Auction Information

Traditional Marketing Techniques for eBay Auction Ads


Ya know, I sort of giggle when I look at an ad on eBay that's just a black and white description of the item or product that's up for bid. It wasn't long ago at all that I would have done the exact same thing, but once I understood some traditional marketing techniques, not just been exposed to them; everything looked totally different.

It's been a few years now and I can't imagine how I got by in a "sales" career beforehand. I had been a fairly successful salesman in the mortgage business, or the term the public uses; Mortgage Broker. A commission only job with no promised monthly salary. My income was totally based upon my sales success or "lack of", each month. How was I able to eat without knowing how to write ad copy or how to use the "hook", or how to effectively use a "take away" move..?

Simple answer: Born for it.

If you're like me, in that you enjoy selling something that you, yourself are sold on, then eBay is where you need to be and learning traditional marketing techniques is the way to have any type of success. There is no other way for, us po folk(not millionaires), to reach such a huge amount of potential buyers for ANY type of item at all. One hundred twenty five million users! Whoa. At this point, they have daily new user sign ups in excess of one hundred thousand people...100,000 each day!

THE PRODUCT IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE SELLING!!!

Things are much more technical than that. Here's a short list of the different focuses:

  • Gallery picture is to grab attention only. It's not about looking nice and neat or pretty or professional; it's about human instinct, the power of basic colors, and their contrast with each other. It's about getting noticed on a page of 25 items in a list! We all just browse lists...there is no reading lists word for word! Of course I know that there are exceptions, but the majority are predictable.

  • The title is not for describing the item! Don't think for a minute that you will get noticed by enough people to make real money if they don't see you when they search. The bottom line is that most purchases are the result of a search at the top of the ebay page. Knowing this, you'd think that the search would be checking the entire ad text for matches, ...not! There is a specific checkbox to choose this option right next to the search area, but most don't "check" it, so normally the search is only checking the title. Think about that. Now do you understand why some of those auction titles sounded so stupid..? You got it! They are the smart ones. There's a real art to creating a title that sounds somewhat normal while being keyword rich.
  • Feedback must remain clean, if not perfect! It's an opinion and mine will not sway. There's an inherent communication problem on the internet already. Why would you do anything at all to place more doubt in a prospective buyer's head..? Well, one bad comment can ruin the whole record for, at least 10 more sales because they're structured like this blog, backwards! The bad comment will be there until you fill the page again with positive comments! Just keep it perfect at all costs or don't get upset when they bypass your item for someone else's.
  • Pricing. Again, more of a marketing or psychological factor than most think it is. Information products are even more suited to this because their value is based, partly, on perception or what people think it should cost. That literally means that a new product can sell more units priced higher than comperable products just because it's more expensive! Now, what I just said was not that they sell for more so they make more. I said "units". It's possible to sell 10 for one price and 10 for a higher price, quicker. If the whole dynamic, or feel of the ad, gives the item a higher perceived value, rather than a "ripp off", they may even move faster because of being more expensive. I'm beating this horse because most people are trained the opposite of this, that cheaper is better... Pricing is a tool, just a really important one to get right.
  • Traditional ad copy is usually a sales letter that is absolutley focused on purchasing your interest with well placed, and sometimes viosually appealling, words. Just as the title was only to get you to click the ad, the headline or first words in the desciption should be focused on getting you to read it and go to the next line. That's where the hand off takes place and now it's the second area or headline's job to kepp you and send you to the next. Just that methodical. The only way I can see to do this effectively is being obsessive about it. Invest some time in this because it directly effects your income, period. Sometimes I like to write most of the ad, right off the top of my head, then go over it with a fine tooth comb, making adjustments, over and over and over and over... Till it works and flows properly. Every great marketer has seemingly strict opinions as to which words to use or not and which colors to use or not. The funny thing is that a huge part of a marketer's job is to test new things and question there skills to hone them. I'm caught up in this circle all the time...
  • Your "store" policies. The only way to really get the idea of why you need to be particular about things such as this is to look around at the other auctions. You will definately run into some cheesy ones and some really well done policies. Now pick which seller you feel more comfortable paying money to "up front" for a purchase... Get my point..? Be a pro at all times, trust me; everyone is watching. Make your store policies more fair than most and make them easy to read and understand. Don't write them exactly the way you want to see them, smarter people than you will read them AND dumber people than you will read them. You need to make each of us feel good about you here.

    Once you grasp these as the truth that they are, you'll see the potential of eBay just because you will simply be in the minority! These are the first steps of becoming an extremely over paid telecommuter or PJExec.

    I've sold almost a half million dollars worth of products this year, from my bedroom, without employees, and in my PAJAMAS! Not one of my sales were drop shipped and almost every one of them was an Information Product.

    I'm a High Level Powerseller on eBay, AND, I'm a Certified eBay Education Specialist, trained by eBay. When I took the acceptance exam to be an Education Specialist, in September 2004, my exam ranking was number 1! There were 582 other trainers at that point.

    I have gross eBay sales of more than $300,000 this year.

    I also have gross website sales of more than $140,000 this year.

    I have 100% Positive Customer Feedback!!!!

    I have Zero Employees.

    I work, at home, in my PAJAMAS!

    http://www.PajamaExecutive.com


    MORE RESOURCES:

    Vuvox Brings Rich Slideshows To eBay Auctions
    Washington Post, United States - 12 hours ago
    But until recently users had to go to Vuvox's homepage directly if they wanted to include a widget as part of their auction. Now, eBay is conducting a pilot ...


    Boston Globe

    Mass. auctions off abandoned property on eBay
    Boston Globe, United States - Dec 1, 2008
    Treasurer Timothy Cahill says unclaimed property will be auctioned live from noon Thursday until Dec. 15. Some 100 new lots will be posted on Dec. 4, Dec. ...
    Cahill puts 300 items of abandoned property on eBay Politicker MA
    State putting unclaimed booty on the Internet auction block Trading Markets (press release)
    all 13 news articles


    Generals to hold two jersey auctions
    OurSports Central (press release), WI - 3 hours ago
    Ten jerseys will be auctioned off and the fans will get to decide if they want home or road. The auctions will take place in the lobby immediately following ...
    Komets add Leo Thomas to roster OurSports Central (press release)
    Komets improve to 9-6-1, Thunder rolls in Saturday OurSports Central (press release)
    all 3 news articles


    3 News NZ

    Milkpowder prices dive in Fonterra online auctions
    New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 2 hours ago
    Fonterra says whole milkpowder prices today fell for a fifth time in its internet auctions, taking them to their lowest in more than two years. ...
    Fonterra Milk Powder Prices Decline for Fifth Month (Update1) Bloomberg
    all 30 news articles


    Business Wire (press release)

    Inland Real Estate Auctions, Inc. successfully sells Highland Park ...
    MarketWatch - Dec 1, 2008
    19, resulting in a successful sale just six weeks after Inland Real Estate Auctions was engaged to sell the property. "This is a great example of why the ...
    Robert and Melissa Storment of Real Estate Auction Associates ... Business Wire (press release)
    all 12 news articles


    WHDH-TV

    Town of Stoneham auctions off fire truck
    WHDH-TV, MA - 23 hours ago
    The Public Works Department is putting a 1972 fire engine up on the auction block. Silent bids for the truck will be accepted through Friday and even though ...
    Fire on Forest Street consumes garage; fire truck wouldn’t start Winchester Star
    all 2 news articles


    Treasury Auctions $28 Bln. In 26-Week Bills
    RTT News, NY - Dec 1, 2008
    (RTTNews) - The US Treasury Department auctioned $28 billion of 26-week bills on Monday, with results showing little change in demand for the securities ...


    WWA Group Exhibits at Big 5 Show in Dubai
    MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
    "Equipment prices at our most recent auction in late October were in line with pricing at prior auctions in 2008, and we see robust interest in purchasing ...


    Abercrombie Auctions International hosting Grand Auction during ...
    Auction Central News, NY - 7 hours ago
    Now - you can put Auction Central News Headlines right on your site! With this handy widget, your site's visitors can stay current on all the news in the ...


    Rascal Flatts in Two eBay Auctions
    Great American Country, TN - 3 hours ago
    2, 2008 — Christmas is a giving season, and Rascal Flatts is hoping their participation will net funds for a couple of worthy charities in online auctions ...

    Auctions - Google News

  • home | site map
    © 2008