Where else can you advertise the items you have for auction on eBay? Here are some ideas you might want to explore:
Send emails to previous customers when you have new items for auction that they might be interested in.
tip
You can facilitate this type of up-selling by using an advanced customer management tool, such as ndale Email Manager (www. andale .com) or Vendio Customer Manager (www. vendio .com). Both of these tools are discussed in Chapter 15, "Dealing with Customers."
When you're sending out end-of-auction emails to your high bidders, include a link to your About Me page ”or even a list of other items you have for sale, or plan to have for sale in the near future.
Send mass emails to other eBay users. You can use HammerTap BayMail Pro (www.hammertap.com/baymailpro/) to send emails to batches of eBay users, even if you don't know their email addresses. Again, this is discussed in Chapter 15.
Post messages on Internet message boards and Usenet newsgroups that are dedicated to the types of items you have for auction.
Barter with other Web site owners to include links to your auctions or About Me page on their sites, in return for links to their sites on your site.
Include your About Me URL or eBay Store URL as a signature in all your personal and business email messages
Include your About Me or eBay Store URL on your business cards and stationery
"Mike Sez"
I personally detest this type of unsolicited commercial email (UCE), as do many other users, and program my spam filter to block as much of this junk as possible. Still, many sellers find it a low-cost and effective means of promotion, so who's to say what's right and what's not?
Probably the most important type of promotion, however, is word of mouth ”based on your good reputation. You want to encourage repeat bidders and drive buyers into your other auctions or online store (if you have one) for additional sales. That means treating your buyers fairly and with respect, and going the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction.
The Absolute Minimum
This wraps up the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Launching an eBay Business . I hope you've found the information and advice useful, and wish you luck on setting up and running your new eBay business. As to this chapter, you should keep the following points in mind:
Include a prominent link to your other auctions or About Me page in every item description
Include a link to your eBay item listings or About Me page on your Web storefront ”and any personal Web pages you might have
Send emails to previous customers when you have other items they might be interested in coming up for auction
