IntroductionIntroduction
In an online world crammed with flash, hype, and fly-by-night, Craig Newmark has grown a single good intention into one of the top 50 most visited websites in the world! With more than 40 million users to craigslist a month, a lot is happening there. And this book will help you to make the most of all of it.
You won't find a better site to buy, sell, or advertise on than craigslist. Think about it: Where else can you sell a $5 kids' toy, a $15,000 car, or a $500,000 house without paying to list or handing over a chunk of change from the selling price? Find a date, find a friend, or find your lost dog without spending a dime. Market your business, join a class, or land your dream job without ever leaving the site. And those are only a few of the many possibilities.
Think of craigslist as the online gathering place for your offline activities—a way for you to connect with other people in your area. Whatever you want to accomplish, craigslist can help you do it. And this book shows you how you can become a part of the craigslist community.
Whether you're in need of something, hoping to get rid of something, or wanting to promote something, the opportunities for you on craigslist are very exciting. Following the steps and strategies covered in this book gives you a big advantage over the typical craigslist community user.
Craig and staff have never saddled the website with lengthy rules and restrictions, which is one reason why so many users put little thought and planning into creating successful listings. In this book, you'll learn how to create attention-grabbing listings, what information to include, and how to write ads that get attention and motivate people to act.
You'll learn not only how to list, but also how to find what you want—and get it. And you'll learn how to protect yourself, your computer, and your personal information when online and when using craigslist.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is organized into three main parts, as follows:
Part I, "craigslist 101," covers how craigslist went from a simple idea to a collection of more than 500 communities. You'll gain insights on Craig Newmark, craigslist's fascinating founder and customer service rep. These chapters also cover creating an account and navigating around the site. And you'll learn everything you need to know to keep your computer, your information, and yourself safe when using craigslist.
Part II, "Posting on craigslist," starts by showing you the steps to follow to post a listing on craigslist. You'll also learn marketing strategies to design successful listings that set your advertisements apart from the pack. These chapters cover the individual craigslist sections and categories, showing you exactly how to create successful listings and take advantage of all their features.
Part III, "The Other Side of craigslist," lays out the steps for responding to craigslist postings. You'll learn what to look for—and look out for—when searching listings in each category.
Together, the 15 chapters in this book show you the ins and outs of craigslist and online marketing so that you'll be able to create standout listings that grab attention or quickly find whatever you need. Before long, you'll be telling your friends about all the successful deals you've made using craigslist.
Conventions Used in This Book
I've tried to make this book entertaining and easy to read. It shouldn't require any coaching, but you might find it helpful to know how specific types of information are presented.
Capitalization and Special Formatting
craigslist doesn't follow standard rules of capitalization. Craig purposely chose not to capitalize the craigslist name or any titles used on the site, and I've followed his lead in this book.
Because many of the craigslist section names, category names, and so on are ordinary words, I've used a special format for onscreen items to help distinguish them from regular text. For example, when you read about the community section, the special formatting of the word community indicates that you'll be able to click that word on the craigslist screen—in this case, to go to the main community page. For simplicity, this book uses that special formatting for any craigslist screen item you can click or select, including menu items, buttons, and links.
Web Page Addresses
There are many web addresses in this book, including sites that offer valuable information to help you make better use of craigslist. If the site requires the World Wide Web (www) designation to be typed, I've included it in the web page address; otherwise, I've left it out. For example, you could type either of the following to get to the web page for this book:
http://www.craigslist4everyone.com
http://www.craigslist4everyone.com
Technically, either address should start with http:// (as in http://www.craigslist4everyone.com). Because Internet Explorer, Firefox, and most other web browsers automatically insert this part of the address, however, you don't have to type it—and I haven't included it in any of the addresses in this book.
Special Elements
You'll also come across a few special elements in this book that provide additional information to supplement the main text. These elements are designed to make your learning faster, easier, and more efficient.
Note - An Info note includes useful information that will help you to better understand or make better use of the text you're reading.
Caution - A Warning highlights information about a potentially dangerous situation. I don't use it lightly, so pay special attention when you come across this type of item.
Tip - A Tip is a helpful piece of information—a little trick, actually—that helps you increase the odds of success on craigslist.
Let Me Know What You Think
I enjoy hearing from readers. If you have a question, a story to share, or something you just have to set me straight about, feel free to email me at c4e@craigslist4everyone.com. I read every email message personally and respond to as many as time permits.
If you want to learn more about what's happening on craigslist, take advantage of some free offers, and find out about any updates to this book, check out the website at http://www.craigslist4everyone.com.
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