Now that you've attracted bidders with your auction title,
you have to get them to bid on your item by telling them
why they should bid. What you are essentially doing is
writing sales copy. You want to get them excited about
what you are offering.
You should start off with a headline and a sub-headline.
This is something that most eBay sellers fail to do is use
a headline to begin their description. A good headline
should create a problem that the reader can identify with
and stress the main benefit of your product in solving that
problem. It should also generate excitement and a desire
to learn more about your product.
After the headline, you introduce your product with an
overview. The overview shows the value of what you are
offering and shows them why it's a great solution to the
problem you introduced in your headline. Then you describe
your item in detail. You want to include all pertinent
details of your item, such as brand, make and model,
condition, warranty, packaging details and any other
relevant information. Tell any interesting features about
the product that make it stand out, what you can do with
the item, and so on. All this will help demonstrate the
value of the item.
After you describe the features of the product, you should
translate these features into benefits. A feature is an
attribute of an item. A benefit solves a problem for its
owner. In other words, benefits answer "What's in it for
me?" for the buyer. It answers why they should bid on or
buy your product.
It's very important to establish your credibility in the
eyes of potential bidders. There are several ways this can
be accomplished. If you are positioning yourself as an
expert, back up everything you say with details of your
experience, qualifications, or awards in your chosen
category or industry. Do this by placing a link to your
About Me page or My World Page where you can include
details about your background. Be honest when describing
your items and don't leave out anything. Be up front about
any defects will boost your credibility. Use testimonials
from people who have bought from you before by using your
eBay feedback. Last but not least, use proper spelling and
grammar. If you present a sloppy image with bad grammar,
you won't encourage people to bid on your item.
Make use of as many images as you can get of your item.
The more the better. Make sure you use good lighting and
make certain the images are clear. This especially true
for high value items. It is a good idea to acquire some
good lighting equipment and a good quality digital camera.
The picture don't have to be professional quality, but they
need to show as much of the product as possible. If you
are having items drop shipped for you, ask the supplier to
provide you with several pictures of the item to use in
your description. Or you can order one item as a sample
and use it in your pictures.
It's also important to give clear terms and conditions.
List your terms and conditions such as payment options,
bidding and shipping restrictions, shipping and handling
fees, taxes and duty, warranty and refund policy, feedback
guidelines, contact information, and delivery
details(clearly state when you will ship the item).
Add a strong guarantee. Offering a money back guarantee is
a proven marketing technique that is an excellent way to
increase bids and sales. It may be tempting to place a
time limit on your guarantee, but these guarantees don't
carry much weight. It is far better to not include a time
limit because it will send a strong message that encourages
more bids and sales. If someone has had an item for more
than 30 days they are not likely to suddenly turn around
and send it back. If someone does send it back, it's
usually because they have a genuine problem with the item
and it's only right they get a refund. You may get a few
returns, but they will be outweighed by the extra sales you
will generate with your guarantee.
Create a sense of urgency to encourage immediate bids.
Auctions are urgent by their very nature but it's a good
idea to create a sense of urgency in your auction. One way
to do this is to repeat the benefits of your item. If your
item is no longer being made or is hard to find, emphasize
its rarity and the fact this might be the last chance to
buy it.
Now that you've written your description and offered a
guarantee, you now need to ask for the sale. You've
convinced the buyer they want the item and you need to ask
for the sale. It doesn't need to be long, just
compelling. You can restate the benefits of the item and
ask for the bid.
This is by no means a complete course on writing sales
copy, but it will give you a good place to begin writing
auctions that will improve sales.
----------------------------------------------------
Allen Owen is an enthusiastic home business entrepreneur
and engineer. Have a look at his eBay tips e-zine:
http://www.thedigitalresevoir.com
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