Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Writing a classified ad to sell your product isn’t as hard as you might think, if you spend time researching effective copy writing strategies.

Here are a few to try NOW!

1. Never try to sell expensive items from a small classified ad.
Use the two step method. Request the reader visit your site
for free information or email an auto responder address
for more details where you will respond with longer
ad copy to effectively sell your product.

2. Study how other marketers write their sales copy. This is a no brainer. Simply study the ads in newsletters you are subscribed to.
Or surf to a few of the free classified ad sites and study the ads placed there. Don’t copy their ads word for word but use them as an effective design to write your own adverts.

3. Advertise in the right Newsletter. That’s right. This is basic stuff. Don’t place your ad for cooking lessons in a Sports Trivia Newsletter. Or High Tech EBooks on Java-Scripting in a Romance
Writers Newsletter.

4. Target several appropriate publications. Subscribe to the
publications and study their classified ads for several editions
before placing your ads. Practice writing adverts following their
basic ad writing guidelines.

5. Advertise in more than one publication at a time. Why?
You want to pull in as many interested readers as possible in
order to make sales.

6. Change your ad copy if it’s not working. If people read the same old
ad copy in the publication every month they will get bored and
probably ignore your copy. It’s human nature to do this.
Freshen up your copy with new headlines, different lengths, new
wording, power words, appropriate humor, details, interesting facts,
testimonials.

7. Key your ads to find out which ones are working. Or simply have
several email addresses or auto responders and calculate which
email address receives the most response to your ads.

8. Keep records of everyone who responds to your ads. Follow up
with appropriate messages about your product. Of course give
them the option to opt out of receiving further correspondence.

9. Free Classified Ad Sites are a great way to test your ad
writing skills before placing paid ads in publications online.
Study how other marketers at these sites write their ads.
Respond to their ads to see how they further market their
product. Don’t forget to set up a free email account
especially to handle your request.
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eBay is THE most popular home business in the USA, but it’s not without its problems. Many have tried to succeed but have failed due to confusion over what products to sell, giant numbers of competitors, copy and picture theft from other sellers and eBay and Paypal that eat into profits.

One way to avoid this swamp, though, is to do a Joint Venture with established eBay sellers. This allows a JV partner to build her own mailing list and sell products off eBay.

There are multiple advantages to this way of doing business on eBay:

1. The biggest uncertainty for would-be eBay sellers is what products to sell. Sometimes vendors risk large sums of money on untried products, only to lose their investment, become sour and give up. With a Joint Venture there is no risk except for a few hours of time.

2. Since there are no auctions listed on eBay, no one can steal copy or pictures from JV sellers – because there is nothing to copy. In effect, we become invisible – no one even knows we exist and this hidden aspect has many advantages.

3. eBay JVs are usually done with a digital product that can be instantly downloaded. This is great for any entrepreneur because inexpensive autoresponders mean that her entire business is handled via autopilot. Contrast this with the usual way of doing business on eBay which involves mailing dozens, hundreds or even thousands of boxes.

4. eBay and Paypal have lots of rules. It’s easy to break some unwittingly, and even the most honest seller does so from time to time. A JV merchant isn’t answerable to eBay, however, but only to her customers.
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Creating a successful and profitable business is no easy task. It’s reliant on many outside factors, including competition, timing and demand, which you have very little to no control over at the beginning. Assuming all of these outside factors are in your favor, having a sound business plan can lead to having a successful business. Here are five steps to consider when you’re building your business from the ground up:

1. Determine your business. What are you selling?

This question isn’t as easy to answer as you may think. For example, Nike is in the sportswear business, but the truth is that when you buy a pair of Nike shoes and a t-shirt at the mall you’re buying a lot more than sportswear — you’re buying an image, a feeling. You’re buying the Nike brand. Richard Thalheimer, the former CEO of The Sharper Image and the founder of RichardSolo.com, has worked in specialty retail for more than 30 years. When asked what business he’s in, he’ll tell you “convenience” or “innovation” before he specifies any particular industry, and he’s built one of the most powerful brands in America. Keep in mind, there’s more to a product than, well, the product. Your brand is what sets your product apart from your competitor’s.

2. Select your market. Who are you selling to?

This step is a bit less interpretive as the first, though equally important. Who are you selling to? or more importantly, what do you know about this person? Understanding your consumer is a key to success. What do they do? Where do they hang out? What do they watch on television? These are just a few of the questions that you should be able to answer about your consumer. Knowing the answers to these questions can answer a lot of questions of your own when it comes to a devising a marketing strategy. Richard Thalheimer understood his market for The Sharper Image, probably as well as they understood themselves. From an article in the LA Times, Tracy Wan, who was president and chief operating officer under Thalheimer says “Richard has the amazing ability to figure out the things that people want to have.” This ability to perceive your consumer’s desire can only be a result of knowing them like your neighbor.
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Recognizing that the time had come to replace our hot water heater, my wife called our plumber to schedule an appointment. She placed the call at about 11 a.m. When the agent asked, “Would you be available between one and three?” Lori asked, “Which day?” The agent replied “Today of course.”

Hearing a strange noise coming from our furnace, another call was placed. Again, the appointment was made and the problem was solved the same day. (Are you surprised that the furnace and the plumbing company have the same ownership?)

Earlier this week my wife had a problem with her knee and after seeing our family doctor she was referred to a knee specialist – a specialist considered one of the best in Indianapolis. When she called for an appointment, I feared the worst. Instead, she had an appointment within 24 hours.

My guess is that as you read each of these short stories. You are surprised at the service we received. The fact is, this level of service should be the norm, but sadly isn’t. Our experience has lowered the expectations of most of us.

The Good News

The good news in these examples is that it is easier than ever to stand out. When you are good, people will notice. When you are excellent, they will rave.

This goes for us personally, professionally, or as an organization.
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