Are you looking for things to sell on Etsy? If you are looking to start your own business and work from home, then starting your own Etsy store can be a great way to earn extra income from home. Last year, around 7,500,000 sellers from around the world sold items on Etsy, and there were…
Are you looking for things to sell on Etsy?
If you are looking to start your own business and work from home, then starting your own Etsy store can be a great way to earn extra income from home.
Last year, around 7,500,000 sellers from around the world sold items on Etsy, and there were over 96,000,000 active Etsy buyers around the world.*
Many, many people shop on Etsy every single day for both themselves and to find gifts to give to others. I shop on Etsy frequently for gifts, in fact! I like how I can find something a little more personal and fun by shopping on Etsy.
And, many others feel the same way too!
This is where you come in.
If you are interested in starting an Etsy store and selling items online, then this is a great place to start. Today, I want to talk about what to sell on Etsy as well as answer some common questions that you may have.
Whether you want to make a part-time income or a full-time income, Etsy can be a great platform to allow you to start your own business and work from home.
The average income on Etsy is around $40,000 to $50,000 each year, but there are also many, many Etsy sellers who are making well above that.
Of course, this depends on many factors, such as the type of item you are selling, the amount of work you are putting toward your Etsy store, how you’re getting traffic to your Etsy shop, if you have a team of people working for your Etsy store, and more.
Here are 16 things to sell on Etsy.
Below, I am going to list 16 different things you can sell on Etsy. There are links to actual tutorials that will show you how to make items such as a rug, earrings, a hat, soap, and more.
There are many different categories of items that you can sell on Etsy, so the list of things to sell on Etsy definitely does not end here. There are many different kinds of Etsy shop owners all around the world selling millions of items.
Printables
You can make and sell printables to sell on Etsy, and you don’t even have to ship anything. Your customers would be downloading printables, and you can sell them an unlimited amount of times.
You can create and sell printables for all sorts of things and events, such as holidays (Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, and more), graduation parties, baby showers, educational (teacher) printables, bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, grocery shopping, digital planners, journals, invitations, banners, wall art, jar labels, gifts, and more.
You can learn more at How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy.
Stickers
You can sell both printed and printable stickers online.
Stickers are extremely popular right now and will most likely be for years to come. Stickers are used for so many different reasons, and you don’t need a ton of equipment to start a sticker business.
You can learn more at How To Make $1,000+ A Month Selling Stickers Online.
Canva Templates
You can create Canva templates to sell and make money all from your home – and never have to ship a thing.
Creating Canva templates can be a great way to make extra income because you just need to create the templates once, and you can sell them an unlimited amount of times.
A Canva template is a graphic design template that you sell to people who are looking to make an ebook, presentation, planner, and more.
You can learn more at How I Make $2,000+ Monthly Selling Canva Templates.
Pom Pom Rug
Household items and home decor, such as rugs, are fun items to sell on Etsy. There are many different designs and household items that you can make and sell, as buyers are wanting something unique.
Learn how to make a Pom Pom Rug here.
Fabric Divided Basket
Fabric-divided baskets are a great organization tool, and I have a few that are in constant use! I know many other people who have bought these as well.
For example, I use one as a diaper caddy, and I find it to be much more useful than having a big diaper cart or drawer. There are many other uses as well for a fabric basket!
Learn how to make a Fabric Divided Basket here.
Bath Bombs
Bath bombs are a fun Etsy item to make and sell and are a popular item to buy as well. This is because they make a quick and easy gift, which makes it a great item to sell on Etsy.
Learn how to make bath bombs here.
Quick And Easy Wreath
Learn how to make this modern quick and easy wreath. You can make custom wreaths year-round and take advantage of all of the different seasons like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and more.
Learn how to make a DIY wreath here.
Crochet Hand Towel
Handmade hand towels are popular items on Etsy. These towels are relatively easy to make for beginners and easy to whip up.
Learn how to make a crochet hand towel here.
Oatmeal Honey Soap
Self-care items, such as soap, are great items to sell on Etsy. Other items related to self care may include lip balm, lotion, and massage oils.
Soap looks like such a fun item to make and sell on Etsy, and people love buying bars of soap! Again, this can make a great gift for others, so they sell easily on Etsy.
Learn how to make oatmeal honey soap here.
Sweaters
Clothing items are popular on Etsy, whether they are handmade or vintage.
A sweater is probably one of the more difficult items to make and sell on Etsy, so you will want to make sure that you price it correctly according to your time and the amount you are spending on materials.
Learn how to make a sweater here.
Boho Earrings
There are many different kinds of earrings that you can sell on Etsy, and homemade jewelry is a very popular item to buy on the website.
Jewelry is something I look for all the time on Etsy, and this is because I love how there are so many different and unique items for sale on the Etsy platform.
Plus, they make for great and meaningful gifts. Many people like to shop around on Etsy for jewelry gifts for their loved ones!
Learn how to make boho earrings here.
Fluffy Slime
Slime is a favorite of many, and it is a fun and popular item to sell on Etsy. You can see a bunch of examples of slime for sale on Etsy here.
Slime is a very popular item to buy, especially for kids. It is also fairly easy to create slime and you can easily make it at home.
Learn how to make fluffy slime here.
Clay Earrings
Clay earrings are quite popular on Etsy. You can get really creative with clay earrings and make all different kinds of shapes and colors.
Learn how to make clay earrings here.
Earrings
Here’s another fun pair of earrings that you can make at home to sell on Etsy. There are so many different styles that you can get started making!
Learn how to make earrings here.
Crochet Hat
Crochet items are popular to buy on Etsy, which means that it may be a great item for you to sell on Etsy. This is a hat pattern in sizes from toddler to adult, and there are many other types of hats that you can make and sell on Etsy as well.
Learn how to make a crochet hat here.
Macrame Coasters
Macrame projects are incredibly popular on Etsy and a hot seller. You can even branch out into selling macrame wall hangings, plant holders, dresses, bookmarks, and so many other items.
Learn how to make macrame coasters here.
Common questions about selling on Etsy
I’m sure you have questions about selling on Etsy. Below are the answers to questions such as:
What is Etsy?
What sells easiest on Etsy?
What are the best selling items on Etsy?
Is selling stuff on Etsy profitable?
How do beginners sell on Etsy?
How much does it cost to sell on Etsy? What percentage does Etsy take?
How can I find customers for my Etsy shop?
What is Etsy?
So, what is Etsy? That is a great question! Etsy is an online marketplace that was started in 2005 where you can buy and sell items from handmade items to craft supplies to vintage items.
Etsy has over 120,000,000 items listed on their marketplace and is an online website for buying handmade and vintage goods.
Etsy items are sold directly from the seller – this means that it’s different from Amazon because there is no Etsy warehouse. Instead, you would be delivering the product to the buyer.
What sells easiest on Etsy?
There are many items that you can sell on Etsy such as:
Printables
Stickers
Planners
Clothing
Homemade jewelry
Soap
And so much more. Etsy shoppers buy many different types of items, so you can see what fits you the best.
What are the best selling items on Etsy?
Best selling items are constantly changing, but they are typically items such as knitting patterns, printables, stickers, wedding items, handmade jewelry, and more.
Thanks to websites such as eRank and Marmalead, you can conduct research to see what product keywords that shoppers are searching for on Etsy.
With sites like these, you can even see who your competitors are and their daily sales, view the latest trending items, conduct research on search engine optimization, and more.
Is selling stuff on Etsy profitable?
Yes, selling stuff on Etsy can be profitable. Some items will have a higher profit margin than others, such as digital products that you don’t have to ship.
To be profitable on Etsy, you will want to see what is actually selling on Etsy (after all, you don’t want to make a bunch of things to sell only to find out that no one is buying them), make sure that you are pricing your items correctly (take a look at your competition!), take good photos of the items you are selling, get traffic to your Etsy store (such as with Etsy SEO and social media), and sell a quality product so that you can get good reviews from your customers.
Is it hard to make a living on Etsy?
Just like with any business, selling on Etsy will take hard work. Not everyone will see success, and you will need to make a plan in order to become a successful Etsy small business.
How do beginners sell on Etsy?
Etsy can be a great place to get started as it is very easy to open a shop on Etsy. Plus, Etsy has built-in traffic from customers simply searching their platform for things to buy.
Here’s a quick look at how to get started on Etsy:
Create an Etsy account
Choose a shop name
Create your first listing and build your inventory
Decide how you want to be paid (credit card, debit card, Paypal, etc.)
You can learn more about how to sell on Etsy by clicking here.
How much does it cost to sell on Etsy? What percentage does Etsy take?
Opening a small business on Etsy has a lot of positives, so they do charge a listing fee.
You can list your first item for only $0.20, and you only pay the transaction and payment processing fees (6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee) when you make a sale. You will want to think about these Etsy fees when determining the price of the product that you will be selling.
There is also a 15% Offsite Ads fee, and this is when Etsy pays to advertise your items across the internet (such as Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Instagram). You only pay this fee when you make a direct sale from one of these ads, though.
Don’t forget the shipping cost as well. If you have a product that you will be physically shipping, you will want to think about what your shipping fee is.
How can I find customers for my Etsy shop?
There are many ways to get traffic and views to your Etsy shop so that customers will purchase your items.
The ways include getting found by Etsy search (when someone types what they are looking for directly into Etsy), making a visually appealing Etsy shop, sharing on social media (such as Pinterest), and more.
There are Etsy Ads as well, which is a way to advertise your products directly on Etsy. You can set your budget and choose what you want to advertise.
One fun way that I’ve noticed Etsy sellers attracting customers to their shop is by showing the process of creating your product in a short video on Instagram or TikTok. For example, there are people who record themselves making earrings or slime and posting it on their account for their business – people love watching these types of videos.
Here are some examples:
Also, remember that the photos you take of the items you sell on Etsy are so very important. This is what will help you stand apart from your competition, and it is also the only thing that your potential customers get to really look at! If your photos are not good, then they will simply go to the next shop.
What to sell on Etsy
I hope you enjoyed today’s article on what to sell on Etsy.
The list does not end here either.
There are so many other things to sell on Etsy as well, such as paintings, artwork, handmade jewelry (such as necklaces, rings, and bracelets), decorations, invitations, beads, yarn, knitting patterns, clothing, pet supplies, notebooks, furniture, pillows, party decorations, accessories, wedding products, mugs, socks, personalized gifts (such as engraved items), candles, craft kits, toys, and more.
The list is endless.
Etsy shoppers are looking for all different kinds of items to buy.
Cecilian Partners, a proptech firm that offers comprehensive digital solutions for home builders and land developers, has successfully raised $11 million in its first institutional equity round led by Resolve Growth Partners. This funding will enable Cecilian to accelerate product innovation, expand its workforce in crucial areas, and further enhance its customer success team.
John Cecilian, Jr., the company’s co-founder and CEO, expressed his excitement and validation upon receiving the term sheet from Resolve Growth Partners:
“This investment transitions us from a ‘scrappy start-up’ to a focused organization positioned to win. We are grateful to the team at Resolve and ready to accomplish meaningful growth and customer expansion.”
Despite a recent decline in early-stage funding, Resolve selected Cecilian Partners after conducting extensive due diligence and evaluating numerous SaaS companies. They were impressed by Cecilian’s impressive revenue growth, proven business model, and a clear path to profitability.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with John and the rest of the team at Cecilian Partners to build the category-leading platform for land developers and home builders,” said Resolve co-founder and Managing Partner Chris Rhodes. “This market has traditionally been underserved by technology. Cecilian offers a first-of-its-kind solution to help its customers transform their businesses through digitization and a true partnership approach.”
Since its establishment in 2019, Cecilian Partners has focused on serving the rapidly growing new homes segment in residential real estate. Their innovative software suite streamlines the land and property development process, consolidating data, automating manual tasks, and providing an enhanced customer experience throughout the homebuying journey.
Cecilian’s revenue tripled in the past year, surpassing the typical growth rate for early-stage SaaS companies. Additionally, their client base expanded by 65%. The company now serves builders and developers across multiple states, boasting over 75 clients in Texas and Florida alone, where nearly one-third of all new homes in the US are constructed.
In addition to securing funding, Cecilian was recognized for its achievements throughout the year. They were included in the HousingWire TECH100 list, honored with a PHL Inno Fire Award, and acknowledged as one of the best places to work in the greater Philadelphia area.
With Resolve’s support, Cecilian will accelerate its pace of product innovation and talent acquisition. They will also benefit from Resolve’s financial expertise and experience in building successful SaaS companies. As part of this strategy, the company’s Board of Directors will undergo restructuring, with Chris Rhodes and Rocco Natalicchio from Resolve joining the board. Stephanie McCarty, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Taylor Morrison, and Ned Moore, co-founder and CEO of Clutch, will continue to serve on the board, bringing their expertise in real estate development and SaaS markets, respectively.
Stephanie McCarty expressed her belief that Cecilian Partners is well-positioned to drive innovation in the new home construction industry. She highlighted the company’s expansive suite of products, which can address outdated processes and longstanding challenges, ultimately enhancing the experience for customers, builders, and developers.
With Resolve’s investment, Cecilian will rapidly expand its team by hiring key roles in business development, in-house technology and research, customer success, and marketing. These new hires will help capture growth opportunities, drive innovation, improve client support, and increase brand visibility across the country. Over the next 12-15 months, Cecilian plans to increase its workforce by 50%, with additional staff based in Chicago, Dallas, Raleigh, and their headquarters in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
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Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
Hate cold calling? Hear how to ditch it entirely on this podcast with organic-lead-gen expert Charlie Cameron. Charlie generated an incredible amount of real estate business incredibly fast, and it was very inexpensive. Today, he shares the low-cost tech tools and proven strategies that helped make it happen. Discover how he built a booming Facebook group, how he consistently ranks above competitors on Google, and more on this Real Estate Rockstars!
Listen to today’s show and learn:
About Charlie Cameron [0:54]
“Easy money” [2:20]
Getting clients from a Facebook group [3:25]
You don’t have to cold call [4:54]
How NOT to fail at Facebook groups [6:37]
Ways to help your Facebook group grow [8:46]
Charlie’s follow-up process for Facebook leads [12:44]
How much business Charlie gets from his Facebook group [19:22]
Attracting clients and agents with blogging and SEO [20:43]
How to ensure potential clients find you online [27:42]
Ways to get ahead with organic lead gen now [30:14]
Charlie’s content-machine goal [36:44]
Advice on picking a platform for your content [38:11]
Charlie Cameron’s advice for real estate agents [44:56]
Charlie Cameron
Real estate super nerd, family man and veteran! I’m passionate about real estate and obsessed with helping others win and with continuous growth.
Charlie Cameron is a Dad, military spouse, and Air Force veteran (turned reservist) who found a passion for real estate while serving. Thanks to real estate—largely eXp Realty and investing—he was able to transition out of Active Duty military service to focus on real estate! People and real estate are his passions, and helping other succeed is what he finds most rewarding.
Charlie enjoys mentoring growth-minded agents the most. At this time, he is growing an international real estate team, building a local military-focused real estate team along the Florida Panhandle, and scaling an as-passive-as-possible real estate portfolio of short term rentals, residential assisted living, and more! He is also an Air Force Reservist in a part time capacity (2 weeks a year) as a weapon program manager.
By leveraging teams, systems, automation, and intentional task prioritization, Charlie is able to prioritize his most important thing: living in the moment with family & friends!
Current lines of effort:
Grow international real estate team: help other real estate agents become successful, grow their leads and business, create multiple income streams, and achieve financial freedom. Team growth achieved through blog and content creation.
Lead a local military-first real estate team: though long term low effort client attraction efforts, Charlie provides clients to his local military focused team to work and close!
Scale a real estate investment portfolio: real estate investing is best investing!
Charlie has a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Industrial Engineering from New Mexico State. He starting investing in real estate while serving in 2017 by STARTING with 8 apartments which he self managed. After scaling a small multifamily portfolio he transitioned and 1031 exchanged into a self managed short term rental portfolio, all of which he managed from afar. Recently he has pivoted again into the residential assisted living niche. Charlie partners on just about every investment deal he does.
Charlie spent 11 years on Active Duty, as an engineer and officer developing, testing, and managing cutting edge weapons systems programs to ensure the Air Force stays undefeatable! He led hundreds of tests and ran hundreds of million dollar a year programs and contracts developing, acquiring, and testing new weapons for the warfighter. During that time, he also served as a USAA Advisory Panel Member, providing direct feedback on bank and insurance products as a military member to the board of directors. In a past life, he has also been a Firefighter, EMT, and lifeguard.
Charlie is a nerd who loves to tinker and find new ways to grow and implement things in his businesses. While he wishes he was able to focus on only one business, he knows now that resistance is futile and he must find ways to grow multiple lines of effort without consuming more time!
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Collecting and trading Pokémon cards has been a popular hobby since the 1990s for both children and adults. In fact, as a kid, I was obsessed with Pokémon cards. I enjoyed opening new packs, collecting cards, and trading with my friends. And, I know I’m not alone. So many people have enjoyed Pokémon cards over…
Collecting and trading Pokémon cards has been a popular hobby since the 1990s for both children and adults.
In fact, as a kid, I was obsessed with Pokémon cards. I enjoyed opening new packs, collecting cards, and trading with my friends. And, I know I’m not alone. So many people have enjoyed Pokémon cards over the years as well.
As the value of certain cards continues to rise, finding the best places to sell your collection of Pokémon cards is more important than ever.
Whether you’re looking to make some extra cash, simply downsize your Pokémon card collection, or if you are decluttering everything you own and find a long lost box of childhood mementos, knowing where and how to sell your Pokémon cards can be important to make the most money.
In this article, I’ll discuss some of the best places to sell Pokémon cards online and locally and provide tips on how to price and present your cards in the best way.
Quick Summary
Identify and evaluate the value of your Pokémon cards before selling. Some cards are worth way more than others. For example, one card may be worth $0.10, and another may be worth over $100,000.
Look at your different selling options to see how you can get the most money.
Learn effective selling tips and strategies for presenting your cards to potential buyers.
How To Sell Pokemon Cards
Selling your Pokémon cards can be an exciting and profitable way to make money, especially if you have rare, holographic, or near-mint-condition cards in your collection.
To help you make the most profit, follow these tips to find the best places to sell your Pokémon cards. Before starting your Pokémon cards selling journey, it’s important to know your cards’ condition, rarity, and type.
Related: How I Made $40,000 In One Year Selling Items
Near-mint cards with no creases, scuffs, or whitening edges tend to have a higher value. Also, rare and holographic cards, like the famous Charizard, are highly wanted by fans, collectors, and trading card game enthusiasts, making them valuable in the Pokémon card market.
To figure out how rare your Pokémon card is, look for the symbols in the bottom right corner of your card and if you have a lot of cards, then you should become familiar with the Pokémon card rarity indicators, as well as the different sets and booster packs in which your cards were released.
For more accurate valuations, you may even look for professional grading services, such as Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). They evaluate and grade cards based on their condition, ensuring buyers of their authenticity and quality.
If you’re selling Pokémon cards online, make sure to take clear, high-quality pictures that showcase your cards’ condition, as this will give potential buyers a better idea of what they’re purchasing.
By following these tips and tricks, you’ll be prepared to sell your Pokémon cards and get the most amount of money.
Best Places To Sell Pokemon Cards Online
There are many ways to sell Pokémon cards online. Here are some Pokémon selling sites to start with:
1. eBay
eBay is one of the most popular marketplaces for selling Pokémon cards due to its large reach of customers around the world.
I did a quick search on eBay and there are currently over 160,000 Pokémon cards for sale – so they definitely have a huge market!
You can choose to sell your cards through auctions or fixed price listings. When selling on eBay, be mindful of the seller fees and PayPal fees that will be deducted from your earnings. Shipping will also be another cost.
eBay is especially good for selling valuable cards, such as holographic cards or rare Charizard cards. To reach a wider audience and increase the chances of a successful sale, make sure you write detailed descriptions and add high-quality photos of your cards so that people are more likely to click on your listing.
2. Troll and Toad
Troll and Toad is an online store that specializes in collectible card games, such as selling Pokémon cards and they have been around for over 25 years.
They offer a buy list where you can sell your cards for cash or store credit. To sell on Troll and Toad, simply use their search bar to find the cards you want to sell, add them to your cart, checkout, and then ship your cards to them.
This is a great feature of Troll and Toad – the fact that you can see the exact cards they will accept and the exact amount that they will pay you for each Pokémon card. As you will learn below, many of the Pokémon card selling websites have this same feature, which is so helpful!
After you complete the list of cards that you plan on selling to them, you will print out an invoice that they give you, and then choose a payment method. Then, you will ship your box of Pokémon cards to them. Once they receive the package, they will verify the cards that you have sent to make sure they are in the correct condition as you stated. After that, they will pay you.
Troll and Toad also accepts Pokémon cards in bulk.
Keep in mind that they may be selective about the cards they accept, so it’s important to research and determine the value of your cards beforehand.
3. Mercari
Mercari is a site where you can quickly set up an account and start selling your used items, such as Pokémon cards. This site is not dedicated to just Pokémon cards, but they do have many listed and it is an easy option for Pokémon collectors.
There are well over 1,000 Pokémon cards listed on Mercari.
It’s important to create persuasive listings with photos and a relevant, detailed description, and include relevant keywords related to Pokémon cards. (Remember, they don’t just sell Pokémon cards, they also sell clothes and other items, so keywords are important!). Also, Mercari takes a minimum 10% fee from each sale you make on their platform.
4. TCGplayer
TCGplayer is a popular site with card game collectors in the U.S. and Europe.
People love selling on this site because they say it’s easy to use and they have great customer service.
To sell Pokémon cards on TCGplayer, simply list your cards on the TCGplayer marketplace, set your prices, and wait for potential buyers to purchase them. The marketplace handles the transactions, making the selling process easy.
Note: You will have to pay a commission fee of around 12–13% for each sale you make on TCGplayer, and you might also have shipping costs.
Here’s a quick guide on how to sell Pokémon cards on TCGplayer:
Create a seller account – You will need an account to get started selling Pokémon cards.
Set up your inventory – Once your seller account is created, you can start listing your Pokémon cards for sale. Enter details like the card’s name, set, condition, and quantity available.
Pricing your cards – Decide on the prices for your Pokémon cards. You can either manually set the prices or use TCGplayer’s automated pricing tool to match the market rates. TCGplayer has a pricing algorithm to help sellers be competitive and adjust prices based on the market demand.
Shipping options – Decide on the shipping options you will have for buyers.
Receiving payments – TCGplayer usually collects payments from buyers, processes the orders, and then deposits the money into your seller account. From there, you can withdraw your funds.
Maintain your inventory – Keep your inventory up to date. Remove sold items and add new ones to reflect the current availability of your Pokémon cards.
5. Card Cavern
Card Cavern is an online store that specializes in buying and selling Pokémon cards.
They have a straightforward buylist system where you can quickly find the cards they’re interested in and the prices they’re willing to pay.
Then, you ship your cards to them (they recommend purchasing tracking and insurance).
If you choose to sell your cards to Card Cavern, you’ll receive payment through PayPal or receive store credit, depending on your preference.
Their buy rates only apply to near-mint, English, tournament legal cards. You can send as many or as little Pokémon cards as you want to Card Cavern.
6. Dave & Adam’s
Dave & Adam’s is an online store for trading cards, including Pokémon cards, and it has been around for over 30 years.
They offer a buy list where you can see which cards they’re currently interested in purchasing. If your cards match their buy list, you can submit a sell request, ship your cards to them, and receive payment via check, PayPal, or store credit.
If you have a big collection, they will even travel to you.
7. Pokémon Facebook Groups
Pokémon Facebook Groups are communities of Pokémon card collectors and enthusiasts who use the platform to buy, sell, and trade cards. Pokémon Facebook Groups are exactly what you think – Facebook groups for Pokémon card collectors.
This can be a great place to sell your Pokémon cards because these groups are filled with people who are very interested in buying Pokémon cards.
These groups allow you to talk directly with fellow collectors and cater to various interests, such as specific regions, sets, or rarity levels.
To sell your Pokémon cards in these groups, make sure you follow group rules, post clear photos, and respond quickly to potential buyers’ inquiries.
8. CCG Castle
CCG Castle is a website that specializes in games since 2007.
They buy Pokémon cards that you no longer need and have a buy list on their site that will tell you exactly what they are accepting and how much they will pay you for it. They pay in either PayPal cash or store credit.
Best Places To Sell Pokemon Cards Near Me
If you’re looking to sell your collection or particular Pokémon cards, there are several options near you to consider. This section will cover the best local places where you can sell your cards, such as Facebook Marketplace, comic book stores, pawn shops, and Craigslist.
9. Facebook Marketplace
A popular and easy way to sell your Pokémon cards is through Facebook Marketplace. Nearly everyone has a Facebook account, so it can be easy for you to get started, and it allows you to connect with local buyers who might be interested in your cards.
Posting on Facebook Marketplace is simple, and you can include photos, descriptions, and set your price. Also, you can communicate with potential buyers through Facebook Messenger, making it easy to negotiate and set up a meeting location.
There are no listing fees when selling on Facebook Marketplace, which means that you get to keep everything you earn. But, you do have to handle everything yourself.
10. Local comic book stores
Comic book stores, particularly those that specialize in trading cards, card games, and board games, can be a great place to sell your collection.
Many local comic shops are interested in buying Pokémon cards to stock their inventory for other gamers and collectors.
You can visit stores in your local area, ask if they purchase Pokémon cards, and provide the store owner with a list or photos of your cards. They may make an offer on the spot or ask you to come back later. Remember, each comic store is different, so it’s a good idea to try a few stores near you to compare offers and don’t stop at just one.
11. Pawn shops
Another option to consider is pawn shops.
Pawn stores are known for buying various items, including sports cards and collectibles like Pokémon cards. Take your cards to a few pawn shops near you and see if they’re interested in buying your collection.
Keep in mind that pawn shops usually offer lower prices than other options (this is because selling Pokémon cards is not their sole business), but they can be a quick and convenient way to sell more popular cards.
12. Craigslist
Craigslist is a site for buying and selling various items locally – I’m sure you’ve heard of it. You can create a detailed listing for your Pokémon cards, including pictures, descriptions, and asking prices.
Interested buyers in your area can contact you, allowing you to arrange a meetup in a safe and convenient location.
Craigslist is usually a little more difficult to sell Pokémon cards on and that is because this site does not specialize solely in Pokémon cards and is very localized.
Where to Sell Pokemon Cards in Bulk
Selling your Pokémon cards in bulk may be something that you are interested in if you simply don’t have the time to look each one up.
When selling your Pokémon cards in bulk, it’s important to find the right platform. In this section, we’ll focus on three popular options: Full Grip Games, Safari Zone, and Sell2BBNovelties. With their unique offerings and easy-to-sell process, these companies can help you get the most value for your collection if you simply don’t have the time or have too many cards to sort through.
13. Full Grip Games
Full Grip Games is a local game shop in Ohio that buys bulk Pokémon cards online and in person.
At Full Grip Games, they make it easy for you to sell your bulk cards in increments of 100 or 1,000. Also, they accept rares and other card types as well. To make things simpler for you, their website has a bulk buy list that breaks down all the packs and cards they accept along with individual prices.
To get started, follow these easy steps:
Click on the “Buylist Instructions” link on their website.
Choose their full singles buylist or their bulk buylist.
Select the cards in your collection according to the buylist.
Review the pricing and total value of the cards submitted.
Once done, send the cards following their shipping instructions.
Once they receive your bulk cards, it will take them around one week to go through them. For the cards they accept, you can get paid via PayPal, store credit (you will get a 30% bonus if you choose the store credit option), or check via USPS mail.
14. Safari Zone
Safari Zone is another great option to consider for selling your Pokémon cards in bulk. They accept a wide range of cards, but they do need to be in near-mint condition.
Here’s what you should do to sell your cards on Safari Zone:
Create an account on the Safari Zone website.
Review the cards they purchase on their buy list.
Enter the card details.
After submitting the card information, you’ll receive a quote for your collection.
Ship your cards to Safari Zone, and they will process your payment after validating the cards.
Safari Zone only pays via store credit.
15. Sell2BBNovelties
Sell2BBNovelties is a website that has been around since 1999 that specializes in toys and collectibles, such as Pokémon cards.
They have an easy platform to sell your Pokémon cards in bulk and accept various card types, including rares, holographic, and common/uncommon cards.
To sell your Pokémon cards on Sell2BBNovelties, simply:
Go to their website and click on the “Buying Prices” tab.
Select the cards you’re selling according to their buying list.
When you’re ready, submit the form. You’ll receive a confirmation email with the total value of the cards and further instructions.
Ship your cards to Sell2BBNovelties, and they will process your payment upon receiving and verifying your cards.
You can receive payment for the cards they accept in either PayPal cash or store credit.
How to Make a Website to Sell Pokemon Cards
If you have the time and a lot of cards, you may even be interested in starting a website to sell your Pokémon cards.
Creating a website to sell your Pokémon cards is a great idea to reach a wider audience and have lower fees. Of course, there will be more work in this because you will be managing everything yourself.
Choose a platform and create your design – Look for an easy-to-use platform to build your website – my favorite is WordPress. You will want to pick a clean looking design that customers can look at on both computer and phone. Most platforms have a variety of premade themes that you can use. You can also personalize your website by adding your logo, choosing colors that represent your brand, and adding images.
Organize your products – Categorize your Pokémon cards by sets, rarity, or other criteria that make sense for your target audience. Clear product descriptions and high-quality images of each card will help potential buyers too.
Set up payment and shipping – Choose a payment gateway to securely process transactions. Options like PayPal, Stripe, or Square are widely used and reliable. Choose shipping options and rates based on your preferred carriers and shipping destinations.
Create valuable content – In addition to listing your Pokémon cards, consider creating helpful content such as blog posts or videos that add value to your website and attract more readers and buyers. Providing informative content will establish you as an expert in the field and help drive traffic to your site.
Promote your website – Use social media, search engine optimization (SEO), or even paid advertising to increase page views to your website.
Related: How To Start A Website Free Course
Pokemon Card Selling Tips and Strategies
Selling your Pokémon cards can be an exciting way to make extra money, but it’s important to have a little strategy so that you can make the most money and find the most buyers.
Here are some tips for selling your Pokémon cards successfully.
Determine the value of your cards. You should research how rare the card is, the origin, and the condition of your cards, as these factors will affect their worth. Keep an eye out for rare and valuable cards (such as first edition cards and illustrations), as these will attract more interest from collectors. Grading your cards can help with this process – professional grading services can rate the condition of your cards and encapsulate them in a case, increasing their value.
Consider where to sell your cards.There are numerous platforms for selling Pokémon cards online, such as eBay, where you can list your cards as single items or in an auction format. There are also more specialized Pokémon selling websites which are dedicated to trading cards. These sites often have dedicated communities of potential buyers who are very interested in Pokémon cards.
Write clear and accurate descriptions of your cards.You should always be clear and honest about your card’s condition. For example, are there any scratches or bends? Is there a tear or water damage?
Ship your cards carefully.Carefully package your Pokémon cards to protect your cards from damage during transit. You will want to keep your cards waterproof and not use rubber bands (rubber bands can damage the cards). Also, consider offering a tracking number and insurance to your buyer as an additional layer of security. Many of the Pokémon selling sites above have a very exact way they want you to ship the cards to them to prevent any damage, so be sure to see what their rules are.
By following these Pokémon card selling tips and tricks, you can increase the chances of finding the best places to sell your Pokémon cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common questions about selling Pokémon cards.
How do I know if my Pokemon cards are worth money?
So, how do you know if the Pokémon cards that you have are worth anything? Many people have Pokémon cards, probably stuffed in a box somewhere, or maybe you came across some.
Whatever your reason is, yes, your Pokémon cards may be worth something.
Knowing the value of your Pokémon cards is important before selling, and there are a few key things to think about.
First, look at the rarity symbols on your cards: a circle indicates a common card, a square represents an uncommon card, and a star denotes a rare card. These symbols help you determine the rarity of your cards and their potential worth.
The condition of your cards also plays a big role in their value. Cards in mint condition, meaning they have no visible wear or damage, are worth more than cards with minor imperfections. Holographic cards, especially in mint condition, can be more valuable.
To take it a step further, you could even get your Pokémon cards professionally valued and graded by a reputable company like PSA. Grading involves a professional inspection of your card’s condition, assigning a numerical grade based on factors such as centering, corners, edges, and surface. The higher the graded number, the better the condition and, often, the higher the value.
Keep in mind that while Pokémon cards typically have higher values, other trading card games like Yu-Gi-Oh can also be valuable. Make sure to research the prices of similar cards sold recently, and compare the condition of your cards to decide if they’re worth selling.
How do I sell Pokemon cards for cash?
To sell your Pokémon cards for cash, first organize your cards by set and look for rare ones to see what you have. Once you’ve prepared your collection, follow the selling instructions on your chosen platform.
You can sell your Pokémon cards online, locally near you, and even in bulk.
Where can I find buyers for my Pokemon cards?
You can find buyers for your Pokémon cards on online marketplaces, local card shops, and social media groups. Websites like eBay and TCGplayer are popular places for selling Pokémon cards, as well as community forums and local collector’s events.
What are some reputable websites to sell Pokemon cards?
There are many reputable sites to sell Pokémon cards as we discussed above, such as:
eBay
Troll and Toad
Mercari
TCGplayer
Card Cavern
Dave & Adam’s
Pokémon Facebook Groups
Full Grip Games
Safari Zone
Sell2BBNovelties
Where is the best place to sell Pokemon cards?
The best place to sell your Pokémon cards depends on your preferences. eBay gives you a worldwide market and you are probably already familiar with their platform.
TCGplayer and Troll and Toad specialize in trading card sales and have a lot of Pokémon cards for sale.
Pokémon Facebook Groups are a great way to connect with those interested in Pokémon cards, and there are no listing fees – but you would be dealing with people on your own and handling everything yourself.
Are there any local stores that buy Pokemon cards?
Some local stores, like comic book shops, game stores, and pawn shops, may buy Pokémon cards. You can call local stores to see if they buy cards before bringing your collection in person.
Can you sell Pokemon cards on Etsy?
Etsy is generally geared towards handmade and vintage items, so it’s not an ideal platform for selling Pokémon cards. It’s best to stick with platforms like eBay, TCGplayer, or Troll and Toad for selling trading cards.
I did a search for Pokémon cards on Etsy and it said there were 43,326 results, but I think many of these are for custom art, in that they would be turning a picture of you or your pet into a Pokémon card. So, not the same thing.
Can I sell Pokemon cards on eBay?
Yes, you can sell Pokémon cards on eBay. It is one of the most popular sites for selling Pokémon cards and it gives you control over pricing and listing options.
Can you sell Pokemon cards at GameStop?
GameStop typically does not buy or sell individual Pokémon cards.
Do pawn shops buy Pokemon cards?
Some pawn shops may buy Pokémon cards, especially if they are valuable or rare. Call your local pawn shops or visit them in person to inquire about their interest in buying Pokémon cards. Remember, they do not specialize in Pokémon cards and have a smaller market, so you may not get as much for your Pokémon cards at a pawn store.
What does TCG and CCG mean?
As you’re going through the sites above looking for one of the best places to sell your Pokémon cards, you may come across these two terms. CCG means collectible card game and TCG means trading card game.
How can I determine the value of my Pokemon cards?
Figuring out the value of your Pokémon cards involves considering factors like:
rarity
condition
age
Websites like TCGplayer and Troll and Toad provide price guides and historical sales information to help you estimate the value of your cards.
How do I check the value of my Pokemon cards?
Check the value of your Pokémon cards by researching on websites like TCGplayer, eBay, and Pokémon Price. These platforms can give you a good idea of the current market value for individual cards.
Do you need a license to sell Pokemon cards?
You generally do not need a license to sell Pokémon cards, unless you’re planning to sell them by opening an in-person store. Check your local regulations to make sure you’re following any required guidelines.
How much is Charizard Pokemon card worth?
Charizard cards vary widely in value and can be worth anywhere from $25 to over $50,000. The Charizard Pokémon card that is worth the most is typically a mint condition 1st Edition from the base set.
What Pokemon cards are worth more than $100?
Some Pokémon cards worth more than $100 include rare Pokémon cards, such as first edition holographic cards from the original sets, high-grade cards, misprints, and promotional cards like the Pokémon Illustrator card.
What is the most expensive Pokemon card?
The most expensive Pokémon card varies over time; some examples include the Pokémon Illustrator card, the 1st Edition Charizard, or unique, one-of-a-kind promo cards handed out during official Pokémon events. The rarest Pokémon cards obviously cost more money and sell for more.
According to TCGplayer, the most expensive Pokémon cards include:
Pokémon World Championships No. 2 Trainer Promo
No. 2 Trainer Toshiyuki Yamaguchi (2000)
Neo Genesis 1st Edition Lugia (2000)
Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer (1999)
Family Event Trophy Kangaskhan (1998)
Test Print Blastoise Gold Border (1998)
Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed Promo (2017)
Trophy Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze (1997)
Commissioned Presentation Blastoise Galaxy Star Holo (1998)
First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4 (1999)
Illustrator Pikachu (1998)
These were all sold for over $100,000 each.
Best Places To Sell Pokemon Cards – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on the best places to sell Pokémon cards and how to sell Pokémon cards for cash.
If you have Pokémon cards that you no longer want, there are many ways you can sell them. And, they may be worth a lot of money!
To figure out the value of the Pokémon cards that you want to sell, you’ll want to look at their rarity symbols, Pokémon card condition, grading (if applicable), and market comparisons. Understanding these factors will help you decide if your cards are worth selling and where to find the best prices.
Once your cards are sorted and evaluated, it’s now time to choose the best places to sell your Pokémon cards. Here are some popular options:
eBay – This site has millions of Pokémon cards sold every year. It’s a great place to find a worldwide audience, but remember to factor in shipping costs and eBay fees.
Facebook Marketplace and Pokémon Facebook Groups – Connect with local collectors or fans without worrying about shipping fees. This option may mean that you will meet the buyer in person.
Local comic shops – These stores can be an easy place to sell your cards, especially if they specialize in Pokémon cards or trading card games.
TCGplayer – Catering specifically to trading card game fans, this site has a dedicated space for buying and selling Pokémon cards.
Other options include Troll and Toad, Card Cavern, Dave & Adam’s, Sell2BBNovelties, pawn shops, and more.
Good luck selling your Pokémon cards!
What do you think is the best place to sell Pokemon cards for cash?
We have another proptech job opportunity to share, this one as Director of Marketing with Step1:
Who is Step1?
We are a small, funded startup getting ready to launch! For the last 9 months we’ve been interviewing our target market and developing the product. We are currently in a closed beta and almost ready to tell the world about ourselves! That is where you come in.
Who are you?
We are looking for an in-the-trenches leader (and doer) that has pragmatic startup blood coursing through their veins. You should be just as comfortable defining a go-to-market strategy as you are standing up landing pages. Here’s a bit more about you:
You have at least 5 years of experience.
You probably have strengths in digital, SEO & content marketing.
You’ve worked and thrived in startups before.
You may have never run a marketing department before, but if not, you were just one step away.
What is the role like?
In the role, your core responsibilities will be evolving our brand identity and defining and executing a digital marketing strategy from tip-to-stern. To accomplish this, you’ll have senior technical talent ready to help you implement your vision. And you’ll be working at a company that understands, respects, and prioritizes the value that marketing brings to the table. We’ll make sure that you have all you need to succeed.
So far, Building a Storybrand and Play Bigger have influenced our marketing strategy and plan. That strategy and plan is written in chalk, not stone, so we’d love to learn about what inspires you and your work as we think about shaping our future together.
We consider ourselves to be a pragmatic, kind, collaborative, and communicative team who takes pride in our work. We hope you are the same.
Sound good?
If this opportunity excites (and maybe even intimidates) you, then let’s continue the conversation. Email [email protected].
Marketing is an expense, but it can also be considered an investment in the success of your small business. When done correctly, it can build your brand, draw prospective customers to your website or store, and ultimately drive revenue.
To make the most of your marketing dollars and successfully promote your small business, you’ll want to avoid the following mistakes.
1. Not making market research a priority
Market research, one of the first stages in the marketing process, is used to confirm demand for your business’s product or service, identify its target market and assess competitors.
“If we think of marketing, it’s not only the promotion of services, the promotion only of products. It’s the creation of products. It’s the creation of services. It’s connecting with people,” says Islam Gouda, a marketing scholar and author. “As a small business, I want to understand how my customers are thinking about different aspects in terms of their wants or their needs.”
When researching your target market, consider the platforms and channels they frequent and market your business there.
”Make sure that you’re really focusing on how people are going to find you,” says Jennifer Fortney, president of Cascade Communication, a PR and marketing communications company based in Chicago. Beyond the largest, most popular platforms, Fortney suggests also looking into niche publications and local magazines.
2. Brand inconsistency
“Always have consistent branding across all your channels: your social media, your LinkedIn profile, your website, your brochures, your fliers, whatever it is,” says Vanessa Castillo Bell, a consultant for the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency. “Once you have consistent branding all across your channels, your customers will recognize your brand.”
Establish brand guidelines for the logos, colors, images and text you’ll use across your marketing materials. Consistent branding creates a brand identity that looks professional and can offer benefits such as increased customer trust and loyalty — which can all lead to higher revenue for your business.
3. Not having a clear website strategy
There are many platforms on which to market your business, but your website is especially important. “Businesses own their website. That’s their online home,” Castillo Bell says. Therefore, you have complete control over what information you provide and how.
Castillo Bell recommends learning search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and identifying keywords that your customers would use to search for your products and business. Including those keywords in blogs, newsletters, white papers, videos and other types of content marketing can help your website appear on search engine results pages and gain traffic. Optimizing your website for mobile — since many consumers search online using their phones — is another key step, Castillo Bell says.
You’ll also want to make important details about your business easily accessible to website visitors. “If you’re a local business, be very specific about your location, what areas you serve, and put all of that information on your website,” Fortney says.
Building an effective marketing strategy requires patience; however, a mistake many businesses make is that “they are looking for a quick process,” Gouda says. “They are looking to generate revenue on the spot. They do not wait for return on investment,” he says. Ultimately, “they confuse marketing and sales.”
In reality, the results from your marketing strategy may not be noticeable for months. Researching your target audience, creating consistent messaging in all your marketing materials and exploring free marketing ideas can all help you stay the course.
From Facebook and YouTube to Instagram, TikTok and many more platforms, social media is a great place to market your business. However, trying to build an online presence on multiple channels doesn’t guarantee success.
“Just because a social media outlet or a social media platform exists doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you stretch yourself too thin, you’ll do none of it well,” Fortney says. “Own one. Pick one that’s the best for your business and your product or service, own it.”
After you’ve become successful in managing one platform, consider whether you want to add another social channel to your marketing strategy.
6. Not utilizing free resources
Before paying consultants to help with your marketing strategy, “one resource you should take advantage of is your free agencies,” Castillo Bell says.
The U.S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Centers, Minority Business Development Agencies and community development financial institutions, as well as nonprofit organizations for women, minorities and veteran small-business owners, can all be good options when you need free or low-cost help with your marketing plan.
This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
Video marketing is kind of having a moment right now.
In the past, using video to market to consumers was the m.o. of big companies with a lot of money and manpower to throw around. That is, not really in reach for your average loan officer or realtor. Now, however, it’s easier than ever to create simple videos and get them in front of potential customers on your own.
Why add video to your marketing strategy?
Interest in video is growing fast, and it won’t stop any time soon. Last year, Facebook’s video viewership doubled from 4 billion a day to 8 billion—in just 7 months. The experts at Syndacast, meanwhile, predict that a whopping 74% of internet traffic will be video by 2017. Basically, all signs say that the next big trend in digital marketing is video. Combine that with the potential to increase conversions by up to 30%, and it’s a trend you want to be a part of.
SEO (search engine optimization) benefits are another point to consider. Put simply, Google likes to feed people the best content they can. When their search algorithm sees a multimedia page, like an informative blog with an accompanying video, they’re much more likely to recommend your page to searchers.
Think you’re on board with video? Great. In this guide, we’re going to assume you’re working on some kind of short informative video, but that isn’t the only option available to you.
Types of marketing videos
Filming without pinning down a format can set you up for a lot of wasted time in front of the camera. These are a few of the most common kinds of videos you’ll see.
FAQs address specific problems or questions a viewer might have, and are usually short, semi-scripted, and informative. You can also use a similar format to highlight certain products or give a demonstration.
Interviews involve a conversation, either between multiple people on camera or between one person speaking to another off camera. They work best when you have access to someone with a skill set or experience level that entices your audience.
Testimonials put your customers on screen to advocate for you. These sometimes have an interview-like format, though they may require more scripting.
Culture videos put you (and your company) front and center, giving customers a taste for who you are and why you do what you do with the help of dynamic music, candid footage, and smart voice-overs, interviews, or graphics.
Ads require a tight focus, careful scripting, and a clear beginning, middle, and end. They often cost more than other video options and will probably require the help of an outside production company.
Marketing video basics
Whether your video team is just a neighbor with a camera or a whole marketing department, it helps to have a firm handle on what goes into making a marketing video. While it can be a complex process, ultimately, you really only need a few basic things to get started:
A decent camera and microphone
Someone knowledgeable to man the camera for you
Access to video editing software
Good lighting
A quiet, non-distracting place to film
Of course, there are plenty of ways to step up your game. That can mean getting better equipment, springing for a green screen, or shooting b-roll (that is, relevant secondary footage you can cut in to demonstrate ideas or give viewers a break from primary footage).
If you’re just starting out and don’t have a large budget for video, keep it simple. There are plenty of services that help you make the most of the devices you already have and integrate easily with email. Bombbomb and Talk Fusion are two good places to start.
Where to use your video
Before you even start putting together a script, you need to decide where this video is going and how you plan to showcase it. That’s because what you put around the video needs to have some impact on the content of it—and vice versa—if you want to engage people.
Here are some common areas where companies use video (a few of which we’re already using at Total Mortgage):
Email. If you have any sort of email campaign in place, be it an extensive drip campaign set in motion by first contact or simple check-ins as a customer hits milestones, adding relevant and helpful videos can make your emails go farther. A lot farther. Video can increase email click-through-rate by up to 300%.
Home page. If your home page is lacking personality, a video can help add a human touch. Typically, these take the form of about us or product highlight videos, but don’t let that limit you. Just keep in mind one thing: your home page is prime real estate. It’s what potential clients and others interested in your business will see first. Whatever you choose to put here should be well-done and relevant.
Testimonial pages. If you have a great relationship with a satisfied borrower who has an interesting story to tell, a customer story video can be a helpful addition to your testimonial page.
Social media. If your video is informative, funny, or short and ad-like, you would do well to add sharing it on social media to any other plans you have for it. And that doesn’t mean throwing your video up on YouTube just in case. As we’ve already mentioned, Facebook is making moves to become a major player in the video content game, and with all that targeting data at their fingertips, it’s not hard to see why. Other social options, like Snapchat and Twitter can also help boost your signal.
Ad campaigns. If your business in on the larger side and you’ve already dipped your toes into the video pool with good results, it might be time to consider going bigger. You can use an ad pretty much anywhere–on your homepage, your about us, your social pages. If the quality is high enough, you can even look into advertising online or on tv.
Writing your script
To film a video right, it really helps to know in advance what the whole thing is about. That’s where a script comes in. Scripts help you plan out the dialogue of your video. They are also important for blocking out a video and deciding where your cuts and footage would make the most sense. Often, you’ll need to go through several drafts to find one you’re happy with. Here are a few more tips to help you get it right:
Start with your audience. You may have an idea for a great video, but unless someone wants to watch it, you’re out of luck. Before you settle on one idea, make sure you know who your audience will be. If you’re in the housing industry, this can mean anything from hesitant first-time buyers to satisfied past buyers willing to refer others.
Similarly, don’t try to appeal to everyone. This is fairly standard marketing advice, but it’s something you should still keep in mind when you’re coming up with a video concept. Even though the whole point of video may seem to be racking up that view count, you’re more likely to get leads from a small but targeted audience. So instead, tailor your video to fit a specific demographic.
Personality is important. If you’re going to go through the effort of putting yourself on camera, a vital part of doing the job right means giving viewers a feel for who are. Make sure you write the same way you speak with clients in person.
Getting in and out is the hardest part. Think about some of the low budget, small business videos you’ve seen over the last few years. Where do you always end up cringing the most? Yep, the beginning and the end, where awkward intros and abrupt fades-to-black reign. It’s easy to spend most of your time polishing the meaty parts of your video, but to avoid ruining an otherwise strong video, don’t forget about the transitions.
Keep your videos short. No matter how much footage you take, remember that viewers have short attention spans. Depending on the video, you should aim for between 30 seconds to 2 minutes—but shorter is always better.
Don’t worry too much about what you put on paper. Scripts change all the time. Sometimes what you have written down just doesn’t end up fitting. In some types of videos, like a Q&A session or a short interview, you’re probably going to want to skip the script all together and stick to some pre-chosen questions. This is especially true if you think you’re going to have difficulty speaking naturally on camera.
Tips for filming day
If you’re new to this whole video thing, you may not realize how much work goes into the filming alone. Here are a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind before you get in front of the camera.
Wear a solid-colored, non-green shirt. Patterns can be distracting on camera, and green may interfere with editing later on if you’re using a green screen.
Practice reading your script aloud before you start filming. As we’ve already mentioned, you want to sound as natural as possible in front of the camera. A read-through will help you pick out the places that trip you up and get used to speaking conversationally—that is, not too fast or too stilted.
Decide where you’re looking. Generally you’ll want to look directly at the lens, but depending on the video, you may need to look at an interviewer or something on screen.
Relax. The tenser you are, the more it’s going to show up in your voice and face. Try to pretend the camera is a person and talk to it, not at it.
Take a look at your takes as you finish each one. You’ll be able to see what you need to tweak in your next take.
If you’re working with a videographer, talk to them the day before. It’s likely they have some other tips and requirements that are more specific to the material you’re filming.
Next steps: editing your marketing video
Once you have all your footage, it’s time to edit.
Ideally, you’d have the help of whoever manned the camera, be they hobbyist neighbor or full-time videographer, but that’s not always an option. If you’re planning on editing your video yourself, this Hubspot post offers a breakdown on several free options for video editing software. This blog post from Wordstream also has some helpful knitty-gritty tips when it comes to things like lighting, editing, and music on the cheap.
Want more?
You can learn more about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers by checking out other articles in this series. If you’re in the housing industry, stop by our career portal to learn more about us as a company.
Revive is introducing “Revive Vision AI,” a cutting-edge listing tool powered by artificial intelligence for real estate professionals. This innovative tool combines computer vision with advanced machine learning to enable data-driven decision-making.
“Revive Vision AI” from Revive is an advanced pre-sale home renovation solution. This industry-first smart tool analyzes property photos to evaluate a property’s current value and renovation potential. It utilizes Revive’s renovation recommendation engine to provide estimates supported by local contractors, maximizing the value of property listings.
This marks a significant advancement in artificial intelligence tools available to real estate professionals. For the first time, agents can leverage the unmatched speed and efficiency of AI-powered insights backed by award-winning computer vision technology. This technology considers a home’s current condition to determine a more accurate current value and maximum potential value than traditional automated valuation models (AVM).
“Revive Vision AI” from Revive is the most advanced pre-sale home renovation solution. This industry-first smart tool analyzes property photos to evaluate a property’s current value and renovation potential. It utilizes Revive’s renovation recommendation engine to provide estimates supported by local contractors, maximizing the value of property listings.
Think of it as a smart comparative market analysis (CMA) combined with AI-powered automated valuation models (AVM), providing a detailed foundation for discussions and helping agents with their listing and pricing strategies.
Revive invites early adopters to use Revive Vision AI, currently in beta testing. Agents can join the waitlist to gain access to this comprehensive assessment tool. The tool provides a detailed plan and overview, including the estimated current market value of the property, the projected market value after renovations, a value-added potential score, a thorough renovation scope and budget, and a comprehensive renovation investment plan.
“Agents are the powerhouse of the real estate industry, and sellers expect them to be knowledgeable on all things real estate,” said Michael Alladawi, CEO and Co-Founder at Revive. “Revive Vision AI is an easy way for real estate professionals to present more detailed and accurate information to their clients in a digestible, easy-to-understand way,” he added.
The Revive Vision AI process is straightforward. Real estate agents upload at least ten photos of their client’s property into the Revive admin dashboard via the mobile app or desktop. Revive Vision AI then compares the subject property with similar homes in the area by analyzing photos available in MLS records. Advanced machine learning algorithms process the data obtained from photo analysis and comparative analysis. Revive Vision AI can accurately estimate renovation costs, potential market value, and projected return on investment. Finally, the AI tool will generate a report that provides investment insights and recommended home improvements.
Revive Vision AI provides all the essential information for real estate professionals and sellers to make informed decisions that align with their goals.
“Revive Vision AI is delivering what may be one of the most practical and valuable uses of AI in real estate available today,” said Dalip Jaggi, COO and co-founder at Revive, who spearheads its technology development, adding, “By leveraging computer vision and machine learning, we’re able to show homeowners how a pre-sale renovation may significantly increase their wealth. We are fundamentally improving the listing conversation real estate professionals will have with their clients, helping sellers make better decisions through real data.”
Revive’s latest breakthrough in real estate technology demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to helping real estate professionals deliver a better sales experience while assisting clients in maximizing the value of their homes. Revive has expanded its AI capabilities by increasing its development teams.
“This is only the beginning of how AI will be leveraged to help real estate agents and homeowners,” said Alladawi.
Real estate agents currently working with Revive can subscribe to the tool to access Revive Vision AI. Pricing details will be available soon. Agents can join a waitlist to be invited to participate in the program as it rolls out in phases.
Learn more about Revive Vision AI at www.revivevision.ai.
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Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
URBAN-X by MINI, in partnership with JVP, has announced the launch of its latest group of urban innovators focused on building critical climate technologies. The startups will offer solutions for problems related to real estate development, mobility, and energy management. These are:
Algoma: Collaborating with real estate developers to automate the delivery of zero-carbon buildings using AI.
HubOn: Offering affordable and eco-friendly transport for goods by partnering with retail shops as drop-off and pickup locations.
Blip Energy: Creating smart and affordable energy storage solutions to enhance energy equity and integrate millions of homes into the smart grid.
Upward: Collecting, storing, and analyzing building energy data to optimize operations and automate compliance.
Enspi: Transforming energy management with an efficient and sustainable proprietary platform that improves profitability.
Vy-Carb: Developing a fully-measured carbon management system to autonomously remove, store, and verify CO2 in water in real time.
These startups were carefully selected from over 160 applicants dedicated to creating more interconnected cities that enhance the quality of life for all.
This new cohort comes at a crucial time, as the recent record-breaking summer has highlighted the urgent need to reshape our climate trajectory in the face of extreme heat waves, wildfires, and floods. URBAN-X recognizes the significance of this challenge and remains committed to fostering sustainable, livable, and resilient cities by nurturing startups that offer impactful solutions.
Mike Peyton, President of MINI Business Innovations LLC and Vice President of MINI of the Americas, emphasized the importance of climate tech founders and startups in driving positive change in urban environments.
“MINI is committed to driving positive change in urban environments, and we see no better way forward than through the work of the emerging startups URBAN-X is supporting,” he said in a public statement.
Including these six startups in the URBAN-X program brings the number of graduated companies to over 100. Furthermore, over 87% of startups raise their next round of funding during or shortly after the program.
Throughout the four-month program, the startups will benefit from hands-on mentorship in various areas, such as customer engagement, product development, talent acquisition, and brand strategy. They will also gain access to URBAN-X’s extensive network of world-class experts in design, engineering, and branding from MINI, as well as office space in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Johan Schwind, Managing Director of URBAN-X, expressed enthusiasm for the companies comprising Cohort 13, noting that their innovative approaches build upon past work supported by URBAN-X.
“These solutions will drive us towards a better, more resilient future, and we are dedicated to helping scale them just as climate innovations are needed most in cities in the U.S. and across the globe,” he said.
To celebrate climate innovation, URBAN-X by MINI will be hosting a discussion on the future of mobility on September 18th as part of Climate Week NYC. For more details and to RSVP, please visit the event site.
Find me on:
Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
When it comes to marketing your real estate business, video is king. Global statistics from 2023 show that people watch videos for an average of 100 minutes a day, with millennials — the largest share of home buyers in the U.S. — spending 10 to 20 hours a week watching videos.
From short Instagram reels to long videos on YouTube, video is here to stay. Here are 13 video marketing best practices for your real estate business.
1. Understand your audience
Your video marketing strategy starts with your audience.
You wouldn’t show the same scary movie to a 5-year-old as you would a 25-year-old. Videos for your real estate business are no different.
Watch videos on YouTube aimed at luxury home buyers and compare it with ones tailored to first-time home buyers. Chances are good the script, the angles and the highlighted features will be very different.
Ask yourself:
Who am I selling to?
What are their priorities?
What do they need to know?
How can I meet their needs?
Create your videos accordingly.
2. Tell a story
It’s easy to click away from a boring video that rambles on and on without a point. To capture a viewer’s attention, you need to tell a story about the property you’re showing. The story might highlight the historical features of the home or explain how a starter home helped buyers build their lives together.
Whatever it is, tell a tale that keeps them on your page. Just like an in-person walkthrough, viewers need to see themselves in the home to imagine how they will make it their own.
3. Use better technology
If you are marketing a home with expansive grounds, beautiful architectural details or gorgeous scenery, invest in a drone and learn how to use it properly. Drones capture details that regular photos cannot. They also reveal the scope of a large property and illustrate clearly where outbuildings and other landmarks lie in relation to the main house and the homes around it.
4. Add virtual walkthroughs
Record and post virtual walkthroughs for potential buyers. Your written listing is easier to visualize if it’s accompanied by a narrated walkthrough, especially if the viewer can move and turn in each room. Virtual tours can also highlight the exterior of the home, plus neighborhood features and amenities.
5. Spend time in production
There’s a time and a place for a quick Instagram reel, but in some cases, you’ll need a beautifully produced video. Invest in good video equipment and spend time editing your footage. If it’s in your budget, then hire a professional videographer or purchase quality editing software.
6. Choose an appropriate length
Whether you’re posting drone tours, virtual walkthroughs or TikTok videos, size matters. In many cases, home buyers want to see short clips, not a 15-minute video. If each room in a listing deserves 15 minutes of fame, break it up into shorter clips. Aim for two-minute clips, especially on Instagram and TikTok. Try not to exceed five minutes.
7. Utilize SEO
Search engine optimization, which determines where a website appears on the search results page, is critical in the age of video. Most organic search results list the top three links as videos, and you want to be as close to the top of that list as possible.
On YouTube, this means:
Adding keywords in the description of the video
Naming your video with keywords
Tagging topics relevant to your video
Customizing a thumbnail
Captioning videos on Instagram and TikTok is also helpful, as is using relevant hashtags in the optimized comment section of the video.
8. Optimize for mobile
Because 99% of homeowners begin their search online, your videos must be viewable on a variety of devices. This means optimizing for mobile. Optimizing for mobile streamlines the content so it isn’t cluttered or hard to navigate on a smaller screen. Optimized videos won’t have lags, skips or take forever to load either.
9. Don’t forget a call to action
When a potential home buyer finishes watching your video, what do you want them to do? Most viewers wait for instructions, and if you don’t provide a call to action, they’ll keep scrolling. Consider directing viewers to contact information or asking a question and requesting answers in the comment section.
10. Share across platforms
Millennials loves YouTube, and Gen Z scrolls TikTok, but both are potential homeowners you want to reach. Market to different generations by sharing videos across platforms, where possible. For example, the same company owns Facebook and Instagram, meaning one simple click posts in both places.
You might need to tweak the description or add tags for different platforms, but sharing across the big three — YouTube, Facebook and Instagram — casts a suitably wide net for potential clients. Don’t forget to share videos with your email list, too.
11. Engage with viewers
Good or bad, the comment section of any video can be illuminating, heartbreaking and infuriating. Don’t ignore it. Engage in a professional way with the people who reach out to you. Many home buyers want to see how a real estate agent handles conflict and roadblocks. Engagement builds relationships and trust — exactly what you need to build your business.
12. Analyze and improve
Don’t post a video, answer a few comments and walk away. Use simple analytics tools to determine how your video is performing in reach, views and conversions.
Specifically look at:
How many people have seen the video
How many people have clicked links or visited your profile
How many people have contacted you via direct message or email
If your numbers are low, your description or tags may need work. You won’t know until you look carefully at what’s working and what needs to change.
13. Keep posting
If the first video doesn’t get a lot of traction, keep going. There is a lot of noise on the internet, and it can take time to build a following. Just like it takes multiple home showings to find the right buyer, it can take a series of videos before potential clients reach out. Keep posting high-quality videos, and your efforts will pay off.