Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.

People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!

Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.

Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.

Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.

After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.

Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.

Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.

Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.

Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.

Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.

It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.

Tip 4: Present your items neatly.

No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.

There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.

While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.

Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.

The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.

Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.

If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.

Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!

The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.

To get started with your home based business, the first requirement to activate your status is to prepare a comprehensive business plan. To encourage people to invest in your business; this is the first and foremost requirement. In fact, many investors like bankers, angel investors, venture capitalist can help you start your business and provide fund, if only you possess a good plan.To create your business plan, you don’t need any writer to develop it. All you need to keep in mind is that the plan should be realistic and focused to the subject. Additionally, you will also have to show them that you are 100% capable of accomplishing the target because you have the required talent, tools, system, workforce etc, and all the necessary arrangements in place. This particular document is not a one-time requirement to either start or expand a business, in fact you will often have to refer to it and also update it from time to time.Do you require a plan for business?
The answer to this question is no. Not all home based business entrepreneurs develop business plans. However, if you are seeking financial help from investors then you surely need a business plan to pave the road to success.However, you don’t need to produce the business plan always. For instance, if you approach a venture capitalist then you obviously need a business plan. On the other hand, if you approach a banker for loan to start your home based business, then production of the business plan is a must. Now, if you apply for a loan to expand an already established business, then the banker might skip the business plan.How to write a plan for home based business?
Before I answer this question let me explain the contents of a business plan. Your business plan should clearly state that the business has the capacity to generate enough returns for not only clearing the debts and loans but also covering the general business expenses. The plan should not be too long but a very concise write-up, just enough to put forward your ideas and convey the message across the table.1. The first part will be an “Executive Summary” that will highlight your business plan. Your writing should be convincing and worth considering, which should not be more than two pages.2. Second part is called the “Company Summary”. As the name implies, it is all about your company. In this area you will have to mention the company’s background history, ownership details and everything about the company.3. In the third section, mention about your “Products and or Services”. Here you are supposed to describe your products and or services. Moreover, you will also need to give the distinguishing features of your products or services. In other words, highlight the points that will make people consider your products and or services to be helpful.4. The fourth part will be about the current “Market Analysis”. In this section you will have to state the current market condition of your product and or services.5. The fifth part will deal with your “Strategy and Implementation”. It’s more like how you are planning to sell your product and or services in order to accomplish your targets and generate revenue.6. The sixth point is all about “Management Summary”.7. Though this is the last point but I think it is the most important one. You will have to write the “Financial Plan”. This deals with all money related matters like profits, sales, cash flow etc.These are also applicable for Internet home based business, if you need funding.

Internet World Statistics tell me that there are over 6.7 billion people living on this planet. The latest figures show over 1.6 billion of them use the Internet while in the year 2000 there were just under 361million users. That is a growth rate of almost 450%. In the US alone and back in 2005 there were 13.8 million Home based Businesses (info. provided by Entrepreneur.com) and in my own country, Australia in the state of New South Wales there were 254,000 in 2004. Today there is more. Tomorrow there will be more again!

The idea, concept, consideration of a home based business is for the most part is a noble and popular one. The reason so many people are thinking about or have already started a home based business is as varied as the individuals that choose it. However, for the most part it can be said that most home based businesses are borne out of convenience.

Single Mums find it convenient to work from home while they can still care for their children. Stay at home Dads are much more common in today’s day and can find it convenient to keep an eye on the “little ones” while they do business from home. Maybe commuting is a problem and navigating the hallway in ones own home is far more convenient than the city streets or country roads. Whatever it is though the thought is there – “work from home”. This doesn’t mean though that we have a “Home Based Business”.

Of course there is a difference between “work from home” and a “home based business” and often (I think) we get the two confused a bit. We speak “home based business” but think “work from home”!

The differences are considerable and may be found in the definitions themselves. You see when you research the word “Business” you will find something like this (depending on your source):-

Business: The purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit (Macquarie Dictionary).

We also see in association a Business Name:

Business Name: The name other than a surname under which a person carries on business or profession, such name being necessarily registered.

If we dig a little deeper from the same source we identify the people that do business are described as the following:-

Businessman /woman: A person who engages in business or commerce.

And

Businesslike: Conforming to the methods of business or trade; methodical; systematic.

And finally:

Business Plan: A formal statement of business goals, the reason why they are believed attainable and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organisation or team attempting to reach those goals.

Work on the other hand is something different. (According to Wikipedia) being thus:

Work:(1) Exertion directed to produce or accomplish something; labour; toil. (2) A productive or operative activity (3) Employment; a job; especially that by which one earns a living.

So this is what I’m getting to. Sometimes we focus on the hole in the middle of the donut and don’t look at the whole thing! We can say we have a home based business but we don’t see the big picture and therefore we are working from home instead. If we are serious about a home based business then we must see the whole thing. Build from the right foundations and bring clarity to our vision.

There is nothing wrong with work from home at all. In fact if we are to have a home based business we will indeed work from home. It will be an integral part of our business but, if we don’t have a business plan, a registered business name, or if we are not attempting to buy (or create) and sell something for profit, conform to business principles and conduct ourselves in a businesslike manner we don’t have a business at all… we are just working?

You may have started like a “bull at a gate”, you may be going “great guns” or you may be struggling to get your focus or organise your day. Don’t fret! Take a moment to reflect on your foundations. Have you got a business plan with goals and a systematic approach to achieve them? Are they realistic? Are you structured properly? If not then take a little time to get these things in order. Then get back into it and gain the rewards you deserve for having a go, not giving up and enjoy the lifestyle you have chosen.

Just a word of warning! If you don’t have a Business Plan you can lose your way. If you don’t have a Business Structure you may well have problems with taxation in the future and if you don’t have a business mindset you will struggle to enjoy and achieve your dream. I heard this saying today and can’t remember who quoted it but it goes like this “Goals are in concrete, plans are in sand!”

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