How to Make Money with Craigslist

Craigslist has made it simple for anyone to buy, sell, and trade with people from the local community. It's an online marketplace to find a job, sell a house, or just pick up free books that someone is giving away. It does take skill to turn a profit on your ventures with Craigslist, but it is possible. Here's how to make money with Craigslist.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection
• Patience
• Mediocre sales skills

1. Sell or feature items in the right category. Items listed on Craigslist are easily sorted by search engines and people viewing listings when they appear in the right category.

2. Write compelling headlines. This is the first thing that will get the attention of searchers, and you need to make it stand apart from your competitors with eye-catching words. Include an attractive price for immediate clicks!

3. Add pictures. Listings with pictures are much more likely to be noticed. Include as many pictures as possible so that the sale can take place quickly.

4. Respond to buyers as soon as possible. Anyone responding to your ad is in a position to make the purchase; follow up quickly so that you can close the sale as soon as possible.

5. Don't duplicate your ad. Craigslist monitors ads frequently, and you can become blacklisted permanently if you don't follow the rules.

6. Stay clued in to new deals with AdNotifier. This program sends you automatic updates each time a new ad is posted in your category. It works in a similar way as a feedburner, except it's much more thorough and makes it simple to search multiple cities at one time.

7. Buy low-cost items for resale. The resale business is alive and growing, and if you have the skills to purchase and resell items for profit, Craigslist is a great place to conduct business.

8. Direct people to an eBay store or link. You can provide one item to sell on Craigslist, then send interested buyers to your online store or link to eBay listings for even more sales.

9. Use HTML in your post to direct people to links. This will help visitors click directly to a sales page or other information you need to provide to close your sale.

Tips & Warnings

• Read the Craigslist terms and conditions to make sure you are complying with all guidelines.

• Set up an account to manage your postings easily.

• Keep your listings professional and accurate, and buyers will be more likely to trust you.

• Spamming Craigslist or putting listings in the wrong category can get you flagged and de-listed immediately.

• Don't provide personal information until a buyer responds to an ad.

Resources

• Craigslist
• AdNotifier