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Auction Strategists Newsletter
Brought to you by Jenni Hunt
www.jennihunt.com
In this newsletter:
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1. Your Mailing List – A Must Have For Every Seller
2. Heads Up:
– Amazon’s Holiday Selling Policies
– Listing Tips from Seller Sourcebook
3. How to subscribe or Change your subscription status
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It’s MONDAY MADNESS…
Mailing List Mania is available for $5
Mailing List Mania is a short report that is focused on helping those who are new to the idea of building a customer or leads mailing list. Here are a few topics discussed in mailing List Mania:
– Why You Need A Mailing List
– What Is an Autoresponder and what does it have to do with my list?
– What format should you use for your mailing list?
– Using ‘Opt-Ins’
– Bribing your visitors
– Your Thank You page
– Mailing Frequency
– and more…
Get it Monday only for $5 here:
http://tinyurl.com/6hx35n
MONDAY MADNESS is Every Monday at
http://www.jennihunt.com/blog
Learn more here:
http://jennihunt.com/blog/?p=20
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1. Revisiting the Value of Your Mailing List
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It took me at least 2 years of runnning my online business before I started to seriously understand the incredible value of building a mailing list. I had a membership site and thought that my list of subscribers was enough… boy was I wrong!
I know we have talked about this topic numorous times before… but, it is worth bringing up again – and here is why.
A few months back I was listening to an interview with 3-4 women who have been in business longer than I have online… the topic was about mailing lists. I was curious to hear their thoughts on how they used their mailing list to provide a revenue stream. I was absolutely shocked to hear that two of the women being interviewed had a list – but, really didn’t know what to do with it. They hadn’t sent an email out to the list in months… and it turned out – the only reason they had a list in the first place was because people had told them that it was important… but, they really didn’t understand HOW it was important to THEIR business.
Let me repeat that… because I wonder how many eBay sellers feel this way…
“They really didn’t understand HOW a mailing list was important to THEIR business”
If this is something you would say… I really want to help you understand how valuable a mailing list can be to YOU – and, in fact, if you have any questions about this – please leave a comment below so I can better know how to help you understand this important concept.
I can think of many, many reasons an eBay seller (or anyone with a business) would want to have a mailing list… but, I’m just going to highlight a few here.
REASONS YOU NEED A MAILING LIST
1. eBay is constantly changing… if your business is solely about selling products on eBay than you are completely dependent on the rules and regulations they set up for sellers. Is your business TRULY yours if you rely completely on the business model eBay has set up for sellers? If you have your own mailing list you take the control of your business into your own hands and are no longer dependent on eBay to bring in revenue.
2. It is proven that it is easier to market/sell to an existing customer (or someone who has already expressed an interest in what you have to offer) than to try to pull in completely new customers. Once you have an email address for a visitor or customer you hae the ability to market to them again and again. It is the start of a beautiful relationship! The fact that the visitor is at your auction/site says that they are interested in what you have to offer – so you need to make a way to keep in touch with these potential customers… a mailing list if ideal!
3. You can learn about your market from your mailing list. When you interact with the people on your mailing list, you start learning what it is they are interested in… you learn what questions they want answered… what problems they need solved… and it provides you with a huge opportunity to provide that information to them.
4. And the dreaded… (kinda relates to number 1)… What if something happens to eBay – or your eBay account? Will you be back a square one and have to start completely over with your business? Or, will it simply be a bump in the road that you’ll just drive over. If you already have a mailing list of people you have been doing business with – or people that are interested in what you are providing – you can take them with you away from eBay… and, just think – you won’t have anymore eBay fees to pay 😉
Have I convinced you yet? If not, what is holding you back?… Let’s talk about it… and next time, we’ll dig into this topic a little bit deeper.
Enjoy!
Jenni Hunt
http://www.jennihunt.com
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2. Heads Up
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***HEADS**UP***
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If you are interested in selling toys and games on amazon.com this year, you’ll want to pay attention…
Amazon has a policy in place that only allows certain sellers to sell toys and games during the holiday selling season.
Here are two very important dates mentioned in their announcement – but be sure to read the entire announcement here:
http://tinyurl.com/6bd7e3
Important Dates For Amazon Sellers:
– Effective September 12, 2008, Amazon will stop accepting new sellers in the Toys and Games category
– Effective November 17, 2008, existing sellers who do not meet certain criteria will not be able to sell products in the toys and games category from Nov. 17, 2008 – Jan 5, 2009
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***HEADS**UP***
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Seller Sourcebook has provided me with some quick tips for listing auctions successfully… I’ll be running a series of them over the summer. Check out previous tips in the archives at www.jennihunt.com/blog
TIP #3: A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
Want to kill your auction from the get-go? Then all you need to do is have a bad picture; or worse no picture at all. I don’t know many people who buy things sight unseen so you just have to have good pictures. When taking your pictures try to get in as close to the object as possible. You want no extraneous items in the background. While you might have nice dining room chairs if they aren’t up for auction make sure they are not showing in the picture.
If the item you are selling has fine details take another picture that is a close-up of them. Recently I put some vintage-style cardigans up for auction. Each of them featured beaded designs on the front and/or collars. I took close up pictures of the beadwork so potential buyers could get a close look at it. One cardigan was especially well made with a full lining and ribbon enforced button holes; I decided to take a close up picture of this as well so the workmanship could be seen. Does the item have a flaw? Take a close-up picture of that too. Showing the potential buyer this from the get-go will save you hassles down the road.
Depending on the item you may want to take a few pictures from different angles. Vases, kitchenware and decor items should have two pictures taken of them to show the front and back. This is also certainly true on certain clothing items. Shirts, skirts and blazer – possibly not. Dresses, probably should have a picture taken of the back as well. Especially if they have unique closures, a tie/bow at the back, or any other special features/adornment.
Look through magazines and stores online. Notice how they display the items they are selling and try to do the same things with yours. Using a white backdrop is recommended. If you sell a lot of clothing items on a regular basis consider investing in a half-form mannequin. Your clothing items will look so much better. When I started using half-forms I noticed a tremendous increase in sales.
If you do not want to or cannot spend the money on this no worries; just display your clothing as nicely as possible. I suggest avoiding laying out your clothing on the floor. No one likes seeing something they are considering buying laying on the carpet – especially if it is a dirty carpet.
Make sure your items look their best. If you are selling a knick-knack dust it first. If you are selling a kitchen item make sure it is clean. If you are selling clothing make sure the item is pressed or steamed. Would you buy a dusty, dingy looking figurine or a shirt that looks like it has been crumpled up in a ball on the floor? I sure wouldn’t and neither would most people.
To learn more about Seller Sourcebook AND get 10% off any service, visit: http://www.jennihunt.com/recommends/ssb.htm
use coupon code to save 10%: 5CCBC
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Copyright 2008 Jenni Hunt, www.jennihunt.com
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