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Friday, April 19, 2024

Making Connections in Unexpected Ways

by Julie Escobar

While a firm believer in the power of consistent top-of-mind marketing using series such as our neighborhood update postcards or content postcards, I always like to remind agents to also include an element of surprise in their marketing efforts as well.  It’s terrific to keep people informed — that brands you as an expert and resource people can trust and call on for their real estate questions or needs.  When combined, however, with a genuine thank you and note of appreciation, you now also brand yourself as someone who cares about your customers — and about details!

This week’s Master Marketing Schedule tip is to send the Out of the Blue postcard from Customer Appreciation Series to 200 of your past clients.  What if you did that at least four times per year?  Or took a few moments to send these kind messages to a block of your sphere of influence VIPs per month?  Do you think it might be worth a few transactions or referrals?  You bet it would!

For the reverse side of the card, I would recommend choosing the “standard back with message” – it has a little more room for a message.  Here are some ideas for customizing your message:

  1. Invite to a customer appreciation event.  Spring is a great time to host a party!
  2. Offer something of value.  We have some terrific Free Reports that are easily customized and downloadable that you can offer.  Nine Strategies to Get 17% More For Your Home or 10 Renovations That Reap Return on Investments are two great ones you can offer.
  3. Offer a service. Let them know that the market, and mortgage rates are changing — and that has a lot of people asking questions about what that potential means for their home value.  Offer to meet with them to share a home price evaluation and answer any questions they might have.
  4. Let them know when you’ll be in the area!  Schedule a time for you and your team, if you have one, to walk your geographic farm or be available for a meet and greet at a local coffee shop or community center. Then share that information with your fans and offer to answer any questions they might have and even tell them to invite a friend!

Then follow up.  Block time to connect with at least 25 past clients per week with a kind word, a thank you and an offer to assist.  We’re in the business of people, and when you reach out on a regular basis and let people know you genuinely care — you’ll be rewarded with new business and customers for life!

Need help with your marketing? Contact our team today at 866.405.3638.

The Sum of Small Things

by Julie Escobar

The market is hot and competition is hotter.  One big secret to success is to stay top-of-mind with your book of business.  And while that doesn’t have to be a HARD process – it does need to be CONSISTENT.  That got me thinking about one of Floyd Wickman’s quotes, “Great results are the sum of small things, done well, repeatedly.”  Boy isn’t that the truth?  I once asked Floyd to expand on that a little for us – and here’s what he had to offer:  “That’s one of my favorite sayings too, and it’s so true.  In fact, nothing defines that more than a commissioned salesperson picking up the phone and making a simple call to folks in their book of business—even if for no other reason than to say hello.  There is no higher thing they can do to shift their results in this business than to create those conversations.  In fact, in our courses we teach agents that for every 12 conversations they have, they can expect a referral.  To me, that’s the number one way to stay top of mind AND build your business.”

Great advice.  Floyd also shared that you can’t ‘nurture’ everyone.  So every agent should have two lists – one which is their book of business – those folks you are building a relationship with over time.  Your second list should be your database. That’s a list of everyone who’s ever inquired, been on your mailings lists, or internet leads that you can send drip campaigns to until they are ready to make a move. Your database is your least expensive list to market to – but it also yields much lower results than your book of business.

So number one?  Take Floyd’s advice.  Pick up the phone to everyone in your book of business.  Decide how you want to break that up – 10 a day, 20 a day or as Floyd used to say, “Call until you get one.”  Block off that time just as critically as you would a listing appointment – because it IS that critical.

Number two?  Get out of stealth mode. I can’t tell you how many agents rarely leave the office or their homes but call us to say – how can I get more business?  Get OUT there in your community and get noticed!  Take part in charity drives, school events, and host Q & A sessions at the local library or coffee shop.  The more contentVISIBLE you are – the more likely people are going to say YOUR NAME when asked if they know anyone in real estate!

Number three?  SEND them something tangible.  For all the obvious reasons, we’re fond of direct response mail postcards– because they are easy to order, quick to send and don’t take up a lot of your valuable face-to-face or voice-to-voice time with prospects and those in your book of business or sphere.  Monthly holiday cards, recipe cards, newsletters, or our content cards are a great ‘touch’ each month that are budget-friendly, can be ordered in minutes, and allow you to stay top of mind.  Keep things mixed up as well. Check out our Master Marketing Schedule if you haven’t already for some creative and way outside the box ways to get in front of your clients in ways that are sure to have you REMEMBERED!

Number four?  Be HYPER-LOCAL.  There’s a reason this term is all the buzz right now – it’s because it is
EXACTLY what consumers are looking for in their resources. Home buyers and sellers need to know what is happening right there in YOUR market – rather than just get sucked into the national news of what’s happening nationwide or even globally.  What are prices doing in their neighborhoods?  What’s happening in the schools in your area?  What new businesses are coming in or closing?  Who are the trusted resources, business or service professionals in YOUR area that they can call.  Start being the one to consistently deliver THAT kind of information – and your name, brand, reputation and referrals will skyrocket.

Number five?  Expand your reach.  If you’re not saturating the neighborhood or market area you want to dominate, then turn to Every Door Direct Mail (which gets you literally into every mailbox).  Our Market Dominator System is becoming quite the differentiator for agents across the nation.  In fact, one agent just shared this experience with us, “The monthly ordering process is easy. Some months I simply upload my photo and company logo and submit the already created newsletter. Other times I customize it. Either way, the newsletters are distributed to 527 of my neighbors. Over the 11 months since I started, the EDDM marketing pieces have resulted in 5 listing appointments. This month, I have a seller preparing their home to list with me and received a buyer referral from a neighbor who receives my newsletters. It’s great to see some fruit from the seeds I planted.” Our advice? Follow his lead and plant those seeds! 

Now, what are you waiting for?  Get out there and start getting your name, business and face recognized as the incredible real estate resource you are!  And if you need help – give our team a shout at 866.405.3638 for systems that can help you do all of that and more! 

To Drive Leads and Attract More Listings

By Julie Escobar

Did you know that there are over 50 designs in our Content Card series?  Agents are loving them for a fast and easy way to stay in touch with their sphere and farm, and position themselves as a resource in their markets.  The best part about it is — they don’t have to come up with any content. We do all the work! Agents tell us that they like using them as a newsletter alternative as well since they contain great, consumer-friendly information, just in smaller quantity.  All the agent has to do is choose their mailing list, add whatever personal touches to the copy on both sides and and place their order!

Here are five ways you can use the content cards to drive more customer leads, increase your credibility, and
present yourself as the turn-to agent to call:

  1. Send one per month to your sphere or farm (or both) to easily stay in touch and brand yourself as an content 4information specialist.
  2. Choose several of your favorites and have them printed and shipped to you to use as leave-behinds in local businesses, as open house collateral, or as fair trade offers when prospecting.
  3. Purchase as a pdf and use as a downloadable item of value on your website.  This allows you to
    build your email database.content 5
  4. Each one of these is popular subject matter for consumers. Why not channel your inner Toast Master and create some local real estate workshops that you can present to area consumers?  Print and
    ship the card with the topic of your choice to hand out at your event.
  5. Share on social media.  For many agents figuring out WHAT to say on social media content 6leaves them stumped.  These tools are perfect – with titles like “4 keys”, “5 ways”, “5 factors” – you can share one a day during the work week and invite followers to email you for the whole list.

You can even send them the .pdf you’ve downloaded!

Get started today and kick your marketing into high gear!  See our Content Cards, choose your favorites and start driving credibility and new customers! Oh, and click here to get our latest promo codes and save 10% on your order!

As always, if you need help, contact us at 866.405.3638 – that’s what we’re here for!

Happy listing!

A Formula for Success

By Julie Escobar

In today’s market (or any market for that matter) – if you’re not out there networking, making calls, reaching out to your sphere and farm, being PRESENT in your marketplace and even knocking on doors – then you are leaving your success as a real estate agent to chance.  The truth is?  It’s not LUCK — it’s LISTINGS.  And listings are STILL the name of the game.

So what are three things you can do to drive listing inventory in your market? 

Listing Inventory Cards

STEP ONE – SEND:  Use a direct response postcard or flyer to the folks in the hot-turnover neighborhoods or even those that are right on the cusp of turnover.  Let them know that the buying market is HOT and the time to sell is NOW.  Be sure to send any marketing you choose in increments of at least three.  (Remember that 3-7-27 rule – it takes 3 contacts for someone to recognize your name, 7 to put your name with what you do and 27 to become a brand or household name in the minds of the consumer.  Most transactions happen after FIVE contacts.) We’ve got a terrific series that speaks directly the mindset of sellers in this market called our Listing Inventory Series.

STEP TWO – CALL: Here’s where a lot of agents either fall down on the job or lose their muster.  Call people?  Talk to them?  Yikes!  Can it be nerve wracking for some?  Sure.  Will you get ‘No’s”? Absolutely.  But the numbers are in your favor.  If you call enough people, make enough contacts, you’ll get a yes. And that yes can turn into a listing and a listing into a sale and a sale into a commission – so no leaving it to chance.  Make a contact! (Or twenty, or more…)

Here is a sample dialogue  to help you get started:

  • Agent: Hi, my name is _____, and as you may know, our market is on the move and we’ve got more buyers than we have listings.  Have you thought about selling your home now or in the near future? 
  • Seller Question:  How much do you think I could get for my house?
  • Agent Answer (a la Floyd Wickman):  I don’t know, I haven’t seen your house yet, let’s get together!

STEP THREE – SEE:  Don’t knock the idea of old-fashioned door knocking!  Getting out there and visible in the neighborhoods and communities you are eager to service and become a brand name in is just good business.  Why?  It’s personal.  People can put the face with the name.  They can see that you are committed to making an impact and you get a chance to get the real lay of the land.  Door hangers or even shell-printed postcards are a great leave-behind for those who aren’t home – and a nice collateral piece for those who are.

I challenge you to take these three steps to grow your listing inventory, your market share – and your confidence!  Be consistent with it at least once a quarter and you’ll reap the benefits for years to come.

Want to learn more about how to drive listing inventory and build a stronger market share?  Visit us online at www.prospectsplus.com or call our marketing team today at 866.405.3638!  They’re terrific at helping agents figure out exactly what they need to market themselves in a budget-friendly way! 

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