So far, we’ve only looked at online modes of marketing and branding. But there is one very obvious opportunity to connect with your buyers in a visceral way: by branding your parcels and using them to market.
There are two particular advantages of using this channel. Firstly, it’s free from eBay’s gaze. You are free to market your own website, or indeed, anything you like, without fear of eBay taking umbrage and slapping your wrist. Secondly, when buyers get their parcels they are excited and hopefully in a good mood. This is a good time to encourage them to come back for more. A satisfied customer is ripe for the picking.
At the very least you want to make sure that you’ve got some marketing bumf inside your parcel. Simply including a PayPal or eBay print-out isn’t enough. Look at creating either a professional leaflet (you’ll find some very affordable print deals on eBay) or doing your own custom despatch note. You’ll obviously want to thank your buyer and probably encourage them to contact you if they have any bothers, but otherwise it’s a blank canvas.
You don’t need reams of text, just stick to a few important messages: visit my website, check out these deals, try my Shop for these complementary items. Brand the leaflet/flyer in your colours and make it congruent with your on-eBay presence. Don’t forget to use images!
Some of the more imaginative marketing and branding I’ve seen has been on the outside of parcels. Stickers and ink stamps can be very striking and effective. You might even want to get your jiffy bags custom printed for a very professional finish.