How to write a classified ad that sells my car

So you’ve decided to sell your car and now you need to write a private party classified ad.  Providing as much information about the car is essential for an effective ad.  One of the ways that you provide information is with the text description of your car.  With newspapers and other print ads you are often limited to just a few words.  Something like “nice car, very reliable, recently changed tires, call for more info” are very common. That description doesn’t provide a whole lot of details about the car.  As a sales pitch, its pretty bad. Your ad text, if done right, should serve a couple different purposes. 

The first purpose is to sell your car online 24×7 by providing a good, thorough amount of information about the vehicle.  Providing enough information gives a good first impression and can entice buyers into seeing your car.  The right amount of information can also make both the buyer’s and seller’s job easier by not having to field dozens of email messages and phone calls all asking the same basic questions.  Ideally, such contact should be more about wanting to see the car than getting details that could have been provided in the online ad.  Your text should be a brief 1-2 paragraphs and address the following points:

• Describe the vehicle’s main characteristics, features, benefits.  Although you may have listed or checked off many details in the form, it is ok to mention some of the main stuff again.

 

• Describe the vehicle’s history such as previous ownership, service and maintenance, primary uses, condition, issues.

 

• What method of payment will you accept.  Cash only?  Trades for other vehicles or maybe real estate. Will you accept monthly payments?

 

• Whether you have the title or if the vehicle is financed with a bank.

 

• Many buyers are interested in the reason for selling.

 

• Although it might be listed elsewhere, go through your contact details.  Name, phone numbers, email are all good basics.  Neighborhood Motors provides online chat which can be more convenient for that initial contact.  Also give a rough schedule of when you are available to show the car and when you are available to chat online.  

 

The second purpose of getting the right information together is that it serves as a sort of script for you when showing the car.  Do your homework and you’ll be ready for any buyer that comes along. You wont be easily stumped by any question and you’ll make your sales pitch a lot smoother and more professional. If you sound doubtful or forgetful about too many details, the buyer will at best get a bad impression and move on, or at worst think you’re hiding something.