I've made thousands of dollars selling on craigslist for nearly 5 years. I've sold a laundry list of items: From used Macintosh Laptops to football tickets -even selling my services as a writer.
If you've never used craigslist to sell - now is a great time to start. People are looking to save money now more than ever. It's free to post ads (except adult and real estate in certain cities), and because of the enormous web traffic the site receives - it makes sense to explore craigslist as a potential platform to sell.
But before you sell, you need one thing above all else: A solid, if not very good advertisement.
Your ad is of crucial importance if you intend to sell your item. While a good ad will not guarantee a sale, a poorly constructed ad will most certainly hold you back.
Culminated from my experiences, here are 10 ways in order of importance to help you create an advertisement that will attract buyers.
1. Be Honest: This is the most important aspect of selling on craigslist (or anywhere): Do not lie. Lying will kill your craigslist karma. Most people on craigslist who are serious about buying from you will expect honest, and sincere answers to their questions.
2. Spell Correctly: Illiteracy and laziness don’t sell. Correct spelling shows you care about how your ad comes across. It shows you’re serious. And it will attract the right type of customer to buy your item(s). Remember – proofread. Then proofread again before submitting your ad live on the site.
3. Have an Attention Grabbing Headline: Writing a good headline is a skill and an art. You want it to be succinct, yet enticing to attract interest. You don’t need to know the copy writing trade, be a professional writer, nor have a degree in marketing / advertising. But a good headline will generate more clicks on your ad.
4. Communicate: Be accessible. When you sell, you must answer your phone and check your e-mail. Craigslist is about immediacy. If a buyer can't reach you, how do you expect to sell your item?
5. Advertise Local: Craigslist doesn’t like you posting the same ad in two different markets. Advertise locally and in one city at a time. Plus, It will be easier for you to meet a buyer if both of you live in the same city / area. You’ll both have an idea of where things are if you meet in a public venue to close the sale, and how to get there.
6. Be Flexible on Pricing: Be open to lowering your price if nobody shows interest. You don’t have to cut your prices drastically. Sometimes taking $5 or $10 off is the difference between no responses, and many responses.
7. Post Pictures when Possible: Taking pictures has a way of bringing authenticity to your advertisement. Authenticity makes you more trustworthy, and make someone feel better about buying from you.
8. Meet face to face: If I’m buying something from craigslist- chances are I’m going to want to look at it and ask questions: face to face. Be open to meeting your buyer in person. It will ease their anxiety of buying from you.
9. Post on high traffic days / times: You want to post when you have the best chance of people browsing your ad. Trial and error will help you here. But in general, Sundays are great days to post, as are certain weekdays.
10. Be Persistent: If your item doesn’t sell right away – don’t worry too much about it. Check this list again. Are you violating any of the items above? Also, try and give your ad at least 2 or 3 days to get attention. If nobody responds to it, consider re-posting. Change the headline, ad pictures - and see what happens.
Happy Selling!
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