Use Online Auctions to Promote Your Business!

When they first appeared on the scene, online auctions were used
mainly by people looking to get rid of old heirlooms or
collectors in niche markets (stuffed collectibles, etc.). Now,
it seems like everyone is participating in online auctions.
People are also beginning to realize that auctions can be a great
way to promote a business and test products.

I have to admit it -- I'm an eBay junkie. I'm probably on their
site at least 4 or 5 times a week, looking for items to add to my
various collections, and the more I visit, the more I'm seeing
businesses using online auctions in creative ways.

For instance, there are many people who have started to make
their living solely through online auctions. However, if you
don't want to become one of these "full-timers," you can still
use online auctions to help you with your business. Here are a
couple of thoughts on ways to do that:

* Use auctions to gauge new products. If you are considering
adding a new product to your business, auctions are a great way
to see what kind of demand there might be for it. Do an
experiment -- put one of the products up for auction and see how
many people bid on it (you might even be able to track how many
people look at the auction without making a bid.) If you have
good response from the auction, it can be a good indication that
you should add the product to your inventory.

* Use auctions to determine prices. One question that I get a lot
from clients is, "How much should I charge for so-and-so?" If
you have this kind of question, auctions can be a great way to
gauge prices. Put your item on auction and see how much people
are willing to bid on it. Don't just look at the high bid --
remember that there are some "insane bidders" out there --
rather, look at the maximum bids from all bidders to get an idea
of what customers are willing to pay for your product.

* Link your auction to your business. Now, before I go any
further, I have to warn you to read your auction service's
policies CAREFULLY -- many services will not allow you to put a
direct link to your web site in your auction description.

Even if you can't put a link directly in your auction, you might
still be able to promote your business. For instance, many
services will have an "about me" page where you can put a link to
your business. Also, there is nothing keeping you from linking
the sites in the other direction -- putting a link to your
auctions on your web site, for instance.

One of the things that has always impressed me about the so-
called "net gurus" is their ability to be creative in their
advertising and promotion efforts. Online auctions seem to be a
great candidate for that type of creativity.

About the Author

Ron Sathoff is a noted speaker and manager of DrNunley's
http://InternetWriters.com He provides copy-writing, marketing,
Internet promotion, and help for business speakers. Reach him at
ron@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.

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Sometimes the simplest things can boost the number of visitors and bids to your auction listings and increase your eBay profits.

Robert G. Allen, author of Multiple Streams of Internet Income, writes, "If you are going to play online, then act like your life depended on it. Embed your web address and e-mail address in your off-line brochures, on your business cards, in every marketing message, and in every advertisement you place."

This advice rings true for eBay, Yahoo!, and Amazon auction sellers as well. You need to make it easy for web-surfers to find your current auction listings. The more visitors your auctions have, the higher your eBay profits.

Create a signature file and add a link to your auctions with every e-mail that you send. Most e-mail programs will all. . . .
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Since most families have items in their home that have outlived their usefulness, they can get started at online auctions for mere pennies.

And, most selling online at auctions does not have start-up or membership fees. There is a nominal fee per item listed and a percentage commission on each sale. Still, you come out ahead.

With this minimum investment, many are flocking to auction sites to gain additional income to get their families and selves through the seemingly ever present economic downturn.

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Use eBay picture service or host your own photos?

If you use the eBay picture service, your first photo is free. But each additional picture will cost you $0.15 and the supersize picture will be another $0.75.

This can cut into your auction profits if you need, let's say, 3 or 4 pictures showing different angles, and one supersize picture for the "WOW" effect!

So I found a way to have as many pictures I want in my listings without having to pay all these fees to eBay: I do my own image hosting!

They are a lot of image hosting services to choose from online. Some are free, and others charge a small monthly or yearly fee.

Currently I use Photobucket image hosting. They have a free starter package (which gives you 25 MB of disc space) or a premium package (unl. . . .
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For example, if you operated a restaurant, your being listed in local Internet directories could result in local residents and visitors to the area finding your restaurant.

2. E-mail Newsletter

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