Making the Most of Your Garage Sale

Garage sales are a type of small business. Granted, you are only open for two days out of the year, but why not make the most out of those two days? My neighbor is having a garage sale right now. She spent all day sitting out in the hot sun yesterday selling the “stuff” she no longer wanted. As I sat on my patio working on web sites, I didn’t notice many people stopping by, so I thought I’d do the neighborly thing and take a walk over. It was about 4:00 and I asked her how it was going.

“Not great” she replied. “I’ve been out here since eight this morning and I think we’ve made fourteen dollars.” (That’s $1.75/hour without a lunch break.)

Looking around, I could immediately see the problem. I bought a twenty-five cent item that I didn’t need and walked back home. I was going to offer her some advice, but it was already too late for this garage sale. Maybe she’ll read this blog and make the most out of her next one.

Eight Step Guide to Selling More at Your Next Garage Sale

1. Plan Ahead. If you are going to have a garage sale, plan ahead. Don’t just throw a bunch of junk into boxes or onto tables. Make sure everything is easy to see and accessible. You wouldn’t walk into Kohls or Target and see items just piled up on tables. Don’t let your store look like that, either.
2. There is a time and place for Order. If you go into any store there are rows of items that belong in categories grouped together. The Men’s section, the Women’s section, the Shoe section, etc… So why do we go to garage sales and see children’s clothing next to a rusty grill and used fishing equipment? Organize items to sell. Guide people through the products of your past.
3. Make sure everything is clean. Don’t put out dirty or clothes that need ironing. Dust off the games, pieces of furniture, or electronic equipment. If you want to sell something, present it in a way that makes it appealing and doesn’t look like you dug something out from the back of your junk closet.
4. Put a price tag on everything. For the most part, people like to avoid confrontation. Many are afraid to be social, let alone confrontational. If you don’t have a price tag on everything in your garage sale, you are missing out on money. Some people will not ask for a price if they don’t see it and will just walk away. Remember, no one goes to a garage sale because they NEED something. They go to a garage sale because they WANT something (most of the time they don’t even know what it is) at a deal. You are still going to get the “professional” hagglers, but if you have a price tag on something, you’ll have a place to start. Have a price tag on everything.
5. Showcase the stuff people want. Let’s say you have a mini-fridge your kid used in college. You want that to sell, so you put a $45 price tag on it. Don’t put this item in the back of your garage with your old twenty-five cent Monopoly board on top of it. This is something that should be seen from the road. Showcase it! Put a big yellow sign on it that says, “Mini-Fridge: Gently Used, Works Great! Perfect for a Dorm Room or your Garage! $45.00” Don’t have a yellow sign? A package of construction paper and a marker are cheap to get at the dollar store. Get those big items out front where people can see them.
6. Show People it Works. Are you trying to sell that radio or 6” television? Put it in a place next to an electrical outlet and plug it in. People want to make sure that the radio they are buying for $5 is actually going to play. They want to know your junk isn’t actually junk but an unrealized treasure.
7. Market Yourself. Why don’t people know how to do this? My neighbor has (3) 8.5×11 store-bought, black and white signs promoting her garage sale. One is in her front yard and the other two are taped to telephone poles at the one end of our street. She also put a $15 ad in the newspaper saying “Come to my garage sale”!

   The ad, obviously, didn’t work.
   No one read it. I didn’t.

   She should have saved herself the $15 and made some big yellow signs with bold letters that directed traffic to her door. One on each end of the street, facing both sides of traffic, and a HUGE one in front of the house. Additionally, she should have put signs at all of the major intersections in her area. There are often places where you can post your garage sale for free online such as the local media. Google those resources, as well.

8. Talk to People. Once you get the people in the garage, talk to them. Greet them, say “HELLO”. Strike up a conversation…Now, I am not saying I want you to bull rush them at the door. Just say “Hello.”

   NEVER SAY: “Can I help you?” That is the wrong thing ever lead with because the answer is always “No, thank you, I am just looking.” The conversation is lost and you’ve lost your sale.

   Just talk and strike up a conversation. Tell them about all the fun little Tommy used to have playing on that Big Wheel. “Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do, I Do It For You” was playing on that very tape deck when I met my wife…” Talking will get people to be more likely to buy from you.

Following these eight easy steps should help your garage sale immensely. What’s more, there is an added bonus with these tips: You’ll probably make more money. More people will come to your sale, they will know how to find your wares, they will know the price and you will talk with them to ensure that they get what they are looking for and come back in future years. Good luck with your garage sale and I hope you sell a bundle!