Sell Your Car Online: Step 4, Writing a Compelling Description of Your Automobile

Summary: Auto classifieds websites are some of the most powerful tools available today to help you sell your car or truck. In step 3 of this series, you learned what information you should display about your automobile in your classified ad. The fourth step in placing an ad is writing a compelling description of your automobile.

Auto classifieds websites are some of the most powerful tools available today to help you sell your car or truck. In step 3 of this series, titled "Sell Your Car Online: Step 3, Using the Right Information to Help Sell Your Automobile ", you learned what information you should display about your automobile in your classified ad. The fourth step in placing an ad is writing a compelling description of your automobile. Most auto classified web sites have an information field labeled "Description" in which you can type a lengthy discourse about the car or truck you have for sale. You may think that this is not needed since you already have all the important information listed in the previous info fields. Nothing could be farther from the truth. So, what do you type in the description field? First you should quickly restate the most important information, like the make, model, and year. Then list again a few of the best accessories and options that have the most appeal. Next comes the fun part. You should write a descriptive paragraph that includes information about your vehicle that has not been previously listed. If your car or truck has a special feature, describe it. If it has a new component, like a new engine or transmission, list it. If the vehicle has a special quality that is not noticeable in any of the photos, write about it. For example, if your vehicle is a classic sports car that has a specialty racing engine, list the specific engine enhancements. If the vehicle is a show truck with a high end sound system, describe how the radio sounds. If the vehicle is an expensive luxury car, describe how comfortable the driver's seat feels. The objective of the description field is to paint a clear and unique picture of your car or truck that puts the buyer in the driver's seat. The buyer should feel, hear, and see everything that sets this vehicle apart from the rest. After reading your description, the buyer should not have any doubt that this is the right vehicle for him/her to purchase. This is a great example of a properly written description: "This 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is in great condition. It has alloy wheels, AC, power everything, and a 6-disc changer. The T-tops are a nice addition, especially in hot weather. Even though this Firebird is 10 years old, it looks like it belongs on the showroom floor. It has flawless red paint on the exterior and a super clean black interior. A brand new automatic transmission was installed only 12 months ago, which is still under warranty. The best feature about this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is the engine. It has a 5.7 Liter HO V8 that has been well maintained. It does 0-60 in a respectable 5.2 seconds and has a top speed just under 160 MPH. Accelerate and you can hear every one of the 305 horses coming through the exhaust. Any sports car enthusiast would enjoy getting behind the wheel of this one. Don't miss this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula. It's a good deal on a great car. Call today." Notice how the description flows. It's not just a simple list, but it is written in a conversational style with wording that plays on the emotions of the buyer. It is concluded with a call-to-action, "Call today." Don't worry about the length of the description. Whether it is short or long is secondary to how enticing it is to the potential buyer. If the description is interesting enough to keep his/her attention, it could be 6 paragraphs and still be effective. Remember this from step 3! There's no such thing as listing too much information about your vehicle, so type away and tell as much about your car as possible. The worst thing that can happen is that the potential buyer will spend more time viewing your listing and not viewing someone else's listing. If done correctly, writing a powerful description of your automobile can transform the viewer of your classified ad from a browser to a buyer. Look for the final installment in this series titled "Sell Your Car Online: Step 5, Making Search Engines Love Your Classified Ad." Happy selling.