We have both first and second place drawing winners. A first-place $250 Gift Card winner & a second-place $100 Gift Card winner!
1. Congratulations Christie Hall on winning our first place $250 Gift Card!
Christie shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!.
“I just love ProspectsPLUS! I used the Recipe postcard to farm my neighborhood and I totally got a listing! It’s easy and user-friendly! Thanks, ProspectsPLUS!“
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
With all the changes Facebook has been forced to institute in its ad program, many agents we speak with are dumping their ads on the platform and seeking alternative forms of lead generation.
Some are reconsidering the “old” ways to generate leads, primarily direct mail.
We agree that direct mail is even more effective today than ever, but all marketing plans should be multi-pronged.
One free way to generate leads that is often overlooked is the agent website. Sure, you can hire someone to tweak your SEO, but there are other ways to help generate organic traffic.
Start with your content. As you go through the content on your site, keep this advice from Dan Ritzke, founder of Third Act Marketing, top-of-mind:
No one wants to learn about your brand
No one wants to learn about your product
No one wants to learn about you
Everyone wants to solve problems that are bothering them
Everyone wants to make their life easier
Everyone wants to make their job easier.
Give consumer s what they are asking for. Create property brochures with multi-photos and detailed descriptions. Available in the Brochure section.
The “everyone” you should concentrate on is real estate consumers. Luckily, NAR offers some tips they gleaned in a survey of these potential clients (2019 Homebuyer and Seller Generational Trends).
The top three website features that consumers find “very helpful” have to do with listings:
Photos
Detailed information about listings
Floor plans
That these consumers chose listing information as the most useful shows exactly why they visited real estate websites. Although neighborhood information is important, that’s not why they visited.
Your bio is also important, but most don’t find it “useful” to them.
The most useless information on agent websites, according to survey respondents, includes:
Videos
Information about open houses
Real estate news
While all ages rank videos as unimportant, 27 percent of baby boomers like them (the highest percentage of all groups).
What stood out the most for us is that floor plans are important to real estate website visitors yet we see few listings that include this feature.
Among the tasks you can accomplish to make your listings more valuable to buyers is to start including floor plans, lots of photos and get more detailed in your descriptions. Get more tips here.
While we can’t personally vouch for the following floor plan providers, several agents we’ve spoken with recommend them:
Then, ditch the videos on your website. Another NAR report proves that homebuyers don’t watch videos and don’t find them useful. They do, however, like virtual tours. Get on the 3-D virtual tour train in 2020 to offer value to website visitors.
The value the real estate agent brings to the process
That NAR survey also asked participants about the “Most Important Factors when Choosing an Agent.”
Let’s start with what they consider least important:
What matters least to real estate consumers?
Which broker you work for
Your level of community involvement
Designations (last on the list)
Note: There have been studies over the past couple of years that claim an agent’s community involvement is very important to the younger real estate consumer.
Your broker’s brand, whether it’s a Keller Williams or RE/Max or a local boutique brokerage, is often shown to be of little importance to consumers.
And, designations? Not only do consumers not know what the letters stand for, but when told, they aren’t impressed.
Create a personal brochure describing important attributes and experience and use it as a leave-behind
Don’t feel as if you need to take up space on your website, especially above the fold, with these items. Save that area for the things potential clients feel are valuable.
The top 3 qualities consumers look for in a real estate agent:
That the agent is honest and trustworthy
Experience
Reputation
Experience matters most to baby boomers and least to members of Gen X.
Think about Ritzke’s advice when tweaking your website’s information about you. Overtly salesy stuff will get you nowhere.
For instance, while they value experience, it will take a lot more than “Three decades as the top-selling agent” to convince them.
Ask yourself how your experience will help them solve common problems in a real estate transaction:
Experienced agents are better negotiators
Experienced agents know what can go wrong and can help buyers/sellers be proactive to avoid these pitfalls
When it comes to proving your honesty and reputation, nothing will do that better than your testimonials.
Tell them until the cows come home that you’re experienced and honest or the king or queen of trustworthiness and they may or — more likely — may not believe you.
When tweaking your website ensure that your best testimonial resides above the fold and that others – especially those in which your clients extoll your honesty and boost your reputation — are sprinkled liberally throughout your site.
Need more tips on how and why to use testimonials? You’ll find them right here.
Send the Multi-Photo Just Listed Postcards out to the area surrounding your listing. Turn one listing into many.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
It may not seem like it, but winter is almost over. The “famine” part of the equation will be history and we can wallow in the “feast” that spring brings.
Until then, dealing with the snail’s pace of the market at this time of year can dishearten even the most optimistic among us.
Direct Response Reports are available under the Free Report section on ProspectsPLUS.com
But it doesn’t have to. Check out these three tips to help you stay motivated through the final month of winter.
1. Take action, even if it’s puny
“Your income right now is a result of your standards, it is not the industry, it is not the economy,” claims motivational coach Tony Robbins. Easy for him to say when he doesn’t work in real estate, right?
If you’re familiar with Robbins you’ll know that he’s big on taking action – especially if it’s “massive.” Even a small step toward your goals, however, helps raise those standards he speaks about.
“Even if you take the wrong action, if you keep changing your approach you can succeed in anything,” according to Robbins.
Actions to consider taking during the remaining downtime include:
Clean up and organize your CRM
Prepare a mailing list of past clients
Research a farm area for listings
Organize a summer event for past clients
One action – just one step toward a goal – taken every day can move you from inertia to progress.
While people you hang out with can stifle your professional progress, “the what that you surround yourself with …can either propel you forward…or hold you back,” according to Amy Blaschka at Forbes.com.
In other words, get out of the office, the car and your head by changing your environment. Samuel R. Sommers, associate professor of psychology at Tufts University claims that this one change can lead to “a burst of fresh thinking and increased drive.”
Take the laptop to a coffee shop or, if it’s not too frosty outdoors, head to the local park. Invite a prospect for coffee or lunch. Take a walk in nature.
Direct Response Reports are available under the Free Report section on ProspectsPLUS.com
“Turn the eyes upside down, by looking at the landscape through your legs,” suggested the late Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Watch, listen, read
The world is filled with motivational coaches, speakers, and gurus. Take advantage of their knowledge by scheduling time each day to watch, listen to or read their works.
If it’s a video you prefer, check out “5 Lessons to Live By” from the late Dr. Wayne Dyer and “Take Action In Your Life” with the brilliant Les Brown.
Books more your speed? Grab Gary Keller’s “Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times” or Ian Schechter’s “Breathe, Focus, Attack: A Triple – Threat System for Creating the Life You Want.”
Winnie the Pooh fans will recall Christopher Robin’s admonition that “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
We tend to forget this fact when we aren’t actively participating in whatever it is that reminds us of our greatness.
Direct Response Reports are available under the Free Report section on ProspectsPLUS.com
Fight the malaise by taking action, even if it’s one small step.
Download the 5 Reasons Why Your Home May Not Sell Report and offer it in all of your marketing including your emails, direct mail, on your website, and as a hand out at your Open Houses and listing presentations.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
That commission kerfuffle in which the NAR is embroiled, brings with it lots of discussions, questioning the value the agent brings to the real estate process.
Buyers’ agents, especially, are under the magnifying glass and it’s not at all uncommon to find quotes from consumers testifying that these agents do little to earn the “big bucks” the public thinks they make.
However, the results of a recent Century 21 survey say otherwise.
Ninety-nine percent of buyers claimed that their agent “added value” to the process.
Which is not quite what we’re hearing from the media, right? And, if I were a gambler, I’d bet against that study seeing the light of day in the mainstream media.
But buyers’ agents can take heart in knowing their clients approve of the job they do.
There were also other tidbits of information from this particular survey that, if heeded, can help listing agents maintain their relationship with clients long after the deal is done.
And, successful relationships result in referrals.
Use handwritten notecards to send a special message to your Sphere. Available on ProspectsPLUS.com.
First, let’s talk about buyers’ agents
Sadly, nearly a quarter of homebuying clients interviewed said they hadn’t heard from their agents since closing. It’s bad enough that so many agents can’t seem to follow up with leads and prospects but that they also ghost their clients – people they know – is simply mind-boggling.
Then, when we consider the C-21 survey results about how happy these clients were with their agent, what kind of crazy does an agent have to be to not follow up?
Would it help if you knew that these clients feel “abandoned” when they don’t hear from you? Would it help to know that more than one-third of survey respondents said they “were unlikely to recommend or rehire the agent they just worked with?” (Emma Ludman, Chicago Agent Magazine).
It’s easy to assume that since they just bought the home, they won’t be needing your services for some time. But they most likely have friends, family, and colleagues, right? If your name is top-of-mind when someone asks your clients which agent in town they recommend, you’ve got yourself a referral.
Follow up, follow up, follow up
The very first thing agents need to do is show their appreciation and gratitude to the person or people responsible for that commission check they just received. You’ll find a wide selection of cards here on ProspectsPLUS!
If you prefer to send a hand-written note, keep it brief.
“We are truly grateful for the trust you placed in us during your recent home purchase/sale. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
We hope to be your real estate team for many years to come.”
Get the card in the mail within a week or two after closing.
Then, create a follow-up campaign
Send the Neighborhood Update postcard, available under the Neighborhood Update Series.
If you don’t already have a follow-up system, it’s time to create one. In 2020, you’ll get the most bang for the buck with a direct mail campaign.
The mailings must be personalized and they must be strategic. Dig into your CRM and create lists, even if they’re as simple as a list of buying clients and selling clients. We would suggest an additional list of sellers who also bought a home. These experienced homeowners require different information than first-timers.
Decide what you’ll mail and how often. A list of what has sold in the neighborhood is welcome information for your buyers who are most likely keeping tabs on how their investment is doing. Also, consider:
Neighborhood update – Borino has a brilliant tip for making these more memorable and effective. Watch the YouTube video to learn more (market update letter is at 3:31).
“Defying the mediocrity that still exists in the real estate industry is a major part of our mission,” according to Mike Miedler, president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate LLC.
Send the Multi-Photo Just Listed postcard to your Sphere and show them how active you are. Available under the Multi-Photo Series.
Make it a part of your mission as well by keeping in touch with past clients strategically and consistently.
Send the Multi-Photo Just Listed postcard to your Sphere, keep them apprised of what you’ve been up to and stay on their minds.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
4. 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
5. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
“Before I got an agent, I would try to inquire about their services … and I’d say 90% of the time agents did not return my call,” complains a real estate client (Trulia reviews).
If some agents can’t respond to a hot lead, how can a client expect them to communicate effectively during the listing period?
Agents have come up with a lengthy list of excuses for why they don’t call. They run the gamut from “I don’t call if nothing is happening,” to “I didn’t get your message.”
Which is why the biggest client complaint against agents is lack of communication.
So why aren’t agents working harder to provide this most in-demand aspect of customer service?
Communicating with your client helps dispel the oft-repeated complaint that real estate agents don’t do anything to earn their commissions. It builds trust and it makes for a more relaxed working relationship.
Here’s how NOT to be that agent.
Examples go a long way
Let them know you’re on the ball (available in the postcard section under Get More Listings)
Explanations, walk-throughs, and examples go a long way in helping a client understand the complicated selling process, especially when working with first-time home sellers.
“We didn’t know there were all these things we had to pay for,” says a real estate client at a Hear it Direct event (pity they aren’t doing these any longer).
The gentleman went on to complain that his agent “never brought it up.”
Yet another client was so disgusted by her agent’s lack of an explanation of the process that she won’t use any agent’s services in the future.
“We’ll probably just do it on our own – we kind of feel like we are already,” she said.
A real estate client who feels isolated during the sale of such a huge investment is not only in a sad situation, but it’s uncalled for in an industry that prides itself on “building relationships.”
Take a tip from buyers agents who hold buyer consultations before showing homes. Take the time to walk your listing client through the entire process, from what happens immediately after signing the listing agreement to the closing table.
Outline the costs of selling the home, what might go wrong during the process and their responsibilities.
Explain the following during your consultation:
What happens after they sign the listing agreement – detail the process beginning to end. Don’t assume they know.
Describe your marketing plan and when and how you’ll implement it.
Explain what a broker’s open is and how important it is.
Show them a lockbox and explain how it works, what to expect from buyers’ agents and everything else they need to know about the marketing period.
How offers are presented.
The period after an offer is accepted. Explain the escrow process, the paperwork they’ll encounter, disclosure duties. Remind them that they’ll need to be accommodating to the appraiser and home inspector.
Explain the closing process.
Keep them in on area real estate action (available in the postcard section under Content postcards)
Even the smallest aspects of the home sale process may be completely foreign to a client, so don’t assume that you don’t need to explain them.
Aside from an actual, sit-down seller consultation, there are a number of other ways to provide this information, from a book or e-book to a video or the plethora of information on your website (you have a plethora, right?).
Ask and listen
Ask questions—lots and lots of questions. How do they prefer to communicate, by text, email, phone? How often would they like to hear from you? Is once a week okay or do they want more frequent contact?
How do they feel about open houses? What are their biggest fears about the process? Is there anything about it they would like to know more about?
One home seller who vented his frustrations at CityData.com complained that “I figure an email a week telling me how many hits I’ve gotten on the various real estate sites, calls about my property (if tracked) and general market conditions would work, but I shouldn’t have to chase my agent down to hear what’s going on.”
Asking questions isn’t enough. You need to listen to the answers and ask for clarification if needed. Ensure there are no misunderstandings about their expectations.
Communicate often
Toss the old advice about not saying anything if you don’t have anything nice to say. Homeowners crave communication so provide it as often as possible.
Even if you have nothing to communicate, reach out to your client and let them know. I bet you can come up with something of value to communicate:
How many people toured the home during the past week?
How the open house went.
What type of feedback did they, or their agents leave?
Anything going on with the overall real estate market that they should know?
If under contract, let them know how escrow is progressing.
Find out if they have any questions such as, what comes next.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines “consultant” as “one who gives professional advice or services.” These homeowners could have chosen to sell the home without an agent but chose to go with you because of your professional knowledge.
By consistently communicating with your clients throughout the sales process, you’ll make them very happy they chose you and, hopefully, more likely to recommend you to others.
Include it in all of your marketing and offer it as an opt-in on your website.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
4. 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
5. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
As the market changes and your listing is still for sale 24 hours after they hit the MLS, it’s time to resurrect some of the old-school methods to market it.
One of the best is the broker’s open. Done right, you’ll get the most important eyes on your listing – those of other agents.
Sure, it’s usually a cattle call, with agents spending as little time in each home as possible. But yours will be different.
Yours is one that will slow them down.
It’s all in the planning
It takes careful planning to pull off a successful event, and your broker’s open should be considered “an event.” The higher the price of the home, in fact, the more eventful your broker’s open should be.
Don’t let being low on cash stop you from throwing an awesome broker’s open. Enlist the assistance of your favorite title rep, stager or loan officer.
Determine the menu. Yes, you need to come up with a way to slow these agents down and stopping into the kitchen or dining room for a snack is the ideal way to do it.
We’re sure you’ve seen what’s popular at your local brokers open, but here are a few suggestions we got from agents across the country:
Platters of sandwiches on various types of bread, cut in quarters, bowls of chips, fruit and/or green salad, bottled water.
At morning open houses, consider two or three types of quiche (cut in squares or wedges) small breakfast burritos, fruit and/or a green salad and juice and/or coffee and tea.
An assortment of appetizers on platters. You can purchase downright delicious frozen appetizers at Costco and Sam’s Club, or have a caterer create them.
Showcase your property in a memorable way. (available in the “Flyers” section under Property Flyers).
After coming up with the menu and shopping list (plates, napkins, etc.), make an agent feedback form.
Include all the questions you know your sellers would like answered by other agents in your agent feedback form:
What do they think of the price?
Rate the home’s interior condition on a scale of 1 to 10.
Rate the home’s exterior condition on a scale of 1 to 10.
How does this home stack up to other homes the agent has viewed in this price range?
Anything the home seller (or listing agent) has missed that should be remedied?
The chances that agents will fill these out are best if they’re near the food and you ask them to fill them out.
If there’s an incentive, though, the chances are even better. Come up with an interesting prize (even a gift card can be compelling) to raffle off to all those who threw their completed feedback forms into a designated and prominent “drop your entries here” bowl.
This is a great way for your title rep, stager or loan officer to get involved. Have them sponsor the prize.
Finally, ensure you have enough directional signs available for that day and determine where you will place them.
Get the word out
At one time, broker’s opens were listed in the MLS. Even if that’s still true, in a changing market you may need to do more to get the maximum number of agent boots through the door of your listing.
Free ways to get the word out about your broker’s open:
Announce it at the office sales meeting and, if you attend the MLS meetings, announce it there as well.
Make up flyers and get to the aforementioned meetings early. Place a flyer on each chair.
Put flyers in the office mailboxes for each agent.
If you belong to local real estate groups on social media, post about it. Mention all the cool things they’ll experience if they attend.
Send an email to the mega-agents in town. They’re the ones that are typically too busy to hang out on social media. Make your email a visual delight, with eye-catching photos and, again, promises of the cool stuff on offer (food! A drawing!) at the broker’s open.
You might also want to create a special invitation that you can snail mail to the top buyers’ agents in town and to agents with whom you’ve built a solid professional working relationship.
Enhance your listing with multiple images and copy opportunities (available under the “Brochure” tab in Luxury Brochures).
Direct mail is far more powerful in the digital age than at any time in its history.
Play nice with other agents
Put your phone away and vow to not pick it up during the duration of the brokers open. Greet everyone individually as they come in and thank them for coming as they leave.
Invariably, agents who are also friends will show up but don’t get so involved conversing with them that you ignore the other guests.
The fortune is in the follow-up
Yes, even with other agents. You never know how one simple phone call or email to thank them for attending will endear you to other agents. You never know how it might prompt their memories just when they picked up that new buyer.
If you choose to do a mass email, don’t forget to congratulate the winner of the drawing.
Send panoramic luxury postcards and stand out in the mail (available in the postcard section under Luxury postcards).
Finally, ensure that you attend other agents’ broker’s opens. They will be far more likely to reciprocate if they’ve seen you at theirs.
Send Panoramic Luxury postcards from the Luxury Market Series to announce your newest listing, Open House or Sold in style!
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
We have both first and second place drawing winners. A first-place $250 Gift Card winner & a second-place $100 Gift Card winner!
1. Congratulations Scott Skare on winning our first place $250 Gift Card!
Scott shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!.
“ProspectsPLUS! has friendly, knowledgeable customer service and affordable prices. Excellent products and messaging!“
Scott’s latest marketing pieces he’s sent out include – The Fence Sitter and Just Sold postcards
Above shown is from the Fence Sitters Series and Just Sold House Series in the postcard section.
2.Congratulations Dan Percefull on winning our 2nd Prize $100 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card!
Dan shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!
“Read the clues they provide, like how to start an investor mailing. Buy the mailing list of non-owner-occupied homes from them and start a successful campaign. I did and it worked. Thanks, ProspectsPLUS!“
Dan’s latest marketing pieces include – The Just Closed and Upload Your Own postcards.Just Closed and Upload Your Own postcards are available under the postcard section
Take the lead from Scott and Dan send at least 100 marketing pieces to an area where you want more buyers and sellers!
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
In “The Odyssey,” Odysseus went to war and left his household in the capable hands of a Mentor, his son’s teacher. Apparently, the Mentor was really good at dealing with personal dilemmas.
As a new agent, you have lots of those, right?
While being mentored isn’t just for new agents, they seem to be the ones that most need it. Seasoned agents typically hire a coach, or trainer, to assist with increasing their production, hiring management and staff and learning better business practices.
For the nuts and bolts of how to actually hit the ground running in a real estate career, however, latching onto a mentor is the way to go.
The Timing is Everything postcard is located under the Fence Sitters Series in the postcard section
And before you get all uppity and indignant that we are assuming you know nothing about how to be a real estate agent, consider that Beethoven was humble enough to accept mentoring from Hayden. Plato turned to Socrates for help and then, in turn, mentored Aristotle. Then, there was Freud and Jung.
What is a Real Estate Mentor?
Taking over the king’s household was an enormous responsibility for the Mentor.
It meant that he “had to be a father figure, a teacher, a role model, an approachable counselor, a trusted adviser, a challenger, an encourager,” according to J. Carruthers in “The Return of the Mentor: Strategies for Workplace Learning.”
Which is exactly what a real estate mentor should be — well, sans the father figure part.
A mentor is someone in your office who takes you under his or her wing – free of charge – and shows you the ropes.
Mentors have various ways of teaching, but the best will let you shadow them for a couple of weeks. Going on some listing presentations with a top listing agent is an amazing opportunity to learn how it’s done, successfully.
Why have a Mentor?
It’s safe to say that Renton, Wash. broker Sheila McGraw knows a thing or two about how to achieve success in real estate. In 1995, her first year in the business, she earned more than $150,000 in commissions and was named Rookie of the Year.
McGraw claims that the best way to learn “is to model oneself after someone that has achieved the level of success one aspires to.”
Tony Robbins takes it much further and insists that you need a mentor to obtain “mastery.”
Mastery is a noble goal if you hope to last in the real estate industry. “One of the things new agents need to learn early on is that no two transactions are the same. By shadowing a mentor, they’ll not only learn this first-hand, but they’ll be able to see how a master deals with the various situations,” says Realty Billings broker/owner Amber Uhren.
While shadowing your mentor on listing presentations and showings is an excellent way to learn that end of the business, a mentor can also assist with the back-end.
The Tiem is Running Out postcard is located under the Fence Sitters Series in the postcard section
Do you know how to run a small business? How to allocate your time? From choosing the right technology tools to learning how to prospect effectively, a mentor in your corner is invaluable.
Pick a Winner
Be careful who you choose as a mentor. Resist the temptation to choose someone purely on the basis of his or her production level.
“I firmly believe that what you eat, what you think, who you hang out with, who you emulate all makes you who you are. Emulate a jerk and you’ll probably turn into one!” says Jolenta Averill, broker/owner at Lake and City Homes in Madison, Wisc.
When considering who to approach for mentorship, look beyond production. If you’ve chosen a niche, a good choice would be someone who specializes in that corner of the market. But also look closely at personal qualities, such as integrity and reliability.
Finally, look for an agent who is open and willing to allow you into her business world, sharing her professional accomplishments and failures.
Building a business takes time so consider this mentorship period part of the initial process. Don’t rush it and don’t expect to learn everything overnight. You’re building a foundation on which will sit a thriving real estate practice.
A couple of years ago I spoke with California agent Dorothee Crawford and she explained to me how even after three decades in real estate, she remained motivated by the words of her mentor, Cam Merage, founder and CEO of First Team Real Estate.
“I am Persian and Jewish, with an accent and I am not a native to the United States – If I can do this, you can do this.”
Get those fence-sitters off the fence by sending the It Doesn’t Take a Crystal Ball postcard from the Fence Sitters Series to an area where you want more listings.
The It Doesn’t Take a Crystal Ball postcard is located under the Fence Sitters Series in the postcard section.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
Can someone point out where it’s written that real estate agents need to be active on every social media platform?
I didn’t think so.
Real estate agents, if they’re doing it right, have insanely busy schedules and little help with the scut work.
Not that marketing your business is necessarily scut work, but the actual implementation of social media marketing methods often is.
Since demographics on these platforms ebb and flow, it’s challenging to figure out which ones are worthy of your precious time and money and which to cut loose.
The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in the Postcard Section
So, we thought we’d help you out a bit by doing some of the research for you.
It’s all about the demographics
“Popularity was fickle and elusive, like trying to catch fireflies in a jar,” according to author Melissa de la Cruz. While she wasn’t referring to social media, the quote certainly fits.
It’s important to not buy into the hype when researching social media platforms. That Twitter boasts 330 million monthly active users means nothing other than that a whole bunch of people use it.
The two most important statistics for real estate agents to know are:
How many of these users are located in the U.S.?
A breakdown of these U.S. users by age group
For instance, of those 330 million monthly Twitter users, only 20 percent are located in the U.S. There are other social media platforms that offer a larger U.S. user base.
The age of the average user is critically important for real estate agents when choosing where to market their businesses.
The NAR breaks down buyers and sellers according to generational cohorts:
Millennials will be between the ages of 25-43 in 2020. They represent:
37 percent of buyers
20% of sellers
Gen X members are between the ages of 44 and 55 this year and they represent:
24% of buyers
25% of sellers
Baby Boomers are age 56-74 in 2020 and they make up:
32% of the buyer pool
43% of sellers
Keep in mind that the average age of a homebuyer is 47 and the average age of a home seller is 57, according to the NAR.
Obviously, if you are a listing agent you are going to want to put your marketing money and time into the platform that attracts baby boomers and older members of Gen X.
The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in teh Postcard Section
Buyers’ agents should go all-in on platforms that are popular with Gen X but figure out where millennials hang out as well.
Facebook
Every year when we take a look back at social media user statistics Facebook comes out the clear winner and, although its popularity is waning, 2020 should be no exception.
Last year, the largest group of U.S. Facebook users were millennials, at 84 percent. The next largest age group, 30 to 49, includes younger members of Gen X.
Older generations are well-represented as well, with two-thirds of older Gen Xers and boomers and nearly half of older boomers (older than 65) using Facebook.
Facebook remains a no-brainer for real estate agents, whether trying to boost organic traffic to websites or using targeted advertising.
Instagram
Our opinion? For real estate agents, Instagram is mostly not as effective as Facebook.
Of the platform’s 1 billion users, only 11 percent reside in the U.S.
Only one-third of the most-viewed stories are from businesses.
Instagram ranks sixth in global popularity (Hootsuite).
If your looking to target a younger demographic this is a great platform.
Don’t be sucked in by the number of businesses that use the platform. Their targeted demographics are most likely not nearly as narrow as yours. For instance, they may be after a global audience or want to appeal to teens and young adults.
If you are already creating posts for Facebook, it should be fairly easy to copy them and post to Instagram as well. The more reach and visibility you can generate from posting your brand or listings the better!
Remember to keep a close eye on your targeted audience and make sure your content matches the demographic.
The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in teh Postcard Section
Check back soon when we compare two more popular social media platforms.
Send Valentine’s Day postcard from the Holiday Series to your Sphere of Influence. Let them know you are thinking about them.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
Bathrooms and kitchens. Anyone who has been listing real estate for more than a minute is aware that these two rooms dominate the consciousness of every homebuyer. Or, so we’ve been led to believe.
Sadly, the adherence to the perceived need to sell these two rooms leaves the rest of the house feeling like the neglected stepchild.
Nobody expects your listing descriptions to read like they came from the fingertips of the world’s greatest copywriter.
What buyers do expect, and seldom get, is value for the time they spend reading them. That value remains undelivered when important information is left out. And the good news is that the information doesn’t need to eat up your valuable MLS word count if you can convey it with photos.
The Neighborhood Update postcard is available under the Postcard section.
We’ve noticed that there are three areas of a home in particular that agents tend to ignore. Three areas, we assure you, buyers want to know about.
The Backyard
Why does a homebuyer prefer a single-family residence over a condo?
There are several reasons, as you know, and chief among them is the backyard. Even a tiny backyard is better than a condo’s lanai. If the buyer entertains a lot, loves to tinker in the garden or has kids/pets that crave the outdoors, a condo won’t work.
For the past few years, outdoor living spaces have been in-demand with homebuyers. Last year, however, became the year of the patio, at least according to studies by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
More than 80 percent of homebuyers surveyed said that a patio in their new home is a must.
How often are patios staged? More important, how often do you see patios featured in listing descriptions?
Convince your listing clients to stage the patio. Then, ditch two or three of the 500 kitchen photos you’d planned on posting and use patio photos in their place on your next listing description.
The Free Local Market Statistics postcard is available under the Call to Action Series in the Postcard section.
We’re willing to bet your efforts will build traffic through the listing – especially if you also highlight the rest of the areas of the home most listing agents neglect.
The Garage
We’re going out on a limb here to guess that the reason listing photos don’t include any of the home’s garages is because most garages we’ve seen are akin to the kitchen junk drawer, but on a larger scale.
It’s going to take a lot of convincing to get your clients to clean out the garage. Maybe if you let them know that nearly 90 percent of homebuyers say that garage storage is essential, they’ll act.
In other words, there’s a real good chance that if your clients’ homes don’t clearly show potential buyers how much storage space there is in the garage, they’ll find a home that does.
Decluttering is a good first step, but staging the garage will wow potential buyers. If your clients already have storage solutions built in, use them in the staging. Otherwise, convince them to buy racks, shelves and ceiling storage units.
Online ideas abound, but nobody does it better than Pinterest.com.
Your listing’s garage is so much more than home to two or three cars – so prove it to garage-hungry buyers.
The Laundry Room
It’s a rare agent’s remarks space that includes mention of a laundry room. Typically, one needs to look beyond the listing description into the features section where you will or won’t find an “X” in the box next to “Laundry Room.”
When one considers that the number one feature that most homebuyers claim is essential in their new home is a laundry room, according to the NAHB survey, neglecting to play up the feature is nuts.
By the way, nearly three quarters of repeat buyers say that a laundry room is more important to them than a living room.
A lot of this desire has to do with the storage a laundry room provides – at least enough room to stack folded laundry and stow dirty stuff.
Even the smallest room, however, will please would-be homeowners. If your client’s budget allows for the addition of a laundry room, suggest a basement remodel.
Paul Sullivan, president of a Massachusetts remodeling firm explains to the editors at Kiplinger.com that since the “utility lines are already there” and the addition most likely won’t involve demolition, the cost can run as low as $1,000.
The Neighborhood Update postcard is available under the Postcard section.
Make 2020 the year your listing descriptions and photos show buyers the features they’re truly interested in.
Send the Neighborhood Update postcard from the Neighborhood Update Series to an area where you want more listings.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
Ellen DeGeneres, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lady Gaga. There is something oddly similar about those three. Love them or despise them, they all have great-big personalities.
And, they were all, at one time, employed in the food and beverage industry (DeGeneres and Ocasio-Cortez bartended and Lady Gaga waited tables).
If you’ve ever worked in the hospitality industry, you know that there is a direct correlation between building rapport with your customers and your tip income.
After all, do you tip the grumpy waitress, the bartender who ignores you or the bouncer who makes you wait until the “important” people are let into the club?
Like real estate, many of the jobs in these industries have a low bar of entry. Let’s face it, waiting tables is easy to learn. Waiting for them with elegance, with class and with customer service top-of-mind is a bit harder.
The House Feeling a Little Empty postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.
Being personable leads to the bigger bucks
Even the bartender who mixes a mean Manhattan won’t build a following without a bit of personality. It’s the same in real estate.
An agent can have an expert-level understanding of contracts and marketing but, without the ability to build rapport, will fail to build a referral base. Without that, he or she will be forever chasing after new business.
Think about the waiters and waitresses you’ve over-tipped – it was their personality, their ability to interact that compelled your generosity, right?
Sure, you can be a ho-hum agent, do the minimum required and still make as much on a transaction as an agent who goes above and beyond in providing customer service.
And, if you don’t want or need repeat business and referrals, go ahead and be that agent otherwise read on.
The approach
“When greeting a guest I always approach the table with a smile,” Jenna Paul, server and assistant general manager of The Peached Tortilla in Austin Texas tells Jane Ko at Seasoned.co.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But the advice also applies to real estate agents. Whether you’re knocking on doors, schmoozing at community events or greeting who you hope will be your next listing client, a smile is imperative.
Smiling puts a potential client at ease and builds that first step toward genuine rapport. “People like that warm and inviting welcome,” says Chance Ramsey, assistant general manager at Contigo, also in Austin.
Step two to blissful rapport
“Don’t worry – he’s one of us.” You know that feeling you get when you’re sure you’ve just met a like-minded individual and everything clicks?
My “one of us” may be vastly different than yours. But we know, instinctually, whether or not someone is like us or not like us.
The Ready to Sell the Lawnmower postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.
“Rapport is established by creating a common ground with your guests that enable them to put you in the “like me” category,” David Hayden explains to food and beverage employees at TipsSquared.com.
He goes on to explain that being perceived as one of your potential clients’ “good guys (or gals)” … “puts them at ease” and builds trust.
So, how do you become a member of their tribe? Consider mirroring. Tony Robbins suggests that mirroring is the ideal technique to help you learn something new, be it a new habit or strategy.
Author, trainer and business speaker Jeff Mowatt, takes it a step further by applying the technique to building rapport in sales and uses food and beverage workers trained in the technique, as examples.
“Match your customer’s style,” he begins. “Pay attention to how your customer prefers to communicate and get in step. Does your customer prefer to get right down to business, or warm up by engaging in small talk?”
“If your customer talks quickly and loudly, make an effort to match that energy,” and “if the other person talks softly, then you talk more softy,” he suggests.
“If they lean forward, then you lean forward … In other words, you ‘mirror’ the other person’s tone of voice and body language.”
Think about DeGeneres today. Aside from the big, bold personality, she’s someone with whom people connect. The same can be said for another one-time hospitality worker, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
A one-time nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires, he is known today as Pope Francis. “The People’s Pope,” to many, he has made it his mission to build rapport across the globe.
Being personable in the hospitality industry leads to immediate gratification in the form of higher tips.
The Want More Time for Play postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.
In real estate, the gratification is delayed. But, when it comes, it pays off in big bucks.
Go after the Empty Nest niche market by sending the Want More Time for Play postcard from the Life Event Series.
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list toolto create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!
PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!
1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!
The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here
2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!
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
3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook
Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here
5. The Free Online ROI Calculator
Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here
A first-place iPhone 11 winner & a second-place $100 Gift Card winner!
1. Congratulations Jesse Baxley on winning the iPhone 11!
Jesse shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!.
“Fantastic service for real estate agents. Extremely user-friendly. Great customer service! I send out 100s of postcards a month and they haven’t let me down yet!
If you’re a real estate agent and need to send out just listed or just sold postcards then this is the place!!”
Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!