iareateacher
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:33:33 PM new
Meet Ron Popeil, the "Salesman of the Century".
You've heard him on late night TV. Odds are you've seen or used one or more Popeil inventions. You probably think the commercials are tacky or laughable. The point is: they work. Oh boy, do they work.
Ron Popeil has some words of wisdom for YOU, his fellow entrepreneur:
Can your product be sold as a gift?
The one thing people in Ottumwa, Iowa, and New York City share in common is this: Their buying habits may be different, but they still have to buy gifts for Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, weddings, showers and so on. We live in a gift-giving society. Don't forget that.
"And...it makes a great gift!"
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dacreson
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:40:22 PM new
Hello
Not a new idea but a nice reminder
David
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pelorus
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:41:51 PM new
One thing eBay has done is help make it acceptable to give a used book as a gift. I know, I have received several myself.
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iareateacher
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:43:11 PM new
David, you're right, it's a very old idea. I was amazed to realize I don't even use it in my own listings. And it's so obvious.
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Kevinatgrannys
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:43:31 PM new
Great reminder!! I have already started doing that on my auctions. I always do around this time of year but... would it seem tacky the rest of the year???
Kevin (Always willing to learn something new)
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iareateacher
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:45:42 PM new
pelorus: I would love used books as gifts. Maybe I should get the word out to my friends.
Either reading copies or first editions to keep, both would do.
Amazon has a Wish List you can use, but that doesn't help our eBay sales.
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iareateacher
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:49:02 PM new
Kevin,
Like Ron Popeil says, there's always an occasion. Or not. Have you ever been surprised by an unexpected gift? Isn't that great to know that someone was thinking of you?
That's a good angle, too, as well as true.
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Kevinatgrannys
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posted on September 2, 2004 03:50:58 PM new
I hadn't thought of it in that light. Now I need to go and work it into my proto's. Interesting....
Kevin
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:05:00 PM new
I hadn't really thought of it like that, but I do use it in some of my auctions -- "Makes a great shower gift", etc. Hmmmmm ... I'll start to use it whenever possible.
Diane
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Roadsmith
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:05:18 PM new
Kevin: I frequently mention that an item would make a great gift, if it seems appropriate, the year round. Some items, and I can't think of any right now, don't seem to lend themselves to gift-giving.
Thanks, Fluff, for posting this reminder.
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Kevinatgrannys
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:14:19 PM new
Yes Roadsmith, that is why I have to work it into my proto's. Depending on the color or the item. Well, just one more thing to work on. Constant revamping of my listings to capture the greatest number of bidders/buyers.
Kevin
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neglus
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:22:50 PM new
I just want to know who would give that felt spray-on stuff (for bald spots) as a GIFT????
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble!
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
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iareateacher
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:47:08 PM new
Maybe nobody.
http://www.ronco.com/products/glhHairSystem.di4?productID=11
You notice it doesn't say "Makes a great gift!"
It also doesn't make any false or misleading claims (that I know of, anyway). It doesn't claim to regrow your hair.
What the ad does tell you is what the product does ("Makes you look younger!" ), who it is appropriate for, its ease of use ("Washes out with any shampoo" ) and it's economical too ("One can lasts approximately 2 months!" ). People like it ("Over one million cans sold!" ).
That is a terrific ad. THAT is how you get repeat business. No flim-flammery.
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[ edited by iareateacher on Sep 2, 2004 04:47 PM ]
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OhMsLucy
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posted on September 2, 2004 04:56:11 PM new
In my crochet and knitting pattern ads, I've been putting that the whatever-it-is would be a great gift.
IMHO it's never too early to get started clicking those needles or fiddling around with that hook!  (I don't put that in the auction but maybe I should??)
Lucy
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jackswebb
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posted on September 2, 2004 05:07:55 PM new
If any of you happened to have MISSED any of his 24 hour a day infomercials,,,,,,,ronco.com
I met him at the Pomona Gun show. His Son in Law was selling stuffed pillow fish? What?????? At a Gun show? Yup. About 2-3 feet long. Different sport fish designs. Sold them like HOT cakes.(15.00 20.00 $ a piece, had a min. of 1000 of those)Even his son in law said he was leary of selling that stuff there. He got them in an unpaid storage unit auction. Ron heard about it and told him where to dump them. He was in the SAME cheap seats section I was righ next to me. Mr. Ronco showed up just to check in was there maybe five minutes and was gone. I was introduced to him. we shook hands and poof he was gone.
Small world.
Another Day old and deeper in debt.
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jackswebb
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posted on September 2, 2004 06:09:07 PM new
Thanks! Teach, ya just turned me into a Seasonal seller of my year round "item". Now 365 days a year they'll be THINKIN'. and Thanks Ron too.
Another Day old and deeper in debt.
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jackswebb
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posted on September 2, 2004 09:08:46 PM new
Ya can learn ALOT from a Teacher.
Check out www.pomonaswapmeet.com The BIGGEST HOT ROD and Car Show swap meet on the WEST Coast.
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sthoemke
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posted on September 4, 2004 01:10:08 PM new
I always get more bids when I use the line "and goes great with barbeque"
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difs
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posted on September 4, 2004 05:53:53 PM new
BTW, if you have a chance, read the article by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point, for marketing wonks) on Popeil. It won award for best magazine writing the year before last. I believe it was originally published in The Atlantic.
Di
On a scale of 1 to 10...we'd all weigh a lot less!
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iareateacher
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posted on September 4, 2004 06:47:10 PM new
Yes, that's a great article. Thanks for the reminder:
http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_10_30_a_pitchman.htm
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