By Discount Dame Terri Storelli for GalTime.com
Garage sale tips for success! make more money with these common sense tips
While the concept of having a yard sale
to make some extra cash (and free up some extra space) is not a new
one, I have few fresh ideas to make your sale run more smoothly and make
it more lucrative.
1. A Little Planning Goes A Long Way
When it comes to planning a yard sale, most people put up a few posters
the day before, unload everything onto the driveway and then sit in a
lawn chair waiting for the money to roll in. By taking a few extra steps
ahead of time you can up your cash flow and your enjoyment factor.
If you live off the beaten path consider teaming up with a friend who
lives on a busier street and hosting a joint garage sale there. Also,
think about having the sale on your lawn instead of in your driveway, to
make it more visible to passers by. Wherever you decide to hold your
sale, be sure you have access to electrical outlets and shade. In the
days leading up to your sale choose a staging area, an open space like
the garage or back patio, where you can start sorting your items into
categories like knick-knacks, clothes, kitchen items etc. Most
importantly be sure to check with your local city hall to see if a yard
sale permit is required in your town.
2. Get the Word Out
Sloppy black marker on cardboard may be the signature sign of the yard
sale but it really doesn't do your sale justice. Take a few extra
moments to print attractive signs with clear writing, like these from DiscountDame.com,
you can give potential shoppers an idea of the quality of items you're
offering. To put it simply: pretty, tidy signage equals pretty, tidy
merchandise. Signs aren't always enough to get customers to your sale.
Posting on church and community bulletin boards, or putting an ad on
Craig's List are all great free ways to spread the word.
3. Set Up For Success
Spread out and use all of the space you have available to make your
sale look larger. Also, think of your sale space like a department
store, put like-things together and create your "departments" to give it
a clean well organized feel. Tables are one of the key factors to a
lucrative yard sale. People associate picking something up off the
ground with picking trash up off the ground; they are more likely to
look though neatly folded clothes laid out on a table than then clothes
heaped on the ground. Don't have enough tables to display all of your
goods? Check your local party supply store where you can rent them
inexpensively. While you're picking up tables be sure to pick up a few
coordinating table clothes, solid colors in pastel shades work best to
showcase your goods. Stay away from too bright or busy table clothes as
they might make your slightly faded items appear more so.
4. Price Smart
Skip the price tags and stickers all together. Instead have a starting
price in mind and leave room to haggle. Consider the items condition,
and also size up the customer. Determining prices on the fly ensures you
don't under price and opens up a dialog between you and your customer.
5. Everyone Loves a Freebie
We all enjoy getting something for nothing, and while it feels counter
intuitive to give things away while your trying to make money, it's a
great way to draw in customers and keep them shopping longer. Setting up
a box of small toys or knick-knacks near the sidewalk and marking it
FREE will draw customers in. Another idea-- offering free coffee will
keep shoppers warm-- and make them feel at home-- will cost you very
little.
Original post taken from: http://shine.yahoo.com/financially-fit/5-tips-having-successful-garage-sale-163300697.html