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Wednesday, October 21, 2020

    Is there a better bang for your buck than using your marketing dollars to go after empty nesters? You get to sell their home, then help them find the ideal new downsized home.

    It’s the perfect two-for-one deal.

    The most prosperous empty nesters to go after are age 55 years and older, according to Esri, a leading mapping and location analytics platform.

    This places them among the eldest of Gen Xers (age 44 to 55 this year).

    This age group and younger baby boomers combine to create the primary target in this niche. This group, by the way, is responsible for nearly half of all listings, according to NAR’s 2020 Generational Trends report.

    The Gen Xers among the group earn, on average, about $101,000 per year. They make up 23% of the seller’s pool and for 83%, this isn’t their first time selling a home.

    Life Event Series, Too Much House

    The average net worth of baby boomer households is $1.2 million, according to Hillary Hoffower of BusinessInsider.com. Nearly 40% of them say that they’ll sell when the last child leaves the home, while 55% plan on waiting until they retire, according to EscapeHomes.com.

    How and where to reach them

    In the current real estate market, the best plan of attack is a targeted prospect list and an Empty Nest direct mail campaign. The average American’s attention span is a lot longer right now and the mail is something they’re actually paying attention to.

    To support your campaign, ensure that your real estate website is up to snuff. Gen Xers, especially, seek social proof before they’ll work with someone.

    Aside from a dedicated testimonials page, sprinkle testimonials throughout the site.

    Empty Nest Downsizing, Direct Response Report

    This generation also values authenticity so avoid a heavy sales spiel.

    “Generation X has a keen eye for BS and can spot a sham or dishonesty a mile away most of the time,” Nate Masterson, marketing manager for Maple Holistics in New Jersey tells the NFIB’s, Karen Sams.

    Younger boomers crave useful information, so ensure your website has lots of it.

    Online, you’ll find your target audience primarily on Facebook. Eighty-eight percent of Gen Xers check their Facebook feed at least once a day and boomers rarely visit any other social media platform.

    In fact, according to Pew Research, “Facebook is by far the most popular social media site for this age group.”

    Write compelling blog posts of interest to both groups and then repost them on Facebook. Consider running contests to gain more organic results. You can find contest ideas at EasyPromosApp.com.

    Niching your business is always a sure path to success. Choose a niche and work it consistently. This is the ideal time of year to consider the empty nesters.

    Life Event Series, Changing Needs
    Send the Changing Needs postcard from the Life Event Series to a targeted prospect list of empty nesters.

    Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our prospect list tools 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 some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

    1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

    Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

    2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Real-Estate-Mailing-List-Guide2-3-D-999x1024.jpg

    The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

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

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2020-Planner-3D-999x1024.jpg

    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

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Business-Plan-3D-Book-New1-270x300.png

    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. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    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

    6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

    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

    7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

    The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

      Never will you find a cardiac surgeon dispensing advice about gynecological problems. Nor will you likely find blog posts on pet websites counseling readers about DIY home projects.

      Yet, many real estate agents have the notion that they can be everything to everyone. Those that typically sell single-family homes think nothing of listing a condo. Those that list mobile homes don’t hesitate to take on a luxury home listing.

      While this may be ok for your bottom line, it does a real disservice to real estate consumers. In all other professions they have a choice of specialists.

      Fence Sitters Series

      They can consult a divorce attorney instead of a bankruptcy lawyer. When they need a root canal, they see an endodontist not an orthodontist and they can take their Porsche to a mechanic who specializes in them.

      Remaining a real estate generalist is easier. It’s safer. After all, you don’t want to miss out on even one deal by narrowing your business focus, right?

      What’s unique about that?

      It’s unfortunate so many real estate agents harbor a reluctance to break away from the herd. The truth is, however, if you always follow the leader you will always be behind.

      Then, there’s that lump in the gut when you think of closing off your business to some parts of the real estate industry and narrowing your focus to only one or two specialties.

      This move away from being “a jack-of-all-trades but the master of none” is necessary if you’re to become the best in the market in your niche.

      Seth Godin, blogging master and best-selling author, suggests that real estate agents should consider “micro-specialization.”

      Choose a niche and work to dominate it.

      Step away from the Herd

      “… you’re either the best in the world (where ‘world’ can be a tiny slice of the environment) or you’re invisible,” Godin continues.

      He says that to become “visible,” requires “… being Draconian in your choices. No, you can’t also do a little of this or a little of that. Best in your world means burning your other bridges and obsessing,” Godin says.

      Scary thought, right?

      Let’s look at a scenario:

      You’re an agent in Las Vegas, chasing after every lead that comes your way – single family homes, duplexes, condos, whatever, you’ll take it. Your website even proclaims as much – “I can help you will all your real estate needs!”

      If you consider yourself the average agent, you make about $45,610 a year, give or take a few dollars, according to Daniel Bortz at Realtor.com.

      Life Event Series – Downsizing

      Suppose you decide to step away from being “average” and that you will specialize in listing and selling high-rise condos. Last year, 607 Las Vegas high rise condo units sold, with an average sales price of $598,728.  This represents a commission of about $17,962 per side (based on 6 percent total commission).

      As a generalist, how many of these condos would you have listed or sold? Be honest. The average Las Vegas agent was lucky to have listed one or two in an entire year.

      The specialist that targets the high-rise condo market with a laser-like focus and dominates the brand as the niche expert in the area increases his or her chances of taking more than a handful of those sides from other agents.

      Let’s be conservative and say that you only close one of these condo-deals a month. Even on a 50/50 broker split, you’d be making nearly $9,000 a month in GCI, give or take a few dollars and nearly $108,000 a year – almost three times what the average agent in the Las Vegas Valley brings home.

      Remember, our scenario is based on conservative estimates. Your mileage may be a lot better.

      The bonus is that the more you enforce your condo-specialist brand, the more condo leads you’ll get and folks that want to buy or sell high-rise condos will seek you out.

      Imagine selling 5 of these condos a month.

      If you’ve been casting as wide a net as possible in the hope of reeling in the maximum number of leads, consider setting yourself apart from other agents by claiming a niche and dominating it.

      Absentee Owner Series
      Send the Tired of Being a Landlord postcard from the Absentee Owner Series to a targeted list of Absentee Owners in your area.

      Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our Demographic Search 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 some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

      1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

      Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

      2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Real-Estate-Mailing-List-Guide2-3-D-999x1024.jpg

      The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

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

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2020-Planner-3D-999x1024.jpg

      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

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Business-Plan-3D-Book-New1-270x300.png

      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. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      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

      6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

      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

      7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

      The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

        Congratulations Casie Beran on being our $100 ProspectsPLUS! Gift Card Winner!

        Casie recently shared the following feedback with ProspectsPLUS!.

        “I absolutely LOVE using ProspectsPLUS! Not only are they so easy to use, the comments I get from friends, family, and clients are amazing! They love the information I provide to them and they are entertaining. So many options to choose from! I also use them for farming and see great results! I use their free Real Estate Marketing Planner and have a calendar of what I’m sending out to who and when! This company has really helped me stay organized and keep up with my prospecting! I definitely recommend them! Oh and I forgot the price is great also!”

        Casie recently sent out postcards from the Photo Introduction Series, Customer Appreciation Series, and the Direct Response Report, “Renovations That Payoff”

        Photo Introduction Series
        Customer Appreciation Series
        Direct Response Report, “Renovations That Payoff”

        Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our prospecting list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

          There are people who can market circles around you, folks who can teach you a thing or two about SEO, and those whose sole desire is to spend the workday in front of a computer monitor.

          If you find yourself bemoaning any task in your business, such as:

          • I’m too busy to create marketing pieces
          • I have too many other things to do to engage with people on social media
          • I would love to send a newsletter but I don’t know where to start
          • My CRM is such a mess it’s just about useless

          It’s time to admit that you need help – that is, if you expect to move to the next level in your real estate business.

          It’s time to hire a real estate assistant

          “If I had to touch every single piece in the system itself, I would never be able to produce multiple amounts of volume,” Jared Jones, CEO of Jones Group in Orlando (and super high producer) tells Jennifer Robison with the Las Vegas Review Journal.

          Schedule your Comfort Food Recipe postcard mailings

          He calls that touching-every-piece thing the “Lone Ranger” approach to business. He also claims that if he hadn’t dropped the control-freak routine and hired help he wouldn’t be as successful as he is.

          Some coaches and other real estate consultants suggest that agents have a specific GCI before considering hiring help. The problem with that approach is that it’s going to take far more time to reach that income without an assistant than it will with one.

          If you want to kick your business up a notch, delegate. And, no, you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on an assistant. Some agents hire one to work part-time while others find great value in hiring a virtual assistant.

          What kind of stuff can a virtual assistant take off my hands?

          Just about any task you routinely perform in your business can be passed off to an assistant. Sure, some may require that he or she be licensed, so save those for yourself.

          Here are just a few of the jobs that agents we’ve spoken with have their assistant perform:

          Organize and add data to your CRM

          If you’re like many agents, your CRM is a mess. Imagine not having to tackle the organization of the information it contains. Then, as you generate leads, your assistant can be tasked with entering that and other updates to the database.

          Various marketing duties

          Depending on your virtual assistant’s talents, he or she can create marketing pieces, coordinate the delivery of your direct mail pieces to your farm, create or populate a newsletter, take on your email marketing, track marketing methods and a slew of other marketing chores.

          Social media management

          One of my neighbors recently listed her home for sale and one of the first questions she asked the agents she interviewed was about their social media presence, especially Facebook.

          The agent who got the job is quite active on Facebook, belonged to several Facebook groups and boasted a large group of followers. The agent posted frequently, engages with others and uses Facebook ads for her listings.

          If you aren’t on social media, the time to get on it is now – especially Facebook. The beauty of hiring an assistant is that he or she can take on your social media presence, performing the posting, joining local groups and engaging with others.

          Schedule your Comfort Food Recipe postcard mailings

          Amping up organic search results

          If this is your goal, hire an assistant who can write, or hire a freelance writer. Local blogging, consistently, is the best way to increase your ranking in organic search results.

          No, it doesn’t happen overnight, but it doesn’t take as long as some want you to think. We have a friend who owns a gardening blog that he sorely ignored for years.

          He decided to try to make some money off of it so started blogging consistently. Within 3 weeks, his Amazon affiliate earnings almost doubled.

          Blogging works, if done often and consistently. Look for a virtual assistant with writing talent.

          Transaction coordination

          Again, this job will depend on the skills and background of the assistant you hire. Or, you can train him or her to do most of the coordinating of your transactions. This includes:

          • Ordering the sign and lockbox
          • Coordinating inspections, appraisal, etc.
          • Following up with vendors, the title company and lender
          • Keeping the homeowner or buyer appraised of the transaction’s progress

          As you know, this list just scratches the surface of jobs you can hand off, but this gives you an idea of just how much of the day-to-day admin stuff can be passed on to a virtual assistant.

          How to find a virtual assistant

          If you’re short on cash, you can find very inexpensive freelance workers—from writers to database managers, virtual assistants and more—at online sites such as Upwork.com and Fiverr.com.

          If you have more to spend and need a real estate-specific virtual assistant you’ll find companies that cater to industry professionals.

          If you’re seeking transaction coordination only, check out Transactly.

          Keep in mind that when you pay for assistance in your business, the cost is tax deductible. That may take some of the fear out of hiring help.

          Think of what you can do when you dump those menial tasks on someone else. It’s one of the best ways to take your business to the next level.

          Schedule your Comfort Food Recipe postcard mailings
          Schedule three months of fun Comfort Food Recipe postcard mailings and keep top of mind with your Sphere and Farm throughout the holiday season.

          Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our Demographic Search Tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy). Or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

          There’s no better way to demonstrate your ability to succeed in future home sellers.

          PLUS: When you have time…here are some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

          1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

          Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

          2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Real-Estate-Mailing-List-Guide2-3-D-999x1024.jpg

          The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

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

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2020-Planner-3D-999x1024.jpg

          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

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Business-Plan-3D-Book-New1-270x300.png

          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. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

          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

          6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

          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

          7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

          The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

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