Simplicity is the key to writing a classified advertisement to sell a car both online or in a magazine, but don't be tempted to leave out essential information to make the advert cheaper.
By putting more information into the advert you are more likely to sell the car at the first attempt. A single more expensive advert is cheaper than having to advertise the car twice and you are likely to get fewer replies second time around.
Apart from giving your cars vital statistics, (see list below) the ad should draw attention to anything that makes your car sound special.
Photographs give prospective buyers a lot of information about the car and can cut down on time-wasters, but it is important that it shows the car at its best. A colour photograph will help the advert to stand out in the magazine and online.
Most buyers have a budget and many are put off if a price is not given or if "substantial price required" or PAO (price on application) are used. There is no point in people responding to your advert if they do not have the funds to match your asking price. Not giving a price will also exclude your advert from any online search where a potential buyer asks for cars within a specific price range.
Remember to include the area of the country that you are based at the end of the advert and list a landline telephone number as well as a mobile if you can. An email address can also be a useful means of contact.
Once you have written the advert ask yourself if it would persuade you to go and see the car - if the answer is no then you need to rethink the advert.
When supplying the advert online, check it carefully for spelling mistakes.
What to include
There’s more to a good car ad than car specifications. Your ad should clearly state the most important selling points of the car. For example if the car has low mileage, say so! Use the selling points that first attracted you to buy the car. Is it fuel efficient? Is the car very reliable? These benefits should be emphasized in your ad, but only if they are truthful. Avoid exaggeration. Don’t forget to give any other information.
Use abbreviations but stick to the familiar ones:
Finish up your ad by listing an asking price. (Some sellers choose not to list a price. This will result in a lot of phone calls from people asking for this information, who may not be looking to pay what you want for the car. It may just be easier to list the price in the ad.) Include your contact information and wait for the calls to come rolling in.