Related Links

Featured Links





Recommended Products



 

 
Featured Articles

Dead Sea Beauty Products
Without a doubt, one of the liveliest business and investment ventures rocking the health and beauty industries today is the ancient, venerable Dead Sea. From mineral-rich black mud body masques to health treatments in thermo-mineral springs and the Dead ...

Health and Beauty: Healthy Skin, More Than Meets The Eye
(NC)—The visible signs of aging can be controlled, but the typical office life may not be your skin's best friend. Dry, recycled air is one of the enemies you need to tackle, so are factors like air conditioning, long-term emission effects from computers, ...

No longer the Raj
I note with interest, that over in Basildon, a shop has opened that caters for people with dark skin. Enough of the euphemisms. Afro-Caribbean. These ladies from Essex no longer need to trek into London to find suitable cosmetics. Over at the shop, ...


Custom Search
3 ELEMENTS TO A DEAL-SEALING CLASSIFIED AD
 

Of course, give yourself credit for recognizing one important facet of today's selling world. You decided to sell your stuff at an online classified site. As anybody in the business knows, online classified ads get you more privacy, a broader selection of buyers, and a wealth of tools to help you keep tabs on your transactions. When compared to a newspaper, cyberspace is also a wee bit more spacious. There are billions of pages on the Web, and only a few dozen in your typical neighborhood rag. For you, that means a lot more space for your ad to say the least.

With that space, however, comes great responsibility-and great potential. The extra room gives you the freedom to include as much product description and sale copy as you want. You can't just slap together a whole bunch of information, though. You need to use the three special ad writing techniques that will attract buyers and seal the deal: attention, interest, and action.

Attention. Make sure the buyer stops at your ad instead of the thousands upon thousands of others out there in cyberspace. Your ad's title is the first lure to grab his or her attention, and the first component of a catchy title is the item's best feature, whether it's the price, the item's rarity, or its popularity. Next, be sure the title includes keywords or other synonyms for your item that a buyer might use in a search. For instance, a buyer could search for "automobile" instead of "car," "pullover" instead of "sweater."

Interest. Once you have the buyer's attention, hook them with details. There is a direct relationship between the amount of information you provide and the number of sales you'll make. So describe the item as completely as possible-size, color, material, designer, model-and provide a clear, digital photo to finish the job where your words leave off. Even offer your prospective customer the item's history if possible.

Also, try to list as many possible benefits that your sales item could offer the buyer. Come up with some that the buyer probably


wouldn't think of on his or her own. And zone in on specific benefits. Use what you already know about your target. For instance, if you were selling a car, you know that whoever is looking at your ad is in need of a vehicle. If your car is compact, perhaps the buyer is in search of great gas mileage. Or perhaps it's power he or she wants if your car is a sports model.

Action. Finish your ad strongly. Don't just suggest to the buyer that you offer a great deal. Tell them it's a fantastic offer that they can't pass up. Use phrases like "Call me now before someone else does" or "Buy now, this opportunity won't last long." Be cordial while you're pressing the issue, of course. Thank them for reading your ad and make sure they know you appreciate their business.

Most importantly, your customers will also value your honesty throughout the whole ad. So whether it's the attention, interest, or action you're shooting for, never lie or exaggerate. Go so far to include any defects if your product is not in mint shape. Your honesty will build trust, and trust above all else makes an ad work. What's more, it makes for repeat customers.

Remember, if you use all three of these elements-or four if you include honesty. When you're finished with it, it should read something like the two examples below.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Example 1:
Discover the beauty of a Forest Hill Home
2500 sq. ft. home, 4 bedroom, 3 baths, double garage, upgraded kitchen, 12 ft. ceilings
This open concept house is situated in a historical landmark district of Rhode Island. It's a wonderful neighborhood to raise your family, with nearby schools and amenities.

(Insert your image or photo here.)

Call for an on-site appointment. Thanks for looking!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Example 2:
Looking for an inexpensive used car that drives well? only $4,950.
2003 Honda Civic, Limited Edition, 65,000 miles, manual transmission, CD, AM/FM radio, power steering, low maintenance. Great on gas - this car will save you $$$ on high gasoline prices.

(Insert your image or photo here.)

Send me a message now. Thanks for looking!


About the Author
Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, please visit

http://www.buysellcommunity.com - Free Buy and Sell Classifieds


News



Entertainment Tonight News (press release) (blog)

'Beauty and the Beast' Goes Hi-Def on Blu-ray
Entertainment Tonight News
ETProdSharlette: Going into this Labor Day weekend brings up memories of Princess Diana's death 13 years ago. Looking forward to reading Tony Blair's book. ...
'Beauty and the Beast' Goes Hi-Def on Blu-rayWonderwall

all 27 news articles »

Maggie Cheung waits to age before return to films
The Associated Press
... in Venice on Saturday to promote a new film, said one reason she has pulled back from acting for now is the industry's focus on youthful beauty. ...

and more »

Daily Mail

Christina Hendricks, Blake Lively, Laura Linney, Rutina Wesley: Eye-Riveting ...
ABC News
Beauty may be the sum of its parts, but sometimes the parts are way too extraordinary not to dazzle on their own. ...
Christina Hendricks can't borrow dressesOsoblog (blog)

all 46 news articles »

Bleacher Report

BYU Fans' Guide To The West Coast Conference: Beauty All Around The WCC
Bleacher Report
The natural beauty accentuates the man-made beauty found on each campus. I do not use the description “beautiful people” loosely. ...

and more »

He sees the beauty in every woman
Detroit Free Press
If I don't see the beauty in some woman, that's MY problem, not hers. It's up to me to work harder to see the beauty, not up to her to make herself live up ...

and more »