Marketing to flippers
I'm a state of MN employee and part of my job is to manage the state's auction website, MNBID.MN.GOV and we're looking at ways to increase our page views. We're one of the few states that manages their own resale process and it's pretty awesome. We have a competitively low fee, have no buyers fee and are entirely self funded. Our site does very well for used cars. Popular models like Toyota's will get 10+ unique bidders and 20+ bids and generally beat the KBB estimate. I'd like us to be stronger in some of the other categories and that's why we're leaning into advertising. We sell all kinds of stuff and it's challenging to find the right audience as someone who'd interested in a fire truck might not be interested in 64 folding chairs.
I routinely ask our customers where they heard about us and it's almost always word of mouth, but when I ask them to spread the word, they say no as they know that could/would affect the prices.
We've tried some radio ads in the past, and that hasn't worked. I think flippers would like our site, but besides here on Reddit, and FB, I'm not sure how to reach them.
If you were in my shoes, what would you look into?