Thursday, March 28, 2024

(It’s More Than Just Money!)what you lose by not staying in touch

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.

  1. Commission loss per seller or buyer? _____________ (Average commission)
  2. Loss of referral?  ______________ (Average commission x let’s just say 2 referrals)
  3. Loss of re-list and future sale? _____________ (Average commission x average homeowner moves – lists, sells, and buys new – every 9 years)
  4. 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 listing-inventoryevery 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 FEB-Dominator-FRONT-Largepeasy!

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.

Gift Giving (and Saving) Just Got Easier!

Get or Give the Gift of Marketing with the ProspectsPLUS.com Gift Card!

Perfect for Today’s Busy and Competitive Real Estate Professional.

Here’s why:

  1. There’s no need to store a credit card number
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  4. Great incentive item for teams or top producing agents
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Get yours today!

Prices:

$50 for $45
$100 for $90
$150 for $135
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Visit us today to get yours!  For higher denominations, or assistance, please phone our marketing team at 866.405.3638!

Tracking on a Tech Business Chart Art

Taking the Guesswork Out of Real Estate Marketingtrack it

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 jl-cards-2giant 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 tcommunitynewsnovthumbsfront4he 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.

Was YOUR Name Drawn?

Wow! A big thanks to all our amazing contestants this past month! We had some terrific entries – and we thank you all so much for sharing your ProspectPLUS.com experiences! If your name wasn’t drawn – no worries!  We’ll choose three MORE winners December 5th!  Congratulations everyone!

Our $250 winner is Noy Kongmanivong who shared, “I ordered a custom magnetic football calendars. When I got the order I was very happy with the final product. My only complaint was that I wished I had ordered 100 more.”

Our $100 winner is ‎Sheryl Eagle‎ who shared, “I love the postcards that get sent out because I do receive calls and get business from them! I just recently closed on a house in New Castle, PA. When I asked the daughter why she called me (because I am out of Butler, PA), she told me that her mother had saved one of my postcards! Her mother had not been living in the home for quite some time! Thanks, ProspectsPLUS!”

Our $50 winner is Alexis Erdos Dumbaugh‎ who shared, “Just placed my first ProspectsPLUS.com order! I was so excited; I went on and placed a second order! Can’t wait to get my postcards sent!”

Thank you to everyone who entered! Ready to throw your hat in the ring? It’s easy!  Leave your review of your ProspectsPLUS.com product or service on our Google+ Page or our Facebook Page today!  We’ll give away a total of $400 more in ProspectsPLUS! gift cards!  Next drawing is December 5th!

We’d also like to invite you to join us in our goal to raise $50,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®! We are matching every donation this year, dollar-for-dollar! Learn more at: blog.prospectsplus.com/st-jude.