How often have you met a new person and found later that you could recall their face but not their name?

Regardless of the context people rarely fail to be influenced by photography when shopping or browsing online.  The best way to sell products is to let them sell themselves. Photos communicate information quickly; they are easier to ‘read’ than text and have the potential to elicit an emotional response.

9 out of 10 times, buyers will look at the photos before they read a single word of the text.

Considering this machines4u have made some changes to the system. We have now created a pop out window which allows you to view enlarged versions of photos and browse through our new photo gallery.

We have also increased the number of photos you can list per advert;

• Standard private adverts have increased from 3→5
• Premium  private adverts have increased from 6→10
• Dealers adverts have increased from 6→14

 Taking quality pictures;

Avoid using clichéd stock shots; users prefer ‘real’ photos to stock images. Despite the less polished look, they want a realistic vision of what it is exactly that they are buying.

Image size is important; increasingly fast internet connections allow users to work with large images. That said, if you are offering a ‘larger view’ of a photo, make sure it is significantly larger. We take care of providing the large and smaller versions but in order for us to do this you need to upload good quality photos that the system can automatically scale to the correct viewing size.

Photograph items at a close range.  Pictures should be clear enough to show all of the details and where showing specific information e.g. hours of operation, the important elements should fill the whole frame.

Take multiple pictures of your item so buyers can see as much detail as possible.  For example, take pictures of labels and accessories.

Finally, remember to watch the green bar when you are placing an advert. This shows the strength of your advert, the more green the stronger the advert. 

 On Friday last week a few members of the Machines4u team hit Lardner Park in Warragul for the combined Trucks in Action and Civil Works expo held from the 16^th- to the 18^thFebruary. 

Excavators, skid steers and other construction machines were available for demonstration at regular intervals throughout the day for potential buyers who desired to demo the equipment. Lucky for us at Machines4u, dealers were happy to let the non-specialists take the reigns and play around in the mud pits.

It has recently come to our attention that there have been duplicate machine adverts placed on Machines4u. As a result of these double ups our automated surveying system has been programmed to remove them.

The issue of advert duplicating has been a bone of contention for a while but the fact is there are sincere disadvantages to having replicated adverts on the site. The repercussions are that Google will penalise the adverts for having identical content and the consequences will mean negative Google search results.

We want to maintain an equal playing field at Machines4u so as to give the buyer faith in the site and the machines that are being advertised. To maintain a true marketplace where what is advertised on the site is exactly what is on offer by you the dealers and private sellers. The only way to achieve this is to have strong live adverts for the buyers to browse through and not misleading duplicates.

Please assist us to make Machines4u.com.au the best marketplace to buy and sell machinery and many thanks for your support to date. If you have questions about adverts that have been removed or have any other queries in relation to duplicate adverts then please contact us.

Hot off the press are the finalists for the 2011 My Business Magazine Awards and we here at Machines4u are proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for not one but two of these prestigious awards. Every year the My Business Magazine Awards aim to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Australian business enterprises. These awards highlight the tremendous efforts of young businesses and entrepreneurs that as a result have converted into success. Machines4u have been nominated for the “Best Business Growth Strategy” and the “Best Business Start-up Awards” along with 4 other finalists in each category. The winners of which will be announced at the Awards Gala dinner which take place on the 6^th of October. The judging will be assessed by a panel of 5 new business experts, a representative from each category’s sponsor and the editor of My Business Magazine. This panel will then vote in the respective categories. Thanks to all our users for their support this year which has contributed to our success and we promise there are more big things to come in 2012! Click here to view categories and finalists. For more details on the event click here

The ACMA & SCAMwatch have made it easier to report spam SMS – simply forward the message to the dedicated Spam SMS line – 0429 999 888. Your mobile phone provider’s standard billing rates will apply to the forwarded message. Genuine buyers do not use SMS as a first contact with a machinery seller.  If a buyer claims to be overseas, on holiday or on an oil rig, etc and requires paypal details, email address or any other personal information chances are it’s a scam. Scammers have clearly added texting to their toolbox – don’t let them fool you into providing personal details or money via follow-up SMS, phone calls or emails. You can report a scam SMS to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

Want to turn your packaging machine that’s taking up valuable floor space into cash?  Machines4u is currently experiencing a huge amount of searches for Packaging Machinery.  The number of searches far outweighs the number of machines listed on Machines4u. Packaging machinery buyers are searching for the following types of machinery.

• Pallet wrapping machines
• Weighing equipment and scales
• Packaging equipment
• Conveyors & elevators
• Vacuum lifters
• Label equipment and printers
• Bag packer/filler
• Shrink wrapping machines
• Strapping machines
• Shrink tunnel machines
• Horizontal wrappers
• Carton sealing machines
• Tape sealing machines

Why not take advantage of the recent high demand for Packaging Machinery?  Sell your machine and turn it into cash!

Writing a description might seem time consuming but a powerful description will significantly increase the chances of your listing being found and sold.  Isn’t that why you’re here?  A thorough listing can seem more professional and hence maximise your sell price. You don’t have to be the best writer to write a powerful description, here’s how: 1. The make and model fields are purely for the inclusion of machine make and model for accurate classification of your machine.  Any other information should be included in the Description field.  Take a “Caterpillar” “D6T” tractor for example.  The make field should only include “Caterpillar” and the model field should only include “D6T”. 2. Try to think like a buyer.  What would a buyer type into a search engine if they were trying to find your machine?  Details buyers will search for include make, model, type of machine, condition and location.  For example, buyers might type “Caterpillar bulldozer D6T used Melbourne” into a search engine to find your machine.  If your description includes all of these details, you are more likely to be found. Keep in mind that when buyers search for machinery on Machines4u, although you can search specifically by industry, category, subcategory, location and condition, buyers may search or filter by keyword, so the more informative you are the more likely your machine will be found and sold. 3.   Description must be at least 100 characters long.   Good descriptions result in more genuine and informed sales leads. 4. Be upfront with the buyer so they know what to expect by mentioning any flaws or repairs.  This will eliminate time wasters too. 5. Describe what the machine is used for and any product features. 6. Describe any parts or support included. 7. Include working hours 8. If the machine has any manufacturer or dealer warranty remaining, include this in the description.  This can be very attractive to a buyer. 9. Include the dimensions of the machine.  This will also serve to minimise unnecessary enquiries. 10. Be clear about payment methods you accept.  Also be specific about pick up details. 11. When you are finished, spell check your description for accuracy. For more information, please refer to Machines4u advertising rules.

1. When creating an advert, it may be tempting to omit the price to hide your pricing from competitors.  However you will also be hiding from and intimidating buyers that may otherwise be interested. 2. Statistics show that adverts that do not include a price receive significantly less sales enquiries. 3. In this internet age, some buyers will search by price.  Your listing will be shown last in search results if a price is not listed. 4. Buyers often assume that a machine listed without a price is done so because it is expensive.  They may incorrectly assume that the machine is out of their price range and hence not visit your listing. 5. You’ll save time by not having to deal with ‘tyre kickers’ who don’t have the budget to buy the machine but contact you anyway hoping for a bargain.

Civenex and Austech exhibitions are fast approaching and Machines4u is taking part. Held on May 18 and 19 at the Sydney Dragway, Civenex is Australia’s Annual Construction and Public Works Expo. Occupying stand 100, we’re the first stand as you enter the outdoor area. Civenex offers free admission and plenty of free parking.  Visit the Civenex website to register to visit. www.civenex.com.au Taking place on May 24 to 27, Austech is Australia’s premier advanced precision manufacturing and machine tool exhibition.  Austech is the only show specifically targeted at the metalworking, machine tool and ancillary market. We will be at stand 697.  Come and say hello. Visit the Austech website to register to visit, for free. www.austechexpo.com.au

As Australia’s fastest growing online machinery market with a continual growth in the number of users, there’s a need for Machines4u to maintain its advertising rules to provide the best possible results for buyers and sellers. The following is a summary of the advertising rules, or you can read the complete version here

• Private advert listings are for companies disposing of used machinery only
• Make and Model fields must only inlcude Make and Model information
• Machinery Description must be at least 100 characters long
• Seller contact details cannot be included in the description
• Keyword spamming is not permitted
• Each advert must include at least one photo
• Photos must be of the actual machinery advertised
• Adverts must not misrepresent items
• Use of offensive language or profanities in listings is not permitted
• Adverts cannot infringe third party intellectual property rights
• Machinery listed must be available for sale
• Only one machine may be listed per advert
• Adverts must be machinery or equipment related
• Sold machinery must be removed within 48 hours
• Adverts must comply with Australian Fair Trading Laws

Breaching advertising rules will result in adverts being suspended for revision until the breach is rectified by the advertiser. Continued breaches may result in suspension of a seller’s profile.

At Ace Expo 2011, one of Australia’s largest construction expos, Machines4u’s personality really shone.  Each day of the three day event, buyers and sellers queued to have a hit of golf with the Machines4u team.  Over a hit of golf, Machines4u met 91% of the 4900 people who visited and took part in the expo.  4450 Machines4u rubber hammers were given out at the expo.  Meeting over a golf green meant that everyone could get to know Machines4u in a relaxed and inviting environment. According to Internet World Statistics 17 million Australians use the internet.  That’s 80% of the population.   So to be successful in the machinery business today a strong internet presence is crucial.  Machines4u’s online marketplace showcases the machinery of more than 300 dealers and 500 private sellers.  1.32 million buyers visit the site each year. Here’s some pictures of the machines4u team during the event.

Machines4u search results are ranked by advert quality. A sure fire way to ensure your adverts return high in search results is to add a video to your listing. Adding a video to your listing can make your item more desirable to buyers. A video can often help you tell an engaging story and share information more effectively than just text. You may also want to include a video to demonstrate how an item works or how it is used.

To insert a video into your machines4u listing: When you are creating your machines4u listing, look for the ‘video’ field: Sign into your youtube.com account. If you don’t already have one, select “create an account” and follow the prompts. Choose upload, upload your video then click Embed. The embed code will be automatically highlighted. With your mouse, right click on the highlighted area and select copy. You can now go into the video field of you machines4u listing and right click with your mouse and select paste. Your video will now be viewable as soon as you’ve finished creating your listing.

With Australia Day tomorrow many of us are looking forward to a day at the beach with a stubby in one hand and a snag in the other.  Ahh that’s the life! Australia Day celebrates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, it’s also a day of using Aussie slang.  So engrained in our culture that we often don’t even realise we’re using it. Here’s a few favourites to start you off early. She’ll be apples – all is well (rhyming slang) Doovalacky – used whenever you can’t remember what something is called Two pot screamer – somebody who gets drunk on very little alcohol Bushman’s hanky – emmitting nasal mucus by placing one index finger on the outside of the nose (thus blocking one nostril) and blowing Oz Day is also the one day you can do a ‘belly flop’ without too much grief from your mates. On a more serious note, on this public holiday, let’s take a moment to think of the flood victims around Australia abound by water.  In a turbulent time, let’s bond together on this national day, Australia Day.  Remember, to donate to the flood appeal by visiting our homepage www.machines4u.com.au.  Look for the banner to the right. To further improve your buying and selling experience on Machines4u, we’ve included a Make field when you list a machine. Sellers – all you need to do is enter the Manufacturer in this field for example Caterpillar. The result? Buyers will be able to find your machines, by keyword, with even more ease. Buyers – soon you’ll be able to search for your machines by Make!  Stay tuned. Happy Australia Day!

Did you know that 95% of businesses fail in the first five years?  Although this is not a very encouraging statistic, there are some steps you can take to ensure your business is in the top 5% and continues to be successful above and beyond five years. Having an online presence is all well and good.  However having a successful online presence that fulfills business objectives such as enhancing your business’s reputation and increasing sales is a different story. To effectively promote your business online you need an effective Search Engine Marketing campaign.  A campaign that will help you to rank at the top of search results will do wonders for your business. Did you know that ranking high in industry specific sites helps you to rank higher in search results of Google?  Google favours websites that have quality referral links from high ranking websites. Machines4u is both an industry specific online marketplace that consistently ranks high in Google.  Posting quality listings on Machines4u will certainly contribute to your Search Engine Marketing campaign. Over the next few weeks we’ll talk about how to maximise your advert quality and thus ensure your machines return higher in search results.  Here is a preview of what’s to come. Remember to watch the green bar when you are placing an advert.  The green bar suggests your advert strength.  The more green you see, the stronger your advert quality. A picture tells a thousand words.  In this case, 6 pictures tell a thousand words.  Upload the maximum amount of pictures and you will see a vast increase in green. Include a price in the advert.  Our statistics show that adverts with a price listed receive much more views than those without a picture.  Also, to a potential buyer, an advert with no price tag implies a high price that is out of their buying range. Be as descriptive as possible in the title and the description.  This is where you need to really sell your machine.  Think of what buyers will be searching for in search engines to find your machine and use that in your description.  Make your advert easy to find. Update your advert every few days to keep them fresh and in Search Engine Marketing terms “trawled”.  An easy way to do this is to rotate the order of your pictures. Stay tuned for more in depth advice on how to rank high.

Machines4u is gearing up for ACE 2011.  The three day event is from Thursday 24 February to Saturday 26 February at the Sandown Racecourse. You’ll find it hard to miss us this year as you make your way into the indoor area.  Decked out in orange and ready to roll! Be prepared for Australia’s Biggest Construction Equipment Expo ever seen in Victoria. Drop in and say hello. Check ACE out at www.aceexpo.com.au

Happy New Year and warmest greetings at the start of the New Year. Our office is now open for 2011 and we are pumped for a huge year ahead of us. We are looking forward to bringing more and more quality buyers to your door. Over the holidays we received an email from Amanda, a mum, with a teething baby boy who just loved the machines4u stress hammer.  The hammer is “just the right size to chew on”.  So much so, that the pet dog loved it just as much.  Thankfully machines4u had a spare stress hammer to send to Amanda. We hope you had a fantastic Christmas break Amanda and family, here’s to 2011!

As 2010 speeds to a close, a huge thank you to all our clients, private listers, partners and everyone else we’ve had the pleasure of working with, for making 2010 such an enjoyable and successful year. Our office will be closed from Thursday 23rd of December 2010 – Wednesday 5th January 2011. We are just an email (info@machines4u.com.au) away if you would like to get in touch with us during this time. We’ll promptly respond within 72 working hours. Machines4u wishes you a Merry Christmas and the team looks forward to an exciting year, full of bright ideas, ahead of us.

Are you excited by new challenges, self motivated and wanting a successful sales job that provides great bonuses and job satisfaction? As a result of more than 300% client base growth in 2 years we are seeking to employ a new Sales Representative to join the team. You’ll bring a proven track record in achieving sales results, sound training in business to business sales and marketing and be ready to work in an office environment that is fun and motivating…with a great coffee machine! If you’d like to find out more call Steve on 1300 092 545 or email your resume to sales@machines4u.com.au

Due to a 300% increase in traffic over the last 12 months scheduled server upgrades are being brought forward to improve site performance and speed with the ever increasing traffic and server demand. Reason: Server performance upgrade Date: Friday, 24th September 2010 Time: 4.00pm – 5.00pm AEST Staff will be performing an initial reboot of the Machines4u servers as part of the performance upgrade as per our policies and procedures. We expect the time that Machines4u services will be unavailable for 30-40 Minutes depending on progress of the upgrade.

Machines4u.com.au just passed a new milestone in growth, with over 75,000 unique Australian visitors in the last 30 days.  We’d like to thank all of our machinery dealers and users who’ve helped make our site what it is today and what it will be tomorrow. Machines4u has increased in size and traffic over 300% in the last 24 months and we’re still growing at 10-20% a month.  With more Australian machinery buyers using the site than ever before we have a constant demand for new machinery adverts, so list yours now.

Machines4u.com.au now runs a machinery alert system as part of MachinEmail.  The Machine Alert system keeps interested buyers up to date with new machines listed on Machines4u that match their requirements.  Any Machines4u member can have up to 5 Machine Alerts running at once, and every evening any new adverts matching their requirements are sent to them directly via email. What this means for sellers is that your machinery is seen by relevant buyers as quickly as possible, giving you the best possible chance of making a quick sale.  So you don’t have to wait, days weeks or months for a buyer to run the same search again to find your machine like other machinery sites. Since Machines4u started the Machine Alert system we’ve seen a direct increase in machines listed as sold within 24 hours.  Machine Alerts are a free Service that any machinery buyers and sellers can use, simply pick the machinery subcategory and details you’re looking for.

Machines4u.com.au is now running a help blog to keep you up to date with new features, updates and changes on our site and in your industry.  The purpose of this blog is to help you get the most out of our website and guide you through our new features. In new posts on this blog you’ll find videos, instructions and general tips to help you with selling your machinery. You can also have your say by leaving questions or comments for our staff.  We hope you’ll find our blog helpful and informative & look forward to getting your suggestions