Salespeople are among the highest paid workers in many companies. Why? Selling is not easy! Smart companies know there are few things as valuable as winning new customers and keeping old ones happy. Top salespeople make a good living because they know the art of the sale.
You don’t need a business degree to learn how to sell your furniture, but there are some handy tricks of the trade.
- Don’t show dirty furniture. Clean it before inviting in prospective buyers. Vacuum the upholstery. Try to remove
stains. Nobody wants to see popcorn kernels and puppy hair when they are considering buying your sofa. And few things are as disgusting as gum stuck on the underside of a table. Trust me, I've seen it! Dust your furniture, but don’t use a polish that will rub off on buyers’ hands. Make sure an old gum drop doesn't stick to someone’s pants when he sits on your sofa. Yep, that's happened to me, too. Yuck! - Don’t fib about flaws. You didn't notice the giant crack in the middle of the dining table you rated a perfect 10 out of 10? "Wow, I didn't see that!" I love that little lie. Be honest about your furniture. If there are scratches, run to the hardware store and buy a couple of furniture markers. Minwax makes markers that costs less than $5. They work like magic.
- Don’t overprice your furniture. If you set too high a price, you are wasting your time. Do a little research. Is your furniture old, worn or out of style? Respect your potential buyers. They are looking for a bargain, but they aren’t fools.
- Don’t have your furniture professionally cleaned. You
shouldn’t invest more money in items that you want to sell. And, often, you can do a good job yourself with a bit of elbow grease. - Don’t restore furniture before selling. Refinishing and reupholstering is very expensive, and you rarely get your money out of this kind of an investment. Price your furniture based on its current condition. Let the new owner decide whether or not to refinish your piece.
