Psychology That Really Works!

A garage sale is a study of psychology. Do things right and your sale will flourish; ignore certain principles and it can fizzle. Here is a list of positive psychological tips that can explode your profits. 

• Be friendly . Greet people with a friendly smile, say hello, and allow them to browse undisturbed. 
• Play music. Forget the acid rock, but just about any kind of music helps set a relaxing "buying mood." 

• Your sale needs the right look. It needs to be clean, organized, and neat. 

• Create a party atmosphere – decorate with balloons and offer a self-service snack table. 

• Have a couple of chairs or a bench where buyers can take a break. Get people to linger! 

• Wear special identification – a colorful apron or a hat to get you to stand out as the host of the sale. People will leave without buying if they can’t quickly see whom to pay. 

• Avoid negative signs like "Watch Your Kids" or "Break It, You Own It." Remember, this is a friendly garage sale and not a branch of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. 

• Don’t say, "May I help you?" (at least don’t be in a hurry to say it!) Many people hate that. You are not a store, and people wish to be as anonymous as possible. It embarrasses people when they look your items over and they don’t buy anything. The last thing they want is your direct attention.  Consider this-Put up a sign that says, “Ask- if you need help!”