Marketing Archives

Eleven Affordable Tips for Promoting Your Antiques Business

For those in the antiques business, hope springs eternal. Dealers look forward to a new year, hoping for profitable merchandise, good inventory turnover, and new customers. Some dealers will spend the year hoping; others will make a plan and work to make the plan a reality. Central to gaining more customers and making more sales […]

Virtual Antiquing: Putting Pictures to Work

Antique Trader’s “virtual antiquing” Facebook page feature has become one of my favorite newsfeed items. I enjoy seeing how shops display merchandise and what types of inventory they carry. When I occasionally spot an unusual item, I get particularly excited. Many of the goods in such photos you just don’t see on eBay. I often […]

Dealers Must Diversify Marketing Channels

I read with great interest WorthPoint’s 2011 Antiques & Collectibles Survey Results, released on Feb 14, 2011. WorthPoint is a leading provider of valuation and associated services for art, antiques and collectibles. The survey was taken from mid-January through early February 2011, and reflects the opinions of dealers and collectors who visited the WorthPoint website during […]

Selling to the Rich: DINKS, WOOFS, and HENRYS

The list of social-status acronyms grows longer each year. I’m sure you’ve heard of YUPPIES (young urban professionals) and probably DINKs (double income, no kids), SINKs (single income, no kids) and SITCOMs (single income, two children, and oppressive mortgage). This week, I discovered the acronyms WOOFs (well-off older folks) and HENRYs (high earners, not rich […]

3-Step eMail Marketing Formula

For decades, companies have depended on demographic marketing to target customers. But, demographics aren’t as powerful as they used to be. As U.S. society has evolved sub-groups have emerged within the traditional demographic groups. Our market has fragmented to the point where the old demographic tools are useless. New tools are needed if we are […]

Maximize Your Google My Business Listing

“I’ve never been lost,” said Daniel Boone; “But I was once perplexed for a few days.” It’s said that Boone was a master at staying found. Making his way through the wilderness with nothing more than an incomplete map, a compass, and his own sensibilities, he blazed a trail that thousands would follow from Virginia […]

YouTube: Tap a Super Bowl Sized Audience for Free

Do you remember the Super Bowl ad about the antiques dealer? Neither do I. At nearly $3 million for a 30-second ad, you won’t see any small retailers advertising during the Super Bowl. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing an ad for an antiques store on television – ever. The $3-million-for-30-seconds price tag breaks […]

Social Media Marketing For Your Business

These days, social media marketing is pervasive. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and LinkedIn now have membership bases that span generations and spread across the globe. It is estimated that the membership of Facebook alone exceeds the population of the United States. The above sites allow you to create a page for your business, as […]

Viral Marketing Success

It’s said that in order to sell something to someone, they must know you, like you, and trust you. The know-like-trust combination is time-consuming to implement as a marketing strategy. It requires building one-on-one relationships with your customers; getting introductions to prospects, finding common ground with them, and establishing a level of trust. This process […]

Antique Dealers: Don’t Give Up on eMail Marketing

Just to watch her reaction, I asked my mail carrier to break the law. “Jane” I said, “I’m going to put a trash can right here next to my mailbox. Would you mind just throwing the junk mail into the trash can and putting the important stuff into my mailbox?” “I certainly will not!” she […]