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How to Write Blog Articles That Inform Instead of Frustrate

Mar 2, 2021

Has this ever happened to you? Suppose you’re seeking the perfect recipe for apple crisp (or instructions on how to paint something, clean something, build something, etc.). You scour the internet, looking for those how-to blog posts with good reviews and, finally, you find it: the 5-star apple crisp recipe.

What should be a straight-forward list of ingredients and instructions is, instead, a 3,000-word discourse, starting with the author’s childhood reminiscences of the scents in gramma’s kitchen, tons of photos and, finally, if you manage to slog waaaay down to the bottom of the page, the actual recipe.

It’s posts like these that created the invention of Tl;dr (Too long; didn’t read). But, it’s not just the overly-long introduction that ticks off many a reader, it’s the fact that the title of it promised an answer to a question and then made us work hard to find the answer.

This is but one way bloggers can tick off their audiences. Since consistently blogging is the best way to gain organic online traffic to your real estate website, angering your readers is something you should avoid at all costs.

Let’s take a look at ways to do just that.

Who are you “talking” to?

Radio dee-jays are taught that, before they open the mic, they should picture their audience. One guy or gal, maybe driving, cooking dinner or working. The trick, they’re told, is that they should be talking to one person.

This works for writing as well. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. If you’re writing a blog post about an aspect of homebuying, write it to one homebuyer. Get inside his or her head, feel the confusion and angst and offer a solution.

Each post should have a very particular audience and address a specific solution or action for that person.

Skip the overtly sales stuff

There’s a time to market your business and this isn’t it. Blogging is meant to educate, entertain and build website traffic. Save the self-promotion for other areas of your website.

When it comes to real estate blogging, take a cue from Ernest Hemmingway: “Show the readers everything, tell them nothing,”

Yes, you’re the agent they should hire and because you are writing about what you know, your expertise will shine through without having to overtly state it.

The over-promise and under-delivery blogger

The headline and intro to your blog post are a promise to your reader: what follows is the solution.

If the solution is thin or weak, you’ve broken your promise. You’ve wasted the reader’s time. That kind of stuff frustrates people. They will find the answer–on someone else’s blog. Most likely, they’ll hesitate ever returning to yours.

The way to avoid over-promising and under-delivering is to keep your topic at the top of your mind while writing.

It’s ok to ride a stream of thought, as long as it’s in the first draft of your post. But to publish a post in which you’ve veered far off course is to break your promise.

Along with keeping focused on the topic:

Don’t confuse a blog post’s topic with its title. Keep focused on the topic while writing, but write the title last.” “Before you write your headline, you need to know you’ll back up the promise it’s making,” suggests James Chartrand at copyblogger.com.
Let the thoughts flow on the first go-round.
Allow the piece to sit for a time and then go back and read what you’ve written.
Ensure that the post delivers on its promise.

The last thing you want when trying to establish trust and credibility is to leave readers feeling deceived.

SOI Scheduled Campaigns are on sale right now for 10% OFF the first month (sale ends 3/6/21)!

Launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign, Get More Listings Series, **HERE**

TO GET STARTED:

STEP 1: Grab your SOI List.

If you need assistance with your list, reach out to Cowboy (Director of Scheduled Campaigns) he will help you pull your list together.

Cowboy’s phone: 877-351-3663. Email: cowboy@prospectsplus.com.

STEP 2: Choose SOI Campaign, from the Campaign page, select your series, start date, and add your list, HERE.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns, YOU DON’T PAY until the mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

Launch a Scheduled Campaign now, CLICK HERE!

Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.

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

1. The Free 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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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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

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

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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

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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”

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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

3 Must-Have Tech Tools for the 2021 Listing Agent

Feb 25, 2021

Last year at this time, Americans were just getting to know COVID-19. In fact, the World Health Organization declared the disease a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

A week later, the Las Vegas Strip shut down, some businesses became more “essential” than others and #StayHome became our way of life.

The giant question for real estate agents was about how they would perform the many in-person exchanges required in a typical transaction?

From listing presentations to open houses, inspections, appraisals and showings to closing, just about evert aspect of the real estate business was upended. The real estate industry responded swiftly, showing amazing resiliency.

Your business became virtual, with nary a hiccup.

If you’re a new agent, the list of must-have tools is far different than it was in the past. Seasoned agents now seek guidance online about items once considered “luxury.”

We’ve queried agents across the country to determine which listing agent tech tools are a must as we enter the second year of the pandemic. Today, we share with you the most popular responses.

1. Video conferencing software

The social distancing mandate put the kibosh on the traditional listing presentation. Today, the dining room table has pretty much met the fate of the closing table.

Both have been replaced, however. While you may not be sitting across the dining room table with a potential listing client, you can achieve the same end result via video conferencing software for real estate agents.

Who says there’s no such thing as an overnight sensation? Not the folks at Zoom, that’s for sure. Undeniably the most popular video conferencing software among the real estate agents we spoke with, Zoom offers video tutorials, live training and webinars to bring you up to speed.

Prices range from free to $19.99 per host, per month.

What do agents like about it? Reliability, support for those new to video conferencing and screen sharing capabilities.

Not all is well, though, at least among agents. “… I don’t love it … the launch process gets confusing because of multiple window prompts, even after you’ve downloaded it,” according to Craig C. Rowe at inman.com.

He adds, by the way, some good news for budget-minded agents: “Free accounts can have up to 100 people for 40 minutes and unlimited one-on-one meetings.”

If you’re new to the software, eliteagents.com offers a walkthrough.

Already use Zoom? Check out these hacks at techhelpline.com.

2. Floor plan software

Listings with accompanying floor plans receive 52% more clicks than those without floor plans, according to the folks at rightmove.com.

Additionally, one in 10 of the buyers interviewed by the property portal said that they wouldn’t view a home for sale in person without seeing a floor plan first.

Finally, NAR finds that a floor plan is the third most valuable aspect of a real estate agent’s website, right behind photos and the listing description.

Floor plans aren’t expensive. Sure, you can go with a company that offers all the bells and whistles, but there are also those who offer the service for a reasonable price. Here are some that the agents we spoke with recommend:

3. Virtual tours

One listing agent we spoke with represents an older woman who is down-sizing. Because she suffers from lung disease, she is extremely fearful of catching COVID-19. The thought of random people touring her home led her to believe that selling to an investor was her only solution.

Luckily, she met a creative listing agent with a number of solutions, one of which was to restrict showings to virtual tours only. In-person showings were reserved for those buyers who submitted offers.

Her listing agent chose a Matterport virtual tour, which can be slow to create and, if you carry a lot of listings, it can get expensive. It remains, however, the gold standard of the real estate industry.

For alternatives, check out this piece from Mandy Ellis at NAR’s magazine.realtor.

RIGHT NOW! RENTER Scheduled Campaigns are on SALE 10% OFF!

*Renter Scheduled Campaign*, shown above, learn more **HERE**

TO LAUNCH A RENTER SCHEDULED CAMPAIGN:

Click the “GO NOW” link, below (from a desktop or laptop computer).

And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

GO NOW.

Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.

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

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Protecting your productivity when you work from home

Feb 23, 2021

In January, nearly a quarter of working Americans worked from home, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

While there are many positives to working remotely, real estate agents with families to care for have learned the hard way that remaining productive is often their biggest challenge.

Work-at-home-agents (WAHAs) we’ve spoken with list several productivity challenges. Let’s see if we can help you out with those.

Dealing with distractions

From last night’s Netflix movie that you fell asleep in the middle of to the overflowing laundry hamper, distractions beckon during the workday.

Even when you do manage to sit down at the computer to do some work, there are far too many shiny objects tempting you to do otherwise.

The solution? Ensure that your home office is away from the main traffic areas of the home and that it’s set up as an office, not a catch-all room. This will serve as a reminder to yourself that you’re working.

If the internet is the temptress, check out Cold Turkey, a website blocker that “… will be there for you when your willpower isn’t.”

Nancy Reagan was right

It is always open-season on the self-employed who work from home. For some reason, too many people have this notion that you’re not really working. Thus, the phone calls from friends and neighbors asking the WAHA if she can run an errand or two.

By the way, interestingly, none of the male agents we spoke with have had this experience, while most of the females have. From delivering a neighbor’s kid to dance lessons to running other errands, female agents are imposed on far more often.

First Lady Nancy Reagan nailed the solution when she uttered three famous words: “Just Say No.”

Don’t give in to the requests. Set your boundaries, protect your time and productivity. Just say no. If you’re a people pleaser, “no” may not be in your vocabulary. So, try this one:

“I’d love to help you, but I’ll be working then.”

It’s a bit harder to say no to family members in the home. One agent we spoke with told his family that when his office door is closed, he is unavailable for anything but emergencies. If the door is open, they’re welcome to enter.

Avoid the urge to over-work

Agents who live alone face the danger of becoming workaholics, especially if they’re following the pandemic specialists’ cautions that we should socially isolate.

As you know, in a real estate business there is always more work to do. But it can wait. Now more than ever it’s important to take care of yourself and your spirit.

Take a real lunch break, even if it’s just to get outside for a walk. Quit when the normal work day is over. Turn off the laptop, turn off the lights and close the office door.

Only you can protect your productivity during the workday, only you can protect your psyche.

RIGHT NOW! RENTER Scheduled Campaigns are on SALE 10% OFF!

TO LAUNCH AN RENTER SCHEDULED CAMPAIGN:

Click the “GO NOW” link, below (from a desktop or laptop computer).

And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

GO NOW

Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.

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

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Lessons from million-dollar real estate agents

Feb 18, 2021

There’s a funny thing about oft-repeated truisms: many of them aren’t actually true.

Take this one for instance: “10% of all real estate agents perform 90% of all transactions.”

No-one is ever given credit for this statistic; no study has been published proving it to be true. Yet, it’s repeated over and over.

Sure, it’s true that some agents make tons more money than others. RealTrends annual rankings of agents and teams, “The Thousand,” prove that. Sort of.

Take a look at the top 10% of these agents and you’ll notice that they all sling luxury property. Naturally, the more expensive an agent’s inventory is, the more money she’ll earn.

This status may have nothing at all to do with talent, expertise or any other quality than to have made a wise decision early on in a career.

The first lesson is simple: if you truly want a sales volume of $761,653,743 a year, sell luxury property.

In reality, to make the big bucks requires patience, tenacity, self-discipline and the understanding that it takes money to make money. Stop taking the cheapest route. Demand quality for you and for your clients.

Related: Learn from the Master of real estate success, Floyd Wickman. Watch his latest guest appearance on our podcast (below).

There are few overnight successes

Tony Robbins, über-successful personal development coach, often tells the story of how, at age 19, he lived in a studio apartment, cooked on a hotplate, and washed dishes in his bathtub.

He considers this period his “rock-bottom” and tells audiences how it compelled him to begin to create goals. “The timeline I gave myself for achieving these goals was any time from tomorrow to the next twenty years,” Robbins says in “Awaken the Giant Within.”

Robbins claims that he hit his first goal, to make one million dollars, five years later.

We’ve all read or heard similar stories, those rags-to-riches tales that inspire us to do likewise. The one thing that so many of us miss, however, is that there is no magic formula. No cute little fairy will land on our shoulders and “poof” us into success.

These people struggled, often for years, to reach their goals. They worked long and hard, they enlisted help and they never stopped learning and trying new things.

Just as you know that nurturing leads and prospects takes time and persistence, so does nurturing your business.

Check your attitude

“A positive attitude makes success easy; a negative one makes success pointless,” according to Geoffrey James, author and contributing editor for Inc.com.

Sure, it’s challenging to feel positive during a worldwide pandemic, when the way you do business has been turned upside-down.

James suggests that you can change your attitude in a number of ways. One of these is to surround yourself with positive people and “… and shun those who are excessively negative.”

Find the rest of his tips on how to improve your attitude at Inc.com.

Mimic the successful agent

If you’re new to the real estate industry or ready to take your game to the next level, it’s well worth your time to find a mentor. At the very least, approach one of the most successful agents in your office and request a shadowing opportunity.

A week or two following this agent around, observing his or her attitude, habits and approach is time you will never regret spending.

RIGHT NOW! ABSENTEE OWNER Scheduled Campaigns are on SALE 10% OFF!

*Absentee Owner Scheduled Campaign, Get More Listings Series*, **HERE**

TO LAUNCH AN ABSENTEE OWNER SCHEDULED CAMPAIGN:

Click the “GO NOW” button, below (from a desktop or laptop computer).

And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

GO NOW

Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.

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

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

New Agent University: Walk your client through the title process

Feb 9, 2021

The real estate purchase is full of insurance. Private mortgage insurance (PMI or MIP in the case of FHA loans) is sometimes demanded by the lender to ensure the loan is repaid if the borrower defaults on the loan.

Homeowner’s insurance is also a necessity to protect the lender’s financial interests – it ensures the lender in case of damage of the loss of the loan’s security – the house.

Finally, there is title insurance, typically a point of confusion for both buyers and sellers.

It’s important for new agents to quickly get up to speed on all aspects of the purchase and sale transaction. When you can explain each step, each aspect, to your client, in easy-to-understand terms, they will appreciate your knowledge and professionalism.

Since this is a prerequisite to being referred to family and friends, let’s get you familiar with the title insurance that your buyer most likely knows nothing about.

Some of this you may have learned in real estate school so feel free to skip over those parts.

What is it?

Title insurance proves that there is no other person or entity that has a claim against or lien on the title of the home the buyer is purchasing.

Some of the more common “clouds” on a property’s title you learned about in real estate school so they’re probably still fresh in your memory. Just in case they aren’t, they include:

Fraud
Unpaid taxes
Forgery
Liens
Undisclosed heir of a previous owner

*FARM Scheduled Campaign, Fence Sitter Series*, **HERE**

There are two types of title insurance

The title insurance policy is typically paid for at closing and listed as an expense, either buyer’s or seller’s, on the closing disclosure.

One title policy covers the lender and the other covers the owner in the event that problems turn up that weren’t found during the title search.

In most instances, the buyer pays for the lender’s policy.

An owner’s policy is not required and who pays for it is negotiable. Typically, it’s the seller.

The Process

Shortly after escrow opens, someone will order a title search. You will most likely be the one to order it, but it varies by region.

Title officers use a number of different methods in their searches. Public records will tell them about liens or other claims. Some of the records searched include those located at county courts, the county recorder, tax assessors, surveyors.

Problems unearthed during the search are commonly called “clouds” on the title. Common issues include:

Unpaid taxes owed on the property
Liens
Boundary issues
Clerical errors
Encroachments
Errors in marital status

When a defect is found

Although it’s not the end of the world as we know it, a cloud on the title can significantly slow down a transaction. The time it takes to clear it depends on the type of error.

Clerical errors are typically the easiest to clear. Finding lost heirs or the need to go to court to clear a defect may take a significant amount of time.

The prelim

If all goes well, your client will be given a preliminary title report (“prelim” for short). This report outlines the title investigation and what was found.

It’s vital that you understand how to read the prelim and how to explain its contents to your client. While we don’t have time to go over the intricacies, you’ll find a brilliant YouTube video walk-through from Steve Ayers with Orange Coast Title Company, here.

As you walk your client through the prelim, keep your opinions of the contents to yourself. The most important thing to remember is to refer your client to a legal professional if the defect warrants it.

Never give your opinion or advice on legal matters. It’s a sure path to court and one of the most common reasons agents end up there.

The title process is one that confuses most new agents. Do some research and read through some sample prelims so you can sail through the process when you’re sitting with a client.

RIGHT NOW! FARM Scheduled Campaigns are on SALE 10% OFF!

*Farm Scheduled Campaign, Get More Listings Series*, **HERE**

TO GET STARTED:

STEP ONE: Create your prospect list using the MapMyMail tool or Demographic Search tool, click HERE.

STEP TWO: Launch a FARM Scheduled Campaign by clicking on “FARM” on the Campaign page and following the prompts, HERE.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns, YOU DON’T PAY until the mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

Click the “GO NOW” button, to get started on your Get More Listings Scheduled Campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).

Launch a Scheduled Campaign now, CLICK HERE!

Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you with your success.

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

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

6 Podcasts to Keep you Motivated and on Track Throughout the Year!

Feb 4, 2021

What’s your plan for staying motivated with your real estate business this year? Whether lofty or grounded, it’s always a good idea to pencil in some “you” time.

Time for personal growth pursuits, time to dig deeper into various aspects of your business, time to get pumped up after those long, weary days that tend to wear us down.

We’ve rounded up 6 podcasts to help you out. Not all are real estate-related but we think they’re worthy of a listen.

1. “Happier,” with Gretchen Rubin

You can’t go wrong getting happiness advice from the author of “The Happiness Project” and four other bestsellers and a woman that the New York Times calls “the queen of the self-help memoir.”

Her sister, Elizabeth Craft, joins her in her award-winning podcast to discuss good habits, happiness and more.

We recommend Podcast 303, where the sisters discuss finding a ritual that will help you “Exorcise 2020 … Tips for Sticking to a Schedule When Working from Home,” and more.

This podcast does include ads and lots of chatter in the beginning. If you want to get to the meat of the episode, fast-forward to 7:25.

2. “The Tim Ferriss Show”

Tony Robbins says that to become the best at what you do, you need to study and learn from the best.

The author of the wildly popular book, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” Tim Ferriss helps you out with interviews of guests from a variety of industries, breaking down “… the habits and routines that contributed to that person’s success.”

Have you ever felt “stuck?” Yeah, most of us have. If so, you’ll love Ferriss’ interview with actor and author Matthew McConaughey, a man who grew up in a home where kids could cuss, but they were forbidden from saying the word “can’t.”

Launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign, **HERE**

The official title of this episode is “The Power of ‘No, Thank You,’ Key Life Lessons, 30+ Years of Diary Notes, and The Art of Catching Greenlights”

McConaughey steps in at 6:30, in case you want to skip the intro stuff.

3. (flashbooks) “The Greatest Salesman in the World” (Episode #12)

If you listened to the interview with McConaughey, mentioned above, you know that he credits Og Mandino’s “The Greatest Salesman in the World” for his success. Ever read it?

Have it read to you by host Dean Bokhari at flashnotes.com. This ingenious podcast is custom-made for the busy business person with no time to read.

If you haven’t read Magdino’s book, catch this episode because Bokhari reads it in full (it’s a short book).

4. “GSD Mode” with Joshua Smith

Phoenix agent Joshua Smith has garnered a spot on Wall Street Journal’s Top Realtor in America list as well as NAR’s “30 under 30.”

The voice and wisdom behind GSD, (short for Get Sh!t Done) Smith imparts his own experience and wisdom as well as provides interviews with other top performing agents and team leaders from across the country.

Although they are all worth a listen, we recommend two podcast episodes in particular:

“How to Handle any Objection,” from buyers, sellers, leads, etc.

“5 Tips To Help MASTER Lead Generation As A Real Estate Agent”

5. Women Rocking Real Estate

It’s astounding. The majority of real estate agents in this country are female yet few are hosting podcasts. It’s especially troubling when one considers that the top five agents in the country (sales volume), according to the RealTrends list, are women.

Thankfully, the industry isn’t completely bereft of female voices. Check out “Women Rocking Real Estate” with Canada’s Jennifer Percival.

Percival is also a coach, helping “women in real estate build a thriving, predictable business without using old school tactics.”

We recommend Episode #34, Reboot your Business in 9 Key Areas. Fast-forward to 6:40 (Percival is a bit chatty).

6. Take a Listing Today Podcast

The Take a Listing Today podcast is a show focused on providing marketing strategies with easy, actionable steps that help agents taking new listings and grow their real estate business.

They also have a Youtube channel, where they show step-by-step walkthroughs of many of their new marketing ideas. Making it super easy to know exactly how to launch the ideas for your business.

The show is hosted by Jim Studebaker and Todd Robertson, two experts in the field of real estate marketing.

We recommend Episode #70, Want More Listings With LESS Work? Schedule an SOI Campaign.

Whomever you choose to follow online and off, we hope you meet with great success in 2021.

There’s no better time than right now to launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign.

But Hurry! SOI Scheduled Campaigns are on sale 10% OFF the first month for ONLY 3 MORE DAYS! (sale ends 2/6/21).

Launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign, Content Card Series, **HERE**

TO GET STARTED:

STEP 1: Grab your SOI List.

If you need assistance with your list, reach out to Cowboy (Director of Scheduled Campaigns) he will help you pull your list together.

Cowboy’s phone: 877-351-3663. Email: cowboy@prospectsplus.com.

STEP 2: Choose SOI Campaign, from the Campaign page, select your series, start date, and add your list, HERE.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns, YOU DON’T PAY until the mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

Launch a Scheduled Campaign now, CLICK HERE!

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Time Management Tip: How to Level-Up with Alexa as Your Personal Assistant

Feb 2, 2021

She keeps track of our grocery lists, knows what music we prefer, keeps us up-to-date on the news, wakes us in the morning, and wishes us sweet dreams at night.

Yet, Alexa’s true identity is a mystery. But, like duct tape and a Swiss army knife, she’s indispensable to millions of Americans. She’s not without her share of controversy, however. If that’s what’s keeping you from utilizing a smart speaker, perhaps you should reconsider.

She has some pretty amazing skills

Out of the box, Alexa can help you with many everyday tasks, But, she has additional skills as well, which are worth digging into.

“At their simplest, Alexa skills are like smartphone apps. They are created by developers from third-party companies,” according to Alistair Charleton at gearbrain.com.

“Some skills work entirely on their own, while others are required to make Alexa interact with something else, such as an online service like Spotify, or a smart home product like a Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner,” he notes.

You’ll find a list of some of the more popular skills at amazon.com.

Consider creating your own, branded skill. Learn how from Dustin Brohm at massiveagentpodcast.com.

Launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign, Animal Series, **HERE**

Alexa, remind me to stop procrastinating

Time management is one of our favorite ways to use Alexa.

Agents who cold-call for a set period of time may find this one handy as well. Ask Alexa to remind you when you can stop. Or, take periodic short breaks and she will remind you when it’s time to get back to it.

She’ll also help you keep track of everything on your daily calendar when you connect it to your smart speaker. Echo supports the following calendars:

Microsoft Exchange
Apple iCloud calendar
Microsoft Outlook
Google G Suite or Gmail
Microsoft Office 365

Just like in those futuristic movies, “Alexa, what’s on my calendar today?” will have her reading it off to you while you shave or put on your makeup.

Learn how at amazon.com.

Alexa: admin extraordinaire

Finally, you can stop all the grunt work and pass it off to “someone” else:

Let Alexa send your text messages. Just dictate it to her and off they go. Learn how, here.
How many times have you been writing something and wish you had a better word? Alexa will find it for you. She can also offer up definitions for words.
Research: From reminding you what riparian rights are to keeping current on COVID-19, Alexa is at the ready.
Keep track of the tasks you need to perform for listing or buying clients with an Alexa-created list. Or, you’re at your desk and remembered you’re almost out of milk. “Alexa, put milk on my shopping list,” will let you forget about it and get back to work.
Take Alexa on the road with Echo Auto, $49.99 right now at amazon.com. Load her up with the addresses of homes you’ll be touring and she’ll guide you to each one. Shout out to put that milk you need on your shopping list, get the latest weather, news or listen to a motivational podcast while driving to that listing appointment.

How else can Amazon Echo and Alexa help your real estate business? Check out Alexa for Business. From turning on your video conferencing gear to dialing you into a conference call, we think you’ll love this one.

There’s no better time than right now to launch an SOI Scheduled Campaign.

SOI Scheduled Campaigns are on sale for 10% OFF the first month (sale ends 2/6/21)!

TO GET STARTED:

STEP 1: Grab your SOI List.

If you need assistance with your list, reach out to Cowboy (Director of Scheduled Campaigns) he will help you pull your list together.

Cowboy’s phone: 877-351-3663. Email: cowboy@prospectsplus.com.

STEP 2: Choose SOI Campaign, from the Campaign page, select your series, start date, and add your list, HERE.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns, YOU DON’T PAY until the mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before mailing).

Launch a Scheduled Campaign now, CLICK HERE!

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Shifting Your Real Estate Marketing Strategy to Work Under Any Condition

Jan 28, 2021

It’s a new year and if one of your strategies is to create a real estate listing generating system to fit the “new normal,” consider a mix of the old-fashioned and the new-fangled.

The best marketing plans include both direct mail and digital marketing, and linking the two is even better.

We’ve come up with some safe ways to get closer to potential clients during the pandemic – some ideas to kick around as we move through 2021.

Forge stronger links with your community

Real estate agents generally tend to be quite generous with their money, frequently offering to give a percentage of each commission check to a favored charity.

Other agents are a bit more hands-on and feel that cutting a check, while admirable, isn’t enough. These are the agents who host school supply drives, winter sock collections for the homeless and actively volunteer their time and labor to local charitable organizations. The list is long and impressive.

And, they have a point, especially during the pandemic when consumers need and actively search out “warm and fuzzy” stories.

Yes, giving should be altruistic. And, we agree that using it to generate leads seems a bit mercenary.

But, it’s a win-win. Charities that are clamoring for help receive it and, if promoted appropriately, giving your time to a worthy cause can also be good for business.

Find a local group with a philosophy and cause that you can get behind and join them. Let your social media followers know how they can help too. Be passionate about the cause by letting consumers know about your acts of humanity.

But do avoid an overly-promotional “look-at-me” approach.

Who are you marketing to?

Launch a *Renter Scheduled Campaign*, Click **HERE**

“Right now, the ability to forecast is a superpower for business leaders as consumer sentiments and behaviors change,” notes Sam Acuna and Sofia Kluch at gallup.com.

They add that “Some of these changes are likely permanent but many changes are temporary … and localized.”

Thankfully, the real estate industry is quite hardy right now and forecasted to remain this way.

In fact, the folks at mansionglobal.com say that 2021 will bring “… the most robust housing market in 15 years.”

They also mention a Redfin forecast that more new homes will be built this year than during the past 16 years.

Leverage your listings

While coaches advise that agents door-knock around new listings, this isn’t an appropriate time to do so.

Direct mail, on the other hand, is not only safe but rising in consumer popularity during the pandemic.

Listing agents should send at least three cards to each household in their target audience for each listing taken:

Just listed
Open house (if you’re holding one)
Just sold

Each postcard should include the URL to the home’s dedicated landing page and, to your virtual open house, if you’ll be hosting one.

The home’s landing page should clearly communicate your contact information and a lead magnet. A popular choice for a lead magnet is the “Mortgage Options With Low Down Payments” Direct Response Report, click HERE.

We love Tom Ferry’s brilliant addition to the typical “Just Sold” postcard.

“… add a section that says ‘How we did it’ that lists out all the steps you performed to generate offers, AND all the details of the results your efforts created… how many showings, how many offers, sale price vs. list price, etc.”

View an example of what Ferry’s referring to at tomferry.com.

*Mortgage Options with Low Down Payments* Report

People haven’t changed. Some priorities have, many of our lives may have, but inside, we’re still the same human beings with the same wants and needs, with just a few new ones added to the mix.

Download the Direct Response Report, “Mortgage Options with Low Down Payments“ and keep copies on hand for listing appointments and open houses.

Also add as an opt-in/free offer on your website, your emails, and all of your direct mail.

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Want People to Read Your Real Estate Newsletter? DO THIS!

Jan 19, 2021

“… why are so many business owners still creating, producing, printing, and mailing real newsletters?”

Interesting question.

There’s a perception out there that digital wears the crown as king-of-marketing-methods (placed there primarily by digital marketing companies).

Why would any business actually pay to mail a newsletter?

It’s Kim Walsh-Phillips, author and founder of Powerful Professionals, a multi-seven-figure business, who is asking that question. She hangs out on stages across the globe with the likes of Tony Robbins and Gary Vaynerchuk.

She claims that the effect of printed, mailed newsletters “… cannot be replicated.”

“My business empire has been built with print newsletters as its foundation and a centerpiece around which everything else orbits,” Walsh-Phillips explains.

“Well over 50% of my high-value private clients rise up out of my newsletter subscriber base …”

She’s not alone.

In the category of “highly-effective” real estate newsletters, the Market Dominator is a branding masterpiece, that stands alone.

Not only is the Market Dominator automated, making your life easier, it’s updated every month with New, relevant content, including direct response offers to promote inbound calls.

Visually, the Dominator packs a punch with its 12 x 15 mega-size is impossible to miss in the mailbox.

If you’re interested in adding a newsletter to your marketing arsenal this year, the Market Dominator is the ideal choice.

Here’s the proof

“Print and direct mail marketing boasts a 9% customer response rate compared to other digital marketing channels, which hover around 1% … or less,” according to a study cited at rcbrayshaw.com.

The Direct Mail Marketing Association finds a minimum 15% ROI from direct mail pieces.

You do understand, don’t you, that your email newsletters are most likely not even opened? A recent study by SuperOffice Marketing finds that only a smidge over 22 percent of business emails were opened.

The response rate, or CTR, is even more abysmal, at slightly more than 2.5%. Compare that to direct mail’s response rate of 9%.

When you think about why there’s such a vast difference, it makes sense.

“Direct mail advertisements give people time to think,” notes Chris Barr, director of marketing for Taradell, LLC at neilpatel.com.

“With print advertisements, we’re not anticipating the next click … We’re not bombarded with competing ads from half a dozen alternatives who bid for our attention … It’s quiet,” he concludes.

Don’t have a newsletter?

While we consider the real estate newsletter as the cornerstone of any successful real estate practice, we are a bit biased. Our Community Newsletters are packed with valuable information for both potential clients and homeowners.

You can even upload your own creation to our website, and we’ll take it from there.

Here are some tips to ensure you create a successful real estate newsletter:

Keep it engaging
Create an eye-catching design.
Keep content focused on one audience. You may need to create several iterations of your newsletter; one for buyers, one for sellers, one for past clients, one for tenants, another for landlords, etc.
Use lots of photos.
Brand it.
Ensure the content is professionally written and of high value.
Give them the news they want, not what you want them to know.
Sneak in a testimonial or two here and there.
Add an occasional human-interest story.

Make 2021 the year you ditch the email newsletters that don’t get opened, let alone read and focus on a newsletter that delivers on ROI like the Market Dominator.

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Want to Make More Money? Strategically Spend More, HERE’S HOW

Jan 14, 2021

There seems to be this weird dichotomy that rules many real estate agents: that the money they spend promoting their business cuts into the amount of money they’ll have for personal use.

In the short-term this may be true. But if you plan to be in the real estate business for the long-term, not promoting your real estate business, or not promoting it well, is crazy.

You’ll remain on that hamster wheel, spinning and spinning and spinning in your efforts to earn more.

“Too many business owners under-spend on marketing, thinking that not spending is the same as saving,” claims Heidi Sloss, author of “Fortune is in the Follow-Up: Five POWER Strategies to Grow Your Business.”

While it’s an old and somewhat tired adage, it really does “take money to make money.”

What comes first, the spending or the making?

Almost a decade ago, the folks at ActiveRain.com published the results of a survey of 2,000 agents in the form of an infographic, “How Much do REALTORS® Work, Earn & Spend.”

The “average” agent (those earning, on average, $35,000 a year) spend only $1,070 a year on marketing. That’s $89 a month. They spend more on their car than on promoting their businesses.

Agents who earn, on average, $100,000 a year spend five to ten times more on marketing than those that make $35,000 per year.

It’s easy to assume that “Well, yeah, they have the money to spend.” It could be, however, that they understand the value of promotion and aren’t afraid to spend the money.

Let’s face it, there are a number of money pits in the average real estate practice, from keeping up with the latest technology to what we drive and what we wear.

The truly important stuff, however – most of what’s in your business plan – is where to focus if you’re looking for ways to gain more clients and grow your business.

So, while it’s important to invest money in continuing education, professional development and ensuring you have the office systems in place to make your job easier, none of it means a thing without clients.

Overcome your fear

In a commission-based business, parting with money is frightening. Who knows when you’ll close another escrow? What if you make the wrong marketing decision?

It’s only natural then that you might question whether any particular investment is really the right thing to do. Marketing dollars are especially hard to spend. What if the campaign doesn’t work? What if I lose this money? These are perfectly valid questions as you tenaciously hold on to your dollar.

One of the best ways to overcome the fear of spending is by paying close attention to the annual budget every year when you revisit your business plan. Then, once the money is budgeted, consider it spent.

And, make careful, informed decisions about where to spend the money when it comes time to do so.

The bottom line is that if you really want to succeed in your real estate business, you’re going to have to spend some money on it – whether it’s on marketing, staff or technology.

So, overcome the fear and lose the death grip on the pocketbook.

Start your strategic plan to “Make More Money” today by scheduling an SOI Campaign with the Content Card Series.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns YOU DON’T PAY until each month’s mailing goes out (you can change or cancel up until the night before mailing).

Don’t put off until tomorrow what can get done today, because what GETS SCHEDULED, GETS DONE!

TO GET STARTED:

STEP 1: Choose the SOI Campaign, Content Card Series.
STEP 2: Then, choose your “Start Date” (See image illustration below), which postcards to send & for how long. It’s that easy!

LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN NOW, CLICK HERE

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

Make 2021 the Year for Real Estate Domination! Here’s the Plan.

Jan 12, 2021

If you’re still putting the finishing touches on your 2021 business goals, read on, for some great, actionable insight on how to make this year, your year for real estate domination.

If you don’t want to end up someplace else…

You need to know where you’re going, according to the late Yogi Berra. Unless, of course, you want to spend the entirety of this year, flailing about for leads, for prospects, for income.

For your Free *One-Page, Interactive Real Estate Business Plan*, Click Here

Decide on a destination, a goal to shoot for by year’s end. Whether that’s a specific GCI or a certain number of closed deals, this goal should define how you run your business in 2021.

And, how about making a vow that the journey to that destination is one that you’ll enjoy?

“There is no one pathway to success. Set goals you enjoy traveling to not just goals that check out with your Broker, Team Lead, or Coach,” suggests David Serpa at labcoatagents.com.

Learn from the past

Dig out your business plan from 2020 and take some time to ask yourself some questions:

Did you reach your goals?
If not, why? Were they unrealistic, was it due to the pandemic? Get clear on the why.
What is within your power to change so that you will hit your 2021 target?

Then, get clear on how many contacts you’ll need to make to get the leads and prospects required to hit your income goal. The Free One-Page, Interactive Business Plan, and Free online SOI calculator are both perfect tools to help you do this fast.

Dust off your real estate business marketing plan

Marketing your services in a way that will grab consumers’ attention is one of the most challenging aspects for many agents. With so many agents in a market, you may feel it’s almost impossible to stand out from the crowd.

The 2021 Real Estate Marketing Planner is not only Free-To-You but an incredible tool that will help you to plan your marketing for the entire year.

Free, 2021 Real Estate Marketing Planner

When the pandemic broke out, in-person marketing, such as holding events, door knocking, and the like, were put on hold. If these were among your chosen marketing methods, you may need to still “pivot” in 2021.

Direct mail marketing will always remain a highly effective vehicle for agents.

Direct mail marketing is also an affordable way to put something tangible into the hands of your potential clients.

For instance, on ProspectsPLUS.com you can schedule a monthly campaign, that includes 150 jumbo-sized postcards, mailed standard-class for only $121.00.

Consider the potential outcome of these 150 postcards, touching your specified market every month – it’s truly all upside.

Is this the year you’ll hire help?

Determining your goals for the new year and how you’ll reach them financially is the backbone of your business plan.

If your plan is aggressive, and it calls for making a massive move to the next level, you should probably consider hiring help of some kind. If you’re brave enough to take your business to the next level, you shouldn’t even wince at the thought of bringing someone on staff to help you.

Whether virtual or in-person, an assistant or transaction coordinator is a must, so tack on another transaction or two so you can pay him/her.

The time is now to let go of areas you fell short of your business goals in 2020, pivot, where necessary and move forward, armed with the tools and strategies needed to dominate in 2021.

Start your 2021 domination today by scheduling a Geographic Farm, Get More Listings Campaign.

And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns YOU DON’T PAY until each month’s mailing goes out (you can change or cancel up until the night before mailing).

Don’t put off until tomorrow what can get done today, because what GETS SCHEDULED, GETS DONE!

TO GET STARTED:

STEP 1: Choose the Geographic Farm Campaign, Get More Listings Series.
STEP 2: Then, choose your “Start Date” (See image illustration below), which postcards to send & for how long. It’s that easy!

LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN NOW, CLICK HERE

New *Master Marketing Magazine*, Click Here

The article, above, is highlighted in our New, Free Master Marketing Magazine.

You don’t want to miss this magazine. It’s overflowing with informative, actionable articles that will assist you in achieving your goals this year. To check it out now, Click Here.

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

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

3. 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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

It’s a New Year, Ready for Some New Business?

Jan 5, 2021

What if I told you that sending out 200 marketing postcards for less than $150 (postage included) could potentially net you five new listings?

Barbara Todaro, a Franklin, MA agent, sent 200 Just Listed postcards to an area that surrounded her new listing and her mailing resulted in just that number – five new listings.

Todaro’s advice, “Never eliminate a method because it’s basic, those are often the best methods. The reality is, everyone reads their mail”.

Yes, real estate postcard marketing has been around for a while, but clearly – IT WORKS.

Did you know?..

Direct mail outperforms email, social media, and all digital forms of marketing by 700 percent, according to research from the Data and Marketing Association (DMA).

In addition, 48% of people retain direct mail for future reference and 40% will try new businesses after they receive direct mail.

A customer of ours recently discussed his return to direct mail marketing, specifically Just Listed/Just Sold postcards, after spending some time away.

“My business was starting to be flat. I was still a top producer but where I used to have more listings than I did buyers, I now had twice as many buyers as I did listings”, Joe Cooper stated.

“I took a hard look at my business model and realized that it had been around two years since I’d used Just Listed/Just Sold postcards. I decided to start back up and see if it made a difference. Well, it has. Almost immediately, my listings have picked up!”

Get Started…

To usher in a new year full of new listings, do what Joe did and begin sending Just Listed and Just Sold postcards with every new listing and sale that you achieve this year. Get started today by clicking, HERE.

To continue reading…

The above article is an excerpt from our New, Free Master Marketing Magazine. The complete article is titled, “Business Flat? How to Blaze a New Trail of Business”.

To read the rest of this informative article, go to the New Master Marketing Magazine and turn to Page 18, CLICK HERE.

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

1. The Free 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, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

2. 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 Online Real Estate Business Plan. – Click Here

3.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.

4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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