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How To Get Free Advertising For Star Wars Collectibles

By: Lisa Devoto

Break Studios Contributing Writer

If you want to get rid of those toys that you have stored in mom's attic for the last 25 years, then you should learn about how to get free advertising for Star Wars collectibles. Consider using the following venues to get free advertising for Star Wars collectibles.

  1. Advertise on Craigslist. Consider using Craigslist.org to reach people interested in Star Wars collectibles. The website has a section specifically devoted to collectibles, so you can post images of your old Darth Vader helmet box and Chewie action figures for all interested buyers. The website allows you to name your own price and provide information to local buyers about the collectibles for free.
  2. Sell collectibles on eBay and Amazon. When you sell your collectibles on large, national websites like eBay.com or Amazon.com, you get instant, free advertisement. Because so many people who are interested in collectibles use these online marketplace sites, you can have a lot of traffic to your auctions, especially if you have rare items. The main disadvantage of selling for these sites is that you will have to ship your items all over the country.
  3. Attend Star Wars collectibles conventions. Even though it may cost money to be a vendor at one of these conventions, it does not hurt to do a little social networking at a Star Wars convention. You can show interested collectors pictures of your collection, or simply talk to people to see what they do to get free advertising for Star Wars collectibles. Simply getting a few email addresses or phone numbers of collectors can make the trip worthwhile.
  4. Utilize social networking. Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook allow you to reach out to old friends or colleagues who you may not normally speak to. This online "word of mouth" can translate to increased earnings. Even if your friends are not interested in Star Wars, they may have other friends or family members who are.
  5. Join an online Star Wars community. If you are not already part of an online community related to Star Wars collectibles, join one. These communities can alert you to trends in advertising and selling collectibles. There you can get free advertising for Star Wars collectibles and meet with people who are genuinely interested in collecting.
  6. Put up local signs. If you run a local business or simply want to sell your collectibles from your home, you can put up flyers or signs around town. These signs should say what you have available, what the price range is and where interested buyers can contact you for more information. Just make sure that it is legal to place flyers in any given area before you put them up.
  7. Write a blog about your collection. Websites like WordPress.com allow users to create free blogs. You can create a blog about your collectibles on a website like this in order to show people what you have to offer. You can easily send someone to look at your blog, while it may be more difficult to describe your collection to someone on the spot.
  8. Mention your collection as part of your email signature. You probably shouldn't start sending out emails about your collectibles to every email address you can think of, but you can mention your business as part of every email. You can set up a "signature" that will be attached to every email that you send out with information about your Star Wars Collectibles. This can help to get the word out to everyone you keep in touch with.
  9. Advertise on online message boards. If you, like many others, are an active member of an online community, feel free to let your online buddies know that you are selling your Star Wars collectibles. As long as you do not spam this information, people will likely show interest. At the very least, they should not be annoyed by your advertisement if your post is tactful.
  10. Tell friends in person. There is no harm in telling a close friend or family member about your venture in person or on the phone. Do not contact someone just to tell them about your business, however. Instead, weave the information into conversation fluidly, as you would when telling a friend about anything new in your life.
Posted on: Jun. 27, 2010