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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Lisa Gray

769 POSTS 0 COMMENTS
Lisa is an accomplished marketer with years of expertise in direct response marketing, digital marketing, data analytics and business development working with both B2C and B2B.

Real Estate Door Hangers That Work

Door Hangers are the perfect tool for branding yourself as the neighborhood expert. They catch attention, provide the perfect reason for canvassing, and are an easy and effective leave behind.

Here are seven ways to SCORE BIG using Door Hangers.

1.  Content is key

The right door hanger for the right situation is key. Who are you trying to attract? Our Listing Inventory Series of Door Hangers are designed specifically to help agents find more sellers.

We also offer FSBO’s Door Hangers and Expireds Door Hangers, which are handy to have in the car when you come across a FSBO that just popped up or see an expired come off the market that’s close by.

In addition, you can use door hangers to brand yourself, spotlight a new listing, or advertise an open house.  The possibilities are endless.

 

2.  Include a call to action

Often agents will put time and energy into getting their message right, then forget to tell their prospects what they want them to do next.  Always make sure there is a call to action that’s simple and direct on your marketing pieces. For a memorable call to action select our Free Competitive Market Analysis Door Hanger.

3.  Know your neighborhood

Know how many homes are in the neighborhood you are canvassing. Then, based on the number of homes, come up with a strategic plan for conquering the whole area over time. An easy way to confirm how many homes are in a neighborhood is to use a tool available on our EDDM page (HERE). Once there click the “Get Started” link. On the next screen, there is a link to “choose your carrier route” this tool will allow you to find out how many homes are in a given area so you’re sure to order enough door hangers.

4.  Keep them readily available 

Keep a variety of door hangers available to address different niche markets so you are prepared for any opportunity that might cross your path. Many agents stock their trunks with various materials including, objection handling brochures, extra business cards, listing agreements, presentation folders, and door hangers.  As the saying goes, “To be prepared is half the victory”.

5.  Timing is everything

If you want to just get the hangers on the door without actually talking to many people, mornings (after people leave for work) are good.  If shaking hands and making connections with potential sellers and buyers is what you are after, then early evening after people have made their way home, is a smart choice.

6.  Blitz an Area

Take your team along and create a plan of attack that includes breaking up the canvassing in sections. Then blitz the neighborhood from all sides and begin the process of branding the area and officially introducing everyone to the new area experts.

7.  The layered approach

Prior to delivering door hangers to a specific neighborhood or in conjunction with this effort, make a few phone calls, send some agent introduction postcards or a community newsletter.  That way when you are meeting face-to-face, your prospects will be more likely to recognize you as the ‘neighborhood expert.’  If you’re using the listing inventory door hangers, we have Listing Inventory Postcards that compliment them nicely. You can find them here.

Get prepared for your next FSBO sighting by ordering 100 FSBO Door Hangers today to have available to leave on the door of the next home you see with a FSBO sign.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: Get Instant Access below to 3 FREE tools that will help you CONQUER Your Market this year!

1. An Easy & Effective Agent Business Plan – Treating your business like a business it is crucial to your success. Our one-page simple, yet powerful agent business plan is the answer! – Click Here

2. Marketing Dollars Success Tool – Enter your numbers into our Free online calculator to find out how to get the best ROI from your marketing dollar, instantly! – Click Here

3. Get a 12 Month Expert Marketing Plan – Get a free 12-month plan for What marketing to do when. Four key target markets included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

Also…check out these cool tools created to make YOUR life easier 🙂

Turn One Listing Into Many – All From Your Mobile Phone, Click Here

Automatically Send Your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards – Work Smarter Not Harder, Click Here

Become a Neighborhood Brand – With the Market Dominator System, Click Here

 

Thank you to all of our Contestants in our April Contest!

The time and effort you have taken to give us feedback on your experience with a ProspectsPLUS! product or service is incredibly meaningful to us!

Remember, if your name wasn’t announced in this month’s contest, a new contest starts soon with new opportunities to win!

Ring Video Doorbell First Prize Winner – Tracy Fraim

 

Tracy had exciting feedback about his experiences with ProspectsPLUS! as a new agent.

“Great product, great service, huge selection. A real attention grabber for sure. Just started out and already got two listings.”

That’s right Tracy has been sending out the Market Dominator for just four months (including April) and has already received two listings from this marketing piece.

There’s a reason we call this product the “Market Dominator”. Anyone who is serious about becoming a neighborhood brand and dominating a specific market should check this product out.

It’s a slam dunk.

Tracy Fraim’s Latest Marketing Purchases –  Market Dominator & Free Report,”5 Reasons Why Your House May Not Sell”

$100 Second Prize Winner – Myrna Eisenlauer

 

Mryna shared her experience using ProspectsPLUS! over the years with the following feedback.

“We have been using Prospects Plus for years. We mail Just Sold Postcards to the perimeter of our listings. It really helps with name recognition and shows our success in getting homes sold.”

Just Listed and Just Sold Postcards are some of our most popular marketing pieces. We offer them in ten different designs and 18 logo color choices. Check them out Here.

A service that works perfectly with our Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards for busy agents interested in working smarter not harder is our MLS Mailings service. This automated service integrates with your local MLS and makes sending out your Just Listed and Just Sold postcards something you can do in your sleep.

Using MLS Mailings takes one major ongoing task off of a busy agent’s “To Do” list. To learn more, Click Here.

Mryna & Her Team’s Latest Marketing Purchases – Just Sold Postcards

Take advice from Mryna and her successful neighborhood branding strategy and send Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards to the area around your listing. Start the process of declaring yourself the neighborhood expert now!

Need help targeting the perfect niche of sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

Time vs Reward

While a lot of real estate agents know about Google AdWords, there are many who don’t understand how it works and why they should consider using it to advertise their business.

All advertising campaigns require careful consideration as to the amount of time they take, the cost and, most especially, the return on your investment dollar. Let’s take a closer look at these concerns and how AdWords fits in.

Learning Curve

Determining keywords, deciding how much to pay for them and tracking your ads takes time. For the busy real estate agent or those who are inexperienced with online advertising—especially advertising on Google—expect a huge amount of time on just the learning curve alone.

Then, tracking the ads’ effectiveness involves another huge chunk of time.

Cost

Since it costs nothing to set up a Google Adwords account, the cheapest way to get started is to do it yourself. Navigate to adwords.google.com and you’ll find step-by-step instructions on how to set up the entire program.

So, How Does it Work?

Google is the largest search engine in the world and, last month, it garnered nearly 92 percent of the search market share, worldwide.

Regardless of where you advertise online and whether you buy leads or clicks, the truth is that Google is so ubiquitous, whoever finds you probably uses Google.

The good news is that Google tends to offer a fairly high return on investment. It works on an auction model, so the more popular the keyword you want, the more you’ll pay.

Now, it’s not a straight auction model because they also care about relevancy, so if your landing page is judged highly relevant to your keyword, they’ll allow you to bid a little bit lower for the ad.

Not only that, but the more relevant pages are ranked the highest.

Google assigns what they call a Quality Score to every landing page for every keyword. Let’s assume that your landing page is generic and you want to bid on the keyword phrase “Portland Real Estate.”

Any agents whose landing pages have a higher Quality Score, also bidding on the same keyword phrase, will rank above your page in the search results.

Advantages

 In one sentence: Google AdWords is a fast, highly scalable, easy and somewhat predictable way to advertise – if you know what you’re doing.

  • Scalability: You decide how much you spend and when and how to adjust your ads.
  • Predictable: Once you know what you’re doing you can determine your ROI.
  • Quicker: You’ll see results faster than you will with trying to SEO your way to page one organically.
Disadvantages

Ok, so it’s not all perfect. The learning curve is steep and overly time-consuming. Then, there are the ongoing management and maintenance headaches. This combination can deter many from using Google AdWords.

The bottom line

If you choose to begin using AdWords, you’ll need to determine a daily budget and then keep up with prices, perform ongoing keyword research and understand the analytics well enough to figure out what is working and what isn’t.

In the end, since all of these tasks take time, many agents choose to outsource the management and maintenance of their AdWords account.

Start attracting new listings with a form of marketing that is studied to have a 75% brand recall – Direct Mail Marketing!*
Send 100 Take Advantage of the Market Postcards from our Listing Inventory Series to an area where you would like more listings now.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

PLUS: Get Instant Access below to 3 Free tools that will help you Dominate Your Market this year!

1. An Easy & Effective Agent Business Plan 

Treating your business like a business it is crucial to your success. Our one-page simple yet powerful agent business plan is the answer! – Click Here

2. Marketing Dollars Success Tool

Enter your numbers into our Free online calculator to find out how to get the best ROI from your marketing dollar, instantly! – Click Here

3. Get a 12 Month Expert Marketing Plan

Get a free 12-month plan for What marketing to do when. Four key target markets included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

Also…check these out 🙂

Turn One Listing Into Many – From Your Mobile Phone

Automatically Send Your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards – Work Smarter Not Harder

Become a Neighborhood Brand – With the Market Dominator System

(*Direct mail has a 75% brand recall. Source: DMA Response Rate Report)

With inventory in high demand and buyers eager for deals, sometimes it takes a little objection handling skill and myth-busting to turn FSBOs into happy clients.

The following are three common FSBO misconceptions. And how to turn them from myths to more listings.

1.  FSBOs are hard to work with

Really – all of them?  In truth, most sellers who are trying to sell themselves are eager to save money and fairly motivated, yet not well-informed regarding what it takes to price right in today’s market.

Are they distrustful of agents?  Sure, many are but that doesn’t make them difficult it makes them human beings.  It’s your job to earn their trust, treat them with respect, develop a relationship and make them raving fans.

How do you help develop that relationship? Consistent communication and professional presentation tools.  Our FSBO Postcard Series are a great way to communicate and educate over time raising questions that will compel FSBOs to call you for help.

Our FSBO door hangers are also perfect for stashing in your car for a quick leave behind every time you see a For Sale By Owner sign.

Anytime you are attempting to get in the door of a potential listing, especially a FSBO, consider offering something of value. A reason to contact you. Great ideas for this are free reports, market information and a list of resources.

2.  FSBOs are overpriced 

Many FSBO homes probably are overpriced but surprisingly with the information available on the internet, many get the price right. However, more often than not, they still don’t understand they can likely get more for their home using a real estate professional.  

The biggest reason this is true is the exposure an agent can create for your property as opposed to what a FSBO can do on their own. An agent enters the property into the MLS where it is broadcast marketed via the paper, home guides, a wide range of internet sites, and to other agents. This creates greater property exposure and more competition leading to a higher selling price.

A great strategic tool that allows you to walk sellers through all the components of the salable listing is the Merchandising Review. It even helps to answer some questions before they’re raised. The Merchandising Review is available as a Free Download Here.

 

As soon as you see a new FSBO, contact them to offer to complete a ‘no obligation” Merchandising Review. Explain the tool allows you to make a comprehensive analysis of whether their home is salable in today’s market and what will assure it sells for the right price. Then schedule a 20 minute time to meet with them to go over the Review.

Walk them through each item and negotiate the issues that might keep the property from selling.  Correct these issues, and ask if they would allow you to show them your marketing plan.

3.  FSBOS can succeed on their own

The truth is most FSBOs do end up using an agent.  According to NAR, statistics show only 8% of the homes sold are FSBOs. And 31% of FSBOs don’t market their properties. They need someone like you to lend your expertise for a headache free sale that achieves the most money.

Other tasks that NAR has shown are difficult for FSBOs include: pricing the home right (18%), preparing the home for sale (13%), understanding the paperwork (12%), helping the buyer obtain financing (6%), timely selling (3%) and time to devote to the sale (3%).

FSBOs really are the “low hanging fruit” but the keys to success are consistency and timely communication. Most deals are sealed after the fifth contact. Know your business and your market and you’ll create a presence as the expert in your market for FSBOs.

Get prepared for your next FSBO sighting by ordering 100 FSBO Door Hangers today to have available to leave on the door of the next home you see with a FSBO sign.

Remember -we’re here if you need us.  Call our team today at 866.405.3638 to help choose the marketing materials you need to capture this market!

PLUS: Hey, don’t forget to check out 3 Free things below that will help you CRUSH IT this year!

1. Easy Agent Business Plan

Treat your business like a business. It is vital to long-term success in this industry. This business plan is both easy and highly effective. Check out the perfect one-page Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

2. Marketing Return on Investment Calculator

Consistent marketing is the key to success. Discover how effective your marketing dollars can be. Enter numbers in our Free online Return on Investment Calculator to see instant results! – Click Here

3. 12 Month Done-For-You Marketing Planner

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

Also…check these out 🙂

Turn One Listing Into More – from your mobile phone

Automate Your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards – work smarter not harder

Become a Neighborhood Brand – with the Market Dominator System

Did you know that according to a national survey, over 75% of consumers that receive marketing postcards in the mail, not only read them but keeps them for weeks or more?

With this in mind, it just makes sense for real estate postcards to be a part of your marketing strategy. The following are three tricks to help you begin winning big with postcard marketing.

Direct response marketing

The intent of direct response marketing is to elicit a measured and often emotional response from your prospects. Methods used to trigger this response include a call to action, a question or something that compels your audience to reply.

A great example of direct response marketing using a question is shown in one of our Expired Postcards. The postcard reads, “Did you know more than 90% of people who have had the misfortune of having their listing expire change agents to help improve their ability to sell sooner rather than later?” Quoting statistics is a great way to lend credibility to a point you are making.

Another direct response option is educating your prospect, by raising their awareness and showing your expertise. An example of this is shown in one of our Market Quote Postcards. It reads, “Statistics show the typical FSBO home sold for $210,000, compared to $249,000 for agent-assisted home sales. A professional will net you more!”  Again, the use of statistics helps validate the statement.

The last direct response example uses a “call-to-action” that gives your prospect an exciting reason to contact you that benefits them personally. An example of this is demonstrated in our Free Offer Postcards. These postcards contain offers for a “Free Home Market Analysis”, “Free Home Lists” or a “Free Home Equity Analysis”. Providing exactly what the consumer is in need of and at no cost to them makes it easy for them to raise their hand.

Keep in mind, although you may be tempted to send a postcard with a beautiful image and/or saying, because it’s simple and you know it will be readily accepted, be careful it’s not your only choice, specifically over compelling direct response content.

Most of all, remember a postcard has limited, valuable real estate available on the front and back. So make the most of this space with the right images and copy to drive home your point and gain your audience’s attention.

If you decide to create your own postcard, make sure to ask yourself the question, are you using copy and images that will evoke a response from your prospects?

If you speak to the heart of what your target audience is thinking and feeling, you will create a connection that makes people want to reach out to you.

Consistency 

Begin your strategic marketing by sending out compelling postcards to a designated area and then do it, again and again. Because this is how often you need to “show up” in your prospect’s mailbox and in their lives to make an impact.

I can not stress this strategy enough due to the positive impact it will have over time. In fact, among other things, it signals to your prospects that you have a quality brand and service.

University of Wyoming’s Anthony McGann and Raymond Marquardt researched the effects of repeat advertising. They found that businesses that advertised with high rates of repetition tend to be rated as “high quality” in consumer report studies.

In addition, the results of another study published in the Journal of Consumer Research showed that consumers think that products and services repeatedly advertised are “good purchase choices”.

Consequently don’t waste time, effort and marketing dollars on a one-hit mailing because it will not have a worthwhile return on investment or positive long-term effect.

Finally, if you are not consistently seen in your targeted market through marketing, consider what message you are sending to your prospects about your level of commitment? Success comes to those who show up over and over again with the right message, the right attitude and the right promise of service.

A powerful database 

Your mailing list is not just a compiled list of names and addresses. It represents the lifeblood of your business. And it includes people that, if cared for and kept in touch with, will take care of you for your entire career.

In fact, studies show that one out of twelve on this list will result in a transaction each year. This means a list of 200 will provide you 17 transactions per year. That is if you give them the attention they deserve, by consistently and effectively staying in touch.

Therefore, to keep your list information organized and easy to access choose a database program. But don’t stop with inputting just names, addresses, and phone numbers, also get personal with your entries.  Aren’t you impressed when someone remembers your name, asks about your children, spouse, and hobbies?

This is why your database should include spouse and children’s names and don’t forget special interests, likes, dislikes, and personality styles. Begin the habit of contacting your list at least three times a year. Over time you’ll be able to feed more personal details into your database.

free offer postcard series

Finally, don’t forget about the mailing lists you get when you purchase a Just Listed Postcard. Every time you send a postcard out and do a radial or neighborhood search, for the perfect mailing list – that list is yours to keep. Use it to continue to build that prized book of business. Add these individuals to your database and start building a relationship with them.

For more ideas on how to create a powerful database, download our Free BusinessBASE book.  It’s an informative and free resource that explains exactly how to grow your database effectively. And contains information that applies to both short-term and long-term career success.

Start applying these success tricks now. Send the Free Market Analysis Offer postcard from our Free Offer Series to at least 100 new prospects in an area where you want more listings.

Need help?  We are here to help you succeed. Just call 866.405.3638 for assistance!  

PLUS: When you have a moment…here are 3 Free things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

1. The Free Real Estate Business Plan Outline

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 the perfect one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

2. The Free Marketing 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

3. The Free Strategic Marketing Planner

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

Also…check these out 🙂

Turn One Listing Into More – & all from your mobile phone

Automate Your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards – with MLS Listings

Become a Neighborhood Brand – with the Market Dominator System

I recently spent time interviewing Michael LaFido, a top-producing Realtor, and luxury real estate consultant. Michael is the founder of the Luxury Listing Specialist Certification (LUXE) that many are calling the “new standard” for marketing luxury homes today.  Michael is also the author of the books “Marketing Luxury” and “Luxury Listing Specialist” & he has been inducted into the National Academy Of Best Selling Authors.

 Q: What is your definition of a luxury listing?

I define a luxury listing as three times the average home price for any given market. If the average home price is $200k, luxury would be defined as $600k and up. There is also a tier below luxury referred to as “higher end”, which I define as two times the average sale price for that market. In the above example, $400k would be considered “higher end”.

Q: What are the secrets of appealing to a luxury seller?

First, nobody cares how much you know until they know you care. You have to be authentic and truly care. There are agents that come across poorly because they are only bottom line driven and a seller will see through that. Being real and likable is important.

However, the biggest hurdle for many agents is penetrating the inner circle of trust. It can be difficult to penetrate this circle when dealing with high net worth individuals, they tend to be more guarded and untrusting.

A luxury homeowner will rarely give an opportunity to someone new and unknown to them. That is unless the agent has similar properties in their portfolio. Which is why a big part of what I do in my training is give agents the tools and resources to attract luxury sellers versus chasing them. Once an agent has gone through my program and has achieved our certification, they can leverage this certification as a third party endorsement.

Q: What advice do you have for agents curious about entering the luxury market?

The first step is more psychological than anything. An agent has to believe they can do it. Many agents have what I call limiting beliefs that are preventing them from breaking into certain markets.

Some of these beliefs include, I have to be licensed for X amount of years before I can sell high-end properties. Or I have to be with a certain brokerage. I have to live a luxury lifestyle, have a high net worth, and live in a big home or drive a certain car.

These beliefs are all false. I’m living proof. I have several properties on the market, $7 million and above in the Chicago land area and I came from a blue-collar past.

Recently I was in Las Vegas and a past training student approached me stating, “Hey Mike I attended you’re training a year ago and I just landed my first trophy listing for $850k.” She won this listing as an individual agent up against a power luxury team.

Another seasoned agent who never listed above $550k before she completed my training nine months ago said, “Michael, before your class, I would never have gone on a million dollar listing appointment.” Within two months of completing the training, she had a $5.3 million dollar listing appointment.

Q: What have been the greatest Aha moments for agents taking your certification?

Recently, after a training, I took agents over to an $11 million dollar mansion. I gave a tour of the property and insight into how to secure a listing like it and get it sold. I encouraged the agents to take selfies and create Facebook live videos inside the mansion as a way for them to market themselves from within this luxury property.

This tour of a multi-million dollar home was an eye-opening experience for many agents. Not just being in the environment, but communicating with their audience from within an $11 million dollar home broke down barriers and turned fantasy into reality. It’s important to put yourself in the surroundings of where you want to be in your life.

 Q: How do agents begin to break down the mental barriers to entering the luxury market?

The best place to start is by increasing your income from where you currently stand. If your average sale price is $200k try and push it to $260k or from $300k to $390k. This is a smaller goal, to begin with, that offers a big result (a 30% income increase).

Also, add higher-end properties to your portfolio. A financial portfolio includes some high and some low-risk investments. Diversify your listing portfolio in the same way with some higher listings as well.

Many agents say, if I take on a luxury or a trophy listing, that’s going to mess up my averages. It’s true they take longer to sell and cost more money. However, there is a positive overall effect on your portfolio and an annual income that can’t be denied.

Q: For agents interested in learning more what’s their next step?

Watch my Luxury Blueprint Video Series (linked below). It’s a three-part series on how to break into and sell more high-end and luxury homes and we also include some other freebies.  An agent can also listen to our podcast “Luxury Listing Specialist” on iTunes or Stitcher. To watch Michael LaFido’s Luxury Listing Blueprint Video Series, Click Here. For more information on Michael’s Luxury Listing Specialist Certification Click Here.

Always know that we are here to help you in any way we can.  Call our support team at 866.405.3638 if you would like help creating your new mailing lists or marketing materials.

PLUS: When you have a moment…here are 3 Free things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

1. The Free Real Estate Business Plan Outline

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 the perfect one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

2. 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

3. The Free Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

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

Also…check these out 🙂

Turn One Listing Into More – & all from your mobile phone

Automate Your Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards – with MLS Listings

Become a Neighborhood Brand – with the Market Dominator System

Based on a recent NAR survey, 77% of buyers stated home staging made it easier to visualize the property as their future home.

In fact, the majority of agents agree home staging decreases the home’s time on the market and increases the sales price (up to 15 percent).

With options from hiring a professional, to doing it yourself, here’s why more agents are choosing virtual staging.

Search the internet for virtual staging and you’ll find lots of articles on how “dishonest” the practice is and how “deceived” potential buyers feel when they visit the home and the staging they saw online isn’t there.

But, read who is writing these hit pieces – professional home stagers – and it’s easier to take them with a grain of salt. Besides, many agents are successfully using virtual home staging and have great tips to offer.

The vacant home

Regardless of the type of market or home, staging is a must for most vacant homes—even if it’s staged only for the listing photos.

But, there’s more to it than marketing. Vacant homes send a message to potential buyers: this seller is desperate.

At the very least, buyers may assume there’s an urgency on the seller’s part to get rid of the home. Hello, lowball offers!

Most buyers first view a home online. Therefore, having at least virtual staging in place avoids the “vacant home syndrome” that may lead to low offers. 

What virtual staging is, and isn’t

Virtually staging a home for sale involves digitally enhancing the home’s rooms with furniture and accessories.

Many companies offer the service and it’s quite easy to use. All you, as an agent, need to do is send high-res photos of the rooms your client wants to be staged to the staging company. Depending on the company, you can have the finished product within 48 hours to a week later.

Costs vary as well. BoxBrownie.com charges as little as $32 per photo. While other companies can charge up to $100 or more per photo.

Virtual staging isn’t a DIY project. Sure, you can purchase software, but it isn’t the same software the pros use and, without a staging background, it’s not wise. Unless, of course, you think homeowners going FSBO is wise, then, by all means, go for it.

Unlike most of the out-of-the-box virtual staging software, the professional virtual staging software doesn’t virtually remodel homes. It presents the home’s architecture as-is and design the staging around what is actually present.

The photos are high-resolution and far more realistic and professional-looking than you’ll get with consumer-oriented software.

So, how do you keep a potential buyer from feeling manipulated?

Hard feelings may ensue when what a potential buyer sees in person isn’t what was presented online. Buyers may feel deceived, or like the victim of a bait and switch type of con.

Kiawah Partners in Charleston, S.C. has a brilliant solution.

“The company shows two versions of the photos: the room as it was originally photographed and the virtually staged room with the word ‘visualization’ prominently watermarked in the corner of the image,” explains Realtormag.com’s Erica Christoffer.

“The potential home buyer can see that the kitchen currently has beautiful dark wood cabinets and dark quartzite countertops, say, but can also see what it would look like if the cabinets were painted white and the dark countertop was replaced with a white marble,” explained Tiffany Jonas, Kiawah’s advertising and marketing manager

The company also includes a disclaimer in the property’s MLS description.

At vacant properties, the empty rooms contain large photos of the virtually staged room, “mounted on foam board and sitting on easels,” according to Cristofer.

“The potential home buyer can plainly see the original, real room in front of their eyes and, in the mounted photo, how that room would look with different furnishings and finishes,” Jonas told the magazine.

Other agents who employ virtual staging have the most popular rooms staged several different ways. “To help buyers visualize, for example, how a space could serve as a study, an exercise room, or a guest room, depending on one’s needs,” according to Boston Globe correspondent Marni Elyse Katz.

What to look for in a virtual staging company

Choosing a virtual staging company is rather like choosing a professional real estate photographer—it’s all about the photos.

Of course, you’ll want to ensure that the photos are realistic. You’ll also want to ensure that they take into account all the other aspects of stunning photography. These include lighting, scale, color, and composition.

A virtual staging company should also offer experience in home décor and styling. This includes the ability to create tasteful combinations of furniture and accessories, wall colors and flooring.

Finally, consider what you get for the money you are willing to spend.

We recommend BoxBrownie.com, not only for their skills and affordability but for the extras they offer, such as professional copywriters, to really make your listing sing.

Another way to attract more buyers is to send the Still Renting postcard from the First Time Buyer/Renter Series to at least 100 renters in your area. Need a mailing list of renters? Click Here.

Always know that we are here to help you in any way we can. 

Call our support team at 866.405.3638 if you would like help creating a new mailing list or marketing materials.

Thank you to all of our amazing contestants in our March contest!

We were thrilled to see the successful experiences everyone is having with our products and services. It is especially enjoyable to read about the experiences of so many new agents.  Remember, if your name wasn’t announced in this month’s contest, a new contest is starting soon with new opportunities to win!

Amazin Fire TV Prize Winner – John Kilpatrick

John had wonderful feedback about his experiences with ProspectsPLUS! as a new agent.

“I recently had an opportunity to use ProspectsPLUS for the first time. As a new real estate agent I ordered door hangers introducing myself to my neighbors. I placed the order and received them before the end of the week. They looked great.”

“Thank you ProspectsPLUS for your professionalism and high-quality standards.”

John Kilpatrick’s Latest Marketing Piece Purchases –  Just Sold Postcards & Door Hangers

Amazon Fire TV Prize Winner – Letterly Foster

Letterly shared her recent experiences using ProspectsPLUS! as a new agent.

“I LOVE ProspectsPLUS!!!! As a new agent, I am always looking for marketing ideas and new ways to find buyers. ProspectsPLUS has all the tools I need and more to help my business grow. I’ve ordered calendars, door hangers, neighborhood information postcards and they never disappoint. My products are shipped on time. It’s super easy to set up an account with them and reorder past marketing materials and they are affordable. The customer service representatives are out of this world.”

“They really want to see you flourish and I can appreciate that. Customer for life and I recommend ProspectsPLUS to every agent I know. I can’t thank you enough”

Letterly’s Latest Marketing Piece Purchases –  Door Hangers & Calendar Magnet Series

Join in on Letterly and John’s successful use of Door Hangers by ordering 100 Door hangers from our Door Hanger Series and have them sent to your home. Commit to hanging them on the doors of 100 homes in your Geographic Farm in April.

Always know that we are here to help you in any way we can.  Call our support team at 866.405.3638 if you would like help creating your new mailing lists or marketing materials.

When 1,500 U.S. consumers were asked what type of research they performed before hiring a real estate agent, nearly 43 percent said they seek advice from a neighbor or friend. More than 34 percent say they check the agent’s website.

When the second most popular way of finding agents is by trolling their websites, it’s critical to take a good look at your online presence. Blogging has benefits.

Listings, listings, and more listings

Here’s a “well, DUH” for you: To capture website leads you need visitors to your website. There are several ways to generate more traffic and blogging is one of the best methods.

Merely having a blog on your website will increase the site’s number of visitors, according to a Hubspot study. In fact, companies that blog receive 80 percent more visitors and small-business bloggers (which is what you are) get 126 percent more leads.

The bottom line is that if you promote your posts widely and consistently, you’ll drive more traffic to your website. 

SEO

And, if you search engine optimize your blog using long-tail keywords, you’ll be focusing on traffic that is more likely to convert.

Examples of short and long-tail keywords in real estate include:

  • Short: Lake homes
  • Long: Lake homes for sale in Madison
  • Short: Homes for sale in Phoenix
  • Long: Homes for sale in Phoenix with a pool
  • One-story homes in Las Vegas
  • One-story homes for sale in 89123 under $200,000
Real estate consumers are using longtail keywords to find you

Agent Steve Jolly of nashvillerealestatenow claims that he counted “21,050 keywords that were used to find my website” over the course of one year. More than 90 percent of those keywords were longtail.

In a nutshell: Although long tail key phrases will result in less traffic, what you do get will convert easier. And, when you think about it, are you in the traffic-generating or lead-generating business?

Finally, if you’re posting valuable, high-quality content, you may attract inbound links – the holy grail of anyone seeking to rank in Google.

If you want Google to see your site as authoritative, having high-quality inbound links is the only way to do it, according to Jayson DeMers at Search Engine Land.

Blogging helps build trust and establish expertise

The folks at Google asked real estate consumers what is important to them when choosing an agent and nearly half of them said “trust,” according to Tom Ferry.

So, how do you create trust? Through your online presence.

Blogging helps you appear human instead of as a brand. Regular blogging, on a schedule, helps people trust you as well. You show up, you are consistent – those are all qualities consumers seek in an agent. 

 A blog will help you to position yourself as an expert in your niche
 The How

Stuck for topics? Think about your clients and the questions they ask. The chances are good that others have the same questions.

There are at least a gazillion (ok, an exaggeration, maybe a bazillion) pieces of online advice about how to write blog posts. The key thing is to know your audience before you sit down to put fingers to keyboard:

  • Buyer or seller?
  • What pain point is your topic addressing?

Keep the answers to these questions in mind to remain focused as you write.

Make the post easier to read by structuring it so that it has lots of white space. Chop up overly long paragraphs and use photos, subheadings, content boxes and block quotes.

The When

How often should you post to your blog? Businesses that “published 16+ blog posts per month got about 4.5X more leads than companies that published between 0 – 4 monthly,” according to a Hubspot survey.

Sounds a bit excessive, doesn’t it? Other than agents who outsource their blogging, who has time to write four blog posts a week? Nonetheless, the takeaway from this survey is that blogging more often results in increased lead generation.

Not only does inbound marketing work, it’s far less expensive than most other types. If done right, blogging is inbound marketing on steroids.

Another way to get more listings, send the Timing is Everything postcard from the Fence-Sitter Series to at least 100 new prospects in an area where you want more listings.

PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

1. The Free 2018 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

2. The 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

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

Also…check these out 🙂

3 Click Postcards – Just snap, tap, send all from your mobile phone

MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

 

There’s probably little worse in your real estate business than a client who insists on buying fixer-uppers when they have little to no experience with them.

Working incredibly hard for a payday that may not happen isn’t exactly what you signed up for, but there it is.

Experienced buyers may know full well what they’re getting themselves into while first-timers— or those who haven’t been in the market for some time—typically have no idea what to expect.

Sure, they may have heard the fixer-upper horror stories but it isn’t until they’re knee-deep in the process that reality sets in. Most likely, though, they’re Chip and Joanna Gaines fans and can’t wait to get into a process that looks all too easy on TV.

It’s up to you, their professional real estate advisor, to ensure that your clients are prepared.

  1. Yes, location is still important

Counsel your fixer-upper client to consider, carefully, the home’s location.

If you aren’t familiar with the neighborhood, check recent sold prices and look for anything else that might recommend the neighborhood. Is there a Whole Foods or Walmart planned? Those are both indications that the area might be a good investment.

What are the schools like? As much as the current political climate in the nation would like to downplay this aspect of a neighborhood’s desirability, it is still quite pertinent with homebuyers.

Explain to your client how difficult it will be to recoup the money spent to rehab the house if the work increases its value beyond that of other neighborhood homes.

  1. It’s important to know the cost before making an offer

Real estate consumers aren’t privy to your depth of knowledge about everything involved in buying a home and it’s important to be constantly reminding yourself of this.

For instance, how many of your buyers think that the home inspection is the definitive diagnosis of what may be wrong with the home?

The answer to that is, probably, “most of them.”

What many don’t understand is that the inspector only inspects visible areas of the home. Who knows what might be lurking behind the walls or under the kitchen vinyl?

As you know, when buying a fixer, the home inspection is even more important as is the client’s willingness to order extra inspections, if needed.

Get as much information as possible from the inspector, especially about the condition of the home’s major systems and the priciest items to fix (foundation, roof and structure issues).

Because you’ll want to be able to counsel your client on how much to offer for the home, both of you will need to consult with a contractor and obtain a written estimate of how much it will cost to get the home up to snuff (including the price of permits).

Then, tack on some extra.

“Plan for at least one budget-buster by adding an extra 12% to your renovation estimate,” cautions the experts at daveramsey.com.

And, again, if the home, after renovation, is valued higher than similar homes on the block, you and I both know it’s a lousy investment.

  1. Paying for the work

There are a number of ways to finance the purchase of a fixer-upper and which to choose typically rests on the amount of work required. Among the more popular options is Fannie Mae’s HomeStyle Renovation loan.

Your client will need a credit score of at least 620 and a minimum 5 percent down payment, but, similar to FHA’s 203(k) program, it combines the cost of the renovation with the cost of the home, so there will be only one loan.

While your client may be familiar with these programs, the loans aren’t as easy to work with as they may believe. The FHA loan, for instance, requires hiring a “qualified 203(k) consultant to oversee every step of the work, from plans to the finished product,” according to Robin Saks Frankel at bankrate.com.

To get approved for the HomeStyle loan, your client will have to hire a contractor to put together a detailed cost estimate.

Then, there are a number of other tedious hoops to jump through during the rehab process. Ensure that your client knows all there is to know about his or her preferred financing method.

For buyers on a budget, a fixer can mean being able to buy a larger home, for others, it’s a chance to purchase something that they can customize to their tastes and lifestyle.

Walk them through the process to help ensure they know what they’re getting into so there are no surprises down the line.Move up market real estate postcards

Send the 6 Move-Up Mistakes Postcard from the Move-up Market Series to at least 100 prospects in an area where you would like more buyers.

PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

1. The Free 2018 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

2. The 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

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

Also…check these out 🙂

3 Click Postcards – Just snap, tap, send all from your mobile phone

MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

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