How to Make Gold and Influence Trade Chat

So, everyone reading blogs like this has probably seen the same thing over and over again. Buy low, sell big. Snipe auctions with low bids. Buy in mass.

That's all find and dandy. You can make money with it fine, increasing your revenue with each tip you get along the way. But there is one thing just as important as those TSM tutorials and transmog lists.

It's time for a lesson in Public Relations (or PR). Because if you can't market yourself, you can't market your sales. You can make millions of gold in game, but eventually you are going to need to talk to other people. If you are a jerk to people or insult them, they are far less likely to want to buy your things, especially if you are using Trade Chat. Ever been barking an item and someone comes along, preaching the good news and telling everyone how much of a terrible person you are? Well, here is how to avoid that.

Public Relations 101 with Professor Tauna

Tip 1- Writing

The first skill that everyone requires is a knowing how to spell and use correct grammar. I'm not saying you need to go out and get an English Major, but you really need to know how to spell. Which ones of these looks better

Come buy Tauna's gems! Cheap and available now on the AH

Cum bye my jems on the AH their very gud n help u wif raids

Honestly, if someone spams trade and looks like they had a seizure on their keyboard, I'm more likely to ignore than even bother to translate.

Tip 2- Level your head

Don't get hotheaded and go on a massive rant in trade chat if someone says your prices are wrong. This just makes you appear like a bad person. Politely whisper them and talk to them. Keep calm, it's just a game. If they aren't listening to reason, then the best thing you can do is just tell them they are entitled to their opinion even if it is wrong.

The last thing you want to do is insult people. You will likely just get put on an ignore list then, and lose a potential future customer. The less people with you on ignore, the better.

Tip 3- Get exalted with Trade Chat

Take part in conversations and help people out whenever you can. It takes barely anytime to reply to a small question, and it could help you in the future. I like to think of Trade Chat as a reputation (in keeping with WoW). If you help people out, then the reputation rises. If you tell people to get lost or shut up, it lowers.

Tip 4- Be a good listener

Think of your customer as a 'stereotypical not-being-sexist' woman from a movie. They don't want a solution, they just want to be heard. Let them guide the conversation. Let them feel like they are in charge, because that's what customers want. They want to feel like they are holding the reigns on the horse, dashing towards a cheap sale. Ask them what they want to pay for the panther. Of course, don't sell for absurd prices but make them find the middle ground.

Tip 5- Friends with Benefits

Building up a network of friends is always useful in any sales industry and this is especially true in WoW. You need to be like Barney Stinson and have a guy for everything. A golden lotus guy, a ghost iron ore guy or a profession guy. The more bases you have covered with friends, the less you need to out-source to more expensive people.

Tip 6- Confidence

Be confident in your prices. Know they are the best. Know you will sell that item. Without confidence, you won't get far. You need to know that the customer is going to come to you. Everyone else's products are inferior compared to yours. Just don't cross into obnoxiousness where you start telling everyone you are the best.



Class dismissed!

These skills are all very important in any marketing industry, and WoW is no exception. Yes, you can make millions, but is it any fun if everyone hates you. You make more sales with being friendly and considerate than by being sour and insulting.