Making Your Auction Business Stand Out From The Crowd

When my sons were growing up they started playing hockey when they were 6 years old. Each of them, in their first year, scored more goals than the rest of their team combined. How did they do this?

Have you ever seen a hockey game between two teams of 6 year olds? The puck is like a magnet to them. Where ever the puck goes they follow like a swarm of bees. The game is one mass of young kids all clustered around the puck, pushing and shoving each other. It's like a rugby scrum.

The result of this is that usually the puck squirts out of the mass of bodies, slides 10 or 15 feet down the ice, and stops. A few seconds later the mass of bodies descends on it and the process starts all over again.

So how did both my sons score so many goals?

It wasn't hard to score in those games - if you could get the puck near the net. The goalie was just one of the kids, and he or she was just waiting their turn to join in the scrum.

On the way to the rink for each game I reminded my sons to stay away from all the other players. I would tell them when everyone gets in a clump around the puck, don't go near them. Be different. Stay about 10-15 feet away from everyone else and when the puck pops out, go get it, skate to the net and shoot.

Many times my son's team would win by a score like 12 to 0 and he'd scored all 12 goals. Actually, in one game the score ended up 9 to 1 and my son scored all 10 goals (at age 6 it's pretty easy to get turned around and go in the wrong direction at times).

That same advice can help you become more successful in your auction business - BE DIFFERENT!!

As eBay and the other auction sites grow, it becomes easier and easier to become lost in the crowd. Where there used to be 13 Elvis Presley "Blue Hawaii" 45's available at any given time, now there are 78. That hard to find Doric depression glass covered serving dish the used to appear once every 4-5 weeks now goes looking for bidders. Not that long ago there were just a few sellers offering digital cameras. Now it seems as if everyone is getting into the act.

If you are going to survive and succeed on eBay you need to stand out from the rest of the auction crowd. How do you do that?

1. Be more knowledgeable than your competition

If you want to stand out, seek more knowledge. Actually this applies to all areas of your life, not just your auction business.

There are all kinds of great sources of information floating around - both on-line and offline. All it takes is just a little time and effort, and you can get a lot of useful information.

If you sell pottery, it's not hard to become more knowledgeable about Rosemeade Pottery than 99% of the other people selling it. Let that knowledge show in your item descriptions and you will soon have a devoted following of bidders looking for your auctions.

The more knowledge you acquire, the more successful you will be.

2. Look down the road

Obviously, we all want and need to make money this week, this month. But, to insure your continued success, it's just as important to be continually building your business for tomorrow.

Build a list and use it. At the very minimum, your About Me Page (you do have one, right?)should have a way for buyers and potential buyers to add their name to your list. I collect aspirin tins. I also sell a lot of them on eBay. Over time, I've built a list of other aspirin tin collectors. Every two months or so, I send out a newsletter with 1 or 2 articled about these little tins along with a recap of the harder to find ones that have appeared on eBay and the prices they sold for.

This is just one of 11 different lists of buyers I maintain. With a little thought you can come up with a way to use your list, in an unobtrusive manner, that will benefit both you and your customers.

3. Blow your own horn

Don't be shy. Look for ways to place your name in front of as many customers and potential customers as possible. You will find this is probably the most beneficial step you can take to insure your success.

If you sell antique windup toys, write a monthly or bimonthly newsletter about them (you're building a list, remember?). If you offer a quality newsletter about windup toys, your name will become associated with them.

If I sold used children's clothing I'd do a little research and come up with the three most effective ways to get grass stains out of clothing. Then, with every package I shipped I'd include an insert with this information on it along with my name, address, eBay user name, web site address, and a link where they could add their name to my list.

If you were a young mother looking for good buys on clothing for your children would they remember me? Would you seek out my auctions in the future?

There are numerous ways you can promote yourself. Write articles for collector ezines, a quality newsletter and web site with valuable information, develop a e-mail course, No matter what you sell, you should be able to come up with several different ways to put your name in front of your buyers and keep it there.

4. Follow the Golden Rule

The auction process should be fun - a win/win situation for both the buyer and the seller.

Unfortunately, way too many sellers look at each of their auctions as individual battles to be won. They treat every bidder as if he or she were the enemy.

It may seem like there are an unlimited supply of bidders out there, but there isn't. Believe me, bidders do communicate among themselves. I communicate with several groups of bidders (some several hundred people strong) with similar interests.

Be obnoxious or rude with one of these and you haven't just lost one potential customer in the future, you've lost several hundred. You can't do that too many times and remain in business.

Conduct your business with class. Have fun. Enjoy the people you deal with. Your life and their will be enriched many fold. It takes time and work to build a good reputation. Putting your name in a bad light can tarnish or ruin that reputation forever.

Treat every customer with honesty, respect, and friendliness. Isn't that the way you'd want to be treated?

Gary Hendrickson has been making his living selling on eBay for more than six years. He's the author of two eBay related ebooks, has a blog for eBay sellers, and is the owner of ColdItems.Com.

ColdItems.Com The Auction Rebel Blog

---

EBay: No Way?Yes Way (Ten Seller Themes)

Hearing that there are more than 1.2 million registered eBay... Read More

How to Win on eBay

I've bought over 100 items on eBay over three years... Read More

Target Potential Bidders With Laser Beam Precision!

When a potential bidder (customer) is looking at a specific... Read More

Start an Easy Home Business: Become an Ebay Trading Assistant

EBay's online auctions have created business opportunities for thousands of... Read More

Used Cars For Sale On EBay

There are thousands of used cars for sale on eBay... Read More

eBays Hot Selling Books, Find Out Which Books Sell & How To Find Them

Selling books on eBay can be a very lucrative business!... Read More

Taxing eBay Part Deux

When my column on paying income tax on eBay profits... Read More

Mistakes to Avoid in your eBay Auctions

Online auctions continue to grow in popularity as an easy... Read More

12 Items You CANT Sell On EBay

Millions of would-be entrepreneurs want to sell things on ebay.... Read More

Use Auction Templates For eBay Success!

Auction templates are simply a must for successful online auction... Read More

Police Auctions & Government Auctions Professional Resource Information

Police Auctions Information:No, a police auction is not where you... Read More

How To Sell On Ebay: The Money Is In The Back-End

Many people who sell on Ebay completely neglect the follow-up... Read More

Make BIG MONEY on eBay - Your Unlimited Cash Cow

Let me be brutally honest; until recently, I had never... Read More

Dropship Your Way to Success

Many people know they would like to start an Internet... Read More

eBay is the Greatest Opportunity YOU Have to Create a Career Online

eBay's being spoken about everywhere these days. At work, school,... Read More

Multiple Income Streams on eBay within 30 Minutes!

POWERSELL Status, the secrets revealed.If like thousands of people you... Read More

Your eBay Business - 8 Ways To Insure Its Success

I don't know if you've ever noticed, but it seems... Read More

From Ebay Zero to Power-Selling Hero: Using Feedback Effectively

When I talk about feedback to new Ebay sellers, I... Read More

Get More for Your Money Shopping for Designer Shoes on eBay

The worlds online market place.In just a few short years... Read More

7 Steps to Easier EBay Shipping

If you're like me, you probably hate packing and shipping... Read More

How to Double or Even Triple Your Net Profit Selling on eBay

eBay Search tips and secretsThis is an example of how... Read More

How Do You Find A Reliable Dropshipping Source?

A Dropshipper is someone who will anonymously send the goods... Read More

Effective Auction Listings - How To Create Them

Once you've created the best possible title for your item,... Read More

Top Secret Ebay Powerseller Technique: Classifieds Produce Auction Power

I was browsing through all of the classified sections, and... Read More

Six Steps Towards Successful Buying at eBay Auctions

Buying on eBay can be very rewarding, either in terms... Read More

An Introduction To eBay Consignment

After I started selling on eBay, I was approached by... Read More

What YOU Must Know About The Advantages And Pitfalls Of Dropshipping

The following may be the most important information about dropshipping... Read More

What Ebay Can Teach Us About Success

I flew back to New York from Atlanta a few... Read More

The International Affiliate Program of EBay

eBay trades in more than 33 international countries with over... Read More

Royal Memorabilia ?Smart Trading and Fake Dodging

This is my second article about trading royal memorabilia on... Read More

So, Can You Really Sell EBooks On EBay And Make Cold Hard Cash?

Selling eBooks on eBay, and making any worthwhile profit from... Read More

The Powerful eBay Bidding Strategy That Claims A 99% Success Rate

Don't you just love it?You've found that special item on... Read More

Your Auction Headline Or Title - The Most Important Part Of Your Auction

The words you select to describe your item will have... Read More