As a rummage goer and a rummage doer, I've found that proper signage is very important. BIG arrows are necessary. Matching signs help, so that people know the sign they are following is for the rummage they are looking for. A little sign with your complete address isn't going to do it.
You really don't need the house number until the signs are closer to home. You might just need the street name, or subdivision name with arrows to get people in the general vicinity. Then, be sure to put a sign at the end of the driveway, or streamers on the garage, something so that people know that you aren't just cleaning out your garage. It's embarrassing to look through the garage stuff at the wrong house!
Key places to put signage are: at grocery store exits, freeway exits, health club exits, and main intersections in your area.
The last few years, I've noticed fewer people come because of an advertisement in the paper. Take advantage of the free online advertising: Craigslist, eBay classifieds, TV news station websites (that have rummage trackers), local Bokoo sites. Mention that you're having a rummage sale on Facebook or Twitter or other social media.
Because you don't have to pay by line for the ad, you can include more information about your large ticket items. You can also post a separate ad for a specific item (such as a sofa) and say that it is at your rummage sale. Sometimes people who come to look at something specific will end up purchasing other items as well.
All in all, you can advertise as much as you want, but if you don't have good signage, they won't be able to find your rummage. So, get out your super-huge Sharpie marker, or use black electrical tape and make your arrows REALLY BIG and then get ready for your really big turnout!
By jockocheez from Milwaukee burbs, WI
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It also helps to markon the sign the distance if it is more than a couple miles. Most people turn around after a couple blocks if they don't see the sale or another sign.
This is a great help for people who want to sell their items at a yard sale.
There is one thing I would like to add, if you are going to add your signs in front of someones else house, make sure you ask permission.
I get a lot of yard sales signs in my yard because I live on the corner house of a very public and busy street so I get Realtors and Garage sales guys pushing signs into me grass yard or stapling them to my tree all the time. I would have let them and helped them placed them if they would just walk up to my door and ask but instead they just put them in.
My retaliation is usually I will take them out and break them apart and throw them away.
But had they asked maybe I would be interested in viewing their garage sale and helped them advertise it more!
I am a garage sale customer and this is what I want to see:
1. Signs should have a cross beam or bar. Otherwise wind curls them and you can't see what's written on it. Make it like a "T."
2. Sign going to the same sale, the same color. Otherwise I'm likely to end up at someone else's sale.
3. Don't put too much info on a sign. All you need is SALE, plus the name of the street. Use the subdivision if that will help. Don't try to put an inventory of what you have or the entire address on signs. People driving by don't have time to read it. If they can't read it in two seconds they've driven past already. And write big.
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