Using LinkedIn to Promote Your Online Business

I admit it, LinkedIn has been my step-child of social media. I really tend to focus on Pinterest for promoting my eBay items, because Pinterest is more visual (and, subsequently, addicting). Facebook is a way of life, and Twitter is easy to use for promoting both eBay items, information products, as well as staying "in the know." I've had a LinkedIn profile for years, but never really knew what to do with it. I am doing a self-guided course on exactly how to use LinkedIn and wanted to share a few tips with you.

Exactly what is LinkedIn and why should you care?

LinkedIn has 200 million users worldwide. (Mashable.com)

35% of LinkedIn users access the site daily. (SocialTimes.com)

There are more than 1 million groups on LinkedIn. (LinkedIn.com)

50% of LinkedIn users have a Bachelor's degree. (Creativo.com)

In the third quarter of 2012, an average of 25 % of LinkedIn’s unique visiting members came through mobile apps, versus just 13 % in 2011. (LinkedIn.com)

There are over 10 million endorsements provided every day. (ShiftDigital)

People are using this site and it is a credible platform for networking and promoting your business. LinkedIn is designed for professionals, it has a more business-like feel, so you want to keep that in mind when setting up a profile.

The first step is to create a profile. Here is a great article US News and World Report about how to create a winning profile. It is pretty basic - just include the basics of your resume, a summary about yourself, your contact information, links to your website (or eBay Store), Twitter, Facebook business page, or your blog.

Next, you will look for connections. The idea here is to connect with people you have a professional relationship with and would like to know more about. This is networking not soliciting. Learn about others so you can recommend them to your inner circle when the time comes. They should be doing the same about you. So if you sell NFL collectibles eBay, you want your professional connections to know this, so they can send their contacts to you when someone is in the market for an item you might sell. Your connections can also introduce you other professionals you might be interested in meeting such as an accountant or book keeper, wholesale supplier, or graphic designer,.

Get active and join various groups that align with your interests and participate in discussions. You can meet a lot of people on the groups and identify opportunities to network with more people so that your products and services are exposed to a large diverse group. The more people who know about you, the more opportunities you will have.

One pitfall I have seen eBay sellers falling into over and over again on Facebook and other groups is only networking with other eBay sellers. Yes, you can learn a lot from other sellers but for the most part - and I want to emphasize this:

Most other eBay sellers are not your customers.

Stop wasting time on eBay groups pushing your products at other sellers, and having them push their products at you. Spend your social media networking time whre your customers are - not where other sellers are. For example, let's say you sell sewing patterns, supplies, fabric, or other items related to sewing. Search for groups on LinkedIn about sewing and network with end users of your product. There are over 90 groups with "sewing" as the keyword and the groups discuss everything from local artisan groups, sewing classes, digital pattern designers, Etsy sellers, vintage sewing, and much more. Lots of opportunity to newtork and learn new ideas, and hang out with folks who might buy your product. Go the Groups You Might Like link here (after setting up your profile) and see what suggestions come up.

Another thing you can do on Linkedin is write recommendations for your connections. So, for example, if you enjoy this blog or any of my information products, you could to to my LinkedIn profile here and write a recommendation about my skills as a teacher in the eBay and Amazon community. This 2 minute video explains how to make a recommendation for one of your connections. Giving and receiving recommendations on LinkedIn is a way to build credibility and show that you are active with networking.

So, in your spare time (ha ha) get on over to LinkedIn and check it out. The internet is a huge place with lots of opportunity for meeting new people and finding customers already gathered together in one place. Feel free to add me to your connections!

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Getting to Know Your Online Customers

Some food for thought. As online sellers, we have a challenge learning about who are customers are, since they are not standing right in front of us. We can't strike up a conversation about why they are buying a product, or ask them for their input on how we can serve them better. We have to use the resources available to us to figure out as much about our customers as we can, so that we can serve them better.

Pay attention to your eBay and Amazon sales, the customer addresses, and the quantity they buy. I have one grocery product that I sell on Amazon and buyers purchase 2-4 of them at a time. I've noticed the same customer ordering this food product every month around the same date. I Googled her address, to do a little detective work, and glean what I can from Google Maps since I cannot talk to this customer to learn how I can better serve her. The above photo is what I see on Google maps. Hmmm. Rural area, maybe limited supplies in her area, maybe a long trip to the grocery store. Maybe a campground, National Forest, or game ranch with guests. I will definitely add more flavors of this item to my FBA offerings, as well as more items like this one. Something is going on here and maybe I can sell more items to this customer, and others like her.

Moral of the story: This is how you learn about your customers. Sales rank, brand name, product trends, scanning apps,a and completed sales don't tell the whole story. This is not just a numbers game, it is a human game. Think. Pay attention.

Speaking to you as a coach, the best tip I can give you about improving sales on any venue is:
Pay attention to the information available to you, and do more of what is working.

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Increase eBay Sales - Optimize Listings for Mobile Phones

You've been there, done that, right? The new great American Past Time - doing stuff on a mobile phone and ignoring the people in front of you. Let's face it, the world has about 6 billion cell phones (Huffington Post 10/2012). How many of those users are spending time on eBay Mobile? And how many of them are leaving your listings because the text is too small to read or they can't see the picture well enough? The good news is that you can optimize your eBay listings for mobile phones in just a few easy steps.


Listing types. Fixed price listings actually work better for mobile users because they don't have to go through as many screens to make a purchase. They can buy items in fewer steps. Now this isn't to say that you should nix auctions all together, because some buyers do prefer auctions. Just be aware that you may be missing mobile buyers who want a faster shopping experience. (Check out my podcast about listing types here - there are pros and cons to all listings types so you need a mix of different listing types to reach different types of buyers.)

Images. Eliminate empty space and make sure you have zoomed in tight on the product, edge to edge. If you are selling multiple items in a lot, use one good photo with one item in the lot as your gallery photo. Potential buyers might not want to even look at a tiny little picture of 25 pieces of baby clothes. Get their attention with a nice shot of 1 or 2 pieces, then include more in your listings. Everybody gets 12 free pictures now, so take the extra time to take more than just one photo of a huge lot of something.

Descriptions. Keep them short, sweet, and to the point. Succinct and concise. Include important information but don't clog up the screen with too much text and a zillion of your personal policies. Avoid using more than one color font. Some eBay experts even say to forgo the fancy backgrounds and templates because the extra graphics cause the listing to load more slowly (buyers might click away) or clutter up the screen to much. For eBay Mobile, less is definitely more! And use 12 point font or larger. Lots of Baby Boomers (there are about 76 million of them out there) don't always wear their reading glasses and may not even try to read your listing if the font is too small.

Item specifics. You know, those little boxes you check with size, color, brand, style, etc. Make sure those are filled out. The mobile app displays them on a perfectly formatted screen and many buyers may not even look past that point. 

Think through these issues when you are creating your listings, and remember that everyone isn't sitting in front of a huge flat screen monitor when shopping on eBay. Sometimes, it is better to think small.

For more information on this topic, listen to my podcast here.

I can check your listings and make sure they are optimized for eBay Mobile. For a store critique, click here.

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Increase eBay Sales Today - Join Me in The Pinterest Exchange Marketing Group!

It is time to stop ignoring Pinterest. If you aren't on Pinterest promoting your eBay items, you are leaving money on the table and missing opportunities to put your items in front of millions of people. Like 48 million people congregated on one site. What's your excuse? Maybe, "I don't understand what to do." Or maybe, "I don't have time for that nonsense." Well, you have 10 minutes to watch this quick "How to Use Pinterest for eBay" video, and another 10 minutes to set up an account. Then, all you need is 10 minutes a day to promote your items. Isn't that worth more sales with very little effort? You can even do this from your mobile phone. So, take 10 minutes and watch this video NOW:



No excuses now because:

1, This is FREE marketing.

2. It only takes 5-10 mintues a day, and you will see results quickly.

3. You can do this on your mobile phone anywhere!

Next, go to Pinterest and open an account if you don't already have one.

Now, go join our Pinterest Exchange Marketing Group and join the party pinning!

I'd really like to hear from you about how Pinterest is working for you! Feel free to post your tips or even a link to one of your Pinterest boards in the comment section below.

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Male-focused "Pinterest" Offers Way to Promote to Potential Male Customers

Pinterest has long been taken over by women. Recipes, jewelry, home décor, and anything with glitter have graced the boards of over 48 million users. Business owners, brands, and online sellers have been searching high and low for a way to market to men on pinterest – but do they even use it? Enter manteresting.com. A man’s version of pinning, called Manteresting. Instead of pinning items to a board – users are nailing and bumping images to their workbench.

Marketing to men may be easier now that you can have their full attention. With a tag line like: “Interesting. Man. Things.”, the question is, what are they “nailing”? From a first glance, here are most popular subjects:

Bacon: anything revolving about how much they love bacon

Models / Actresses: pretty faces, round bottoms, and lots of breasts

Tree Houses: for adults

Comedic Quotes: about beer, or dogs

Movies: Star Wars, the Dark Knight, Chuck Norris, Liam Neeson

Use those subjects to create your own boards. Then create some promotions, here are some examples by seller type:

Kitchen goods: Post recipes with bacon. Win a “baconator” skillet.

Media sellers: Nail images from any Chuck Noris or Liam Neeson movie. Win a signed movie poster.

DIY: Build your own adult tree house, or shed. Win a full set of tools.

The promotion options are endless and the prizes can be as big or as small as you can afford. To create a large audience make sure, with each entry nailed, users are following you. Marketing to men just got a little easier, as long as you embrace Manteresting.

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It's Not Too Early To Market for the 2013 Holiday Season

Is it too early to start thinking about the 2013 holiday season? I don't think so. The holiday seasons are one of the most crucial times for an online business that wants to obtain higher sales. It's not enough to send out a post every now and then, or to tweet a few things every couple of weeks. Bringing in the holiday sales through social media means being persistent and carefully guiding traffic towards the sales page or website and not just at the end of the year.

While major retail chains are bringing in the holiday dollars both online and offline, there's still plenty of room for businesses to wrap the rest of consumers in through social media outlets.
For those that plan to actively seek customers for this coming holiday season and want to put their best sales foot forward, or for those who are not sure where to get started, here are a couple of steps that can be taken to ensure your business receives the most profit:

Engage Your Customers As anyone whose put their business out there in the online world of social media already knows, it can take some serious time and effort to gain a loyal and consistent following. Be efficient by finding an online tool that allows you to send the same message through each social media outlet, maximizing marketing capabilities and minimizing time spent doing so. Be honest with each message that's put out there, and stay away from looking like a company that just wants the customers cash. If possible, try and promote or talk about other relevant ventures or topics, to appeal to a larger audience.

Build The List Building a list of emails and names should be the first thing on your mind considering the upcoming holidays. These emails and names could easily be converted into conversions, sales and returning customers. And because customers who have already purchased from your business are valuable resources, it can be a good idea to offer them generous discounts or savings.

Website Revamp A part of being well prepared for this busy time of year means making sure the website that is associated with the social media account, contains all the necessary elements to bring in the most sales. Try to add as much new content as possible. This is a great time seek out product reviews and recommendations. Later in the year, you can try to give the website a temporary holiday cheer by adding in Christmas colors and reminding everyone that Christmas is near. Meanwhile, make sure there's a designated spot on the website for the opt-in email box, and make sure it's clear and visible for everyone to see.

Go Mobile Many webmasters continue to underestimate mobile shopping, and it's causing them to lose out big. For those trying to squeeze in every possible sale, it's vital that their content be visible through mobile devices. Be sure to measure and track the performance of sales that come through mobile devices. If things turn out better than expected, then this would be an excellent indicator that it's time to stay just as focused on mobile devices and mobile optimization. eBay and Amazon have versions on their websites that are designed to be easily viewed on mobile devices. If you have another online store, check with your provider to see if it is mobile-device-friendly.

Building a customer base and successfully marketing your business is something that cannot be achieved during the last few months before the holiday season begins. Start now. Deploy a few of these tips or all to help build your customer base for the upcoming holiday season. Over the next few months, I will share more details and other tips to help you and your business be more successful!

Let's have an incredible 2013!

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Pinterest Is Now Open For Businesses

Image courtesy of TicketBud

Up until recently, the online social community, Pinterest, has only granted personal accounts on their website, banning commercially-driven accounts that promote business and brand. Pinterest is now open for businesses and allowing commercial websites and companies to legally join the site to help with boosting their success and showcasing products, new content and even services that they have available to offer and provide.

What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a free online social networking community that allows members to post and share various links, photos and websites with their followers and to save for their own future references as well. By creating various virtual "pinboards", users can easily store recipes, DIY projects and even tips on saving money all depending on their own interests and reasons for becoming a member of Pinterest.

Who Uses Pinterest?
Pinterest is used by everyone ranging from stay at home parents who enjoy bookmarking and saving recipes to frugal and savvy members who prefer stockpiling tax tips and how to save money guides. Pinterest is also useful for prkmoting your listings or stores. You can drive traffic to your individual items to help drive sales.

How Does Pinterest Help Businesses?
Pinterest allows businesses and websites alike to post photos and links to specific content or even to various products and services that are currently being offered through the company itself. With Pinterest, business owners can also add keywords and tags to each item that is virtually "pinned" to help other members of Pinterest locate what has been uploaded and shared. The more virtual "pins" a post receives on Pinterest, the more popular it becomes and the more visibility it receives site wide with the members of the community. Using Pinterest saves money and time when trying to reach a new audience or even when looking to expand your current one.

To sign up for a business account, click here.

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eBay Marketing Calendar August 2012

August is right around the corner. We welcome back guest blogger Chris Taylor with more selling tips:

One of the keys to becoming a successful eBay merchant is marketing the products at the right time. August kicks off parents favorite and kids least favorite time of year: heading back to school. What’s great about this time of year for eBay sellers is just how versatile this event really is. From kids going to college to those just heading off to kindergarten, there should be no end to the type of inventory you’re able to move.

And let’s not forget that “back to school” related keywords get searched for hundreds of thousands of times each year, thanks in part to how heavily major corporations are pushing the marketing message (all to your benefit). Let’s take a look at some of the ways we can leverage this time of year.

School Supplies
School supplies are ridiculously expensive. There isn’t a cheap way to buy your kids notebooks, binders, pens/pencils, scientific calculators – you name it. You should consider putting together back to school “kits” that include all of the basic items kids need to start the school year. By putting together kits you’ll be increasing how much money you make, and you’ll cut down on shipping costs by shipping in bulk. It’s a great way to move low-cost items out in large quantities.

College Essentials
The big spenders this time of year are freshman college students. Parents are over-spending on their kids who are leaving the nest for the first time. You’ll be able to move a large variety of items: small refrigerators, lamps, rugs, bedding, small couches and chairs, laptops, TVs – the list really does go on and on. The key here will be crafting a listing title to catch their attention and competitively pricing your products.

Clothing
A new school year brings the need for kids to have new clothes (whether they actually need them or not). Every kid wants to be up with the latest in fashion trends, and as a result, you’ll be moving everything from shirts to shoes to belts and hats. And let’s not forget about their accessories like their backpack and jewelry.

Making Your Listing Stand Out
Don’t forget about the importance of making your listing stand out from the competition. Other eBay sellers will be trying to capitalize on these seasonal events as well, and you can enhance your listing by using a custom eBay listing template. A custom template will help give you the professional and trusted appearance buyers are looking for when spending money online.

Want more ideas on what you to sell this month? Checkout the eBay Retail Marketing Calendar from Page Mage to see a complete list of monthly events and trends that you should be leveraging.

Chris Taylor is VP of Marketing at Page Mage. Page Mage, a recipient of eBay's 2011 Ecosystem Champion Award, offers Billboards, a "Top 10 Most Popular" application for free custom eBay listing templates for eBay sellers looking to stand out from the competition.


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eBay Marketing Calendar: July 2012

Now that June has flown by us, it is time to get ready for July! Guest blogger Chris Taylor has tips to get you ready for July:

One of the keys to becoming a successful eBay merchant is marketing the products at the right time. July brings us a variety of events and holidays that eBay merchants should leverage to help bring in money from those impulse buys. What makes this selling strategy even more successful is how heavily these events are pushed by other businesses. Essentially they are doing your marketing for you.

Are you ready?

Independence Day – July 4th One of the biggest holidays of the year, Independence Day is one of the best times to get together with family for a reunion and some great BBQ. Just about everyone will be doing something outdoors. The week of July 4th is one of the most common weeks requested off in the work world, as everyone wants to spend some time enjoying the summer weather with friends and family. This is a great time to be listing your USA-themed merchandise, party supplies as well as summer-themed products. That means BBQ equipment, pool toys, summer clothes, sunglasses, etc.

The British Open – July 15th-22nd One of the biggest golf events of the year, The British Open combined with summer weather is a great opportunity for eBay sellers. Consider stocking up on merchandise for the open as impulse buys will be at their highest during the event. And let’s not forget just how inspired we can get from watching professional athletes. Watching them play makes you want to grab your clubs and play 18 holes, too. As a result, you should be pushing your golfing equipment and clothes. Clubs, bags, shoes, shirts, shorts, pants, training videos, etc. will all be on the minds of golf fans.

Blockbuster Movies
It’s very well known that some of the biggest blockbuster movies of the year debut in the summer. This year will be no exception. With releases from Spider-Man to Batman, you’ll find that action figures, movie posters and other memorabilia will be on the minds of eBay buyers. It’s up to you to take advantage of it.

Making Your Listing Stand OutDon’t forget about the importance of making your listing stand out from the competition. Other eBay sellers will be trying to capitalize on these seasonal events as well, and you can enhance your listing by using a custom eBay listing template. A custom template will help give you the professional and trusted appearance buyers are looking for when spending money online.

Want more ideas on what you to sell this month? Checkout the eBay Retail Marketing Calendar from Page Mage to see a complete list of monthly events and trends that you should be leveraging.

Chris Taylor is VP of Marketing at Page Mage. Page Mage, a recipient of eBay's 2011 Ecosystem Champion Award, offers Billboards, a "Top 10 Most Popular" application for free custom eBay listing templates for eBay sellers looking to stand out from the competition.


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How to Market Your eBay Store/Listings

Jenn Cangelosi of Boutique Bargains brings us today's posting:

It takes time to become established on eBay as a reputable seller, but begin with a plan and that time can be shortened. Here are a few marketing ideas to help you get started.

Get the word out - Start with word of mouth or viral marketing. Tell everyone you know about your new eBay business venture. Send out emails with links included to your auctions so they know what it is your are selling.

Use your email - Now there is another use for your email. Set up a signature that goes out with every email you send. Include a link to your auction listings or eBay store, with a short tagline like "Come and see what is new on eBay!"

Get some business cards - Vista print is a great place to order some inexpensive business cards. Include your business card with every package you ship. If you sell electronic informational products like eBooks, just include a business card box on the last page of the product.

Ask for customer feedback - After an item is shipped send an email thanking the customer for their purchase and ask them to leave you positive feedback. Most people will leave feedback, but the email is a good customer service and reminds them to leave the feedback.

Reward repeat buyers - Offer a coupon or other promotion to repeat buyers. Offering them an incentive helps ensure that they will buy from you again. The most popular incentive is a shipping discount on multiple items purchased.

Add something extra - Everyone loves getting something extra for free. For example: you sell a girls dress, add a cute matching bow or inexpensive jewelry. If possible include an item with your web address or logo.

Combine these ideas to start your marketing plan. There are numerous other marketing strategies that you can implement, especially if you have a separate website. Try several different marketing strategies until you find the ones that work best for you.

Jenn, thank you for the tips! They are great ideas to include in marketing your eBay or Amazon business!


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eBay Marketing Calendar: June 2012

Today, we welcome back Chris Taylor of Page Mage with tips to market more successfully for June:

One of the keys to becoming a successful eBay merchant is marketing the products at the right time. June brings us a variety of events that eBay merchants should leverage to help bring in money from those impulse buys. What makes this selling strategy even more successful is how heavily these events are pushed by other businesses. Essentially they are doing your marketing for you.

Are you ready?

Father’s Day – June 17th 
Searched for on Google over 100,000 times each month, Father’s Day is a great holiday that every eBay seller should be looking forward towards. Few people know exactly what to get their Dad for Father’s Day, so take advantage of that by offering a large variety of options for them.

From ties to golf clubs, cigars to gag gifts, there are endless opportunities for you to sell off your men’s inventory during the Father’s Day rush.

First Day of Summer – June 20th
Summer break, vacations, hot weather and lots of time by the pool are all on the minds of eBay buyers starting as early as April. This is a great time to break out summer-themed listings such as barbeque equipment, pool toys, summer clothing and anything that would help entertain kids during the long summer months for parents.

NHL and NBA Playoff Finals
With the NHL and NBA seasons wrapping up in April, we’re now on to the championship rounds for both leagues. With only two teams remaining in each league, team memorabilia will be at its highest for all four franchises. From new fans to old, everyone will be looking to get their hands on just about anything with their team’s logo on it.

Consider increasing your inventories of autographed memorabilia, decorations and of course, clothing for each of the remaining franchises. You may even see the other franchises in both leagues selling well as fans of their sport prepare for a long summer until the next season begins.

Graduations
High School graduations, a memorable event years in the making. Parents, friends and family members will be looking for the perfect gift to send to their graduate as they prepare for college and/or the working world. Stock up on graduation party items, themed-gifts and basically anything with an inspirational quote on it.

Making Your Listing Stand Out
Don’t forget about the importance of making your listing stand out from the competition. Other eBay sellers will be trying to capitalize on these seasonal events as well, and you can enhance your listing by using a custom eBay listing template. A custom template will help give you the professional and trusted appearance buyers are looking for when spending money online.

Want more ideas on what you to sell this month? Checkout the eBay Retail Marketing Calendar from Page Mage to see a complete list of monthly events and trends that you should be leveraging.

Chris Taylor is VP of Marketing at Page Mage. Page Mage, a recipient of eBay's 2011 Ecosystem Champion Award, offers Billboards, a "Top 10 Most Popular" application for free custom eBay listing templates for eBay sellers looking to stand out from the competition.

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eBay Marketing Calendar: May 2012

Today's post is by guest blogger Chris Taylor. Here are a few marketing tips to use to get ready for selling during the busy month of May:

Yes, I’m a procrastinator. I even waited until the last second to write this post. It might be a genetic thing. Unfortunately one of the keys to becoming a successful eBay merchant is that you need to market your products at the right time. And if you sell seasonal items, that means you typically have to prepare weeks and sometimes months in advance.

To make my mom proud, I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf and listen to my own advice. So looking ahead (can’t believe I said that!), May brings us a variety of events that eBay sellers should leverage to help bring in money by having the right products at the right time of the year. What makes this selling strategy even more successful is how heavily these events are pushed by other businesses. Essentially they are helping to do some of your marketing for you. Now it’s up to you to take advantage of it.

Are you ready?

Cinco de Mayo – May 5th
Bust out your sombreros, maracas and most importantly, your party gear. Cinco de Mayo is the perfect opportunity to be ramping up your sales on party platters, decorations and Mexican-themed attire. Buyers will be scouring eBay looking for ways to make their house party memorable. Better hurry on this one, only a few weeks away!

Mother’s Day – May 13th
The keyword “mothers day gifts” gets searched for over 200,000 times a month on Google. Unlike me, many buyers will search well in advance. So you should be ready now. Of course if you list your great Mother’s Day gifts the day before then you’ll at least have me as a potential customer.

This is the perfect time for you to be ramping up your listings of photo albums and frames, jewelry, candles, pampering gifts and other gifts for around the house.

Indy 500 – May 27th
Just about every time there is a major sporting event like the Indy 500, it’s pretty common to see a huge spike in searches for memorabilia. So many fans just witnessed their favorite driver come through at the last second for the win, and they want to make that memory last.

Take advantage of these types of sporting occasions by ramping up on that particular sport’s memorabilia. For NASCAR, you can be listing car replicas, hats, shirts and other racing-themed items. This is a great way to capitalize on impulse buys while the thrill of the race is still fresh in their minds.

Moving Month
Did you know that the month of May is widely known as moving month? The majority of home and rental moves take place in May, and as an eBay seller that means you should be preparing for an increase in decorative and home furnishing sales. And a lot more related to homes, apartments and condos.

Making Your Listing Stand Out
Don’t forget about the importance of making your listing stand out from the competition. Other eBay sellers will be trying to capitalize on these seasonal events as well, and you can enhance your listing by using a custom eBay listing template. A custom template will help give you the professional and trusted appearance buyers are looking for when spending money online.

Want more ideas on what you to sell this month? Checkout the eBay Retail Marketing Calendar from Page Mage to see a complete list of monthly events and trends for all of 2012 that you should be leveraging.

Chris Taylor is VP of Marketing at Page Mage. Page Mage, a recipient of eBay's 2011 Ecosystem Champion Award, offers Billboards, a "Top 10 Most Popular" application for free custom eBay listing templates for eBay sellers looking to stand out from the competition.


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Hot Items to Sell For Valentine’s Day 2012

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away but it is not too late to stock your eBay store with the things your buyers want! Look at a list of the current hot items buyers are looking to purchase for their sweethearts.

For women, the hot gift items seem to be accessories. Designer handbags and sunglasses top the list. Brands like Michael Kors and Prada are popular gift items. Also, silk scarves and nighties are on the list. Sunglasses are popular for men, too. Rayban and Oakley are the brands that buyers are looking for. Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger and Perry Ellis wallets are on the gift lists, as well. As always, cologne is popular. Buyers are looking for Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue for Women and 212 for Men, just to name a couple of brands. Of course, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Marc Jacobs Daisy are on the list, too.

Electronics like iPads, eReaders, and headphones are making the list. Buyers are grabbing cameras like the Nikon J1 and home theater systems like the Panasonic 3D Blu-ray system. Apple products like the Macbook Air, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch are on the list again this year.

And old standards like candles, jewelry and vases are hot items. Plus, tickets to Broadway plays, sports events, and concerts are being given, too.

Other popular items include:

Men’s scarves

Tablets

Camcorders

Smartphones

Expresso Maker

Rings

Bracelets

Earrings

MLB Spring Training Tickets

While being able to sell these hot items will boost your sales, there are other tips that may help, as well. Offering gift-wrapping services will help you increase sales as well. Make sure your listings are clearly marked to show the additional services you are offering. Increase your sales by offering expedited shipping. This will help make your listings even more appealing to the last minute buyer.

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How $5 Can Help Your eBay Business

Fiverr is a new website that brings together people looking for someone to do a simple task and people willing to work, with one requirement - it all has to cost $5. You can find people willing to do (and looking for!) a variety of different things, from silly to legitimate services. Fiverr can be a great place to find help with small things, or to post your own service. All you have to do is sign up for a free account and then search the site. Fiverr even offers the option to post a request if you can’t find anyone that can help you. If you’re offering a service, you can also post that for free. Fiverr will get $1 from each service that you’re paid for, so you’ll make $4.

Fiverr can be especially helpful if you’re starting a business. It can be expensive to hire someone to set up a website or teach you how to do various technological things. Using Fiverr, you can outsource tasks for only $5 each - saving you time and money.

Here are a few things that you can outsource through Fiverr:

•Tweet about an item in your eBay store to their massive following
•Add 500 more followers to your Twitter account
•Post a status update on their Facebook wall that includes a link to your store
•Write and post an article on an article website that links to your blog, eBay store, etc.
•Drive hundreds of fans to your Facebook page

There’s only one potential problem with Fiverr - there’s no way to know how good the person you’re hiring is. You can view ratings by other users, which will help in some cases. But even if you aren’t pleased, the good thing is you’re only out $5! Using Fiverr is definitely something to consider, and you may even be able to make a little money yourself!

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eBay Marketing Strategy - Multiple Listings for the Same Item

If you are drop shipping, purchasing products wholesale, or other wise have multiples of the same exact item to sell on eBay, try this strategy.

Create multiple listings for the same items using different listing durations, keyword combinations, and even price points. Example: – if you sell an item for $12.95 with $3.95 shipping, try listing it $16.90 with free shipping. The total cost is the same, but FREE SHIPPING appeals to some buyers even if they don’t do the math! You will see other sellers doing this. Some sellers have over 20 listing for the same exact item. They create different title variations, listing types, and price points to appeal to a variety of customers.

This seller has over 5,600 listings. But that doesn't mean he has 5,600 products. I did a search for "yoga mat ball" and 71 listings in his store were returned. Click here to see them. Most of the 71 listings are for the same product. (The yoga balls differ in size, but you get the point.) This is different than creating 1 listing with multiple variations. You want to create different listings that will come up in different searches.

Now, if he is paying .20 per listing, this strategy costs him $14.70 for that one item. Consider the cost advertising fees. When looking through his feedback, I see that he sells quite a few of these yoga mat and ball sets each month. So apparently, the strategy is working.

But is it cost effective? Only you can decide that based on the fees and your profit on each item.

Related articles:

eBay Strategy - Breaking a Sales Plateau

List of 395 eBay Friendly Wholesale Suppliers

Strategy to Get Free Shipping Supplies

Upsell Strategy - Make $10 More on Each eBay Sale

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