[This post is written as part of Cold’s Gold Blogging Carnival for February 2011.]
I know you’re expecting a list of addons and how to install them and what to watch out for, but I figure you can find that information fairly easily on the internet these days. I think the best way of learning about the Addons is either through personal coaching, or from movies on Youtube.
Here are my top 3 pieces of advice to a new gold maker:
1 Scan the Auction House by Hand / Eye
There is nothing as powerful as knowing the state of your own server’s economy. Your friends on other servers might implore you to invest in Greater Celestial Essence, but that is absolutely no use to you if their prices are rock bottom on your home server. Skimming AH quickly throughout the day helps you get to know about the current supply.
We have a tendency as auctioneers and gold makers to ignore this piece of advice as we become more settled into our daily gold routines. We depend on our addons and click buy and sell andœsearch for resale without giving any real thought into what the hell we’re doing. Taking a few minutes to connect with your economy at grass roots level is essential. If you’re out of touch with the supply levels and prices, you’re going to completely fail at making any significant amounts of gold.
2 Watch Trade Chat
Another absolute essential, watching trade chat teaches us so many things. How busy is the server? What items are in demand and for what prices? What sort of players do you have: casuals, hardcore raiders, or loads of PVPers? Is there a rising trend for a particular type of item, enchantment, or gem?
Business is the art of listening to your customer, discovering his problems, and solving them.
If you turn off your trade chat, you turn off your customer.
3 Look at Your ProfessionsThe third top advice I’d give to a new gold maker is to look at your professions. Now we’re found the supply levels, and know what are the demands, it’s up to us to fill the gap. Which professions do you have? What can you craft? Are they maxed up to 525 and have you bought all the recipes and patterns from Twilight Highlands?
Now decide how can you use your professions to provide what the players want. Perhaps decide to craft one particular expensive item, such as vial of the sands, or you could choose the walmart route and craft hundreds of cheaper and faster selling items.
Either way, you should also take the time to look at the professions of all your characters and see if they can supply and support each other. Build up a crafting chain such as a tailor making items to send to your disenchanter.
Three short useful tips for the new gold maker, I hope they help you.
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