Selling Your Car Online – How To Entice Potential Customers
Posted by Admin at 2 May 2014, at 14 : 56 PM
So, it’s time to sell your car. This means like millions across the world, you have the option of using the internet to help sell your vehicle. There are many different sites that can do this for you, whether it’s eBay motors, Gumtree or Autotrader. It doesn’t matter what site you use, the same rules apply when it comes to advertising your car, and this guide will take you through them.
Selling Your Car Through a Photograph
With an online vehicle advertisement, think of the main vehicle photo as the ‘first impression’. And remember, you only have one chance at it! Most online sources for selling vehicles allow you to take multiple photos. This gives you an opportunity to take some shots from various angles. Here are a few tips for taking photos of your car.
* Wash the automobile thoroughly before you take the photographs. You don’t want mud splatters to ruin your sale!
* Take pictures from various angles. You may want a straight on shot, some angled shots, a rear shot, and pictures of the interior. A sweet engine shot can often seal the deal. You may actually want to get an engine shampoo before you take that picture.
Pictures that highlight luxury or even quirky trim as well as mods can tip the balance in your favour. If you put in a two thousand dollar aftermarket exhaust system and are selling that with the vehicle, take a picture of it. This builds value and will help you to attain your asking price. Your photographs should highlight any special features that the car might have.
* Understand your light source and take your pictures in a well lit environment. Don’t take night pictures of your car, or pictures that show your car covered in snow or mud. If there is light source directly behind your car, the photo will often come out distorted and blurry – making it look like you are really hiding something.
* Use a subtle background for the pictures of the car. Don’t have the car in the foreground and a parade in the background – this takes the attention and focus away from the vehicle.
Writing a Good Advertisement
Yes, a picture can say a thousand words, but great writing and selling copy can really help. Call to action statements can spruce up an otherwise plain ad, whether its “priced to sell” or “call now before it’s too late”. Here are some tips for how to write the best selling copy for your vehicle:
* Always list the basic features of the vehicle. There are some pieces of information that almost all buyers will be looking for, like year, make, model, price, and mileage. You may also want to mention if you are the original owner, and may want to list some details on the history and condition of the vehicle.
* Avoid jargon and rely on simple words. Do not attempt to go into too great of detail when you are describing the vehicle – you may come across as desperate to sell, meaning people will try to drive down the price. Even if you need to unload the vehicle as quickly as possible, don’t mention that in the written description.
* TELL THE TRUTH! Sometimes, an interested buyer may travel a significant distance to come and see the vehicle. Do not misappropriate yourself or the details of the vehicle. Everyone who buys a car will want to see it in person, so exaggerating its condition is simply a waste of time. Be honest and fair, and you will get a fair price for the car.
* Give your car a fair price. Over pricing your car is a sure fire way of alienating a large amount of potential buyers. Whatever you do, do not convey any desperation to sell your car. Price will nearly always be the main attraction and a competitively priced vehicle will get snapped up quickly. But beware, too low a price will send alarm bells ringing for many customers who are wary of potential scams.
* Mention RELIABILITY. Is your car faithful and reliable? Well if it is, shout it to anyone you will listen. If it has just passed a safety or emissions test, tell your potential buyers. Reliability, especially with used cars, is what people are often looking for most.
Offer reliable contact/personal information
This may seem like a total no-brainer, but so often people use an email address that they never check or a mobile phone number where the phone is always off. How can you sell your car if people can’t get in touch with you? Make sure to list personal information where you can be reached immediately. If you are unable to respond immediately, state this early on and when you do get a chance, respond asap. Buyers are always on the hunt for a good deal. If your car meets their specifications and you are unreachable, they may move on to the next car and you will have lost a customer!
If you employ the above tactics there should be nothing stopping you from making a great sale.
Once you have the sale lined up make sure you organise the vehicle transportation (trasporto auto or transporte de coches as the Italians and Spanish would say) if the buyer is not picking it up personally.