Tag Sale craziness

post note- having written this, and then later rereading it, I wonder why I feel like I need to say this to anyone else. Why do I think my way is so good for anyone else? I know I do a good job with it... why do I think others want to read about how I do it? I do have people who ask me how I make so much... but that doesn't mean I need to preach. Why am I like this? Don't have a good answer. Read it if you want to. Leave it if you don't.

Yesterday I had a tag sale. It was my third one in 3 years. They are a ton of work, but if you do them right they really can pay off! I have been told that I have great ones, and people seem to be surprised with how much I make. My friend Jonni gave me some tips before my first one, which I think really helped, and have guided me to bigger payoffs.

She started by telling me not to price anything. I think this is the most important thing, because that way you find out if someone is interested. If something is priced at say $4, and someone walks by, likes it, but would only pay $3, they might even say anything and just walk by. But if there is no price, they ask you... you know they are interested, and you suggest a price, and go from there, until you settle and they take it, and money is in your pocket!

I suppose the real thing is do you really want to have things gone and are you willing to let it go? if so, then do it. Let it go. I didn't think I had alot this time, and I made almost $300. Last year we had a few big things, and we made around $600! My first year - my rookie year - I made about $250.

A few key things are important too:

• Good signs!!! Make them big and easy to read. Just the important stuff- day and time, street address. Then smaller ones at each turn to get to your house without getting lost. Try picking a color that is bright, and make all of the signs the same color.
  
• Presentation. Make sure things are clean, have them up on tables (people will buy more if they can pick it up, without having to bend down onto the ground).
• Put labels (easy to read) on things so that people don't even have to ask what something is.
• group things together ie: kitchen type things on one table, toys on another, books in a box so they can be looked through but still stay organized for the next customer, garden things on another, clothes on another, furniture together.
  
• make sure all things have all the pieces, otherwise you should not have it there.
• Label clothing with sizes on tape, so that people don't need to unfold and make things unorganized for the next customer.

The other thing I do is go out early and get a big thing of coffee from Dunkin Donuts. I sell it for $1 a cup. People seem to appreciate that you have it, not trying to make money on it, but just nice to have there if you have time. I always bake something the day before also: muffins or scones or banana bread. I put it in a nice basket, with napkins and sell them for $1 each also. I always sell out, and start with maybe 2 dozen. Just an easy way to increase your profits and make people remember your tag sale as different, and they are more inclined to come back if they see you are having another some time.
This year it was hot, and I had a big jug of Ginger Peach Iced tea that I made and sold for $1 a cup also. I sold alot of that too!