Why I do what I do

Why I do What I do. If only I had a nickle for every time I get asked that question!  

I often get asked why I enjoy selling vintage items. They ask me if I'm into history or if I want to keep this stuff from the landfills or if I'm hoping that one day I'll find that one of a kind rare item worth millions.

I love history always have. I enjoy researching the items I find and learning the history of each piece. I love the hunt that excitement you get when you find something really cool and special. I've often wondered what stories these items hold. I do this often especially when I run across a WWI or WWII relic. What could it tell me? I often wonder about the soldier that item belong to. Did he survive the war? and so on and so on.   

And yes I dream about one day finding the big one that will make me rich,LOL! Come on who doesn't do that right? But to me honest I the answer to why I do what I do is simple really........ it's the memories.

The memories that I stir up in people when they come across my store. When they see something from their childhood or something their mom or dad had. It's about bringing a smile to someones face and heart that warms my heart. The other day I sold a glass milk jar the customer received and left me this feed back:

"It arrived 12/4/12. A real treasure. My husband's father was a Wanzer milkman."
Vintage Embossed Wanzer Dairy Glass Milk One Quart Bottle Chicago, IL (#230873173398)

I brought up a memory for this lady and her husband. Imagine the look on her husbands face when he saw that glass milk bottle...the memories it must of brought back to him.......... and that right there is priceless to me!

This is why I do what I do and why I love doing it what I do :) 

Are you ready of the Holiday Season?

37 Days and counting! Are you ready?

• If you don’t list it you can’t sell it!! Fill your online stores with stocking stuffer's and gifts for the whole family.
• Let your buyers know when your shipping cut off days are for the Holiday Season.
• Make a marketing calendar and stick to it. That way you know when you have to send out your emails and when your sales start and stop.
• Order plenty of Business Cards, Coupons and fliers.

Optimize listings to attract buyers

• Price competitively. Snag a sale!
• Use keyword rich titles and descriptions. Write a title as if there where no description or pictures. Write a description as if there were no pictures or title.
• Clear crisp pictures. Crop them!

Promote your deals

• Send your holiday email campaign to all your past buyers with an incentive to purchase from you again. Enclose a coupon.
• Think about sending a series of email campaigns example: one for a coupon with a few selections, another for early bird specials, and lastly a blowout sale. Make them all now and save them that way there ready to send when you need them.
• Utilize Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Google+  and Youtube! Promote your Sales!
• Utilize holiday packing slips.They're a great opportunity to remind buyers of your great service, upcoming promotions. Include a special coupon.

Life Savers

• Make your holiday bundles now and advertise them to your buyers via email and flier to all your new buyers. Make plenty of Bundles now to save on time during the big rush!
• Set your custom categories to make your store shopper friendly. Nothing will turn off a buyer faster than having to dig through pages trying to find an item!
• Make a stocking stuffer's custom category and stock it with $10 and less items.

Get organized and Streamline shipping

• Order shipping supplies now to avoid running out during the busy holiday rush.
• Order boxes, ink,labels, tape, packing paper, packing peanuts, printer paper etc.
• Organize your shipping areas for a smooth packing process during your peak days.

Mark your calendars! Key Dates

• Have your marketing calendar near your desk. 
• Mark when your sales start and end.
• Mark when to launch and stop special coupons .
• Consult it daily so you know when to send out your marketing emails.

DO NOT I repeat DO NOT stop listing keep adding new things. Give your buyers plenty to see and buy!

AntiquesRGreat has been a very busy girl!

What a crazy 2 months July & August have been for me. Started off with me contacting Lois Collis to see if she could design my branding throughout all e-commerce venues including social media venues.

Not only did she captured my vision but also the love that represents AntiquesRGreat. She nailed it every single time, knocked my socks off & had me jumping & screaming like a little school girl.

I had her work on the following:

Bonanzle : Avatar & Banner


eBay: Store Front , Banner, Custom Pages, Click-able pages & Custom colors





Facebook: Fan Page , Netcarnation Storefront

Please excuse this screen shot facebook is streamlining pages & I need to get them re-sized.





Twitter


Youtube

Google sites


This Blog

Business Cards




Coupon


Gift Certificates



Website

I highly recommend Lois you can find her at Bonanzle http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/LoisCollis ,tell her Gladys sent you! ;)

A special thank you to the Bonanzle community. The best place to learn about Bonanzle & about Marketing your business is the forums. I learn something new everyday. Thank you to everyone who takes time out to help us Tech challenged peeps . You guys Rock!

Last but not least Phaedra Stockstill & Judy Oglesby can't forget about the Dynamic Duo from the Bonanzle Boardroom thank you girls for making me think outside of the box!

Catch you later!