The Year of the Sphere

Jan 9, 2017

Making Your Book of Business a Priority

By Julie Escobar

We’re excited about the launch of the fifth edition of the Master Marketing Magazine this month. The printed copies should be hitting mailboxes soon, but you can sneak a peek inside the pages here and read the digital version today! It all starts with a powerful but simple business plan shared with us by our old friend Floyd
Wickman. Find it here.

Every edition of the magazine has centered around different themes such as Big Data, Experts & Insights, and Geographic Farming. Our latest edition focuses on the heart of what should be every agent’s business foundation – their sphere of influence. Why? Statistics show that top producers consistently share that 66% of their business comes from their sphere. That one in every twelve people in your sphere will either do business with you or refer business your way every year IF (and only IF) you consistently make reaching out to them a priority.

For every agent who sits scratching their head wondering why “Aunt Helen” listed with another agent or is stymied by the fact that the people they most closely do business with (lawyers, doctors, dentists, accountants, colleagues) aren’t choosing to make them their real estate go-to professional, there are the top agents who get it. It costs less to KEEP and create a customer FOR LIFE than it does to cultivate new ones. Plus, it is WAY less stressful than riding the commission roller coaster your whole career.

Step One: Know your numbers. How many people do you need in YOUR SPHERE to help you hit your goals this year? We’ve created a sphere of influence calculator to help you figure out if you’re on track.

Find it here.

Step Two: Stay in touch. The Direct Marketing Association recommends reaching out to your book of business every 21-45 days. Savvy agents use a variety of methods to make sure that they are top of mind. We recommend the Send-Call-See approach to staying connected. That is to SEND something monthly to your sphere as a tangible reminder that you are a resource they can turn to. Then CALL everyone in your sphere at two-four times per year. And SEE everyone at least twice per year.

For the SEND we can recommend:

Monthly newsletters (valuable content and timely topics)
Holiday postcards (we have some for every month)
Recipe postcards (I know agents that provide recipe boxes for their top customers for the purpose of holding onto these terrific recipes)
Content postcards (an alternative to a newsletter, great consumer-friendly information)
Listing inventory postcards (perfect for reminding consumers that you are always looking for new listings)
Customer Appreciation cards (twice per year – anniversary of sale/purchase and a thank you)

For the CALL, we recommend:

Take a look at our Master Marketing Schedule, for some fun, creative reasons to connect
If sending the content cards or newsletters, follow up on a topic and ask if they have any questions
Let people know that the market is in a constant state of change, and that change can raise a lot of important questions for folks. Ask them if they’ve got any questions, or know anyone who may be in need of real estate assistance.
If you’re following them on social media, and see that there has been a change in their lives (new job, new baby or grandchild, award or accomplishment), tell them you saw the news and you just wanted to check in and congratulate them, or the appropriate sentiment for the event.

For the SEE, we recommend:

Choosing at least five top clients a month to reach out to with an invite for coffee or lunch, or a drop by with something fun using the suggestions found in the Master Marketing Schedule.
Hosting an annual customer appreciation party. Suggestions: rent out a movie theatre or do an outdoor movie in the park in the spring, a picnic, or an open house wine and cheese.

Taking care of the people in your sphere will help you grow your business faster and easier. Not sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions:

Download our BusinessBASE™ – includes suggestions for the 150 people who SHOULD be in your sphere plus the how/when and why for contacting them
Harvest from past and present transactions – client contacts from both sides
Networking – Local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, etc.
Connectivity – If you just added two people per day each business day of the year, you could effectively grow your book of business to more than 500 within 12 months
Acquire the client bases of agents leaving the industry

Why should you grow your sphere of influence SOONER rather than Later? It’s simple when you consider the average Lifetime Value of a Customer is more than $49,000!

We wish you every success this year and know that we are here to help! Contact our support team if you have any questions at 866-405-3638. Good luck out there making it your Year of the Sphere!

The Real Cost of NOT Staying in Touch…

Dec 27, 2016

(It’s More Than Just Money!)

By Julie Escobar

We frequently share the BENEFITS of building and maintaining a salable book of business or sphere-of-influence such as knowing where your next commission is going to come from, developing long-term friendships and relationships, solid referrals you can count on, etc. What we don’t usually talk about is the flip side of that coin. What is it COSTING you when you DON’T stay in touch and follow up with your sphere or farm?

What if ONE prospective seller or buyer fails to call you when they are ready to sell or buy because they ‘forgot’ you were in real estate since you didn’t stay top of mind? Because you didn’t follow up when you said you would? Because you stayed in stealth mode, waiting for the phone to ring? Because you didn’t create a database to manage your lists, so they simply slipped through the lack of system?

We know that on average, top agents get more 66% of their business (or more) from their sphere. (People who know you, like you, trust you, and you’re top of mind with.) We also know that 1 in 12 will deliver a transaction or referral per year on average. So let’s run SIMPLE numbers using our SOI calculator…

If I wanted to make $200,000 per year in real estate and my average commission was $6,000 that would mean I would need AT LEAST 33 transactions in a year (plus whatever your fall-through rate is) to reach that goal. If 66% of that is coming from my sphere – that means I can count on 22 of those transactions coming from the people I am staying in touch with. If 1 in 12 are sending me that business, then I’ll need at least 264 in my sphere to hit the numbers.

The reverse of that is this…22 commissions LOST. That’s $132,000. But it’s even more than that-right? Because let’s face it, if good news travels fast, bad news travels faster-doesn’t it? So, for every broken promise, lack of follow up, or poor customer experience you provide, that can mean a loss of not just a customer, but every referral they might send your way. Add social media in the mix, “don’t use Agent X because they don’t follow through” – and you’ve got a slippery slope that’s tough to recover from.

Commission loss per seller or buyer? _____________ (Average commission)
Loss of referral? ______________ (Average commission x let’s just say 2 referrals)
Loss of re-list and future sale? _____________ (Average commission x average homeowner moves – lists, sells, and buys new – every 9 years)
Loss of marketing dollars spent on those sellers and buyers not recaptured? ________________

Lastly, loss of reputation as a turn-to, stand-up, get-the-job-done agent. That’s really too much to calculate, isn’t it? And that’s not YOU anyway! You’re the stand-up agent-right? Besides, staying top-of-mind is an easy, and affordable investment. Remember that SEND-CALL-SEE + NETWORK approach I’ve shared in the past.

Start with how many you need in your sphere by heading over to our Sphere of Influence Calculator.

SEND – let’s take our example from above – if I needed to stay in touch with my sphere of 264 customers every 30 days to stay visible, (and help earn that $132,000) – and I wanted to send a standard sized postcard first class, that would be 62¢ per card or $163.68 per month. Or you could choose jumbo cards, or newsletters, our Dominator, or even handwritten cards – or better still a combination of all of the above. See what your budget allows and start somewhere, but be consistent every 30-45 days.

CALL – you should call your customers every three months. If you break down that 264 number over 12 weeks — that means you just have to call 22 per week to reach everyone. Easy peasy!

SEE – you should see your customers at least two times a year. Many agents host open houses, holiday events, or even neighborhood block parties (with sponsors for each) which gives them a chance to see many customers at once. Take that top 20% of your list – the ones who consistently send you business – and be sure to spend some one on one time with them. Take them to lunch. Drop by a gift. Deliver tickets to the movies for their family. Our Master Marketing Schedule has some terrific ways to creatively connect each month.

NETWORK – In today’s hyper-connected world, networking has to be part of the equation. From social media to joining local groups, to developing a mastermind of like-minded people to share with — networking is a key source of knowledge AND referral business.

Don’t lose any more dollars, branding, or reputation to lack of connectivity. You are your business. The connection you have with each and every one in your sphere will determine whether they stay a client (and a referral source) or whether you take a loss.

Need help? Contact our team at 866.405.3638 today.

4 Steps to Goal Setting Success

Dec 26, 2016

Creating Your Own New Normal for 2017

By Todd Robertson

If you’re like a lot of top agents, right about now you’re analyzing everything you did in past twelve months to get you to this point and asking yourself a few questions:

What worked and what didn’t?
Did my actions support my goals?
Did I earn what I’m worth?
Did I take personal responsibility for my success or failures?

By carefully analyzing the past you can discover the elements that you can take into the new year and create
your own new “normal”. In other words – you can advance your game, play at a higher level, and avoid the pitfalls and hurdles you’ve already cleared to excel faster and with hopefully a few less headaches!

As you approach the new year, many of you are in the process of goal setting. Let me share a four step system for goals that is used by some of the top performing entrepreneurs in the world. It’s called the DOME strategy. Here’s what that stands for:

D – Stands for Decide. If you look up one of the definitions of the word decision, you’ll find that it means to “cut off from”. That’s step one for creating your new normal. What things should you cut yourself off from that aren’t working or haven’t
worked for you this year? Whether that be a mindset, a skill, or a system, what can you unplug, cut off, or change up that will increase your success in the new year.
O – Stands for Outstanding. There’s never been a more important time to play at an outstanding level. That means to surround yourself with the best people, strategies, solutions and systems in our industry. Model your choices on those of top producers. Duplicate excellence.
M – Stands for Momentum. Now’s the time to take the stance that what gets scheduled – gets DONE. That’s how you build momentum. By cutting out the things that don’t work. By plugging in new systems and solutions that drive your business in smarter ways. By blocking your time so that you can streamline your processes – as well as schedule those
things that help you create balance.
E – Stands for Tell Everyone. Once you’ve set your goals for the next twelve months, it’s time to tell everyone. If you’re goal is 10 salable listings in your pipeline at all times or to own a geographic farm – tell everyone you know. Put public pressure on yourself to hit those goals. People will help you when you do. They’ll support you. Remind you. Work with you to make them happen. Then commit to doing whatever it takes to make those goals happen.

Next, remember to be BOTH a Hunter and a Farmer. Top agents realize they have to both aggressively prospect as well as create opportunities for lead generation by branding themselves in a geographic farm. In fact, I just spoke with a great new Market Dominator customer, who will finish this year with 100 closings. I asked him why he decided to use the Dominator to brand himself in the markets he’s going after for the new year. He told me it was because he needed to raise the bar. Because he was capable of helping more people than he was currently helping and he was committed to doing that. That’s why he chose to use the 12 x 15 Dominator as his marketing tool. It’s a statement that tells potential sellers in his farm area that he’s serious about marketing. Serious about getting results. Here’s what’s interesting: 90% or more of the agents in your market won’t be willing to make that commitment. Most will continue to do what has always been done and get the results that they’ve always gotten. But some of you? Will step outside the norm to create a new normal. Some of you will raise your standards, raise your skill levels, and raise your commitment. And in the process – you’ll go beyond what’s always been done to develop a career that others will emulate.

Ready to create your new normal and put a plan in place to take 2017 by storm? Go for it. Remember that we’re here if you need anything. Call our team at 866-405.3638! That’s what we do best!

Preparation and Opportunity

Dec 19, 2016

Steadily Getting Ready for a New Year Ahead

by Julie Escobar

I love the Seneca quote, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Or Floyd Wickman’s quote, “There’s nothing special about special people it’s what they DO that makes them special.” What a great time of year for agents. So many of our friends and clients are deep in preparation for the year ahead. Building marketing strategies, laying out budgets, meeting with mentors, and sharing ideas. These are the folks that will not only finish out this year strong, but hit the ground running with a passion as we enter a new year and keep right on going to make 2017 their best year ever — long before it even starts. How cool is that?

For our part, at ProspectsPLUS!, we are doing the same. From our Master Marketing Schedule, (which you can download directly to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendars), to a line up of great new series, products and services for the year ahead. We know that agents today need every tool they can get to compete in challenging markets, and we’re passionate about delivering those tools.

Now when you’re making your marketing list and business plan for 2017 (and checking it twice), please let us know how we can help you maximize your goals for the new year. Here are just some of the things we can deliver:

Fresh ideas – Our Master Marketing Schedule is a strategic marketing plan specifically for real estate professionals which delivers powerful strategies and solutions every month to connect with your sphere, find cash buyers, work with investors, saturate your geographic farm, automate your just listed or just sold postcards, and even gives you some fun ways to stand out and be noticed in your market area.
Brochures, Flyers and Free Reports — We know how important having the right collateral at the right
time is when you’re prospecting, presenting and closing. These tools lend authority, put stats at your fingertips, spotlight you as the resource, and give additional credibility.
Postcards — We literally have hundreds and hundreds of postcard templates on our site that cover the gamut with over 22 niche marketing categories to choose from.
Newsletters — Done for you newsletters which make a perfect ‘touch’ point for your sphere of influence. You can
customize however you want, or just run with as is. All the copy is ready, timely and perfect for delivering relevant content to your customers.
Market Dominator — Our powerful new system for capturing a 20% market share in a geographic area within a two-year time frame. There’s nothing like it on the market!
Business Cards — From cool new QR Code cards to branded cards — we have a wide selection at a great price to make sure you have what you need.
Door Hangers — These are perfect for your geographic farm or for area FSBOs and Expireds. Easy to
order and use and priced for any budget!
Data — Our MapMyMail system is amazing for finding the right list of prospects for what you need. Investors, first time home buyers, move up market candidates — you name it.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Visit our SPECIALS page today (and bookmark it!) — so you can always keep tabs on the latest promo codes, new marketing tools and fresh insights! We add anywhere from 5-8 new pieces to our site each and every month!

We offer gift cards as well! Thinking about giving the gift of marketing this year or putting it your wish list? See the holiday specials now!

As always, we’re here to help. Our marketing team is experienced and well versed in what today’s real estate professionals NEED, WANT and will make their lives and jobs EASIER. If you’re creating your marketing budget for next year and would like some guidance on which tools might work best for you and what that cost would be, call our team today at 866.405.3638 or email us at pmc@prospectsplus.com!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Savings

Nov 22, 2016

This year we wanted to go all out to help agents across North America celebrate the season — and the savings! That’s why we have a very special offer to share.

Now, through December 13, 2016, you can save 25% off any Holiday Postcard or Holiday Photocard order, excluding postage, tax and shipping costs. (For timely holiday card delivery, please order your postcards, first class postage by December 13th.)

PLUS, we will donate 10% of every holiday card order to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to help make a difference for children and their families.

To take advantage of this special offer, please use the promo codes below:

25offS: 25% OFF Standard Size Holiday Postcards + PhotoCards Mailed First-Class
25offJ: 25% OFF Jumbo Size Holiday Postcards + PhotoCards Mailed First-Class
25offP: 25% OFF Panoramic Size PhotoCards Mailed First-Class
25offJSC: 25% OFF Jumbo Size Holiday Postcards + PhotoCards Mailed Standard-Class
25offPSC: 25% OFF Panoramic PhotoCards Mailed Standard-Class
25offSH: 25% OFF Holiday Postcards + PhotoCards Postcards Shipped to You
25offM: 25% OFF Holiday Postcards + PhotoCards on Magnetic

*excluding postage, tax and shipping charges

Your business, your budget and your success are a top priority for the team here at ProspectsPLUS! It’s an exciting time to be in real estate and helping agents build their brands and their businesses is exciting as well.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

If you need us, call our team at 866.405.3638 or visit our site today at www.prospectsplus.com.

The Listing Multiplier

Nov 21, 2016

An Interview with Marketing Guru Dean Jackson

By Julie Escobar

When you want big marketing ideas with smart research and strategies to back them up, you want to listen to Dean Jackson. With humor and character, Dean not only takes agents OUTSIDE the box, he challenges them to leave the “box” in the dust and look to unconventional, creative strategies that make good solid business sense. So when we heard about his Listing Multiplier – we knew we wanted to share it with all of you.

Q: Dean, I read your awesome white paper on the Multiplier – can you give our readers a little nutshell of what this powerful concept is please?

A: Sure, the big idea here is to have a sense of what you are missing. To start, I ask agents to think of their last ten listings, and score them, one point each for the following opportunities:

Get it sold
Find the buyer
Find the buyer that buys another house
Get another listing from it
Get a referral from the seller

Now you take your number out of 50 for these opportunities. They’ll range from say, 8 out of 50 to 15 out of 50. In some cases, you’re hitting every opportunity, in others, such as a listing expiring, you get zero points. What you get once you’ve done this exercise is a sense of what your current system yields.

Now take that number and divide it by ten – that’s your Listing Multiplier Index. So, say you have a 20 out of 50, divide that by 10 and you get 2. That means your current system yields 2 listings for every listing you take. Now – the objective is to get that HIGHER. Imagine if you could double that or more and turn every listing into three transactions!

Q: Right? That would be awesome. Can you share some ways readers can start to do that?

A: Well yeah. Start with Just Listed postcards. Most of the time agents take the approach of, “I’ll just put it

in the MLS. Right now, listings go fast, so we don’t HAVE to market.” That’s just short-sighted. Instead of looking at what has to be done to “get by”, agents should be looking at using marketing such as Just Listed/Just Sold postcards, InfoBox flyers, single property websites, and instant open house landing pages — all to extend that one commission into many commissionable activities. Listing puts you in the ballgame, then it’s time to hit it out of the park.

Q: Can you explain the Instant Open House Landing page please?

A: Sure, you can learn more at www.gogoagent.com, but the idea is that you set up an instant landing page for the property address, people add their name and email address to download a pdf of all the property information. Then you send a very simple, very conversational, expecting a reply email to those folks, and to buyers that might be interested in the home that says, “Got some people coming by the property at 23 Greystone tomorrow afternoon to see the house. Would you care to join them?”

That’s it. No time, no details – just expecting a yes or no answer. We had one open house where eighteen people showed up at once! That’s letting your marketing do the work – generating buyers, new potential sellers and referrals. Now picture you have five listings, and you do the instant open house for all five – one at noon, one at 2, one at 3:30, 5 and 6:30. How great of a day would that be?

Q: Pretty amazing, I’d say! One thing I know that you talk about with your GoGoAgent members is setting your marketing up in such a way that you’re not having to make those dreaded “cold calls”. Can you expand on that?

A: Nothing I’d ever do would involve cold calls. No one likes to make them and no one likes to get them. I prefer to teach agents to use their email as a better communication tool. Short, conversational emails that make people feel like you are talking directly and specifically to them. That’s leverage-able.

Your postcard marketing as well – put some personality to it. Think of your postcards for what they are – an opportunity to share a message. Not long ago I was in Missouri and I went to the Pony Express Museum. It makes you think, you know? Those young people on the Pony Express risked their lives to deliver a message. Letters and communication were so important that people hired a government employee to take great risks to deliver them. We are still hiring a government employee to deliver our words to someone else – the least we can do is make them interesting! Think about what you would say if you were face-to-face. Differentiate yourself. Give people something that helps them engage.

Q: Any last words for our readers?

A: I would say to really just dive into learning about how to use your Listing Multiplier Index to take your business to incredible levels. When you think about what it would mean to you to take your multiplier from say a 1.1 to a 3.3 for your next ten listings, that would mean 20 extra transactions. If your average commission is $10,000 – that means an additional $200,000 per year. That’s exciting!

Q: I totally agree! I know agents would love to learn more about your creative, collaborative listing and sales ideas. How can they find out more?

A: They can find everything they need at www.gogoagent.com. Thanks!

Need help multiplying your listings? Call our team at 866.405.3638 or visit our site today at www.prospectsplus.com.

Building Your Brand and Business

Nov 14, 2016

With Geographic Farming Done Right

By Julie Escobar

Geographic farming has roared back to the marketing forefront for agents in our industry in ways we haven’t seen in years. Why? Because – when done right – it works.

And what exactly is “done right”? It’s when agents who are committed to consistency step up to make themselves known in a neighborhood in real and meaningful ways – getting out into communities, shaking hands, meeting people, making introductions and making a difference.

To talk about one creative tool for geographic farming, the Market Dominator, I sat down with Dominator Director Todd Robertson to learn a little more about the system, the agents who are using it and what it takes to really make an impact on a market area.

Q: Todd, you work with agents across the country who are growing their market share by doing smart geographic farming. Can you tell us a little about the Market Dominator?

A: Sure! This product evolved out of necessity. Agents around the country were asking for a consistency program that would allow them to truly dominate a neighborhood or piece of geography. After six months of research with our team, we came up with the product for our agents called the Market Dominator, which utilizes Every Door Direct Mail with the USPS. At 12” x 15”, it’s the largest legal size that can be sent through the mail, so it doesn’t get overlooked in the mailbox. The content is created every month by our team of writers, who do an outstanding job of weaving in the eight best practices of direct mail. And agents love it because it’s either 100% done for them or 90%, meaning they can make some changes to the back. And with our national sponsors on board now, we can literally send it for the price of a first-class postcard. The other great thing about it is that it’s a two-year campaign… kind of like joining the gym, your personal trainer makes you go.

Q: We both have been in this industry for a long time, and we both know that marketing alone is not what takes agents to the top of their game. It’s follow up and relationship building. Can you tell us some of the powerful ways Market Dominator members are going above and beyond to support their marketing mailing efforts by connecting with the folks in their farm neighborhoods?

A: In terms of what our best agents are doing supplementing the Market Dominator to increase their success rate in their numbers, we’re seeing them do things like canvassing their farms with door hangers, introducing themselves to everybody in the neighborhood, being consistent in sending out new on the market or Just Listed postcards when they get a listing and holding open houses in their carrier routes and making a splash in the area with signs and balloons on every street, every artery when they do. That way, when the Market Dominator shows up in that mailbox, the homeowners will see it and say, “Oh yeah, that’s Susie. I see her all over the place; she’s the neighborhood specialist.”

Q: We’ve talked about the tremendous opportunity agents have to reach out to the businesses that surround or are in their farm area to build reciprocal referral relationships. Can you share your thoughts on that?

A: Some of our Market Dominator members have given us ideas that we never thought about before that we try to share with our new members. One of them is to go after the local businesses in and/or around that carrier route. It’s really an outstanding strategy, because they can utilize the extra 20 Dominators that we give them each month in a clever way.

One of our great agents up in the Northeast simply takes her 20 and goes to every business where people have to wait, such as a hair salon, oil change shop and restaurants. She said the best was actually auto dealerships. What she would do in auto dealerships is first go in and make an introduction to the general sales manager that goes something like, “Hi, I’m Susie with XYZ Realty. I’m the neighborhood real estate specialist in this area. Would you mind if I leave a couple of these in the lobby of your service department?”

What’s great about that strategy is, number one, she’s prospecting the service manager, who becomes a mover and shaker on her SOI list – meaning she visits every month and has offered to let him or her know if a great listing comes on the market. Think about how most cities have what they call “auto dealership row,” where several dealerships are all on the same street. If you’re like Susie, you go right down that strip and pass out two or three Dominators in each dealership, meet some incredible new people and start establishing relationships in a pretty short period of time.

Number two, she’s leaving valuable content, with her name, face, contact information and calls to action in a place where a lot of people congregate. Think about when you have to have your car serviced, and you’ve had to wait anywhere from an hour to a full day in the guest services lounge. What are most people doing when they’re waiting? They’re looking at their phones or whatever magazines are sitting there, right? Imagine if two or three Market Dominators were sitting there with Ritz Carlton quality, filled with great information for people to peruse. Agents who are utilizing this tiny local business strategy with consistency, who have mastered their presentation skills and aren’t afraid to follow up, could find themselves with anywhere from two to 20 extra closings per year.

Q: What about agents who are afraid to follow up, either in person (door knocking) or on the phone? Any advice for them?

A: Some agents just want to send their marketing out, then sit back and see what happens. In my mind, to be great in real estate you have to be obsessed, or you end up being average. By “obsessed,” I mean you’ve already made a commitment to your neighborhood farm, so why not stretch yourself a little and go make an introduction? One way or another, knowing that you’re simply providing a great service to help these people buy or sell real estate is powerful motivation to meet people.

I also would say if somebody is still afraid or hesitant to follow up, spend a couple days and get so good at your listing presentation, get so great at overcoming objections, so great at your value proposition that you can’t help but have a relaxed sense of confidence. This will do a couple of things for you: It will get you excited to go out and meet people and prospect, which is the one thing most people hate doing (usually because they aren’t as confident in their presentation), and it will force you to fine-tune your skills, which will help you enjoy a long-term career.

Q: Consistency and sticking to a plan is a powerful combination for success in our business. Will you share why making the Dominator part of a consistent marketing plan is a smart strategy?

A: In terms of doing any marketing, consistency has to be part of the plan – whether it’s in real estate marketing, building wealth or getting in shape. The Market Dominator gives agents what they told us for many years they wanted: a two-year campaign. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, if your competition is going to do any marketing, history says they quit after the third contact. Yet we know that most activity doesn’t happen until after the fifth contact. So staying in the game for the duration is vital.

Q: Any last words of advice for our readers?

A: First, I would say that if you’re reading this article or reading our magazines or blogs and looking for real estate strategies and insights, you’ve already separated yourself from the competition. Because for you and me to get great at anything, we must remain a student of life. So I congratulate you on taking that step. Whether it’s the Market Dominator, one of our other great products or you just want to call our home office and brainstorm, our team is always willing to help you find the real estate marketing product that best fits your needs, your market and your area.

Thanks for the information and insight, Todd!

If you’d like to learn more about the Market Dominator System, visit www.prospectsplus.com/dominator, or call Todd directly at 855-383-6646.

Be In It to Win It

Nov 14, 2016

How Hyper-Local Information and Consistency Work to Your Advantage

By Julie Escobar

Real estate is not for the get-rich-quick, zero effort entrepreneur. To succeed for the long haul? You’ve got to take an ‘in it to win it’ approach. That means the kind of ‘one and done’ marketing that some folks want to ‘try on’ is not a viable, sustainable path to market share.

You’ve got to put the time in and PERSEVERE. To show up not just ONCE, but again and again and again. You know that old saying out of sight – out of mind? It’s especially true of customer relationships in today’s market. In fact, Statistics tell us it takes at LEAST three impressions for a consumer to recognize your name, seven to associate your name with your business, and twenty seven for them to like you, know you, trust you enough to do business with them. I know – it’s not instant gratification – but it is the smart business practice if you want to be in real estate for the long haul.

Make it easy on yourself. You get paid to get face-to-face and voice–to-voice with customers. Your job is to wow them with what you can do for them – how you can make that easier, more profitable & fewer headaches. Hard to do that when you’re still printing, cutting & stuffing envelopes. Put a system in place to reach your customers at the very least every 4-6 weeks. The Direct Marketing Association and top agents lean more towards every 21-30 days. It doesn’t have to be a lot – but it does have to be consistent. We’ve worked hard to make that easy for you with hundreds of ready-to-go campaigns that you can choose from that’s as simple as pick a card, customize however you like, add your list or purchase one and you are done!

One that is especially popular right now and getting results is our Neighborhood Update Free Offer Series. Why is it such a hit? It gives them the critical market information consumers want — and spotlights you as the authority in the neighborhood. Grab your local stats (recent listings and sales), sign in to your account, go to the neighborhood update free offer series, enter your data, get your list (at least 100 homeowners in the neighborhood you want to brand yourself in) and go! What people LOVE about this series is that it offers up the hyper local market information they are craving. What are homes in THEIR neighborhoods selling for? How much can they get for their home? What’s happening in their own back yard? Send one of these a month and watch your market share grow!

Next, map out your marketing for the rest of the year. Will you be sending holiday photocards or holiday cards? Order them early and get them sent. Calendar cards with magnetic backs are also very popular as means to stay top of mind (by being stuck to the refrigerator) all year around. You’ll find budget saving promo codes on our Specials Page.

Looking for more ideas for staying connected? Bookmark our Master Marketing Schedule. It’s filled with actionable marketing tips as well as some really fun, out-of-the-box, memorable ways to reach out to the people in your sphere and farm. That’s the key — helping to make sure your name is MEMORABLE — in a good way!

Some things to think about for this week. Know that if you need some help showing up – OVER and OVER – affordably, easily and without stress, our team is there for you. Call them at 866.405.3638 today or email pmc@prospectsplus.com. We’ve got you covered!

Tracking Your Results…

Nov 8, 2016

Taking the Guesswork Out of Real Estate Marketing

By Julie Escobar

You’ve got to love technology right? As real estate professionals in today’s competitive world, every marketing step counts – and every marketing dollar is important. We get that. That’s why we put systems in place to track 100% of all postcard and mailing orders. That way, you know what’s been delivered, when there’s an issue and exactly when you can start following up on your important real estate marketing mailing.

Here’s a quick video to show you how it works:

As you kick your marketing and momentum into high gear – here are four things you should know:

1. Track My Mail is a Resource You Can Trust. We know that every dollar counts and you want to know that your marketing is not only being sent, but is being delivered. We want the same. Every time you place an order, you will be sent a link when that order is shipped so you can track your mail every step of the way. When we deliver it to the post office, when and where it’s routed, and when it gets delivered. That way you’ve got total confidence that your marketing is working for you. There’s no extra cost, no fuss, no questions. We’ve got you covered.

2. There are LOTS of options available. Marketing is a big decision for agents today, and budgets are a giant factor. We’ve got tools that can match any budget, and can help you reach as far or as limited a target as you are comfortable with. From Every Door Direct options that allow you to blanket entire geographic areas, to Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards which are a foundation for any real estate marketing plan, to the collateral pieces you need for fair trade items, blog fodder, consumer friendly website downloads and presentation content and more. We can work with you one-on-one to meet your budget and extend your reach with ease.

3. By real estate professionals for real estate professionals. With our organization, you’ll know that your marketing is being written and produced by people who have long ties and experience in this industry we love. We’re constantly watching market trends so we can keep you on the cutting edge when it comes to always having the right piece for the right person at the right time. It’s the difference – that makes all the difference.

4. Totally editable. We get that creating is HARD and clicking is EASY. That’s why we try to do as much of the ‘heavy lifting’ as possible so that when you choose your marketing materials – be they real estate postcards, newsletters, flyers, brochures, or even kits – you don’t HAVE to change a thing if you don’t want to. You can simply have our system apply your contact and profile information and go – but if you want? You can totally change whatever you like. Change the words. The images. Upload your own piece even. Flexibility is key in today’s busy world. You have our commitment to continuously make that an easy solution.

Get started today!

We know that a successful agent is a busy agent. And time – is really of the essence. So giving you the options, materials, resources and support you need is our top priority. Call us today at 866.405.3638 and speak to one of our marketing professionals about building your book of business this year. We’ve got just what you need to succeed.

Finding and Fueling the Right Marketing Lists for Your Business

Oct 24, 2016

Then Putting the Who, What, and When Together

By Julie Escobar

As we head into the final months of the year, a lot of agents are already wisely getting into planning mode. One sticking point that stumps a lot of real estate professionals is building the right marketing lists to fuel their pipeline of business. Let’s take a look at some simple strategies to put into place:

Sphere, Farm, Niche – it’s the real estate agent’s version of lather, rinse, and repeat. Success in this business stems from staying in touch, staying positioned, and top of mind for the folks in all three. I’m often asked by agents, “Where do I start?” The obvious is ‘the sphere’, aka – your sphere of influence or book of business.

Now, if I had a dollar for every agent that said ‘no” when asked if they had ever taken the time to actually put their sphere (those people that already know you, like you, trust you, and would do business with you) into a database, I could buy a very large piece of property – like an island or something! So don’t let yourself fall into THAT category! Savvy agents understand that their best customers, are the ones they’ve built and nurtured relationships with consistently. Who should be in in your sphere? Family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, past clients – and all those folks whose lives you touch and touch yours back.

Sphere: For a list of 250 people that SHOULD be in your book of business, download a pdf of our BusinessBASE^TM at no cost today. Then make THIS the week you make putting YOUR sphere into a working, viable, referral-generating database. Need help inputting all the data? There are lots of college students home for the summer already that would be perfect for that kind of task. Or hire a Virtual Assistant for the project. Your highest and best use of time is prospecting, presenting, and closing – so gather up the data – and delegate it to someone to make it happen.

Four great marketing pieces for your sphere:

Holiday postcards – there’s something every month that can be sent as a friendly hello.
Recipe cards – many agents swear by these as customer ‘keepers’.
Newsletters – these powerful tools are perfect for connecting with your sphere.
Content cards – these are content-rich, consumer-friendly postcards filled to the brim with valuable information that people love.

Farm: Pick an area – but not just ANY area. I asked Coach Todd Robertson for a little how-to advice for agents on choosing the right farm area for them. He shared, “I work with a lot of agents to help them really fine tune what area they want to market. Even if you find a geographic farm that you think works for you location wise with commission-friendly price ranges, you still need to be mindful of two other factors: The turn-over rate, and the competition. Ideally, we want to help position you to receive a 20% market share in a geo farm. If you start in a farm where another agent already has that or higher, you’re going to work much harder and have to be at it longer to see the results you’re seeking. Finding an area where any one agent has less than 10% market share is preferable, or if you see an area where a previously aggressive agent has slowed or stopped their marketing. In terms of turnover rate, ideally you want a one that is at least 10-15%. You can easily determine the turnover rate by dividing the number of homes in the farm by the number of homes which have sold.” That’s a great starting point. So take a snapshot of your market area – look at the neighborhoods that may fit that criteria close to you, then use our MapMyMail^SM system to easily capture mailings lists from those areas. You can choose a radial search by address, or choose to search by zip code or counties. Talk to your broker, look at your options – then map out your marketing list! Once you have that – then remember to stay CONSISTENTLY in touch with these folks – month after month. For a great read and more tips from Todd – read The Smart Scoop on Geographic Farming.

Three great tools for connecting with your farm:

Neighborhood Update/Free Offer series: People want two things: to know the agent they work with can get results – and that they have the resources they need. These cards present you as the agent with both!
Listing Inventory Series: These postcards speak to the mindset of potential sellers with the right questions and direct response offers.
The Market Dominator: For agents serious about dominating a geographic farm and earning a 20% market share. This powerful, direct-response piece is 12×15 and attention grabbing. It also takes advantage of Every Door Direct Mail, so the cost is even more affordable.

Niche: Top agents don’t stop at just marketing to a sphere and farm. They specialize in a demographic that resonates with them.

Here are some ideas for working a niche:

Investors: Use our MapMyMail^SM – choose the demographic search option, then custom, then choose records with a household income of $150,000 or higher. You can also look for REI or REIA websites to learn more about real estate investors. Use our Investor Series postcards to reach out to these lists each month.
FSBOS & Expireds: There are great services such as LandVoice that offer data for FSBOs & Expireds in market areas all across North America. Use our 7 Series for FSBOs or Expireds – send 3-7 postcards in rapid succession (every 3-5 days) as soon as you see a new prospect for these demographics, offer a free report such as 5 Factors That Cause a Property Not to Sell, and follow up after you’ve sent the postcards with a direct response offer. Offer to perform a Merchandising Review to ensure that the home gets sold for the best possible price in the fastest possible time.
First Time Home Buyers: Use the MapMyMail^SM system to find local renters. Offer a variety of free reports such as How to Save for a Down Payment, or Top Ten Checklist for Choosing an Agent. Send our First time home buyer/renter series of postcards monthly with a fair trade offer to connect.
Seniors: You can use that same MapMyMail^SM technology to find Baby Boomers and older. Send our Senior series of postcards to these fine folks!
Get creative: From motorcycle enthusiasts, to local sports team members, to boaters, to farmers, and everything in between. Finding the group of people that you really connect with and would love to serve and work with is a great way to get continuously better as an agent and build a powerful referral network. You can edit our holiday, inspiration, recipe, content cards, or even image series to alter your message for each and every demographic.

We also have powerful Specialty Data Selects Using Nielsen’s PRIZM Codes available on the site to help you tap into incredibly detailed data segments to help make their marketing easier – and more effective. What is PRIZM segmentation? According to Nielsen, “Segmentation links your customer data with household-level and neighborhood-level demographics, syndicated survey and primary research data to reveal exactly what types of consumers are currently using your products or services. Any customer files, lists or survey data with complete addresses or at least a ZIP code can be coded with Nielsen’s segmentation systems. This allows you to identify your best prospect segments with the greatest efficiency for effective marketing strategies that align with marketplace demands.”

Smart, right? So what does that mean to YOU as a real estate professional? It means that marketing just got more interesting. See our Nielsen PRIZM options here.

For all three marketing avenues – your sphere, farm, and niche – be sure to connect every 28-45 days consistently to ensure that you maintain that top-of-mind awareness. Armed with your database and marketing materials, and a reminder system to FOLLOW up with the folks in each will give you the competitive edge in your market that will allow you to develop and maintain a long and prosperous career. Ready, set – GO!

Need help getting started? Contact our marketing professionals today at 866.405.3638. They are an amazing resource – and they truly care about your success. Happy Listing!

It’s All About the Sphere

Oct 17, 2016

Relationship Marketing Insights with REALTOR Maggie Dokic

By Julie Escobar

Through every conceivable type of market, one thing has always held true in our industry: it’s a people business. Call it what you will, sphere of influence or book of business, it is the process of staying connected and nurturing those relationships that will garner agents the highest potential for new business and referrals year after year and allow them to stay out of the “where is my next commission coming from” cycle.

To talk about why this is so important, I sat down with long-time ProspectsPLUS! Customer Maggie Dokic to find out what she’s learned through the years.

This is an excerpt from our interview:

Q: Maggie, can you first tell our readers a little about yourself?

A: I’m a broker owner of a small real estate brokerage in Miami. I am technically a “competing” broker but only because I do sell to my own clients, not because I compete with my agents for business. We all lead generate and create our own business.

Q: You’ve grown your team and your business considerably through the years, what do you think are the key components to building a solid book of business?

A: Fostering relationships with those who know you and staying in touch with past clients. It’s a known fact that it costs considerably more to get one new client than it does to stay in touch with one you already have. It makes financial sense to do so, plus it’s a natural extension of my personality to stay in touch with past clients!

Q: How important is marketing for you in terms of staying competitive and driving new leads?

A: Whether you’re marketing yourself or your brand, it’s important to ALWAYS be marketing. If you’re not? Someone else is.

Q: What ProspectsPLUS! marketing tools are you a big fan of and why?

A: I love the Just Listed postcards and how quickly they can be ordered. I’ve also really been wanting to try the new Market Dominator mailing. It looks amazing. I’ve had a challenging year this year due to personal responsibilities which have prevented me from expanding my real estate business. But it’s on my radar and as soon as my schedule settles down a bit, I’ll be looking into it further.

Q: How often do you stay in touch with your sphere of influence?

A: On average it’s at least once a month with a scheduled email, but in reality probably more than that because much of my sphere I see in person either at church or personal events. And a large portion of my sphere is also connected on social media such as Facebook so I connect there as well.

Q: What activities in your marketplace do you do consistently to support your marketing efforts?

A: Facebook ads for our new listings, open houses, and just listed/just sold postcards. They all work to drive extra traffic to our site and phone calls.

Q: Do you have a niche that you specialize in?

A: I’m a firm believer that it’s best to be a specialist and not a generalist. It dilutes your efforts if you try to be all things to all people. That said, my only niche is probably geographical in that I won’t go all over the county for business. I prefer to refer it to one of my agents or a colleague if it’s “too far” for me. Also I do not do commercial real estate, although I have agents who do. I personally prefer to concentrate on residential real estate only.

Q: What advice do you have for fellow agents eager to create a strong foundation and career longevity?

A: Real estate is about lead generation. If you don’t generate new business, you can’t expect to make it through the long haul. Pick at least three lead generating systems and stick to them. For example: Just Listed/Just Sold postcards are a great way to market you, your brand, and your listings. Staying in touch with your sphere should definitely be another must-do. ProspectsPLUS.com provides a whole spectrum of marketing tools to stay top of mind with your sphere, without breaking the budget. And once you’ve sent those mailers? Pick up the PHONE. It’s the least expensive, and most effective thing you can do. It’s a lot easier calling someone you know rather than a FSBO who doesn’t know you and is likely annoyed at all the agents calling her! Not to say FSBOs aren’t a good source of new business – they are!

I would also say to focus on one thing at a time and don’t be a secret agent. This is Real Estate 101. Reach out to those who know you and like you, and let them know you’re in the business (or remind them you’re still in the business). People prefer to work with someone they know, like and trust and that’s where you gain the upper hand. Make sure your contacts know you are there for them. And be genuine in your approach. My monthly mailings remind them I’m in real estate. My phone calls, texts, Facebook posts and note cards are short, sweet, about building the relationship – and NOT about real estate are always appreciated. When you do all of these things – when they are ready to list or sell or know someone who is, I know they will remember I’m the real estate professional for them.

Q: You’ve also used a lot of Every Door Direct Mail™ while growing your business – what made you make that decision?

A: The cost of EDDM made me realize it was a smart business decision. Knowing that I could reach about three times the number of people for the same cost was a no-brainer. We once mailed to 1,002 homes and the day after the mailers were delivered I received my first call from a homeowner considering selling.

Q: How can readers reach you if they’d like to send a referral your way?

A: We’re available at www.SpecialMiamiHomes.com and info@SpecialMiamiHomes.com.

Thank you so much Maggie. We appreciation your generosity in sharing your experience! You’re terrific and we wish you all the very best.

Want to learn more about driving your business forward, staying top of mind, and growing your referral base? Head over to our Master Marketing Schedule for a steady stream of tools, tips, techniques and ideas.

Need help getting started? Contact our team at 866-405-3638.

Great Customer Care Equals Long Term Results

Oct 10, 2016

An Interview with REALTOR Eric Hardy

by Julie Escobar

As we head into holidays and turn our eyes towards the new year ahead, I was eager to get back to some basics by sharing agents stories of best practices for building solid businesses. Customer care and attention to detail are two factors that are critical keys to success for top performers. To tackle that topic, I touched base with my old friend and awesome agent Eric Hardy who put customer care on the top of his priority list. Here’s an excerpt from our interview:

Q: Hey Eric – thanks for sharing with us today. Before we jump in, can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

A: Yes, I am 45 years old, married, and a father of two. I have been in the wedding business for over twenty years, and recently decided to go back into real estate after a 15 year break. I currently work for Dennis Realty in Lutz, Florida.

Q: You’ve recently re-entered the real estate game. What do you feel is the most important strategy for fast-tracking a successful first year ahead?

A: A positive attitude, a genuine love for what we do. You have to enjoy your wok because it shows to people when you do, and when you don’t. We get to help people with a major event in their life.

Q: How are you building your sphere of influence and staying top of mind with them?

A: Nowadays social media is key, and understanding the power of it. Along with keeping in touch with people with even just a simple phone call to see how they are. I always tell everyone what I do for a living. When they think real estate, I want them to think of me.

Q: What advice would you give other new agents for hitting the ground running?

A: Get as much training and education as you can, knowledge is power. Be humble and listen to advice from people older and younger. And most importantly put the time in, and try new things till you learn what works best for you. Don’t skip on the traditional marketing tools that work either. Just Listed and Just Sold postcards always have been a staple in our industry for a reason — they work. They help market you as an agent, your listings, and your business.

Q: Do you belong to a mentor or networking group in which you can share ideas?

A: I work for a great company. We all sit at a round table once a week and discuss marketing plans, odd questions and different scenario’s agents come across. This way when we see a new situation or issue we are prepared.

Q: You were in the wedding business, are you transitioning those clients and customers into your sphere and do you see a niche market there for yourself as an agent?

A: Yes, absolutely. Most of my couples once they are married their next major life event is usually buying a home. After working with me on their wedding they see that I am competent, intelligent and easy to work with. I want their home buying experience to be a stress free and fun, the same as planning their wedding. There are bumps in the road you may run into, but we are here to help you through that. And thank you for letting me be part of your big day, and part of a major event in your life.

Q: How important is servicing and staying connected with your customer base to you?

A: It is crucial. One thing I really liked about the REALTOR that helped me buy my home, is he still keeps in touch. I get an email at least once a month and every holiday, and occasionally see him around town and he is genuinely happy we love our home. I strive to give that level of customer service everyday. Monthly postcards, phone calls, and social media make it easy to stay in touch in today’s world. Your customer base is going to be your strongest line of referrals. Always take good care of them even when the transaction is completed, stay in touch!

Q: Are you working a geographic farm? If so – what are you doing that’s working?

A: For me I work best face to face with people. I love to knock on doors, talk to people in my area. I get into conversations with them, and have even made friends and have gotten to know some really great people. The person in front of you may not be buying or selling, but if they like you they will put you in touch with anyone they know who is. Treat every person with kindness, people always do business with people they like. We are not just trying to find the next “sale” but building a career helping good people.

Q: How can people reach out to you with referrals?

A: I am always available by phone or email, seven days a week. You can reach me anytime at 813-770-2150 or at Hardysline@verizon.net, if you just have a question I can help you with.

Thanks Eric for your time and your advice for what’s working in your corner of the world! Agents love to learn from other agents. I so appreciate your sharing your experience.

Need help marketing YOUR real estate business? Contact our team at 866.405.3638 today or visit www.prospectsplus.com.

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