Success with craigslist really depends on several factors.

1. Be The One to Blaze the Trail. Is your area's craigslist well known and widely used? I'm in the Bay area where craigslist was born, so it is a given that this will be where it will be most active. If your area isn't often used --- yet ---be the one to use it most often.

2. Repetition, repetition, repetition. How often do you post your listings? 2-3 times a week is a good number, as long as you have 48 hours between postings

3. Catchy headline --- be creative. Use humor. For example, if you're posting a fixer --- you can headline it by saying "What a dump!" or "You can own this dump!"

4. Use VFlyer.com and Postlets.com to create your flyers with multiple pictures. After taking the time to create the flyer once, when posting on craigslist later, it's simply copy/pasting the html.

5. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Post the maximum allowed. When using Postlets, you can post up to 6 pictures, free. With Vflyer I think it's 24. Just like posting on MLS --- your primary photo should be a knock-out. And you should provide as many pictures as possible.

6. Create a craigslist account --- makes posting a breeze. You can log on to your account, edit/change/delete. You can also copy paste using old postings if you're not inclined to log on to Postlets/Vflyer again

7.  Specify the City when posting real estate for sale. If you don't, it will drown in a sea of other postings and they'll never find you.

8. Put in KEY words or the buzz words of the moment. For example, "Not an REO!" or "Not a Short Sale!" --- people using keywords to find such listings will find yours, too.

9. Email your database. If you have listings, email the posting to your clients and prospects. This will underscore your being "wired" in other ways, and may even set you apart from others who are not using this medium.

10. Post your open houses. Invite your prospects to come see you during your open house by providing a link to your craigslist posts. Another way to advertise your listing for free and reach out and touch your clients one more time.

Like anything else, it may take time to germinate. But for me, posting on craigslist is part of my marketing plan. My clients and prospects use craigslist --- so wherever they are, there I am!

 
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128 Comments on 10 Things to Do When Posting on Craigslist

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

DEC
19
2008
208,008 Points 3 Featured Posts

Great advice - I use Craig's list in my marketing.   In fact a couple from Manhattan saw my posting and purchased a condominium.  Made me a believer!
9:31am • #110
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Marjorie --- congrats on your success with craigslist. It happens!
10:59am • #111
JAN
10
2009
872,399 Points 47 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pacita, we use craigslist and postlets. We have just started reposting more often. We have gotten some leads from craigslist but sounds like you're doing great with it! Thanks for the tip about the buzz word key words.
12:53pm • #112
713,700 Points 2 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Great set of Craigslist tips.  I tried to sign up one time and couldn't understand how to do anything and gave up.  I think I will try it again.  Thanks for the encouragment!
1:26pm • #113

Thanks for sharing some great CL tips!
2:51pm • #114
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Sharon -- when I was a newbie, my primary sources of leads were craigslist and open house. Thankfully, the listings agents for whom I held open houses allowed me to post the open house on craigslist (many of the agents didn't know how, or didn't want to take the time, so the let me do it --- yey!)

Evelyn -- I'm sure this list could/would grow. Craigslist is such a phenomenon. Not to tap its power is an oversight. Good luck with signing up. Call/email me if you need help setting up your account. Will be glad to guide you through.

Myrick -- You are quite welcome. Remember, you can also post your services. For example --- you can post something like "3 bedrooms/2 baths home. Everyone wants one. Do you?"

 
4:30pm • #115
249,468 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Craigslist is a big part of our marketing plan for renting property.  Good and bad but mostly good.
4:58pm • #116
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Robert --- same here. Craigslist is an integral part of my company's multi-media marketing plan.  At first, I was the only one in my company doing it, and then I introduced them to Postlets which makes it super-easy to upload our listings. There is no excuse not to.
7:39pm • #117
APR
02
2009

I love all of your ideas! I will have to order the flags and revamp my Craigslist attitude. Thank you so much!!!
4:00pm • #118
MAY
20
2009
171,636 Points 2 Featured Posts

One of my clients actually receives SELLER leads from Craigslist because they are researching how agents market their properties.
12:32pm • #119
MAY
22
2009
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Dee'Anna --- thank you. With all the attention that craigslist is getting, bad or good, it's always a good wave to ride. Good luck!

Billie --- I've also had both sellers AND buyers contact me because they liked that I was so visible on craigslist. It may not be for everyone, but it's a great venue. Best of all, it's FREE!
2:25am • #120
FEB
01
2010

Hello Pacita,

Thank you for the nice tips.  You might also add to your tips the legalities of advertising, i.e., you must have your Broker name and phone number, no discrimination, etc.  I know it's just Craig's List, but the rules still apply!  Great tips!

Lisa Wadsworth

Keller Williams At The Parks, Orlando
3:15pm • #121
FEB
02
2010
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi, Lisa

That's the beauty of using Vflyer...the company name, logo, etc. are automatically included in the flyer template you select when you create your account. Then all you do is upload your pictures, customize your copy, then copy paste the html on to your craiglist (using your account of course), and voila!
2:46am • #122
MAR
02
2010

These are awesome tips. Thanks so much for posting.
9:39am • #123
MAR
09
2010
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Nicole,

It's been quite some time since I posted this. Glad to know it's still helpful.

Good luck!
2:03am • #124
MAR
04
2011

Hi Pacita, I was researching for new Craigs stuff and came a cross your post. I saw the date of this but also noticed nice it was for you to share how you do things. If I were to up-date this for you. Today, rather than a vflyer or postlets I would change the ad to reflect less information, a big photo and a big fat link to the listing in a web page where you could offer them value for a lead. I would ensure that my ads were showing and set a calendar to delete and repost on the appropriate times so not to lose my effective ads. I would also have a strategy for volume and ways to avoid getting blocked. Of course today, there are companies that have tools to do much of this work for you...
3:01pm • #125
OCT
10
2011
713,700 Points 2 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pacita, are you saying you can use the exact same ad if you wait 48 hours between them?  I thought you had to delete the original before you could repost it...please clarify...Thanks!
10:22pm • #126
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Scott --- just want to provide the prospect with as much informaiton as he needs

Evelyn -- no, you don't have to cancel the previous post which will eventually expire after 7 days anyway.  The previous post would have been buried in a ton of other posts so it's not necessary to cancel.
10:31pm • #127
FEB
24
2012
Outside Blog

I'm new to AR. I just started using Craig's List. This is still relevant.
8:32am • #128
617,285 Points 60 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Tracey

Wow...this post has very long legs....I posted this in September 2008. Glad you like it :)
12:00pm • #129

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Pacita Dimacali - ePRO, SRES, CDPE, MBA Alain Pinel in Alameda County CA

Oakland, CA

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