In the midst of all the tasks that have to be done before a move begins, a moving sale may not be that high of a priority. However, moving offers you an excellent opportunity to downsize and the extra money will certainly come in handy. This is why knowing how to host a moving sale is so important. Here are some tips on how to host a successful moving sale.
Plan Your Moving Sale
Pick a Date
Be strategic when selecting a date for your moving sale. Consider choosing a day and time when there are no other local events scheduled, for example, Saturday or Sunday mornings. This help ensure potential customers are free and available to come to your moving sale.
Advertise and Market Your Sale
Once you have set a solid date for your moving sale, begin your hosting effort by advertising in all available outlets and channels. Do not simply list your sale on a single classified website. Try to list your moving sale on multiple classified websites catering to your area and online marketplace. Make sure to boost the event using your favorite social media accounts (such as Facebook) and get your family and friends to help spread the word. Are there neighborhood newsletters that list local estate and moving sales? Inexpensive classified ads can also get serious results for someone wishing to host a moving sale.
Identify and Target New Audiences and Customers
You can have good luck reaching shoppers by identifying distinctive customers and audience groups. This is one way of creating a simplified marketing plan. Examples of potential audiences you should consider targeting include:
- New college students
- Antique and memorabilia collectors
- Young families furnishing their homes
- People driving by major intersections
- Shoppers at nearby markets
You can tailor your advertisements to speak directly to the various audiences you are trying to attract. Use your home computer and printer to make flyers specific to two or three of your identified groups. Make sure each member of the family participates in spreading the word to friends, work associates, and neighbors.
Organize and Display Your Sale Items
Arrange and prepare your sale items ahead of time to ensure you can get the best possible price for each item. Although you may perceive some items to have emotional value, buyers are unlikely to see the same and less willing to pay a high price. Consider styling your items to help potential customers see the value in the item, which may help to yield a better price. Here are some ideas on how you could embellish and display your items for the moving sale:
- Hang clothing on a rack and pair it with accessories and shoes, rather than piling the clothing in a box.
- Create mini vignettes to show potential buyers how items could be used. For example, arrange dishes and glassware on a folding table, or stack books and arrange stationary on a desk for sale.
- Highlight small items and trinkets by displaying them on cake stands, the edges of teacups or trays, so that they don’t get lost amongst the bigger items.
- Where possible, display items at eye level so they can be easily seen by buyers. You could achieve this by using folding card tables or stacking wooden wine crates to create moving sale displays.
After the Sale Is Over
After you host a moving sale, all that is left to do is pack up your belongings and give us a call. You can reach National Van Lines at 877-590-2810.
