Salem Community Patriot
April 16, 2010 - Home Improvement 7
Get the most money out of your garage sale with these retail tricks
Garage sales will soon appear in neighborhoods throughout the U.S. and Canada. These sales are a great way to clean out clutter while making some additional money. “Garage sales are just another form of retailing. Why not use the thinking retailers use to get the most of your garage sale?” asks John Schulz, the academic director for the advertising, fash- ion and retail management, and design management programs at The Art Institutes International Minnesota. Approaching the garage sale with a little innovation and cre- ativity will help maximize sales. Advertising department chair of Miami International University of Art and Design, Judith Anderson offers some ideas that can gener- ate buzz: “The same theory Mr. Schulz uses applies - it is im- perative to use the same thinking advertisers and event planners use to maximize the opportunities in a garage sale.” These opportunities include a mix of tried-and-true tactics blended with newer retail
innovations. “Retail establish- ments use customer loyalty programs to increase return busi- ness,” says Tammy Tavassoli, fash- ion department faculty member at The Illinois Institute of Art - Scha- umburg. “Applying some of these tactics can increase not only your current garage sales, but future sales as well.” Schulz, Anderson and Tavassoli offer these suggestions to make the most of your garage sale: * Scheduling/location/traffic: When scheduling your sale, think about high traffic times like com- munity events or neighborhood garage sales.
* Customer convenience/loyal-
ty: Many shoppers will arrive with children, so offer a designated play area to help keep them oc- cupied while parents shop. Also, offer refreshments like lemonade and cookies. Place a welcome book at the refreshments table. After the sale, send visitors a thank-you note and notify them of your future sales. * Pricing/merchandise: Since garage sales rarely have a “cost”
$AVE MONEY ON FUEL & HEAT NEXT WINTER
Dave Chadwick Home Heating Services
Tune-up your heating equipment NOW and SAVE on winter fuel bills
SERVICE • REPAIR • INSTALLATION • 24 HOURS/7 DAYS 26+ years of experience - FREE ESTIMATES - Fully Insured
High Efficiency Hot WaterBoilers , Furnaces & Water Heaters
Senior Discounts
603-635-2012
All Brands Available
603-204-8581
Pat's Key "N" Lock
www.patskeynlock.com
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
603-890-3876 or 432-6260
Our Services Include:
* Locks rekeyed and replaced * Opening safes and locks * Lockouts *Locks *Safes * Deadbolts * Door closers
* Panic bars * Alarm lock
Automotive Services:
*Automotive lockouts *Rebuild ignitions *Transponder keys *Remotes
10% OFF Service Calls and Labor
With this coupon. Offer good thru 5/15/10
Pat's Key "N" Lock
Commercial • Residential • Auto • Safes
100 N. Broadway, Salem, NH
associated with merchandise, any income is pure profit. You want to price your wares fairly, and consider combining large tables or areas to group like-priced goods - and post the retail on a large sign. This saves time and eases set up. For those who in- clude their contact information in the previously men- tioned notebook, you may want to of- fer a small discount. * Advertis- ing/marketing: A garage sale should be thought of as an event that requires planning and pro- motion using adver- tising strategies to ensure its success. For example, choos- ing a theme related to the merchandise and carrying it throughout the cho- sen advertising including the day of the event can be very effective. Other ideas can include: * Creating an advertising
campaign employing tradi- tional media - standbys such as neighborhood signs and fliers (placed in city hall, local business bulletin boards, PTA and school/
Advertise in YOUR
SOLID FILL
Dirt Cheap!
603-598-2608
Community
Call Sales at 880-1516
Newspaper
Area News Group
Advertise in YOUR
Community
Call Sales at 880-1516
Newspaper
Area News Group
church bulletin boards) and local directory and newspaper listings. * Continuing the advertising campaign with new media by creating a social networking fan page and creating an event for the garage sale inviting friends and family.
* Using your Facebook and
Twitter updates to inform your networks of the event at least four times (2 weeks prior, 1 week prior, 2 days prior, and the day of the event). * The day of the sale use Face- book and Twitter to offer dis- counts to customers or promote additional incentives for referring fans or customers Successful garage sales require
creative planning. Borrow- ing effective strategies from the merchandising and advertising industries can ensure success. It is important to remember all the tools and resources available, and to minimize wasted time and resources while maximizing your profit margin. To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
- Courtesy of ARAcontent
OIL
GAS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18