Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.

People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!

Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.

Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.

Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.

After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.

Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.

Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.

Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.

Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.

Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.

It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.

Tip 4: Present your items neatly.

No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.

There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.

While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.

Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.

The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.

Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.

If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.

Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!

The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.

Let us all admit that whenever you work at home it does not take long for things to become chaotic. This is because having a company as well as a home lifestyle does not gel together. However, if it is always your wish to own your work at home business; here are five home based business strategies you can apply in order to get the success you are looking for.1. Organize Yourself and BusinessThe two main aspects your home based business must have are your work area, as well as your time. When there isn’t any method or organization in your company as well as your home living, it is possible for you to be completely stressed out 24 hours a day. You will not have a clear start or finishing time, plus your place of work will become a mess the whole day. Try to organize essential records in document folders, and put them in a filing cupboard. Additionally, when you are filing, cautiously carry out labeling for customers tax details, finances, building contractors, providers, and so on. Keep things to do list on your own desk throughout the day, and tick them as soon as the task is completed.Even when your customers know that you work at home; there needs to be fix working hours when you can be reached. One example is, if someone is generating an income on the internet they should remember to supply a get in touch with form so that people can contact them on a twenty-four seven (24/7) service, By doing this they will set up their online business boundaries so that they won’t be getting phone calls through the entire evening hours. An additional way to make sure that company message or calls remain inside the appropriate perimeters is to arrange an independent business telephone line that has an answering machine. This allows you to keep track of messages or calls that occur after working hours without you getting trapped in using the telephone 24 hours a day.2. Telephone AppointmentsTry to keep your appointments regardless of whether it is face-to-face or via the telephone. Collect all relevant details about your customer prior to making the phone call. You see, the consumers will know if you are rushing about for documents or someplace apart from your working environment. Choose a peaceful location for your business phone calls so that your calls are free from background disturbances such as children crying, and so on. In most cases your customers will have an understanding of when they hear your children talking (at the back) a couple of times, however, if this takes place frequently some customers may doubt your professionalism and trust.3. Develop a Professional PictureUse items such as letterheads, pamphlets, business cards, custom-made labelling, and so forth to create a professional picture of your work at home enterprise. Items that are printed using your company logo will enable consumers, and colleagues to realize that you are seriously interested in helping them. Should you have an internet site, make sure that you add the address of your website to your letterhead and envelopes. Use pamphlets to generate more income by publishing a diverse pamphlet for every service or product range offered. Remember e-mail advertising, and post cards to past clients. These things are not only inexpensive, but they are very effective if you want to send birthday celebrations, special deals, promotions, vacations, recommendations, and so forth to your customers.4. Send Out Express Thanks Cards to Customers Cards written by hand to say thank you continues to be valuable in developing devotion and confidence with consumers. These small express thanks cards can do a lot, but they must not be utilized to market your up coming deals. Just compose a basic note saying thanks for his or her business; write the envelope with your own writing (not typed), and post it two or three days following a purchase of your product. You will be amazed at just how much this simple action can boost your consumers trust in you.5. Maintain Accurate Documents Keep a documentation of everything that happens in the business; such as things that takes place from day-to-day, or once a week objectives, to company accounts due, and company accounts receivable information. Even if you are not hectic, you must maintain accurate documents every day to guarantee organization once your company increases. In case you have numerous employees, it is better to employ a pay-roll accountant to maintain personnel pay out, and income taxes. An accountant also can help with general business financial situation, and taxation all through the year as your home based business develops.Since you learn to generate money with a home based business, understand that working at home isn’t a lot diverse from other companies. With the right organization, and marketing your home based work at home business is likely to develop, and become successful.