We’re thrilled this week to introduce you to the 6th edition of the Master Marketing Magazine which started hitting mailboxes all across the nation last week. The reviews and comments are coming in fast and the word on the street is that it is already being recommended as a tool agents can count on as they put their marketing in place to hit the second half of this year strong.
Our sixth installment of this magazine has 87 pages that are filled to the brim with strategic content, creative ideas, and market-savvy tools you can use starting right now with a focus on matching your marketing with your market segment using incredible new data sources and options!
Here are a few of the featured articles:
Embracing the Element of Surprise
Three Steps to Drive More Inventory
Five Action Steps to Grow Your Business
Pricing Makes Perfect
The One Thing You Can Do to Earn Three Times the National Average
Three Ways to Put Some Fun in Your Marketing
Three Ways to Get Out In Front of YourCompetition
PLUS… Powerful Interviews With Top Real Estate Pros
It may seem odd for a company that provides direct mail services to the real estate industry to offer advice to agents about best practices for email. Especially when statistics claim that direct mail is more effective than email marketing.
But we agreed to set aside this space on our website to offer up the latest real estate marketing advice of all stripes, even if it doesn’t directly sell our products.
Besides, most successful agents use a multi-pronged marketing approach that includes a mix of different marketing techniques.
If email is one that you use and you’re not getting the ROI you expected, read on for some tips on how to turn it around.
There is no such thing as a 100% open rate
So, wipe that goal from your list.
“If you want a 100 percent open rate, send one email to your mother,” says Dela Quist, an email pioneer and CEO of Alchemy Worx.
If your goal is to improve your click-through rate, without depending on Mom, start with what’s “above the fold” in your email message – the subject line.
That’s the come on – the lure. Head to a magazine stand (yes, they still exist. . .even in supermarkets). Check out which tantalizing blurb on each cover makes you want to purchase the publication so you can learn more.
The same holds true for blog post headlines – notice what it is about the title that makes you want to read more.
Your marketing email’s subject line is its “main cover line” (magazine industry lingo), title (in blogging) or headline. Treat it with all the attention it requires. It will make or break your open rate.
“69% of email recipients report email as spam based solely on the subject line,”
according to OptinMonster.com.
Think about the last time you wrote a listing description. Your MLS limits the number of words you can use, some more than others. It’s frustrating to fit enticing, compelling text into such a small space, but not impossible.
Now take that same skill to your email newsletter. With even less space, you’ll need to make the subject line irresistible.
Ways to deal with the subject line
Choose the lead story from your newsletter. If the headline isn’t enticing, change it. “3 steps to beat an investor to win your dream home,” is far more intriguing than “How to win a bidding war.”
It also includes the numbered list, which many email experts say is a favorite among email recipients.
Then, ensure that your subject line includes at least one adjective and the more powerful, the better. To understand the psychological punch some adjectives convey, think about restaurant menus.
For instance, you’re going to order lunch in a diner. Which entree sounds more intriguing?
Chicken pot pie
Grandma’s flaky chicken pot pie with garden-fresh vegetables.
For dessert, are you more likely to order “chocolate cake,” or “5-Layer, Espresso-Soaked Chocolate Cake?”
Need a template?
“Number or Trigger word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise = Clickable Headline”
According to an unnamed writer at BlogSiteStudio.com, copywriter and autism specialist Catherine Pascuas claims that “When you’re writing, you want to think about pulling psychological strings. Appeal to each person’s needs, wishes, joys, and sorrows.”
To do that, she came up with the above formula for headlines.
Use either a number or a trigger word, not both. If you choose to use a number, make it odd and reasonable (not more than 9). Trigger words include what, when, how and why.
Slip in a powerful adjective or one that describe resolution of a pain point. These include brilliant, incredible, amazing, effortless, easy, painstaking, fun, free, powerful, surprising.
Next comes what Pascuas mistakenly calls a “keyword,” and the unnamed writer explains as “rational” [sic]. Neither hit the mark. The word both of them were looking for is “noun,” because the next thing you’ll plug into the formula is the noun that the adjective or trigger word describes (duh).
These include words such as tips, reasons, shortcuts, facts, mistakes, ideas, ways and secrets.
Pascuas final element of the headline formula is “promise,” described as “a value proposition or a dare.” We would add that it might also be a desired outcome or a disaster avoided.
“5 brilliant ways to ensure you get a home loan.”
“3 Surprising Shortcuts to Come up with a Down Payment”
“How to Easily Dispute a Home Appraisal”
If you publish a lot of list-type blog posts and newsletter articles, you may prefer the following, easier formula, that has made the rounds across the internet as well.
(odd number) (adjective) (mistakes/tips/insights/shortcuts) for (achieving/avoiding) (desired outcome/disaster)
And, here it is in action:
“3 Surprising Tips to Beat the Competition in a Bidding War”
“5 Easy DIY Projects to Help your Home Sell Quickly”
“7 Disastrous Mistakes to Avoid when Hiring a Listing Agent”
Addressing a poor click-through rate starts at the top of your email. Starting with the subject line may just bring you somewhat instant gratification.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. –Click Here
2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar
“Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. –Click Here
3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan
Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
What if I told you that sending out 200 marketing postcards could potentially net you five new listings?
Barbara Todaro, a Franklin, MA agent, sent 200 Just Listed postcards to a farm that surrounded her new listing and her mailing resulted in just that number – five new listings.
Todaro’s advice, “Never eliminate a method because it’s basic, those are often the best methods.” “Everyone reads their mail”, she added. Yes, real estate postcard marketing has been around for a while. And, no, it’s not as innovative as digital marketing, but clearly – IT WORKS.
Left in the dust
We have to hand it to the real estate elders – who have been in the industry since before the “New Internet Age” of the 1990s. These agents have risen to the challenges of an ever-changing set of real estate tools.
From an AOL dial-up connection on an Apple computer system that took up an entire corner of a room, to using artificial intelligence to laser-target real estate prospects.
We’ve definitely come a long way.
It was a steep learning curve, but like most things in life, as agents became more tech-proficient, the demand for high-tech grew.
Faster load times, jet-propelled search engine rankings and the availability of real-time information instilled in everyone a need for speed.
This sort-of-new-fangled idea that listing generation and conversion should be quick, painless and effortless came at a price, though.
Old, yet highly effective marketing methods, were left in the dust.
Show them what you’ve been up to (Available in the postcard section under Just Listed/Just Sold)
Of course, consistency is the key, but we absolutely know that postcard marketing works wonders for a real estate business.
Snail mail? Guess again!
Direct mail outperforms email, social media and all digital forms of marketing by 700 percent, according to research from the Data and Marketing Association (DMA).
Targeting millennials? Studies show that 92 percent of targeting millennials surveyed say they were influenced by direct mail.
Only 78 percent of millennial’s surveyed were swayed by emails, according to a Nielsen survey. If you’re interested in targeting this growing demographic, take a look at our Millennial Postcard Series.
In addition, the Marketing Sherpa survey showed that, overall, direct mail ads were the third most trusted form of marketing (behind print ads in magazines/newspapers and TV ads).
For comparison, search engine ads came in sixth and, at the bottom of the list? Online pop-up ads.
Is farming a thing of the past?
In the past, most agents chose farm areas to target their best potential customers and direct mail marketing was the best way for them to reach these people. Guess what?
It still is a great way to target your ideal customer.
Neighborhoods that are ripe for the picking include those that haven’t turned over in a while. And, at least in 2019, those with a large Gen X and/or baby boomer population.
The experts recommend that you start with an area you know best – such as your own neighborhood, or those surrounding it. If you are planning to go after the move-up market? Our Move-up Market Postcard Series is the perfect marketing solution.
Let them know you’re ready to help (Available in the postcard section under Move-Up Market)
Your research into the right farm doesn’t stop with choosing your neighborhood; learning the area’s demographics (especially the average age and income of the residents) is vital to a successful campaign. The easiest way to ensure you are targeting the right demographic is to use our targeted mailing list tool.
The postcard winners
So, which are the most effective postcards for real estate? By far, the agents we’ve spoken with chose Just Listed/Just Sold postcards.
But, cards with a compelling message do just as well. A great example is our Free Offer Series of postcards, with effective consumer offers that generate a response from your targeted audience.
“We host monthly events at our office and invite local businesses and residents. When we send a Just Sold postcard, it includes an invitation message to the party,” states Laurie Laykish, Engle & Volkers.
Though the invite isn’t the focus of the card (the just-sold home is), “we have had at least 2 people from each drop of 200 cards that attend an event and sign up to buy or sell with us,” Laykish concludes.
Nearly 15 percent of direct mail recipients who responded to the Marketing Sherpa survey say they often discard consumer services-oriented mail pieces when they are “too focused on the company’s needs and not enough on my needs.”
This is why it’s important to keep the postcard’s focus on the recipient and not on you or your business. Telling—or hinting—at what’s in it for them will appeal to them far more than blatant self-promotion.
Compel them with a Free Offer (Available in our postcard section under the Free Offer Series)
A successful real estate marketing plan is multi-pronged, across different platforms. If a year-round direct mail marketing strategy isn’t currently part of your plan – the time to change this is now.
Start with sending the Free List of Homes from the Free Offer Series to at least 100 new prospects in an area where you want more listings.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!
1. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar
“Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. Watch it in-demand. – Click Here
2. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan
Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
Your Facebook business page is useless for lead generation if you insist on using your posts to sell listings and advertise open houses to the exclusion of being, well, social.
Rule number one: Be of value
Use “value” as your cornerstone. Here’s an example.
I love LinkedIn for real estate agent marketing. Its users fall under the ideal demographics for the average home buyer and seller. But it’s one place you do NOT want to be salesy. People use the platform to network, not be sold to.
Which is why I stopped following a certain virtual assistant service. Everything she posted was an ad for her company. And, I mean, everything.
Demonstrate your expert knowledge (Available in the Postcard section under Content Cards).
Ads aren’t of value to me. At least not at LinkedIn. Not at Facebook, either, come to think of it.
To be of value to a Facebook follower, your posts need to be, above all, social.
They don’t need to always be real estate-related, just interesting, surprising or helpful.
Chicago’s Dream Town Realty nails it in the “interesting” and “helpful” categories. All posts (at least the ones we saw) are locally-oriented and full of pride for their city. The recently had a post on “Where to Go Sledding in Chicago” with a great photo of kids sledding at a local hill. This is a post that’s highly shareable and ultra-local.
Yes, they share open houses and the occasional listing, but “occasional” is the operative word. And, they don’t use the typical “salesy” jargon when they do share these items.
Where do you find these hot social media topics? Start with your hometown newspaper, your city’s magazine (such as Dream Town Realty did), or another local source.
Scour the internet to see if your town or city made it onto the many “best places to retire,” “best places to raise kids,” or “best places to live” lists. Just enter into Google, with the quotation marks, “best places,” “best neighborhoods or “best cities.”
Trulia recently put out a list of the “best” neighborhoods in the country, broken down as best for kids, best for friendliness, etc. Maybe your market made it onto the list.
Compile your own, like the Dream Town Realty list. Here are some ideas:
The best yoga studios
Top spots to watch the sun set
The best dog parks
Best restaurant patio dining
Top hiking, biking, walking trails
Do a series on day trips from your town
Best restaurants for date night
Top staycation ideas
Provide valuable information (Available in the Postcard section under Content Cards)
The list of local topics is just about endless when you start brainstorming. And, people love local topics.
Rule number two: Engagement is key
Real estate pros, by and large, do an admirable job posting to Facebook. Sadly, most aren’t engaging their followers.
So, why do non-profits on Facebook have such a high rate of engagement with their posts? This is just my opinion, but non-profits, because they aren’t selling anything, are non-threatening. But, the top organizations are also posting the right content.
The number one non-profit on Facebook is Ted, an organization “devoted to spreading ideas”. It’s a place you can find answers to your most burning questions.
Which makes for excellent Facebook fodder. A recent Ted Talk video post showing ‘how to do math in your head’ received a decent amount of engagement (nearly 700 comments, so far), it was shared more than 3,000 times. It was viewed 387,000 times.
Who knew so many people wanted to learn how to add and subtract in their heads?
When you’re stuck for content, share a post from Ted, or NPR, number 3 on the list of most popular non-profit Facebook pages.
Don’t make every post all about you. Nobody cares that you’re willing to help them “buy or sell a home.” Few care that you’re holding an open house or that you took a new listing.
Keep them informed of what’s important (Available in the Postcard section, under Content Cards).
Think about what makes you interact with a Facebook post and head in that direction with your real estate page.
Engage your audience by sending at least 100 Demand High, Inventory Low postcards from the Content Card Series to an area where you want more listings.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!
1. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar
“Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. Watch it now. – Click Here
2. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan
Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
