garage sale...attract a crowd and then negotiate for top dollar

Hope you all had an awesome weekend, and enjoyed some summer fun!
Woo hoo!
People hauled away our junk and paid us for it, aka Garage Sale.
It was a big success and it feels so good to have lightened our load! Between my friend and
 I we made close to $1,000, I'm telling you that so you can decide if it's worth your time to go
the extra mile. My philosophy is if you're going to the trouble you might as well do it well,
 and make some moola!
Here are my tips for attracting a crowd and negotiating for top dollar.
(I'm assuming you know the common tips: all your items should be priced, clean, and well organized.)  

MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THE BUYERS

1. I emailed a few friends a couple weeks prior asking if they'd like to cash in on our traffic
 and have one the same day - we ended up with four sales within just a couple blocks.

2. All four of us put up signs - you couldn't miss them if you tried!
Put out signs the morning before sale day. Keep a consistent look for all of your signs.
I like to borrow real estate signs and put them in front of my house and on the corners.

Keep your junk merchandise at a level that allows buyers to touch and feel it

without bending down on the ground.

For tables I like these large trash bins (I use for storing outdoor Christmas decor)

 topped with extra pieces of plywood I had in the garage.

ATTRACT A CROWD

1. Don't open your gate on time, allow an extra 5-10 minutes for people to
start forming a little crowd, it makes everyone driving by all the more intrigued!
(While they're waiting do some last minute pricing.)
No gate? Use a piece of construction tape or rope across your driveway.

2. Make sure they have something enticing to look at while they're waiting!
I always set up a 'room' at the end of the driveway, it's what people see when they're driving
 by and deciding whether or not to stop. I wasn't selling the wicker settee from my back deck,
 but wanted it to complete the vignette - I just put a 'SOLD' sign on it.

The fresh flowers on the coffee table are a nice touch in a vase for sale, I ran inside and
 grabbed them. We tied the large piece of artwork to the pole from the basketball hoop.

NEGOTIATE FOR TOP DOLLAR

1. First make your junk look high end. All of this appears much nicer on a white table

 cloth vs. a bare table. Use pretty baskets to corral like items.

 Take the few extra seconds to make it look pretty.

I caved and brought something back in, totally against the rules of a successful purge,

 but my friend gifted me with that brass Pottery Barn deer. :) 

This iron flower stand wasn't for sale, but it set the scene for selling everything else,

faux flowers, shutters, and the bench.

2. After it's been styled to look worth the price here are my favorite
win-win lines when they're offering less than you're hoping for:

"I'm so sorry I'm selling that for my friend and she wanted closer to full price,
would $___ work?"

"I'd be happy to negotiate later in the day, but right now I need closer to full price,
would $____ work?

"I'd be happy to negotiate tomorrow if it doesn't sell today, if you'd like to stop back and check."

"I'm so sorry I just lowered the price on that, but if you'd like to stop by
later I may be able to go lower."

You get the idea, you want them to leave feeling good about a slight price reduction,
 and they will if you've make it a good experience. And, they'll likely return for your next sale!

THE FUN PART

1. Do it with a friend that makes you laugh!
2. Invite all your neighborhood friends and over for beer and pizza, to reminisce
about the interesting 'customers' and events of the day. After all have GS'd all day
they'll just be happy not to have to cook dinner and their expectations for food and a
 clean house will be sooooo low!!

Hope these tips were helpful,
 good luck with your sales this summer!