How To Get Your First Sale as a Part Time Vehicle Trader
So, you’ve decided to set up at a part time trader, and you’ve bought your first car at auction, sorted your part time motor traders insurance (check out our full motor trade insurance guide) , printed your business cards and completed the necessary checks on the vehicle in question. But, how do you make your all-important first sale? Here are a few tricks and tips you might want to keep in mind.
Craft your ad copy well
A poorly written advert won’t bring potential buyers to your door. It’ll likely lead to a lot of phone calls to clarify details and a lot of wasted time for you that you can ill-afford. Make sure to put in all the relevant details such as make, model, age, condition and any good selling points about the vehicle but also put in some details of your business so people can see you know what you’re doing. Let people know your experience within the industry (if you’ve any mechanic’s qualifications etc) and that you have the necessary part time traders insurance etc and they’ll know you’re a legitimate seller.
Put it in the right place
Local paper, Autotrader, Gumtree, Facebook or otherwise, finding the best place to put your ad isn’t always a first time’s the charm thing. Try the free to advertise sites first, as your budget for your new business is obviously not going to be huge, and if you fail to garner any interest there, it may be time to move onto the paid ad platforms.
Word of mouth
One thing that some traders fail to do is let people close to them know about the vehicles they’ve got on offer. Bring it up in conversation and you never know who your friends and family will mention your business to – allowing you to make a sale without even having to place an advertisement.
Flexibility on price
When pricing your first vehicle to sell you obviously want to make a good profit but make sure there’s some room to negotiate on price – even if this means pricing your vehicle just a touch higher than you’d ideally want to sell for. Everyone likes to think they’re getting a bargain, and if you come down a little on price but still hit your goal, then everyone walks away a winner.
Remember, not every sale is an easy one to make, but your first sale should give you confidence that you have what it takes to succeed in the motor trade business.
