Keep Your Real Estate Email Newsletters From Being Trashed

May 15, 2019

One surprising rule

It may seem odd for a company that provides direct mail services to the real estate industry to offer advice to agents about best practices for email. Especially when statistics claim that direct mail is more effective than email marketing.

But we agreed to set aside this space on our website to offer up the latest real estate marketing advice of all stripes, even if it doesn’t directly sell our products.

Besides, most successful agents use a multi-pronged marketing approach that includes a mix of different marketing techniques.

If email is one that you use and you’re not getting the ROI you expected, read on for some tips on how to turn it around.

There is no such thing as a 100% open rate

So, wipe that goal from your list.

“If you want a 100 percent open rate, send one email to your mother,” says Dela Quist, an email pioneer and CEO of Alchemy Worx.

If your goal is to improve your click-through rate, without depending on Mom, start with what’s “above the fold” in your email message – the subject line.

That’s the come on – the lure. Head to a magazine stand (yes, they still exist. . .even in supermarkets). Check out which tantalizing blurb on each cover makes you want to purchase the publication so you can learn more.

The same holds true for blog post headlines – notice what it is about the title that makes you want to read more.

Your marketing email’s subject line is its “main cover line” (magazine industry lingo), title (in blogging) or headline. Treat it with all the attention it requires. It will make or break your open rate.

“69% of email recipients report email as spam based solely on the subject line,”

according to OptinMonster.com.

Think about the last time you wrote a listing description. Your MLS limits the number of words you can use, some more than others. It’s frustrating to fit enticing, compelling text into such a small space, but not impossible.

Now take that same skill to your email newsletter. With even less space, you’ll need to make the subject line irresistible.

Ways to deal with the subject line

Choose the lead story from your newsletter. If the headline isn’t enticing, change it. “3 steps to beat an investor to win your dream home,” is far more intriguing than “How to win a bidding war.”

It also includes the numbered list, which many email experts say is a favorite among email recipients.

Then, ensure that your subject line includes at least one adjective and the more powerful, the better. To understand the psychological punch some adjectives convey, think about restaurant menus.

For instance, you’re going to order lunch in a diner. Which entree sounds more intriguing?

Chicken pot pie
Grandma’s flaky chicken pot pie with garden-fresh vegetables.

For dessert, are you more likely to order “chocolate cake,” or “5-Layer, Espresso-Soaked Chocolate Cake?”

Need a template?

“Number or Trigger word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise = Clickable Headline”

According to an unnamed writer at BlogSiteStudio.com, copywriter and autism specialist Catherine Pascuas claims that “When you’re writing, you want to think about pulling psychological strings. Appeal to each person’s needs, wishes, joys, and sorrows.”

To do that, she came up with the above formula for headlines.

Use either a number or a trigger word, not both. If you choose to use a number, make it odd and reasonable (not more than 9). Trigger words include what, when, how and why.
Slip in a powerful adjective or one that describe resolution of a pain point. These include brilliant, incredible, amazing, effortless, easy, painstaking, fun, free, powerful, surprising.
Next comes what Pascuas mistakenly calls a “keyword,” and the unnamed writer explains as “rational” [sic]. Neither hit the mark. The word both of them were looking for is “noun,” because the next thing you’ll plug into the formula is the noun that the adjective or trigger word describes (duh).

These include words such as tips, reasons, shortcuts, facts, mistakes, ideas, ways and secrets.

Pascuas final element of the headline formula is “promise,” described as “a value proposition or a dare.” We would add that it might also be a desired outcome or a disaster avoided.

“5 brilliant ways to ensure you get a home loan.”

“3 Surprising Shortcuts to Come up with a Down Payment”

“How to Easily Dispute a Home Appraisal”

If you publish a lot of list-type blog posts and newsletter articles, you may prefer the following, easier formula, that has made the rounds across the internet as well.

(odd number) (adjective) (mistakes/tips/insights/shortcuts) for (achieving/avoiding) (desired outcome/disaster)

And, here it is in action:

“3 Surprising Tips to Beat the Competition in a Bidding War”

“5 Easy DIY Projects to Help your Home Sell Quickly”

“7 Disastrous Mistakes to Avoid when Hiring a Listing Agent”

Addressing a poor click-through rate starts at the top of your email. Starting with the subject line may just bring you somewhat instant gratification.

Include the Free Report Offer, “9 Ways to Get More Money in Less Time, with Less Headaches.” in your next email newsletter to get hands raising.

You might also like:

Creative Marketing: Be Daring, Be Memorable

Avoid These 4 Common Real Estate Agent Marketing Mistakes

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. 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

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

“Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here

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

Go fishing on Facebook for real estate leads

May 13, 2019

“Successful marlin fishing involves having the right gear, knowing the right fishing tactics and techniques, and being in the right place at the right time,” according to FishermansOutfitter.com.

The same can be said about anything one is trying to capture, from a mouse or a crook to the perfect photograph and, yes, real estate leads.

The challenge for many real estate agents attempting to capture leads is that, while they may understand tactics and techniques, they lack the proper gear.

So, let’s start with that and then get into how to use that “gear” to lure real estate leads on Facebook.

Mackerel or marlins?

Real estate agents can learn a lot about lead generation and capture from the fishing world. And, the first step is to determine who it is you’re trying to lure. Gone are the days of agents marketing to “anyone who is breathing.” It’s inefficient and ineffective.

Who do you want to work with, buyers or sellers? First-time buyers or repeat buyers? Luxury homeowners or condo owners?

Figuring out what you’re fishing for and then who these people are is key to any marketing strategy, most especially when you’re marketing on Facebook.

Before you do any further planning, head over to Facebook’s Policies to ensure that your promotion follows the rules.

Choose your lure

Watching a video of man- or woman- against marlin, it’s easy to assume that the most challenging part of catching one is the fight. The angler, strapped into a boat’s fighting chair, pumping and reeling, while the huge fish leaps and spins, makes for compelling footage.

But, “big blue” didn’t just stop by and ask for the fight – he (or she) responded to a lure.

And, not just any lure. Depending on species and sea conditions, the boat’s captain will choose from an array of lures he or she feels will be most attractive to the fish.

Premium content might hook them

Premium content is one way to lure Facebook leads. This type of content is different than what you offer by means of blog posts. It’s “a type of digital content that may be accessed for a fee, and is usually of higher quality or more desirable than free” content, say the folks at Techopedia.com.

You won’t, however, be charging a fee for your content. You will, on the other hand, ask for information in return.

And, now that you know who you are “fishing” for, determining the type of content to offer is a whole lot easier.

Remember, it’s called “premium” content for a reason. It’s higher quality than regular content, longer in length and, as the Techopedia folks say, it’s “exceptionally informative.”

An ideal type of premium content is a Free Report. Offer Free Reports in person, through direct mail, email and add to your website as a free download in exchange for an email.

There are a variety of long-form content types from which to choose:

A list and in-depth description of down payment assistance programs
Infographic
Tutorial
Ebook
In-depth guides, such as city guides, neighborhood guides, buying and selling guides, relocation guides.
Reports (basically just 3,000-word articles)
Checklist (staging, moving, loan application, etc.)
Long articles (at least 3,000 words)

Get more tips on creating and marketing with premium content at LinkedIn.com.

Facebook giveaways to lure real estate leads

A prize giveaway is another way to lure Facebook leads.

And, make no mistake, what you’re giving away is key to the promotion’s success. “I mean, who’s really going to take the time of day to like, comment on, and share a post when all they stand to gain is a $15 gift card for coffee?” asks Pat Hiban at ActiveRain.com.

“Almost no one,” he claims. Take the time to carefully consider an item that you’re contemplating giving away. Hiban lists several that worked well for other agents:

Family passes to a popular local attraction, such as a waterpark or amusement park.
Tickets to a sporting event. Hiban suggests “tickets to a local team’s upcoming game or even tickets to college games often work.”
The latest smartphone

Or, make the prize appropriate to an upcoming holiday. In 2017, Chattanooga attorneys Warren & Griffin gave away a stainless-steel barbecue grill and threw in a $50 Walmart gift card that the winner could use to purchase the goodies to cook on the new grill.

Use your favorite graphics program to create compelling Facebook posts to promote the giveaway and ensure that everything steers them to a dedicated squeeze page where you’ll capture their information.

Facebook’s rules state that users can’t force participants to share, like or follow to be entered for the prize. So, don’t force them. Hiban offers a brilliant alternative:

“Know someone who needs” a new grill? “Share this giveaway so that they have a chance to win!”

Get more Facebook giveaway ideas and tips at Wishpond.com and Hootsuite.com.

Show them you know what’s on their mind (available in the postcard section under Get More Listing Series)

Another way to generate leads is to send at least 100 Should You Stay or Go postcards from the Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more leads.

You might also like:

Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

A Refresher Course in Attracting New Clients

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Capture the Baby Boomer Market – Here’s How

May 7, 2019

Twenty-six million, is the number of homes owned by U.S. baby boomers, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. To put that figure into perspective, consider this: They hold more than half of all owner-occupied homes in the country.

And, in some cities, that number is even higher.

The invisible cash cow

The Baby Boom segment of the population is one that is almost completely ignored by the real estate industry. Yet their combined take-home pay is $2 trillion dollars a year and they can take credit for half of all discretionary spending. That’s not all:

They control 70 percent of all wealth in this country
Boomers represent half of all credit card use.
They own almost 80 percent of all financial assets.
They purchase 50 percent of all luxury cars and 73 percent of all hybrid cars sold in the U.S.

Baby boomers are a generation whose birth spanned the years between 1946 and 1964, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Currently, boomers range in age from 54 to 72 years old.

The new and improved baby boomer

The baby boomer generation has turned everything we used to think about the senior housing market upside down. Gone are the days when the real estate agent that specialized in the niche sold two types of homes: those of the deceased or those of the frail elderly moving into long-term care or other facilities.

Members of the previous generation, the so-called Silent Generation, are now beyond retirement age and represent those we use to think of when we considered the senior real estate niche.

Boomers, on the other hand, represent a mixed bag of folks: some are still raising families, many are still working and the older members of the generation, who should be in the early stages of retirement, have, for the most part, decided to postpone retirement and continue working.

Even more intriguing for the real estate industry, however, is that 41 percent of leading-edge boomers – a group with over $500 billion in spending power, according to Brent Green, author of Marketing to Leading-Edge Baby Boomers – say they will definitely purchase another home.

Agents considering working with boomers as they buy and sell real estate into their retirement and beyond should understand this segment of the population and what they seek in their new home.

What do boomers want?

If you want to work with boomers, and you don’t count yourself among them, the first thing to understand is that most of them are not frail and they don’t consider themselves elderly.

In fact, boomers are far healthier than their predecessors and don’t take kindly to being talked down to and “they will not tolerate typecasting, stereotypes, pandering or ageism,” says Green.

Assumptions – we all know what they are, right? So, step number one is to throw out all the assumptions you might have about older Americans.

And if you don’t think the real estate industry has assumptions about this generation, read some posts at ActiveRain: “Baby boomers are still grabbing real estate guides in the grocery store while everyone else is looking online first, researching second and then picking up the phone,” posted an agent old enough to know better.

Let’s take a sledgehammer to what is arguably the most common myth about this “older” generation: Boomers are tech-averse.

What these agents and others fail to realize is that “tech” didn’t drop from the sky the day they turned old enough to use it. In fact, we can thank baby boomers for the invention of the PC, mobile phones, and the World Wide Web.

It was boomers who invented the Apple II in the 70s, which ushered in the home computing revolution.
Today, 53 percent of boomers are on Facebook, according to a recent Nielsen survey: “Introducing Boomers, Marketing’s Most Valuable Generation.”
They are five times as likely as the general population to own an iPad or other tablet.
Boomers spend more money on technology than members of Gen X and Gen Y, according to Forrester Research.

Finally, and this one is important if you are considering boomers as a real estate niche: 82 percent of adults age 50 and over use the Internet to research real estate.

Their ideal home location

Again, throw all of your preconceived notions out the window. Despite what you might read online, boomers don’t really care how far away the nearest medical facility is and aren’t at all interested in being located on public transportation lines.

In fact, a full 60 percent of adults 55 years of age and older want a home in the suburbs, in close proximity to walking and jogging trails, according to a survey by the National Association of Home builders (NAHB). Fifty-four percent want a park nearby and half find an outdoor pool attractive.

Golf communities have fallen out of favor with today’s older Americans but a community fitness center is a hot feature.

In-demand home features

Older home buyers overwhelmingly want a single-story home, and most of them are seeking to downsize, in an effort to save money on their ongoing home ownership costs, according to a 2017 study from Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Last fall’s Del Webb’s Baby Boomer Survey asked which must-have features boomers want in their next home and here are the top five responses:

Multi-car garage with storage
Open patio or deck
Open floor plan
Eat-in kitchen
Small and private yard

From Woodstock to inspiring the World Wide Web, baby boomers have left their mark on the world and will continue to do so. Ignore this huge segment of the population in favor of focusing on young, first-time buyers at your peril.

Ready to capture the baby boomer market? Send the Too Much House postcard from the Life Event Series to at least 100 baby boomers.

You might also like:

Avoid These 4 Common Real Estate Agent Marketing Mistakes

Customer Service! The Best Gift You Can Give Your Clients & Yourself

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

April $250 Gift Card Winner!

May 6, 2019

We have two winners!

A first place $250 Gift Card winner & a second place $100 Gift Card winner!

1.Congratulations Mila Mendoza on winning our 1st Prize $250 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card!

Mila shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!

“I’m using ProspectsPLUS! Real Estate Marketing Planner. I like every step of it!!!”

Mila’s latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – the Fence Sitter Series, First Time Home Buyer Series, and Agent Introduction Series.

Fence Sitter Series, First Time Buyer Series and Agent Introduction Series postcards

2. Congratulations Ana Steinman on winning the 2nd Prize $100 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card

Ana shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!,

“I have been using ProspectPLUS! for a few months and I am very happy with their service.

As a Real Estate Professional I find this company very professional and reliable.

I am sending postcards very often and so far it has given me good results“.

Ana’s latest marketing pieces she’s sent out include – The Just Sold Series, Get More Listings Series, and Neighborhood Update Series.

Just Sold Series, Get More Listings Series, Neighborhood Update Series postcards

Take the lead from Mila and Ana and send at least 100 marketing pieces to an area where you want more buyers or sellers!

You might also like:

How to Harness the 5 Key Traits of ‘Rock Star’ Agents

Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

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!

How to Make Your Open Houses Pay Off – BIG TIME

Apr 29, 2019

By thinking outside the open house box

Even though it’s not their first way of locating a house, eventually 45 percent of buyers, on average, visit open houses. Interestingly, repeat buyers are more likely to show up than first-timers. And, every one of those visitors represents the possibility for two transactions, a listing, and a sale (don’t you just love that thought)?

Read on for some ideas on how to make your open houses pay off BIG TIME.

Time is on your side

One of the aspects of the modern open house that differs from the old-school type is agents aren’t feeling locked into a particular day or time.

While the after-work open house may not fly in a commuter-centric region, in other areas agents are having amazing results with it. Downtown condos and lofts being held open during the lunch hour are also becoming more common.

Any home with a view will sell itself if it’s held open at the appropriate time of day. Why hold a downtown penthouse open on a Sunday afternoon when the city lights are best viewed in the evening?

It’s easy to mention in your listing that the patio of the lakefront property faces west. Holding it open at sunset, however, drives home the fact far better.

Have Open House brochures available for valuable take ways (available in the brochure section)

Market the heck out of it

Gone are the days that agents bought a display ad in the paper to advertise an open house. Today it’s all about leveraging the power of social media and advertising online at Craigslist, Backpage.com, Zillow, Yahoo, Twitter, etc.

Why not run a Facebook Live stream and create a video recording walking through the house during the event. There’s no better time than when the home is buzzing with people (talk about creating a feeling of demand). After the event, turn your live stream into a story on Instagram.

Don’t scrimp on the photos and the adjectives when you write the descriptions. You want people to feel that if they miss this open house they’ll regret it forever. And don’t forget to invite the neighbors. It’s a perfect opportunity to get face-to-face with more homeowners in the neighborhood.

Digital sign in

Many agents tell us that one of the most awkward parts of open houses is getting visitors to sign the guestbook. An old trick is to keep it by the door and tell visitors that the owner has requested that, for security purposes, they sign in before touring the home.

A quick and easy way to sign people up is to use the Open Home Pro iPad or Android app or the less-pricey AM Open House. Agents who use it say open house visitors more readily sign in on an iPad than the old-school pen-and-paper.

Order a stack for last minute Open House invites (available in the Door Hanger section)

Open house extras

From a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies to a full-on burger bar featuring a platter of sliders, food is becoming a mainstay for the real estate open house.

Whether you serve food depends on regional customs. A lot of agents shy away from the practice. However, if you want to offer your guests something, how about bottles of water with custom labels with your brand or a CD of your virtual tour of the home or neighborhood?

If you’re the agent that has lots of promotional items, such as pens, calendars, and pads of paper with your contact info engraved on them. Or make goody bags up — like the ones you got at birthday parties when you were a kid — and fill them with promotional items.

Mike Blaney of Limelight Marketing in Vancouver Canada suggests that you should create a package of property information for your open house guests including:

Photographs (or a tour CD)
A list of all personal property included in the sale
Descriptions and photos of the home’s unique features
List of repairs and improvements, with dates
A list of average monthly utility costs
The copy of the property survey
Neighborhood information (including proximity to schools, if it’s a family-type home)

The bottom line

If you crossed open houses off as not worth your time, with two potential transactions riding on it and some new ideas to test, it’s time to reconsider.

Getting ready for an open house? Send 100 Open House Postcards to the surrounding neighborhood ten days prior to your open house!

Send out postcards to advertise your Open House for a BIG turn out (available in the postcards section under Open House postcards)

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

How to Overcome First Phone Call Fears

Apr 23, 2019

Tried-and-true methods for success

You’ve cleared the first hurdle by generating a response to your marketing. Now, it’s up to how you handle the first phone call out to that lead that will result in you winning the business.

That’s intimidating for many of us.

Intimidation gets us stuck. So, back away from the phone and take a deep breath. Then, learn the tried-and-true techniques successful agents use when following up on real estate leads.

Change your perspective

Remember, this first follow-up call isn’t a cold one. You’re returning a call (or email, etc.). This person reached out to you and expects a response. You’ve actually been given permission to contact her.

She may not be ready to pull the trigger on a real estate transaction right now, and you should be prepared for that, but she was motivated enough to take the first step and that’s a cause to celebrate, not back away.

Besides, who has too many leads in their pipeline? There’s always room for one more.

Generate Leads With a Free Report Offer (Available in Free Reports)

It’s all in the timing

While our industry is known for its “location, location, location” mantra, what outsiders don’t know is that “time is of the essence” is more than just a contract term to real estate agents.

When faced with an initial contact from a real estate lead, time can either be your enemy or your best friend. In this case, it’s critical that you place that follow-up call within minutes of receiving the lead.

If you don’t, another agent most certainly will.

Whether it’s call reluctance or that you’re insanely busy, we get it. But studies show that the chances of reaching the lead are the highest if you return the call within five minutes.

Years ago, two guys from InsideSales.com teamed up with James B. Oldroyd, from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to conduct a survey of more than 600 businesses.

Their aim was to study “lead response rates, timing and effort, and their influence on the outcome of a lead,” they told Steve Olenski at Forbes.com.

What they found should be etched into the minds of every real estate agent:

Call back within five minutes and you’re most likely to connect with the lead.

If you wait a half hour and you are 100 times less likely to reach the lead.

Wait five hours and your odds of ever connecting with that lead drop by 3,000 times.

An immediate call-back is not only most likely to result in a conversation with your lead, but it’s impressive as well.

“We call it the ‘wow effect’ as in wow, that was fast! You are impressive,” InsideSales.com’s CEO Dave Elkington tells Olenski.

And, how could they not be impressed, especially if they’ve placed calls to other agents? The odds are pretty low that they got a return call this quickly from anyone else.

But this isn’t all we can take away from the survey; conversion rates – “the rate at which the lead contact is willing to set an appointment and enter the sales cycle,” according to Olenski — increases with a quicker return call.

Obviously, getting an appointment is the goal with real estate lead gen follow-up, so ignore time being of the essence at your peril.

Compel Your Target Market With Free Reports (Available in Free Reports)

**What not to say after “hello”**

Before making the call-back, take a minute to familiarize yourself with everything you learned from his or her message. If it was a call about a specific property, get the MLS listing in front of you. Then look it over to determine the neighborhood, size, and anything of interest that may not be included in the public-facing listing information.

Focus solely on the lead and his or reasons for reaching out to you, no matter how tempted you are to toot your own horn. Naturally, if you’re asked, you’ll want to answer questions about yourself, but unsolicited remarks about your sales stats, designations, etc. make you appear overly “salesy.”

Don’t push for an appointment until you understand where in the pipeline this lead falls. At this point, you’re a counselor, not a real estate salesperson.

Identify yourself and the name of your brokerage, and quickly add that you’re returning his or her call.

At this point, the lead may launch into the reason for the original call. Listen carefully to what’s being said and answer all questions.

When the call is for information about a particular listing, describe it and then, again, listen.

If you feel that the lead is open to remaining on the phone with you, begin a gentle probe, asking if he has spoken with a lender, if he has a home to sell before buying another and, naturally, if he’s interested in touring the home he called about.

Before disengaging the caller, let him know that you have no intention of hounding him like some of the other agents he’s spoken with but that you’re available if he has additional questions.

Ask for permission to email alerts about new listings similar to the one he called about.

The wrap-up

If you offer free reports or an e-book, offer it toward the end of the call. “I just created a market report for the Pleasant Skies neighborhood that will give you an idea of what the different models are selling for, can I email you a copy?”

Great free reports to offer that are popular with consumers include, “Chop Years Off Your Mortgage“, “5 Reasons Your House Didn’t Sell” “Sure-Fire Tips For a Quick Sale“, “6 Dangers of Overpricing“, all of which are available here.

Be sure to include your free report offer with your emails direct mail, social media and website to drive those inbound phone calls.

No freebies? Hey, a list of new listings matching his criteria is a freebie, so offer that. “I’ll tell you what, Joe, give me your email address and I’ll be happy to email you alerts of new listings that match what you’re looking for.”

End the call with something along the lines of: “Terrific. Now, if you see any other listings you’re interested in touring, don’t hesitate to give me a call, or text me. I’m happy to set appointments for you and show you around the neighborhood,”

The key to success with a lead who leaves you a message is lightning-quick response time. Then, remember not to come on too strong. Counsel the lead, don’t sell to her.

Free Report for Real Estate Marketing to sellers — Add Free Report Offers to all of Your Marketing (Available in Free Reports)

Order the 5 Sure-Fire Tips For a Quick Sale Free Report and share in person, through direct mail, email and add to your website as a free download in exchange for an email.

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

How to Harness the 5 Key Traits of ‘Rock Star’ Agents

Apr 22, 2019

And, find out what trait helps guinea pigs make money (under creativity)

Success in any endeavor is in the eye and mind of the beholder. My idea of personal success may mean something completely different than yours.

Some folks use money as a benchmark while others don’t feel successful unless they are fulfilled in what they do for a living.

In real estate, money has a lot to do with success. Without it, you won’t stay in business for long. The keys to making money – financial success — in the industry involves a combination of certain personality and character traits and ingrained habits.

Let’s take a look at some of the traits that the most ‘Rock Star’ agents exhibit.

1. Tenacity

Successful real estate agents don’t let go. They treat every contact from a potential client with a ferocious tenacity, returning calls and emails immediately and following up relentlessly.

This doesn’t mean they become the fatal attraction of the local real estate industry, it means that the agents make their leads feel attended to and that they are ready and able to assist.

The same treatment is given to former clients, with consistent follow-up to ensure they remain top-of-mind when the topic of real estate comes up. Sending a Customer Appreciation Thank You postcard is a great way to stay connected and let your clients know you appreciate them.

Show your clients you appreciate them (available in the postcards section under Customer Appreciation)

2. Creativity

“Best practices.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing that phrase a lot lately. Applied to the real estate industry, the term should make you wary.

Sure, it sounds quite professional. The problem is, what old-school real estate agents call “best practices” are often nothing more than old, worn-out tactics.

It means doing the same stuff all the other agents are doing and have done for decades.

Best practices? Wipe that from your memory chip as the established go-to resource.

Sure, there are some conventional real estate marketing tactics that still work but to rely on them exclusively in lieu of trying something new is just plain stupid.

The flip side is that following the herd to every new tactic that comes along is equally silly.

Once upon a time, there was a real estate agent who decided to do her video blogs from her car on her way to the office in the morning. I’m not absolutely sure who that was, but I have a good idea.

I often wonder if she resents the fact that thousands of other agents decided to allow her to be the guinea pig with this new technique. And then when they saw it worked, generated revenue, and created new clients, they brazenly stole her idea. It’s to the point now that those agent dashboard video blogs are as trite as some agent taglines and just as ridiculed by the public.

Help them choose YOU (available in the postcard section under Market Quote postcards)

Don’t be afraid to be different and to stand out from the rest of the agents in town. Do something new, novel and fun and forget about “best practices.” Don’t rely on any one technique to remain unique for long. Keep on your toes.

3. Communication

Successful real estate agents know when to hold em’ and know when to fold ‘em. They walk their clients through every last thing that can possibly be expected to occur in the transaction and then they shut up and listen.

They gain an understanding of and pay attention to what the client expects out of the relationship. They listen to what the client wants and needs. Then, they act on that, not some supposition of the client’s desires.

Both sellers and buyers that are dissatisfied with their real estate agents typically claim that their agents didn’t communicate enough. Rich, fulfilled agents keep in contact with their clients at all points during the process, even when there’s nothing new to communicate.

Clients also expect you to communicate in the manner they prefer. So, text the texters, email the emailers and phone the phoners. And send direct mail when you are after a lasting impact. Even if there is nothing new to talk about, reach out and touch.

4. Congeniality

Successful real estate agents are, for the most part, easy to be around. They are network- builders and relationship retainers.

If the Rolodex were still a staple on every agent’s desk, theirs would be the biggest. Since they understand the value of being pleasant, they have vast networks. They can set a client up with the best trash-out guy in town, the best contractor, plumber, lender, and title company.

5. Not afraid to spend

A couple of years ago, real estate social network Active Rain site conducted a survey of 1,758 real estate agents to determine what separates rich real estate agents from poor ones.

Successful agents understand that they need to spend money to make money. In fact, according to the study, agents earning more than $100,000 a year spend 10 times more money on marketing than their less successful counterparts.

They also spend six times more money on technology. Whether spending the money made them a rich agent or it took being rich to be able to spend it, is another question.

Agents that succeed approach their real estate career as a business. They begin each year with a plan which is updated and tweaked throughout the year.

Most of all, they are somewhat fearless, willing to take risks and tenaciously devoted to their success.

Start building good habits today by sending at least 100 Please Allow Me postcards from the Agent Introduction Series to an area where you would like more business.

Let them know who the neighborhood expert is (available in the postcard section under Agent Introduction)

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

3 places to find inspiration for your website blog posts

Apr 17, 2019

I hate to sound like a nag, but if you aren’t blogging in 2019–why?

I recently read a blog post directed at real estate agents about various forms of marketing. One of them was blogging and the writer listed the pros and cons:

It is time-consuming or “costly” (if you hire someone to write your posts)
The results aren’t instant: It takes time and a commitment to a strategy to build traffic to your blog.

Neither of these “cons” should be a consideration. In 2019, blogging is non-negotiable. You simply must have a blog on your website. Then, you simply must promote it.

And, by the way, which real estate marketing method is “instant,” I wonder?

So, clear a spot on your daily “to-do” list for either the writing or the hiring of someone else to write your real estate blog posts. Then, take a look at our 3 places to find inspiration to get you going.

By the way, your blog posts don’t all have to be about real estate. In fact, the best agent blogs offer a mix of items of local interest, real estate and homeowner topics. All three offer a ton of opportunities to show your expertise and personality and to engage with potential clients.

Realtor marketing postcards for neighborhood updates with a free offer — Keep them up on area trends (Available in the postcard section under Neighborhood Update Series)

1. Amazon.com

Knowing your audience (what they’re thinking about, their pain points, etc.) is critical to crafting a winning blog post. A brilliant way to find out what’s currently on many homeowner’s minds is by checking the best-selling products on Amazon.com.

For instance, high on the best-selling products list right now is a gadget that keeps hair from going down the shower/tub drain. A post on clogged drains, how to unclog them and prevent them in the future would work well.

Several floor cleaning products make the list, from vacuums to mops. A post on caring for different types of flooring may be interesting to your audience. Or, write about the different types of floors and how they stack up against one another.

It’s spring, so don’t neglect checking out Amazon’s patio and garden category to get a feel for what potential clients are doing around the home’s exterior.

Right now, for instance, their battles seem to be with flying insects, ants and cockroaches. Write a post about DIY Spring Pest Control. You’ll find inspiration at Angieslist.com, FamilyHandyman.com and Clark.com.

To get started, go to Amazon’s best sellers list. On the left side of the page are the various categories you can browse. Home & Kitchen and Patio, Lawn & Garden are two good places to start.to discover what subjects are currently on peoples minds.

Get your phone ringing with a valuable Free Offer (available in the postcard section under Free Offer Series)

2. National real estate sites

Since you should rotate homeowner-focused blog posts with real estate-related posts, use your current clients’ questions and concerns for blog post topics.

When you get stuck, visit national real estate sites for inspiration. Zillow.com, for instance, offers Porchlight, its consumer-facing blog.

Current topics include many addressed to sellers:

Curb appeal boosters
To-dos before listing
How to negotiate the counteroffer

Check the site’s Tips & Advice section in particular. Redfin has a busy blog as well, and you’ll find endless inspiration for your blogs.

Today I took a spin around it and found posts about the best day to list a home for sale, home staging tips and digital home closings.

3. Local flavor

The most share-worthy posts you will write will be hyper-local and one of the best is published in spring: a guide to local summer camps for kids. No time to research your area’s summer camps? Hire someone to do it for you. Find inexpensive freelance researchers online at Fiverr.com and Upwork.com.

Keeping with the spring/summer theme, and keeping it local, check with your local parks and recreation department to learn about upcoming events.

Then, head to Yelp.com. Find the best eateries that offer patio dining, the best ice cream or fro-yo shops, places where kids eat free or dog friendly restaurants and create a listicle around each one.

Create a perfect Father’s Day scenario, complete with brunch or lunch and his favorite local activity. Or, choose a summer month and show how it’s celebrated locally. For inspiration, check out Anchorage, Alaska’s Unity Home Group blog.

Inspiration for your real estate website’s blog posts is everywhere. All you need to do is get them written, posted and then shared on social media.

Beats cold calling.

Send at least 100 Free Home Market Analysis postcards from the Call to Action Series to an area where you want more listings.

Get hands to raise with a popular Free Market Analysis Offer (available in the postcard section under Call to Action series)

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Customer service! The best gift you can give your clients & Yourself

Apr 15, 2019

It’s the shortest path to being remembered & referred.

Knife sets, branded bottles of wine or Home Depot gift cards won’t make you memorable to your real estate clients, months or years after closing.

Only brilliant customer service and consistent follow-up can do that. To provide them with the best service, you’ll need to know what they want and need from you and go about providing it.

NAR recently released its 2019 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Report and while it’s heavy on millennial information (as usual), there are tidbits of information that apply well to all generations in the real estate market.

Understand who you’re working with

While it’s challenging to make blanket statements about a group of people based on age, it’s crazy to lump them into the two broad categories of “buyers” and “sellers.”

The NAR report at least gives insight into what the different generations are seeking in an agent and in a home.

Your most likely clients will be millennials and baby boomers (sorry, Gen X). Thirty-seven percent of recent home buyers are millennials and 32 percent were baby boomers. Two completely different sets of real estate consumers with completely different sets of wants and needs.

Millennials choose neighborhoods based on how convenient it is to their jobs. So, it should come as no surprise that commuting costs are a big factor when they search for a home.

Many baby boomers, on the other hand, are buying a home because they’re retiring. Their minds are on saving money as well, and their hot button is energy efficiency. A home that won’t burn through their retirement funds with heating and cooling costs.

These, again, are broad generalizations, but they give you a starting point to understand who you’ll be working with this year.

The initial client consultation is your opportunity to dive deeper into their specific wants and needs. This is true whether they are buying or selling a home.

Send a special thank you to those who matter most (Available in the postcard section under Customer Appreciation Series)

Prepare your clients

Millennials, especially, crave knowledge of the process. However, all buyers can benefit from a thorough buyer or seller consultation. How’s yours?

If it’s done on the fly, lasts about 15 minutes and doesn’t include anything they can physically hold in their hands, you have some work to do.

“The biggest benefit of using a real estate agent during buyers’ home search was the help they provided understanding the process,” according to the new NAR report.

In fact, 60 percent of all buyers surveyed claimed that the biggest benefit of working with an agent was getting help to understand the process.

Ensure that your consultation covers every step in the homebuying process and answers every conceivable question they may have.

Then, create handouts and copy them to the buyers’ section on your website. This might include a Mortgage 101 guide. More examples include explanations of the various government-backed loan mortgage programs or a walkthrough of the appraisal process and what a home inspector does.

The more time you spend with buyers in helping them learn the process, the smoother it will be and the more memorable you become.

Let your clients know you are thinking of them (available in the postcard section under Customer Appreciation Series)

Get your team in place

I once met a waitress who played a game with every customer she served. No, the customers weren’t aware of the game.

She called it “Anticipation,” and the rules were simple. To declare herself the winner for the day, she would need to anticipate what each table of customers needed and wanted. This rule was in place from the time they were seated until they paid the check.

This meant remembering the mint jelly for the guy who ordered lamb, ensuring the bread basket remained full and that there was sufficient butter on the table. Each table had a myriad of small details hat needed attention and if a customer had to ask her for something, she lost the game that day.

You can’t anticipate everything a client needs during the selling or buying process. However, you can fulfill many of them with your preferred vendor list.

If you are new to real estate, these are the professionals you turn to for mortgages, title and escrow, staging, cleaning, movers, repair work and legal advice.

While it’s a bit lengthy you can find a list of the types you may want to consider partnering with at TheRealEstateTrainer.com.

Then, tell your clients that it’s all part of your world-class “concierge service.”

Funny thing about we humans: we vividly remember the bad service we receive. Good service? Not so much. Which is why consistently following up after the transaction is so important.

A subtle reminder of just how awesome you are can get the referrals rolling in.

Send the Thank You as Big as a House postcard from the Customer Appreciation Series to all of your past clients.

Let your past clients know you’re there for them (available in the postcard section under the Customer Appreciation Series)

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Earn the Respect You Deserve From Your Clients

Apr 8, 2019

Just curious: Why aren’t you telling your clients what you do for them? Sure, we’ve all seen the memes or infographics that list the tasks agents perform, but do you supply these to each and every client that signs on with you?

Do you outline on your website and in your listing presentations what you actually do for clients? And, no, we aren’t talking “negotiate to get you the best deal,” or “make suggestions on how to get your home ready for the market,” although those items do have a place on the list.

We’re talking a lengthy and impressive list of everything you do to earn the money you’re paid.

It’s truly a pity that this is even a suggestion. Do you wonder what your doctor, lawyer, veterinarian, hair stylist or plumber does to earn the money you pay them?

Apparently, buyers think that all you do is run MLS searches and open doors for them and sellers think your biggest contribution is helping to figure out home value and sticking a sign in the yard.

Unfortunately, the real estate agent’s “respectable profession” has been downgraded to a pastime, according to Justin Fox at Forbes.com.

Unlike other professions, to get the respect you deserve, you’ll need to earn it – to prove your worth.

Sucks, I know.

Provide them insight (available in the postcard section under the Get More Listings Series)

From their mouths to your ears

“With the press of a button, the home was online and buyers began touring the home,” a home seller told Andrea Requier at MarketWatch.com.

“However, my listing agent was not giving the tours, the buyer’s agents were. After the home sold, I realized that my agent did very little to earn his share of (the commission),” he concluded.

Notice how the seller credits both technology and buyers’ agents for the traffic through his home. He doesn’t seem to have a clue that his listing agent is responsible and exactly how much work it took to generate that traffic.

We can place the blame for real estate consumers’ ignorance of your job duties on others, but since so much of what you do is performed behind the scenes, the blame lies with agents.

It’s not enough to tell prospective clients how amazing you are. It’s not enough to list your statistics and to sling a snappy slogan at them.

This is not your parents’ real estate industry

“Emerging technologies and data-driven startups are empowering consumers and fundamentally changing the way they buy and sell properties,” according to Tommy O’Shaughnessy at ListWithClever.com.

“What’s more, discount and nontraditional brokerages are challenging the longstanding reign of the traditional realtor model.”

There are real threats to what we once assumed was a pretty bullet-proof profession. Now is not the time for complacency; not when all of these emerging technologies and alternative brokerages are busy proving their worth to the consumer.

What else real estate consumers don’t get

Interestingly, nearly half of home sellers think the buyer pays their agent’s commission, according to the results of a Clever Real Estate study published in February 2019.

Other interesting tidbits from the study include:

Nearly half of listing clients were unaware that they would be paying the buyer’s agent.
Nearly 40 percent of the survey respondents feel that artificial intelligence technology can sell a home better than a real estate agent.
Millennial home sellers were twice as likely to say that their agent was “unimportant or not important at all in the home-selling process.”

Yikes!

Far too many agents aren’t educating their clients and it’s to the point now where their ignorance of the process and what you do to earn the commission is discounted below that of artificial intelligence.

Provide peace of mind and confidence (available in the postcard section under Get More Listings Series)

It’s time to let them know a few things

To prove your value, start with explaining every last detail of the buying or selling process.

Explain to your buyers what to expect from the mortgage process, from start to finish, including the major players (loan processor, underwriter, etc.) and what duties each performs. This shows your knowledge – stuff they wouldn’t get if they were winging it on their own.

Go over the purchase agreement and all other forms the buyer will be expected to sign, explaining when he or she will receive it, what it means and what happens after it’s submitted.

You’ll naturally want to explain your part in the process as well. Assisting with repair negotiations and stressing the importance of performing the final walk through with a professional at hand are two you don’t want to neglect.

For instance, you might want to explain to a home seller:

“After you sign the listing agreement, I’ll head back to the office and call the sign company to ensure a sign is placed in your yard. I’ll begin the marketing campaign by writing a description of the home for the MLS entry. Then, I’ll …”

Step-by-step, what you do from list to close, or from the time a buyer signs on with you to close.

It should go without saying that you should explain complicated terms. Even some you don’t think are complicated, such as contingency, escrow, earnest money and title search.

A glossary of common real estate terms on your website can streamline this process. Just steer them to the right page.

Speaking of your website, how about creating an infographic outlining all the steps that you take when working with clients and posting it on your site?

So much of what a real estate agent does goes on behind the scenes. How are consumers going to know what you do—the value provided by working with you—if you don’t let them know each and every duty you perform?

Send at least 100 Just Curious About Selling postcards from the Get More Listings Series.

Let them know you’re ready to listen (available in the postcard section under Get More Listings)

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!

PLUS: When you have time…here are Free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Provide a fresh perspective (available in the postcard section under Get More Listings Series)

This Year’s Client Predictions

Jan 30, 2018

Meet your future clients

ProspectsPLUS! has dusted off the crystal ball and made your predictions for your trending listing clients.

Once you know your audience it’s a lot easier to target your marketing, so read on to get to know these homeowners.

The oh-so-reluctant homeowner

If inventories remain as constrained as they were last year, finding listings is going to be like finding that elusive white rabbit in a snowstorm.

However, a recent survey by Value Insured has found that homeowners understand that they’ve built up considerable equity. And, with interest rates so low, they now know it’s truly a great time to sell.

But, many of these sellers will also be buyers.

They read and watch the news, and have heard the horror stories of bidding wars over too few homes on the market and home prices rising at alarming rates.

In fact, more than 60 percent of the homeowners surveyed said that despite the great timing to sell, they are going to wait until buying becomes easier.

Freddie Mac is optimistic that the wait won’t be so long.

They’re predicting that new construction will ramp up and, combined with higher interest rates, prices should moderate.

**Homeowners that will jump into the market**

Generation X – the 62 million folks who will be between the ages of 42 to 53 this year – comprised the largest listing pool last year.

The Value Insured study we referenced earlier found that more than 60 percent of them will be looking for a larger home.

A National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) survey finds that the average Gen X homeowner currently lives in a home with 1,880 square feet of living space.

And, what will they buy?

Gen X has more children still at home than any other generation. But, look at the age span and you’ll agree that this group of real estate consumers has a diverse array of lifestyles.

Aside from the large group of families with children, the generation includes empty nesters, singles, and couples.

That said, studies show us a number of generalizations that can be made about Gen X housing preferences.

Lifestyle and neighborhood are more important than home amenities, according to the NAHB study.
Nearly three-quarters of Gen X homebuyers want a detached, single-family home with three or four bedrooms and at least 2,300 square feet of living space.
The older among them hope to age in place, so are demanding single-story homes.

Don’t write off baby boomers

The media loves to vilify baby boomers – those who will be between the ages of 54 and 72 – for the low housing inventory.

It isn’t that simple, claims Trulia’s Ralph McLaughlin. “Surprisingly, we find the share of owner-occupied homes owned by boomers is actually positively correlated with inventory.”

He goes on to point out the real reason behind the inventory crunch is homebuilders.

“Homebuilding’s impact – or a lack of it in some places – is by far and away the biggest influence when it comes to inventory woes.” Ralph states. “This outweighs other explanations by a large margin.”

Many industry experts state this is the year boomers finally decide to sell.

And, if you sell real estate in Maine, New Hampshire, Montana or Vermont (the states with the largest populations of boomers), you may want to specifically target this generation.

But, some won’t be buying another home

While Gen X home sellers will most likely be buyers as well, don’t automatically expect two transactions from your boomer clients. “Baby boomers are the fastest-growing group of renters,” according to Amy Zimmer at cnbc.com.

And, this group of would-be tenants state, overwhelmingly, that they will be renting so that they can ditch the maintenance headaches of homeownership.

“For many years I was responsible for a house, a family, corporation, and employees,” says a forum poster at aarp.com.

“I don’t have to worry about painting the house; the roof leaking; mowing the lawn; replacing the water heater.” “I don’t have to worry about a thing now,” he says of his decision to sell his home and rent a condo.

Those boomers who do plan on buying another home after they sell the current home will be looking for the following features, according to an NAHB survey:

- Home office – Remember, many boomers plan on putting off retirement. A home office offers flexibility in transitioning from the brick-and-mortar, 9-to5 routine.
- Tech and media centers, specifically wireless home networks that offer remote control of the home’s features.
- Good lighting and lots of natural light
- Wider doorways and hallways – For boomers who hope to age in place.
- Either one-story homes or homes with the master suite on the first floor. For some reason, our knees seem to be the first place on our bodies in which we begin to feel our age. Stairs are uncomfortable.

Listing agents have a lot to be optimistic about right now.

A healthy job market, rising home values and, hopefully, an ease in the housing shortage.

Target marketing to Gen X and baby boomers may just be your key to a prosperous year.

Send I Have a BUYER from the Listing Inventory Series to at least 100 new prospects in an area where you want more listings.

Create a Lifestyle Targeted mailing list here.

Need assistance taking your marketing to the next level? Call our support team at 866.405.3638 today!

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

1. The Free Real Estate Business Plan

Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

2. The Online Sphere of Influence Calculator

Top real estate professionals state 66% of their business comes from their sphere of influence. So how many people do you need in your SOI? Check out our Sphere of Influence Calculator (from your desktop) to find out the answer – Click Here

3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

Also…check these out

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

MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

One Way to Generate New Listings

Jun 26, 2017

Start by Answering the Questions Already in the Minds of Consumers

By Julie Escobar

A new month – and a new marketing season are straight ahead — and both buyers and sellers in our markets have been inundated with information regarding the economy and the housing industry on television, in print and on the internet. Some good information – some misinterpreted, and some just flat out wrong.

What consumers need more than ever is a RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY resource to help them best understand how market changes affect them most. What’s my home worth today? What if I wait a year to sell? What are interest rates going to do? Should they sell? Should they buy? Should they move up to the next size home or is that a risk?

The questions are many – and the answers are yours for the giving – IF you can capture (and keep) the top-of-mind attention of the folks in your area.

One direct response series that is getting great response for agents is our Free Offer Series. Sending three over the course of 2-3 months can certainly help you create the top-of-mind awareness and show potential sellers that you are the agent to ask when they have questions.

Consider kicking off this campaign starting with the Market Analysis postcard. This allows you to spotlight your ability to deliver the information sellers are looking for in a professional way and tap into today’s consumers’ natural desire to search out ‘free’ offers and trusted resources.

Step one: Login to your free ProspectsPLUS.com account. (Or easily create an account and profile in a matter of minutes. Once your profile is ready – the system will automatically populate your information into all of the 680+ marketing tools on the site.)

Step two: Select the Market Analysis Postcard. You can leave as is or customize to suit your marketing style. Click here to watch a video on how to select a postcard series.

Step three: Add your mailing list or use our mapping tools to create a mailing list. If you need help with mailing lists – call our support team at 866.405.3638 or click here to see all of our comprehensive mailing list solutions.

Step four: Place your order then track it. It’s that easy! Click here to watch a video on tracking your postcard order.

Making your job easier is our goal. That’s why we’ve re-engineered the Master Marketing Schedule to offer strategic and creative solutions for building your business faster, easier, more affordable and with way less headaches. In fact, if you’re following the Schedule – this week is a great time to get out in those geo farms and start making real connections. Our Free Offer Door hangers are a great compliment to the Free Offer postcards and the perfect leave behind when you’re door knocking in the market area you most want to dominate.

Putting systems for staying in touch in place don’t have to be tough – or time consuming. Most of our top customers schedule 15-30 minutes at the beginning or end of every month to focus on what marketing tools they want to go out. When they choose a campaign, it’s easy — they simply pick the next one in the series, order and get back to their high priority tasks. Some even delegate a member of their team to make it their priority that something is always being sent to their sphere and farm so top of mind awareness is always there.

Kudos to the agents that are working their systems and are willing to share their experiences with others. We so appreciate you all. For example, Cozett shared with us on ResellerRatings, “I like how ProspectsPLUS! puts marketing at my fingertips and then handles the time consuming work of mailing and distributing materials if I need them too.” Or Jeremy who wrote on our Google+ page, “ProspectPLUS! is a real lifesaver for me. I have been looking around on how to keep in contact with my sellers. I needed more than just a phone call. The postcards are a highlight to my business now. This has also allowed me to start farming a few neighborhoods that I drive through with a more personal touch.” Or Bradley who wrote on our Facebook Page, “ProspectsPLUS makes it so easy for me to market to not only my sphere but also to my farming areas. In less than 5 minutes I can have all of my postcards ordered and off my plate so I can work on what I do best…selling homes!”

We’d love to hear from you too! In fact, give us a shout out with a review now on our Google+ Page and you’ll be entered to win one of our monthly prizes! Wait until you see what’s in store for July!

Have questions or need help developing the marketing plan that’s right for you? Call us today at 866.405.3638 or email us at pmc@prospectsplus.com. We’re here to assist!

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