Garage sales can be a great way to pick up extra cash. They require some work in the set up and organization, but when put on properly, can yield a lot of extra money.
One of the most often overlooked aspects of having a garage sale is the advertisement. People will not know about your sale unless you advertise, and you can only generate money if people are there. Here are a few suggestions concerning advertising for a sale:
Contact your local paper and run an ad:
Keep the ad simple, but remember to include a few key components. At the very least, you must include the dates and times of the sale, and the location of where it will be held.
If your sale can be categorized by the majority of the items it features, list it in the ad. For instance, if your garage sale is made up of mostly girl’s baby items, it is best to list it as such. That way you can attract the right buyers to your sale, and save the time of the ones who do not have babies to buy for.
Consider listing a few of your larger or more popular items in your ad. Items that will draw a crowd or you think might sell quickly are good ideas for this. An example might be a riding lawnmower, a computer, or a large c.d. collection. It is not necessary to list the prices you have marked on them.
Signage:
Put up signs for your garage sales at intersections near your home. Signs should all be the same color (with an ending sign of the same color that says “SALE HERE”). This is important, as it helps distinguish your sale from another sale that might be on the same day and near your location.
Make sure your sign is large enough to read from some distance in a car, and write in large print on your sign. This is especially important if you are placing your signs at a busy intersection or on a fast street. Cars sometimes do not have the option of slowing down to read an address written in small letters, and this could mean they skip your sale all together.
On your sign include the date and time (open and close). Resist the urge to write “8 am - ?” This is frustrating for people looking for a sale in the later hours of a day. If your sale requires a couple mile drive off the main road, they might not be willing to drive out to find you if you have not stated an ending time. It is also helpful for you if you intend to close at 3 pm – you will not have cars of people driving by your house until 6 pm.
Also include approximately how far away your sale is from the sign, especially if you do not have the space to include your address. Sales, especially in the country, are notorious for putting signs up ten miles away from their home. While this is acceptable, it is courteous to let the driver know they will be driving ten miles to your home so they can make the decision if they want to drive that far. If you do not put this information on your sign, you risk people driving a couple miles looking for your sale, assuming you must have already closed up for the day, and turning around.
Include a boldly drawn arrow pointing the direction of the sale. Make sure the head of the arrow is distinguishable so cars do not have to make an unnecessary stop to confirm which way they are supposed to be turning. Along with this, ensure that your sign cannot blow around and give drivers a false direction for your sale.
These are the only things necessary for the sign. It is not necessary to write the address (if long), featured items, or that you are selling pop and hot dogs – unless you have a very large and neatly written sign. Too much information on a sign makes it very difficult to read and may actually deter people from attending your sale.
Garage sales are a great way to make extra money, and can be more successful with proper advertising. With these tips, you are well on your way to having a profitable weekend!
