How To Use Craigslist Effectively

HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING ON CRAIGSLIST

Today, more and more people are making money by working from home on the Internet.  One of the best places to get started making money (and one of the easiest) is Craigslist.  Why?

Because you don't have to know things like SEO profitability, how to hit the top of the Google searches and high level Internet marketability techniques - although all those things can't hurt.  The more you know the better off you are. 

But anyone can make money on Craigslist!  

Selling aside, there are also many other things that you can do with Craigslist.  Let's explore what some of these things are and how to most effectively use Craigslist.org.

TIPS ON MAKING MONEY ON CRAIGSLIST

• Reselling for profit. Many people use Craigslist and make a killing on reselling items. Where do they get the items? Sometimes right from Craigslist! Search Craigslist in your local area for items that are free or items that are super low-priced. For instance, if you can purchase something that needs minor repairs and you're good at that sort of thing, you can turn trash into cash. Or check out freecycle.org.
  
  Start visiting estate sales, garage sales and swap meets. Scour friends' and families throwaways and start turning their trash into cash, too!
  
  Go through your own stuff that you don't need anymore and start posting ads to sell it. You'd be surprised at the amount of money you can make by just cleaning up your house or your garage! If you haven't used something in a month to 6 months, chances are you're not going to use it.
  
  Compare prices online to make certain that you're posting your items in the right place. Look on eBay and on Craigslist to be sure your price is competitive. There are some policies of course that you have to follow so be sure to check out the guidelines for use before posting to ads but Craigslist.org is free to join!
  

• Think about creating an online store. If you're computer savvy and you have a good grasp of the whole Internet marketing approach, once you get started on Craigslist you'll quickly find that you can not only post up ads but you can create an online store and direct people from your Craigslist posting to your store.
  
  Or you can be selling on eBay as well and have links to your eBay items right from Craigslist.
  
  Many people make thousands per month selling on Craigslist and eBay so it's worth checking out. Do your research though as not everyone is a salesperson and Internet marketing strategies can be hard to grasp for some people.

WHAT YOU NEED TO USE CRAIGSLIST EFFECTIVELY

• Time

• Internet

• Ability to write ads if you're selling things

• Basic internet skills

• Dab of creativity and exploring skills

MORE TIPS ON WAYS TO USE CRAIGSLIST

Job hunting? Check out the jobs listed on Craigslist for your area or for other potential cities you're moving to. There are part-time jobs listed, full-time jobs listed or even temporary jobs. No fees are involved and you can search to your heart's content to find jobs that you qualify for.

If you can't find jobs on Craigslist, you can always find what they call 'gigs'. Search under gigs and find odd jobs that you can do like.....

• Accompany someone on the piano

• Play in a band

• Dog sit or house sit

• Do yard cleanup

• Drive senior citizens to the store

• Give piano lessons

• Teach someone to use a computer program

You'd be amazed how many gigs you can get locally that add up to cash in your pocket!

Do you want to sell tickets or other items to earn money? Make sure you check out the specs on any item that you're selling. Pictures posted with ads are going to probably always give you a high success rate but for things like tickets, the ad speaks for itself.

Remember to always post higher than what you truly want for the item because chances are, you'll have to come down a bit in price if the person is a savvy shopper.

Are you looking for something specific? You can post anything you need to find in the Wanted sections of Craigslist and chances are you might find it. Maybe not right away but could be that you find it eventually. Even if you're looking for love, you can post up on the personals section of Craigslist!

CAUTIONS ABOUT USING CRAIGSLIST

Don't post personal information. The least information available about yourself on Craigslist the better. When you actually get down to meeting up and selling your items, then you can give out more information but the recommended procedure for selling on Craigslist is to meet the buyer somewhere else other than your home. (See the detailed recommendations from the Craigslist site below)

If you're selling just about anything, not posting pictures is like not posting the ad. People want to see the item that is for sale. Make sure you post up the best possible picture. Even if you don't have a digital camera, you can get excellent digital pictures with most phones. Post as many as you feel appropriate based on the item you're selling. For many items, one picture says it all but for higher end items, you might want to post several to show detail or condition of what you're selling.

Again, listing the specs on the items, year, make, etc., and writing a brief description of things you are selling (other than tickets) is going to help you get people who are really interested and weed out excessive 'information' calls.

Know the posting rules and do not try and get around them. You cannot post the same item in two different places usually although there are some exceptions to that rule. If for instance, you post an item and it hasn't sold, you cannot go back in and repost it. (Newer posts will bounce yours down by later in the day or by the next morning) You have to first remove your original post and then post a fresh post to be legal. If you post multiple places or try and repost ads without deleting the original, you may be banned from the site. Read all rules and regulations when you join and follow them for success on Craigslist.

Most importantly, attract attention by writing concise, clear descriptions and headlines. Make sure you include important targeted keywords for whatever you're posting. Don't falsify information or put in things that are irrelevant. Short and sweet, dynamic and well written descriptions are worth everything.

If you have ads that are posted, don't forget that you'll need to check your email regularly and frequently in order to find out how your ads are doing. Get back to potential buyers in a timely fashion.

If you're looking for gigs and jobs on Craigslist, make sure you apply or answer ads as soon as possible. Usually jobs and gigs do not last long and the early bird catches the worm!

Offer your services and advertise your business. If you're posting up services, don't forget to include how much you would charge, whether it's house-sitting to painting services. Posting your services is free. Consider the money you can make and potential business opportunities.

Honesty is always the best policy. To avoid being banned from one of the best places on the Internet to make money, do not falsify information, spam or scam, and follow the rules! The worst possible scenario is that you will get banned or get a bad reputation. Don't screw up your potential moneymaking source by not knowing the rules first of all and then by not following them.

Ask questions, investigate on line and join forums or questions and answers sites to become more familiar with how to use Craigslist to your best advantage. It's like everything else....success is usually gained by hard work and doing your homework.

On Craigslist.org, you can make a lot of money or 'some money'. The potential is there right on your computer.

Tap into it and see how successful you can be at buying, selling, or just finding a job! The possibilities on Craigslist are really endless!

TIPS AND WARNINGS FROM CRAIGSLIST.ORG

(Paraphrased)

For the most part, most Craigslist users are considered trustworthy and well-intentioned.

There are billions of people using Craigslist and yet the incidence of violent crime has been extremely low.

These are their recommended common sense precautions you should take. In fact practice these online anywhere and offline as well.

If you're meeting someone for the first time it's best to:

· Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe

· Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home

· Be especially careful when buying or selling high ticket items

· Tell a friend or family member where you're going

· Always take your cell phone

· Consider having someone accompany you

· Of most importance, trust your instincts

The goal at Craigslist is to make Craigslist safer for everyone.

For more information about personal safety online, check out these resources:

• http://getsafeonline.org
• http://wiredsafety.org

The above is the advised protocol for anyone using Craigslist per Craigslist.org.