This is one of my favorite quotes and it is so true! I get so many emails about the various ways I make money from home and questions and tips for how to do this and be succesful, so I thought this quote was fitting for todays Thoughts for Thursday post!
There really are no secrets to success. In my own opionion, whatever it is that you are pursuing, whether that be a real world job, career, lifestyle or what have you, there is only one main "tip" I can really think of to reply with that sums it all up. And that is......drumroll please....hehe
Only pursue and do what you are passionate about! Your life experience lends to this. The number one advice I am asked for is how to list and sell on ebay. I do very well on ebay and have for many years now. Why am I "successful" with it? How can you? Well, it's a combination of many things.
Number one being my love for "resale" (i.e., thrift store finds, used items, deals, etc.)If you are not passionate about a "product" then you will most likely not do well trying to motivate others about it. For me, it's gently used items, whether they are clothes, shoes, household decor, anything really. I was very spoiled once in life and was all about "labels", brand names, etc. So my target is always gently used brand name items. In my years of raising babies, I learned to budget and make our family work on one income. That meant shopping thrift stores, yard sales, etc. Out of that necessity then, it grew into a lifestyle where I wouldn't go back to paying full retail for something if you paid me! I get excited when I find a deal on something that I know is worth more! So naturally, when I first began to purchase things that were not for myself, but were actually for resale, I purchased items that I would buy myself and listed them at the price that I would pay for them and still consider to be a great deal. I was an avid yard sale, flea market, thrift store and yes, even trash by the side of the road shopper, even before I started acquiring those items with the intention of selling them. So basically, it boils down to having been that customer that I'm now targeting. (Actually I still am!)Knowing exactly what they want, what they will pay for it, etc.
Secondly, whatever venture you pursue will most likely require some sort of business sense and/or customer service skills. No matter how small the venture, if you conduct yourself and present yourself and your business on that level, then you gain the trust and respect in order to gain the business. When you continue in that way, then you gain the loyalty of your customers and your customer base builds. Ebay is a great one for that because of the feedback system and most buyers do check it before they buy!
Even if you are a stay at home mom, just trying to sell a few items on ebay that your kids have outgrown...your customer doesn't have to know that by looking at your listing! In other words...it doesn't have to appear that while you were in your pajamas and the kids were running around the house driving you crazy, you threw some of their old clothes onto an ebay listing! Your listing should cover all the basics about the item and leave out personal details. For instance, a more "professional" styled listing of a used item will describe the item in detail, list any flaws and the statement that the item is gently used or pre-owned. The business will state the terms for payment (amount of time before item needs to be paid for), shipping details, return policy and any other information about the auction terms or details. A listing in this way appeals more to most people than a listing that has one line of text like: "This is a pair of shoes I bought last year and only wore a few times" and one photo. Instead of: "Up for auction is this pair of Ladies XYZ brand shoes,size 8, Black, with a 3 inch heel. They have a gold buckle across the toe and an elastic strap around the heel. These heels would be perfect for a night out on the town or a special occasion. The soft leather and brand XYZ assures you of the quality..etc.,etc.etc...."
The other big tip and most often made mistake for new sellers on ebay is the "Title" of your auction. Most will just put "Black Heels" or something vague like that. Your title is the only way that buyers will find your item. So you have to think about what someone might type into the "Search" field to find your item. Example: Ladies Black Heels Size 8 or Ladies Black Leather Patton Heels Size 8.You want to be as descriptive as you can with the item specifics, even if it doesn't make sense as a sentence, it's basically one line of "keywords" in order for your item to be pulled up in a search. So study your item and be very descriptive. Do your own search for similar items and see what other sellers are using to describe similar items. Research is a very good thing.
I hope that these few tips are helpful to some of you that have an interest in making extra money with ebay. It's never a get rich quick, it will take some time and effort to create a listing style for yourself (that you want to maintain with all listings) but in my years of ebay as a buyer and a seller, I know that it is crucial if you would like to make it a regular money maker.
I plan to share much more on this topic in hopes to help those of you that are trying to break into the ebay world. I'm letting the questions you all email me, to guide in what's the most needed info:)
Next topics :
Why I don't sell/list for other people (?!?)
How much do I start my listing at? What's a reserve & how does that work?
But I paid $250 for it, I can't start the listing so low!! (This will be a good one !)
And a final Thought for Thursday:
“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” - Colin Powell
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