The document discusses various marketing strategies for businesses selling products on eBay. It recommends writing effective listings that highlight benefits over features, building trust with customers through quality customer service and policies, and using eBay's social networking and community features to engage buyers and build brand awareness. Marketing efforts should include newsletters, store modules, networking on discussion boards and groups, and responding quickly to customers.

1. Marketing Your eBay Business

2. Presentation by Cindy Shebley www.clovercity.com Copyright 2008

3. Many people feel like selling and marketing is almost the worst job………

4. When most people think of marketing they think of the used car salesman…

5. Neither of those are true. It’s going to take some time, but once you’ve built a loyal base of buyers you’re going to find it’s a lot easier to sell to your goods. In this presentation:

6. Marketing eBay Style Improve sales by writing effective listings

7. Marketing eBay Style Use the tools eBay provides you as an eBay store owner

8. Marketing eBay Style Show you how to use eBay’s social networking features to build loyal customers

9. What are your goals?

10. Set your goals – look at what your company is, who you want it to be and what the outcome of your business is.

11. When you have a business plan, it will be much easier to create a marketing plan with actionable goals.

12. Build A Marketing Plan Who’s your ideal client? What do they like Where do they go on vacation Where/how do they shop How old are they Where are they going to ‘hang out’?

13. Old style marketing is out!

14. Word of Mouth Buyers have always shared advice with each other about purchasing decisions and now it’s as easy as a few mouse clicks. People find opinions on every product or purchase from a trusted peer by using the Internet. And we internet sellers can harness that power!

15. Security & Confidence 88% reported they are more likely to buy from a company they trust* First step is understanding what exactly a customer wants from you: *from the Edelman Trust Barometer

16. The Edelman trust barometer further states: “ the most powerful drivers of trust are quality of products or services, customer service and a company’s overall reputation ”

17. Trust = Customers Although you may think these are simply the mechanics of selling on eBay, how you present yourself and your store is marketing your business.

18. Be Consistent Create a uniform template and use it through-out your listings Hire a designer or use a free service like Auctiva.com

19. Know Who Your Customer Are so you can talk to them in their language

20. Fair Terms Of Service Want to know a marketing secret? 70% of shoppers say a return policy is very important in a purchase decision.

21. Respond Quickly

22. Create A FAQ via Ask The Seller A Question

23. You can set up a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQ) display for your buyers. When they hit the ‘ask the seller a question’ the FAQ questions will be displayed from a drop down menu.

24. Follow Through “ I twittered about my love of Kayak.com, and they twittered back. And Fast!”

25. “ American Airlines is now my mortal enemy. “ “ I got the same message. Good luck with that American. “ “ Bogus. If AA doesn't show up in my Kayak results, I'll just have to assume they don't fly between LA and Chicago anymore. “ An unhappy customer is likely to tell many more people about their experience than the happy one did. An unhappy customer posting on a Blog for hundreds or even thousands of readers is something you really don’t want.

26. eBay Listing Upgrades 2% or less

27. Now that we’ve covered customer service as marketing, let’s look at the tools eBay provides

28. Subtitle Branding your business with the subtitle gives you a lead on the competition. A consignment seller in a certain industry can make it easy for repeat purchasers to find you while looking through the listings by using a simple subtitle like: “ Another great auction by ABC Trading Company.”

29. Sell on International Site 13% increase in bidding activity if you offer it for sale internationally 6% improvement in sell-through-rates if available to Canadian shoppers Approx 44% of eBay users are outside the USA

30. Gift Icon Add the gift icon at the end of your listing title as a way to up-sell your buyer. Time starved customers will happily pay a little extra to have you wrap their gift and send it to the recipient.

31. Bold – Border - Highlight

32. Write An Attention Getting Listing Simple Things To Optimize Sales Tell them benefits over features Relieve customer anxiety Add a sense of urgency Ask for the sale

33. Long or Short Sales Copy? Bar of soap = short Unknown Gadget = long

34. WIIFM “ What’s in it for me?” It doesn’t matter what the product is – WIIFM is the number one question on the buyers mind. It may sound jaded but that’s the truth, your customers whole reason for considering the purchase is about them, not you.

35. Benefits Over Features Benefit tells a customer how it solves a problem or will improve their lives Feature talks specifically about the product

36. Sample Feature: “Mint Flavored Toothpaste” Benefit: “Minty fresh flavor delights your taste buds and leaves your smile sparkling white.”

37. Add A Sense Of Urgency

38. Your buyers are interested in buying, you’ve brought them all this way it would be a shame if they decided to click out and do a little price comparison shopping now wouldn’t it? You know it’s likely once they click out they’ll never return. The listing must have a ‘call to action’.

39. Your job is to get the buyer to click on one of those buttons instead of the ‘add to watch list’ link. Offer: - Limited quantity - Bundle products – make them limited editions - Put time limits on your special offers

40. Ask For The Sale “ Click the buy now button to get this to you ASAP” “ Don’t miss this auction by forgetting to bid - scroll down and place your bid now”

41. Incentives & Rewards My Store Rewards (repeat buyer rebate program) Add a value added bonus (create an user guide and press it onto a CD or print it out) Combine Shipping

42. PACKAGING Label on the box – who’s it from? Using services like endica & stamps.com can help branding Unboxing – how’s your item wrapped? Make sure your item wrapping matches expectations Toss-ins Use VistaPrint.com or create your own material

43. VistaPrint PDF www.clovercity.com/vp.htm

44. About Me

45. Sticky Note - WIIFM

46. Build Your Brand With An eBay Store Hire a designer: Sharon Ware Dandelion Consulting her url: http://www.dandelionconsulting.com Use templates available from eBay at: http://pages.ebay.com/storefronts/designcenter.htm

47. RSS R eal S imple S yndication – turn on your feeds

48. Markdown Manager Shoppers love sales and this is one way to entice them into buying or returning.

49. Promo Boxes

50. Newsletters

51. Newsletters “…but I only have a few names on my list….”

52. Newsletters Harris pole study 68% of online shoppers fell compelled to browse an online retail website after receiving an email from the store

53. What to write about? Newly listed items

54. What to write about? Newly listed items Special email members only

55. What to write about? Newly listed items Upcoming limited editions Sales

56. What to write about? Newly listed items Upcoming limited editions Sales Build rapport by writing tidbits about you company, product benefits or information related to the products you are selling

57. My World

58. Adding Modules to build SEO

59. Bio What Everyone Should Know About Me Things that I Sell Things that I buy Hobbies – Movies – Music – TV Shows Fill In Your Own Stuff Business Information

60. Let’s Start Networking Social Marketing on eBay

61. Back To Trust!

62. Time Make no mistake; social marketing takes time to succeed. You must build relationships with potential clients and participate in their chosen venue. Think of it as online networking. When you network outside your business, whether in person or on the web it takes ‘face’ time. You must be present.

63. Find Your Community

64. eBay’s Community

65. Neighborhoods

66. Neighborhoods Product thumbnails Product Reviews Blogs

67. Discussion Boards

68. Groups

69. Groups Your Private Club

70. Reviews & Guides

71. Reviews

72. Guides

73. eBay Blogs

74. Watch For The Book The eBay Marketing Bible By Cliff Ennico & Cindy Shebley www.clovercity.com

75. Photos in this presentation were used under creative commons license Thanks to the photographers of Flickr!