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Overview
Craigslist 4 Everyone
Jobs. Housing. Customers. Stuff. Events. Advice. Even romance! It’s all waiting for you on craigslist... and this book will help you find it faster, smarter, and more safely. You name it, it’s covered here—with great insider tips and proven techniques! Get started today: Buy and sell merchandise, services, cars, and homes; generate leads; recruit staff or volunteers; promote your group, cause, candidate, or band; find great contractors or childcare; get or give a pet; arrange cheap rideshares and vacation swaps. Stay safe, no matter what you’re doing. This is the first book to take you deep inside craigslist and show you exactly how to get what you want there... whatever it might be!
You’ll Learn How To
• Quickly discover what craigslist offers in your city or neighborhood
• Write ads that get noticed—and get fast results
• Recognize and avoid scammers and identity thieves!
• Attract more people to your community event, concert, or yard sale
• Meet the partner of your dreams... safely!
• Build your small business, no matter what you sell
Jenna Lloyd has been using craigslist successfully since 2001 in both her business and personal life. She is a leading authority on online and multichannel retail marketing, an eBay PowerSeller, and currently helps others maximize their business profits through her company, Applied Force Marketing, LLC (www.appliedforcemarketing.com).
Sherry Kinkoph Gunter has written and edited scores of books over the past 16 years covering a wide variety of computer topics, including Microsoft Office, eBay,
digital photography, and Web applications.
Category Internet
Covers craigslist
User Level Beginning—Intermediate
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780789738288 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Que |
| Publication date: | 10/30/2008 |
| Pages: | 307 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d) |
About the Author
Jenna Lloyd is a leading authority on online marketing and an expert in multichannel retailing. As head of Applied Force Marketing (www.appliedforcemarketing.com), she works hands-on with small and large businesses to create and implement powerful marketing strategies that quickly increase her clients’ sales and profits.
Ms. Lloyd also works as a freelance business writer and editor. In addition to writing highly effective marketing and advertising copy, Ms. Lloyd has been the technical editor of several books for Que Publishing. She has used craigslist successfully in her business and personal life since 2001 and includes it as a part of a comprehensive marketing strategy for all of her clients.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part I craigslist 101
Chapter 1 Putting craigslist on the Map
A Simple Idea
The Best of Intentions
Looking into the Future
Who Is Craig Newmark?
Craig’s Vision
Change of Focus
Nerd Values
David and Goliath
One to Watch
Craigslist Foundation: “Helping People Help”
From Here…
Chapter 2 Welcome to the Neighborhood
Navigating the Home Page
Finding Your Way Home
Joining the Community
Creating a Craigslist Account
Getting Around Town
Exploring Your Neighborhood
For Inquiring Minds
Getting Involved
The Town Square
Giving Yourself a Handle
Getting Involved
Dressing Up Your Posts
Staking Your Claim
Roadside Assistance
Follow the Rules
From Here…
Chapter 3 Safety First
Internet Safety
Secure Your Computer
Protect Your Information
Spot Scammers Before They Spot You
Out-of-Area Buyer
Overpayment Scam
Nigerian 4-1-9 Scam
Safe and Pleasant Transactions
Safe and Sound Online Dating
From Here…
Part II Posting on craigslist
Chapter 4 All About the Listings
Anatomy of a Listing
Playing By the Rules
The Posting Process
Getting Creative
The craigslist Police
Editing and Deleting Posts
From Here…
Chapter 5 Successful Listing Strategies
Example of an Unsuccessful Listing
Steps for Creating a Successful Listing
Step 1: Educate Yourself
Step 2: Set Your Goal(s)
Step 3: Take Pictures
Step 4: Write a Listing That Addresses Your Goal(s)
Strategies in Action
From Here…
Chapter 6 Listing in the Community
Get Out There: Activities
Get Together: Events, Classes, and Groups
Events
Classes
Groups
Find What’s Missing: Lost+Found
Express Yourself: Artists and Musicians
Take Care of Baby: Childcare
What’s Happening: Local News, Politics, and General
Live Green: Rideshares
Get the Help You Need: Volunteers
Pets: A Controversial Issue
From Here…
Chapter 7 Listing in the Housing Section
Selling Solo
Move That Property in Real Estate for Sale
An Agent’s Best Friend
What Do You Have to Offer?
What’s Going on Next Door?
Map Out Your Information
Talk the Talk
Focus on Your Target
Leave Them Wanting More
Put It on Paper
A Flashing Neon Sign
A Picture Is Worth…
Filling a Vacancy
Office/Commercial Property
Know Your Business
Location, Location, Location
Getting It “Write”
Parking/Storage Rental
From Here…
Chapter 8 Listing in For Sale
Looking Through the For Sale Categories
Planning Your Ad
Writing Great Ads
Writing a Great Posting Title
Writing a Great Posting Description
Tips for Category-Specific Listings
Ad Posting Basics
Responding to Contacts
Advertising No-No’s
From Here…
Chapter 9 Listing in Services
Phone Verification
Planning Your Marketing
Don’t Keep Reinventing the Wheel
Before You Do Anything Else
Put On Your Advertising Exec Hat
Ready to Write!
Offering Free Content
Automotive Services
Beauty Services
Computer Services
Creative Services
Erotic Services
Event Services
Financial Services
Household Services
Labor and Moving Services
Legal Services
Lessons and Training
Real Estate Services
Skilled Trade Services
Small Business Ads
Therapeutic Services
Travel and Vacation Services
Writing, Editing, and Translating Services
From Here…
Chapter 10 Listing in Jobs and Gigs
Comparing Online Job Resources
Looking Through Job Categories
Writing a Successful Job Listing
Listing Basics
Beyond Basics
Posting a Job Listing
Posting Gigs
Responding to Applicants
From Here…
Chapter 11 Listing in Resumes
Knowledge Is Power
Your Most Important Sale
Dealing with Job Search Jitters
What to Look For
Where to Look
What to Do with the Information
Your Features and Benefits
It’s All in the Numbers
Define Your Marketing Strategy
Create a Killer Resume
From the Top
Getting It All Down
From Here…
Chapter 12 Listing in Personals
Deciphering the Code
What Do You Really Want?
Nine Secrets for Successful Online Relationships
Igniting Sparks
Thinking Long-Term
Thinking Short-Term
Strictly Platonic: Making New Friends
Missed Connections: Finding Someone Who Caught Your Eye
Rants and Raves: Expressing Yourself
Put It in Writing
From Here…
Part III The Other Side of craigslist
Chapter 13 Responding to Listings
Locating What You Want
How to Reply
From Here…
Chapter 14 Keeping Busy with Listings
Enriching Your Life with the Community
Activities
Artists
Childcare
General
Groups
Pets
Events
Lost and Found
Musicians
Local News
Politics
Rideshare
Volunteers
Classes
Catapult Your Career in Jobs and Gigs
Job Search Tips
Perusing the Job Listings
Perusing the Gigs
Responding to Job Listings
Fill Your Social Calendar with the Personals
Warning: Enter at Your Own Risk
Personals Categories: Something for Everyone
From Here…
Chapter 15 Win-Win Results in Listings
Find Your New Abode in Housing
Looking for Houses or Apartments to Rent
Finding Rooms or Roommates
Seeking Sublets or Temporary Spots
Housing Wanted
Swapping Houses
Finding Vacation Rentals
Searching for Storage Space
Looking for Commercial Space
Real Estate for Sale
Let’s Make a Deal in Merchandise
Get It Done with Services
Fill That Job Opening in Resumes
From Here…
0789738287 TOC 10/1/2008
Preface
Introduction
In an online world crammed with flash, hype, and fly-by-night, Craig Newmark has grown a single good intention into one of the top 50 most visited websites in the world! With more than 40 million users to craigslist a month, a lot is happening there. And this book will help you to make the most of all of it.
You won't find a better site to buy, sell, or advertise on than craigslist. Think about it: Where else can you sell a $5 kids' toy, a $15,000 car, or a $500,000 house without paying to list or handing over a chunk of change from the selling price? Find a date, find a friend, or find your lost dog without spending a dime. Market your business, join a class, or land your dream job without ever leaving the site. And those are only a few of the many possibilities.
Think of craigslist as the online gathering place for your offline activities—a way for you to connect with other people in your area. Whatever you want to accomplish, craigslist can help you do it. And this book shows you how you can become a part of the craigslist community.
Whether you're in need of something, hoping to get rid of something, or wanting to promote something, the opportunities for you on craigslist are very exciting. Following the steps and strategies covered in this book gives you a big advantage over the typical craigslist community user.
Craig and staff have never saddled the website with lengthy rules and restrictions, which is one reason why so many users put little thought and planning into creating successful listings. In this book, you'll learn how to create attention-grabbing listings, what information to include, and how to write ads that get attention and motivate people to act.
You'll learn not only how to list, but also how to find what you want—and get it. And you'll learn how to protect yourself, your computer, and your personal information when online and when using craigslist.
How This Book Is OrganizedThis book is organized into three main parts, as follows:
- Part I, "craigslist 101," covers how craigslist went from a simple idea to a collection of more than 500 communities. You'll gain insights on Craig Newmark, craigslist's fascinating founder and customer service rep. These chapters also cover creating an account and navigating around the site. And you'll learn everything you need to know to keep your computer, your information, and yourself safe when using craigslist.
- Part II, "Posting on craigslist," starts by showing you the steps to follow to post a listing on craigslist. You'll also learn marketing strategies to design successful listings that set your advertisements apart from the pack. These chapters cover the individual craigslist sections and categories, showing you exactly how to create successful listings and take advantage of all their features.
- Part III, "The Other Side of craigslist," lays out the steps for responding to craigslist postings. You'll learn what to look for—and look out for—when searching listings in each category.
Together, the 15 chapters in this book show you the ins and outs of craigslist and online marketing so that you'll be able to create standout listings that grab attention or quickly find whatever you need. Before long, you'll be telling your friends about all the successful deals you've made using craigslist.
Conventions Used in This BookI've tried to make this book entertaining and easy to read. It shouldn't require any coaching, but you might find it helpful to know how specific types of information are presented.
Capitalization and Special Formattingcraigslist doesn't follow standard rules of capitalization. Craig purposely chose not to capitalize the craigslist name or any titles used on the site, and I've followed his lead in this book.
Because many of the craigslist section names, category names, and so on are ordinary words, I've used a special format for onscreen items to help distinguish them from regular text. For example, when you read about the community section, the special formatting of the word community indicates that you'll be able to click that word on the craigslist screen—in this case, to go to the main community page. For simplicity, this book uses that special formatting for any craigslist screen item you can click or select, including menu items, buttons, and links.
Web Page AddressesThere are many web addresses in this book, including sites that offer valuable information to help you make better use of craigslist. If the site requires the World Wide Web (www) designation to be typed, I've included it in the web page address; otherwise, I've left it out. For example, you could type either of the following to get to the web page for this book:
http://www.craigslist4everyone.com
http://www.craigslist4everyone.com
Technically, either address should start with http:// (as in http://www.craigslist4everyone.com). Because Internet Explorer, Firefox, and most other web browsers automatically insert this part of the address, however, you don't have to type it—and I haven't included it in any of the addresses in this book.
Special ElementsYou'll also come across a few special elements in this book that provide additional information to supplement the main text. These elements are designed to make your learning faster, easier, and more efficient.
Note - An Info note includes useful information that will help you to better understand or make better use of the text you're reading.
Caution - A Warning highlights information about a potentially dangerous situation. I don't use it lightly, so pay special attention when you come across this type of item.
Let Me Know What You ThinkTip - A Tip is a helpful piece of information—a little trick, actually—that helps you increase the odds of success on craigslist.
I enjoy hearing from readers. If you have a question, a story to share, or something you just have to set me straight about, feel free to email me at c4e@craigslist4everyone.com. I read every email message personally and respond to as many as time permits.
If you want to learn more about what's happening on craigslist, take advantage of some free offers, and find out about any updates to this book, check out the website at http://www.craigslist4everyone.com.
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