and effort to
place a classified ad. Some things will do well on their own
while others may do better in a garage sale setting. If certain
items do not have enough value to justify placing an
advertisement and you are not interested in hosting a garage
sale, donate these items to a local charity for a nice tax
deduction.
3.WHERE TO ADVERTISE: Once you
have the items sorted out, you need to decide the best method of
advertising. Most items will do best advertised in your daily
newspaper since you will be able to reach a local audience.
Online classifieds generally do not receive as many local
buyers, but most are free so you may want to place an ad there
as well just to cover all the bases. If you are selling a larger
item such as a car, motorcycle, motor home, etc., you will also
want to place prominent for sale signs on the items themselves.
You can also utilize bulletin boards in your local community to
post a free advertisement.
4.DRAFTING YOUR AD: What are the
most attractive selling features of your items for sale? Decide
which of these features you want to highlight in your
advertisement. Look for classified ads for similar items to get
an idea of how they are written. Check out the competition to
see how your item is better or different than the items that
will be running along side your ad.
5.WRITING YOUR AD: Create a
catchy title to get your reader’s attention. This will spark
an interest in your classified ad. Always include the brand name
when applicable. Price should only be included in the title if
it is an obvious selling point. Next, you need to write the body
text of your ad and entice buyers even further with the details.
Make your description clear and factual. Provide specific
details in what it is that makes your item stand out from the
others. Be honest in your representation and do not make your
item appear better than it actually is. Always include the price
in your ad. Take some time to view other classified ads for
similar items in your newspaper. This will help you determine a
fair asking price for your item. Keep in mind, just because you
paid $1,500 for your dining room set, does not mean you will
receive that much for it on resale. Be realistic in your
expectations. Furthermore, if you will only be available during
certain times of the day to discuss your item, make a note of
this in your advertisement so buyers know the best time to reach
you. If possible, include your email address.
6.INCLUDING PHOTOS: A picture is
worth a thousand words. Some local newspapers provide you with
the option to include photos with your classified ad. Be sure to
include the photos! When buyers have the opportunity to see an
article for sale they have a higher degree of interest and are
more likely to buy when they follow up by telephone or email to
ask questions or to get more information. If your newspaper does
not offer photos or the photo option is too expensive, you can
use an online classified photo hosting service. Visit
http://www.seethisitem.com for information on how to include
free digital photos with your newspaper
classified.
7.COMMUNICATING WITH BUYERS: Do
your best to be available when customers call for information
regarding your item. Be polite and helpful and answer all
questions to the best of your knowledge.
8.SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS: If you
receive numerous calls for your item, be sure to space out the
appointments so that you will have enough time to spend with
each buyer and your appointments will not overlap. Safety tip:
Whenever possible, have someone home with you when a buyer is
coming over to look at your item. You really can never be too
careful when dealing with people you have never met before.
9.NEGOTIATION: Decide before you
negotiate, the lowest amount you will be willing to accept for
your item. This will assure a smoother negotiation process.
10.PAYMENT: Never accept a check
for your item. You should only accept cash or money orders. If a
buyer decides they want the item, but they do not have cash on
them, always take a deposit to hold the item until they are able
to come back. Be sure to set a deadline for them to return with
the balance due. Even though you have a deposit, do not stop
showing your item since the deal is not final until you have the
cash in your hand. If someone else is also interested, tell them
you just received an offer, but you will be happy to take down
their name and number in case the deal falls through. This will
give you more options should the original buyer back out of the
sale.
That’s it! Keep these selling
tips in mind and you will be on the road to a successful sale.
Take your time, be thorough and most of all have fun! If you
follow the steps outlined above, you will be turning your unused
items into cash in no time.
Have a Classified Ad
Selling Tip or Story of your own to Share? Submit it to us and
be eligible to win our contest. Your submission may also be
published on our website! Visit us at http://www.seethisitem.com
for details. All entries must be received by 7/31/06.
|
