Have you ever wanted a way to reach your perfect target audience? Do you have something to sell? Do you want only those who are 100% genuinely interested to come and look for your product? Then placing an advert in the free classifieds is the best option for you.

In the past there were other options available to you. It would be possible for you to stand around on a cold morning at a car boot sale. Or you could try to aks your family or your friends if they were interested in your item. These days, there are thousands of websites around the world which let you list your product, usually for free!

But because there are so many different options available to you, it is extremely important that you choose the correct marketing strategies. If you place your advert in the wrong section, or a website which does not attract enough, or the right type of visitor, then all your hard work could be wasted.

First examine what you would like to sell. Is it an actual item or a service or do you want to do some website promotion? Yes! You can also advertise services and websites this way. Many classified directories now have sections for website promotion and for you to add your own links. If it is an item that you are selling, will you deliver it, post it, or will the buyer come and collect it? Once you have decided about these features, it is time to move onto the next stage: choose your classified directory.

In an online auction, you can only advertise your item once and then wait for the buyers to come and bid for it. You may not get the price you want, and you will have to wait until the auction closes in 5 or 7 days to sell your item. But not so with classifieds! You can advertise in many different venues at once and the buyers can contact you straight away. It is possible that you could make a sale on the same day as your advert appears!

If you want people to come to you to collect your items then it is probably best to advertise in a local website, maybe your local paper has a website. If you have a service, of course, then you can advertise anywhere in the world. Both eBay and Craigslist have sections where you can advertise. Your perfect target audience is waiting to see what you have on offer.

One thing to remember is don’t be like my friend Doreen. She placed an advert using her own personal email address and got hundreds of emails from people she had never heard of! She told me never to use my own address. She said to always set up another account and then to use that.

Write a clear advert. Clear, concise descriptions are best to attract the buyers. Don’t forget your contact details! You want to let people know where to bring the payments!