business growth

Mid-Year Marketing Checkup: 5 Changes Every Agent Should Make

Jul 11, 2025

As we hit the midpoint of 2025, it’s the perfect time to pause and assess what’s working—and what’s not—in your real estate marketing.

The market is constantly shifting, and so should your strategy. A quick check-in now can help you avoid wasting marketing dollars, double down on what’s converting, and position yourself to finish the year strong.

Whether you’ve had a stellar first half or feel like you’re playing catch-up, these smart adjustments will sharpen your brand and boost your visibility where it counts.

1. Audit Your Digital Presence

Ninety-six percent of buyers start their home search online, so ensure your website is mobile-friendly, offers fast-load speeds, and features long-tail keywords like “homes for sale [city name]”—these generate 70% of search traffic.

Also, listings with videos receive 403% more inquiries. Add virtual tours or short walkthroughs to capitalize on that engagement.

2. Revamp Your Social Strategy

With 71% of buyers preferring agents with a strong social media presence, double down on value-driven content. Post tips, market updates, or community highlights at least twice weekly.

Use analytics to see what resonates and double down on high-performing posts to grow reach and attract leads.

3. Refresh Email & Lead Gen Systems

Email marketing outperforms social by 40% in conversion. Use this mid-year point to clean your list—remove inactive subscribers—and reengage with a “what’s new” drip sequence. Include local trends, recent sales, and a clear call-to-action to drive responses.

4. Boost Your Local Touch with Direct Mail

Even in a digital world, direct mail still works. Studies show that direct mail delivers a response rate up to 9x higher than digital ads, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to generate real estate leads and listings with lasting impact. REsimpli reports over $26 MM in revenue from postcards.

Send a mid-year postcard summarizing key market stats or upcoming open houses. It re-establishes your physical presence and can complement your online marketing.

5. Review Goals & Set Q3 Targets

The first half of 2025 has been a “more traditional spring market,” but affordability remains a challenge. Reassess pricing strategies and your buyer/seller mix. Adjust your Q3 campaign focus based on what’s working and evolving local conditions.

“The most important asset you can own in your business is the attention of your customer.” — Adam Contos, former RE/MAX CEO.

Use this mid-year checkup to refresh what works—and pivot where needed—to ensure a strong close to the year.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. The Free 2025 Quarterly Real Estate Marketing Guide

Kickstart each quarter with the Quarterly Real Estate Marketing Guide, designed to help you achieve your real estate business goals. Packed with tools like a goal-setting sheet, monthly insights, tailored task lists, and marketing recommendations, this free guide is your ultimate resource for success—download it today for FREE! –Click Here

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Plan

The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

Building a Stronger Real Estate Business Through Consistency

Feb 26, 2025

Success in real estate doesn’t happen overnight—it results from consistent effort, relationship-building, and innovative marketing.

The most successful agents don’t rely on luck; they follow proven systems that keep them top-of-mind, nurture their leads, and generate repeat business.

In a competitive industry, those who stay consistent create a steady pipeline of referrals and long-term clients.

How to Stay Consistent & Grow Your Real Estate Business

Follow Up Regularly – 80% of sales happen after at least five follow-ups, yet most agents stop at one or two.

Don’t let warm leads go cold—stay in touch through calls, texts, emails, and direct mail. A friendly check-in can turn a hesitant prospect into your next transaction.

Create a Marketing Schedule – Agents who succeed in any market stick to a schedule.

The Looking For Listings Campaign is shown above. To see more, **Click Here.**

Plan your direct mail, social media, and email campaigns in advance to maintain a steady presence and ensure you’re reaching your audience before they’re ready to buy or sell.

Engage Your Sphere of Influence – 66% of real estate business comes from referrals, yet many agents neglect their past clients.

To stay connected, send thank-you cards, home anniversary postcards, and market updates. Your past clients are your greatest marketing asset—nurture those relationships!

Provide Value to Homeowners – Position yourself as the go-to resource for market insights.

Share home value reports, market trends, seasonal homeowner tips, and real estate advice that builds credibility and keeps your name in front of clients.

Stay Active in Your Community – Real estate is built on trust and visibility.

Attend local events, sponsor community initiatives, and host homebuyer or seller workshops. When people see you actively involved, they’ll think of you when they need an agent.

Pro Tip: Automate for Success

The key to consistency is automation. Set up a scheduled postcard campaign to stay engaged without the stress of last-minute marketing.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

2. The Free 2025 Q1 Real Estate Marketing Guide

Kickstart 2025 with our First Quarter Real Estate Marketing Guide, designed to help you achieve your real estate business goals. Packed with tools like a goal-setting sheet, monthly insights, tailored task lists, and marketing recommendations, this free guide is your ultimate resource for success—download it today for FREE! –Click Here

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Plan

Why a New Year Marketing Campaign is Key to Your 2025 Success

Dec 9, 2024

The beginning of the year is a golden opportunity to set the tone for your business.

A New Year marketing campaign ensures you’re top-of-mind with your target audience as they set their goals for the year. It’s your chance to establish yourself as the go-to expert in your market and create momentum that lasts throughout 2025.

Capitalize on the Fresh Start Mentality

People reevaluate their goals in January, including plans to buy or sell a home. This mindset makes it the perfect time to engage your market with messaging tailored to their aspirations.

Highlight how your expertise can help them achieve their real estate dreams in the year ahead.

Stand Out with Consistent Visibility

Competition is fierce in real estate, and staying visible is crucial. A well-timed campaign ensures you stand out in a crowded market.

Whether through postcards, emails, or social media ads, consistent outreach builds trust and keeps your name top-of-mind when prospects are ready to act.

Boost Engagement with Timely Messaging

New Year campaigns allow you to tie your services to the season’s themes of fresh beginnings and planning for the future.

Share helpful content, like market updates or tips for preparing a home for sale, to engage your audience and demonstrate your value.

Lay the Foundation for a Successful Year

Marketing early in the year positions you for success by generating leads and building your pipeline. It’s an investment that sets the stage for consistent business growth throughout 2025.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

2. The Free 2025 Q1 Real Estate Marketing Guide

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Plan

2025 Real Estate Predictions: What Trends to Watch and Prepare for Now

Oct 14, 2024

As we approach 2025, real estate agents must stay ahead of the curve. Understanding the trends shaping next year’s market is key to setting yourself apart.

From economic shifts to technology advancements and changing buyer preferences, here are the top predictions for the real estate landscape 2025.

Economic Factors: Stabilizing Interest Rates and Buyer Opportunities

With the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to lower interest rates, affordability could improve for buyers in 2025.

This offers agents a prime opportunity to help clients lock in more favorable mortgage terms. Age

Real estate marketing EDDM panoramic postcards — **EDDM Panoramic Postcards. See more, Click Here.**

nts should promote these lower rates to buyers who may have been priced out of the market earlier in the year.

Technology Advancements: AI, Virtual Tours, and Automation

The real estate industry will continue to see a rapid adoption of technology. AI-driven tools will help streamline tasks such as lead generation, property recommendations, and client communication.

Virtual tours and augmented reality will become the standard for property viewings, making it easier for agents to close deals remotely and expand their market reach.

Buyer and Seller Behavior: The Continued Shift to Remote Work

Remote work will continue influencing buyer preferences in 2025. Homes with office spaces, outdoor areas, and proximity to suburban or rural environments will remain in demand.

Agents should focus their marketing efforts on properties catering to this growing remote worker demographic.

By understanding these trends, agents can prepare now for a successful 2025.

Stay proactive, and you’ll be a forward-thinking agent ready to guide clients in an ever-changing market.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

How AI Can Streamline Your Real Estate Business and Free Up Time

Jun 13, 2024

It’s large and in charge, apparently. One can barely find a website that isn’t, at least in part, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI).

But AI isn’t just the King of the World Wide Web. Many industries are using it, including:

Healthcare
Financial services
Data Analytics
Sales and marketing
Energy
Transportation

Even Starbucks utilizes AI’s predictive analytics capability to better understand their customers Let’s look at a broad overview of a few ways that real estate agents can use AI in their businesses too.

Kick lead generation into high gear

One of the most attractive aspects of AI for real estate agents is its ability to simplify lead generation. Traditional methods of finding potential clients can be time-consuming, and tedious and often yield mixed results.

AI, on the other hand can analyze a huge amount of data from various sources to identify high-quality leads. These sources may include social media, online behavior, and market trends to name just three.

These insights allow agents to target the right audience more effectively, ensuring that their marketing efforts are both efficient and impactful.

Streamline follow-up

Talk about tedious and time-consuming! Consistent follow-up with leads and an agent’s SOI often fall through the cracks because of how odious the thought of it is.

As we all know, however, a lead that sits with no nurturing is useless and, “the fortune is in the follow-up.” An AI-powered CRM system can be a game changer, especially for agents who generate a lot of leads.

Let AI send out personalized messages, schedule follow-up calls, and even predict the best times to reach out based on the lead’s engagement history.

The Holiday scheduled campaign is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

AI: The appraiser in your back pocket

Whether working with a buyer or a seller, getting an accurate property value is crucial. AI can help here, too. By using algorithms, it can analyze details such as location, market conditions, and property features.

Improved client satisfaction

How about an AI-driven chatbot and virtual assistant? Yup, that, too is possible. These tools can handle a variety of tasks, from answering common inquiries to offering instant responses and personalized service.

Efficient transaction coordination

This one is an agent favorite. AI can automate document management, scheduling, and communication between parties to the transaction.

For instance, AI-driven platforms can track the progress of each transaction, send reminders, and ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed and all parties are notified.

Check out AI tech to see how it can help streamline the business end of your business, freeing you up to bounce down the street and make money!

When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

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

4. The 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

The Pros and Cons of Real Estate Closing Gifts

Feb 28, 2024

“I think I’ll send my new patient a $50 Macy’s gift certificate to thank her for allowing me to perform her annual physical,” said no doctor, ever. Come to think of it, my hairdresser, accountant, and lawyer have never gifted me either.

Yet real estate agents, somewhere along the line, came up with this notion that they absolutely must provide a closing gift to their clients.

Obviously, the agent who first gifted a client must’ve found the practice successful because it was quickly copied and has now become standard practice.

Does giving a gift to a client make you memorable? If that were the case, more service industries would take up the practice, don’t you think? I don’t know about you, but I return to my hair stylist every month because I love the way she cuts my hair.

My accountant saves me money on my taxes. So, is it the gift that makes them remember you, or was it your performance?

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of giving closing gifts, to real estate clients.

Pros

I’m not a tax expert or an accountant, but the IRS says agents can deduct up to $25 for each person they gift during the year. No, that’s not a whole lot of money and if you make the big bucks, you’ll need to buy a whole lot of gifts throughout the year to even put a dent in your tax bill.

If you feel you must give a gift, consider handing your clients the keys to their new home on a quality (meaning, not plastic) keychain. With your branding on it, you’ll be able to deduct it as a marketing expense and possibly get a larger deduction. Talk to your tax professional.

A swanky annual client appreciation event, on the other hand, will give you a bigger tax deduction as well as put you right back there at the top of their mind.

The Content Card Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

Cons

Since referrals are the lifeblood of a successful real estate practice, and keeping them coming in requires remaining top-of-mind with former clients, it would have to be a major gift to make you memorable throughout the years.

What will make you memorable is frequent contact throughout the year — the birthday cards, the client appreciation events, and the ongoing direct mail campaigns.

Here’s something else to consider: you are a buyer’s agent. You have been at your client’s beck and call, spending weeks or even months driving your clients to house after house before they finally found one they wanted.

You submitted the offer, you coordinated your client’s end of the transaction, and you smoothly paved the way to a successful close. All parties are satisfied with the outcome. In return, you are paid a percentage of the sales price of the home.

You did your job and you got paid. Shake hands, as business people do, thank them for their business, and move on to your next client.

The subject of closing gifts, as you know, is a point of contention among agents. How about you? Do you gift?

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

Why Hiring a Coach is the Key to Real Estate Revenue Growth

Sep 27, 2023

Learning on the job isn’t a bad way to become a successful agent: it’s safe to say pretty much every agent follows that path. After all, real estate school teaches nothing about how to run a real estate business.

That path, however, diverges at some point, separating the highly ambitious from the more complacent.

While those on either path can benefit from a business or life coach’s services at some point in their careers, it’s typically the former who seek them.

“Struggle + Coach = Achievement”

This is claimed by the amazing author Sean Everett at medium.com. “If you remove the struggle, there’s no need for a coach because it means you’re not working towards anything great.”

If you are working toward greatness and have hit a wall, a coach may be just what you need to break through it. But there are other benefits a coach can offer as well.

The Holiday scheduled campaign is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

How to know if you need a coach

If you haven’t a clue about last year’s production (hey, you’re not the only one!), let alone the past three years, if you don’t have a business plan or a marketing budget, if you have no idea how to raise your production, you need a coach.

Some top coaches on Forbes Coaches Council suggest additional symptoms of someone needing a coach:

Feeling overwhelmed – that you don’t have control over your real estate business, or “feeling like there is too much to do and too little hours in the day.”
You need someone to talk to about your business, to bounce ideas off.
You’re frustrated because you know what to do yet don’t do it.
You aren’t getting the results you want in your business.
You feel paralyzed.

What you may get out of working with a coach

The late and legendary NFL coach Tom Landry summed up coaching in one sentence: “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”

All agents, even newbies, can get something out of working with a coach.

Don’t agree?

An Inman survey from a few years back shows that “the vast majority of agents working with coaches see a return on investment.” In fact, 90 percent of them said that in their first year of working with a coach, their production increased 10 percent or more.

Thirty-five percent said their business increased up to 26 percent more and nearly 10 percent saw an increase from 100 to almost 200 percent.

Convinced yet?

Think of a coach as being a fresh set of eyes. Someone who can look at you and your business in a way that you can’t.

It’s lacking that “big picture” thing that causes many of us to hit the wall. Then, paralysis sets in and we’ve no idea how to lift our legs and, if we can, which direction to tell them to carry us.

Come back soon for part 2, where you’ll learn how to choose the perfect real estate coach for your business.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals. – Click Here

4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

Starting a Real Estate Team? Here are a Few Things to Consider

Mar 20, 2023

Imagine a trip to a doctor’s office. You approach the front counter, and there she is, ready to check you in for your appointment. Then, she is, again, prepared to accompany you from the waiting room to the exam room. She performs your exam and is at the desk out front to take your check for your insurance co-pay and schedule your next appointment.

Aside from seeing patients at various times during the day, this doctor will clean exam rooms after each patient leaves, call-in prescriptions to pharmacies, order and interpret diagnostic tests, work on bookkeeping, schedule appointments for other patients, follow up on telephone messages, meet with pharmaceutical company representatives and clean the office.

If this were your doctor, we’d bet you would think she’s either crazy or arrogant. After all, she’s most likely not a trained bookkeeper, administrative assistant, or skilled in sanitation practices in physicians’ offices.

The Market Update Postcard is shown above. See more **HERE**

When any professional works in a practice with many moving parts, it’s simply foolish to presume to wear all the hats.

Many agents across the country figured this out long ago. “We aren’t professional photographers or stagers. Nor are we phone specialists or transaction coordinators. And, we don’t want to be any of those,” says a friend and agent in Los Angeles, California.

This is why this agent built a team, offering professional specialists to each client. In her estimation, this team’s approach to real estate has made her so successful.

When you reach a specific volume, taking your business to the next level requires assistance. Most agents start with admin help.

However, the next level is to build a real estate team.

Structuring your team

Before you jump into the hiring process, consider how you’ll structure your team. This helps you learn who you need to hire and which skills to be on the lookout for. Check out Chris Linsell’s brilliant but simple Real Estate Organizational Chart at theclose.com.

To give you an idea of how to staff your team, take a look at our California friends:

3 listing coordinators
3 staging strategists
An architectural photographer
Marketing Coordinator
6 phone specialists to attract and reach out to potential buyers
17 buyers’ agents

Photo Introduction postcard. See more, **HERE.**

Naturally, you won’t need this many team members when you start but consider adding as your business increases.

Each cog in the aforementioned well-oiled wheel works in tandem with the others. For instance, the phone team recently received a call from a homebuyer interested in one of the team’s listings.

“The call came in at 10:30 on a Saturday morning,” according to our friend. “Our phone specialist returned the call two minutes later, at 10:32, and alerted one of the showing agents on the team. This agent met with the buyers to show them the home at 1 p.m. An hour later, they wrote an offer. This team approach had our listing sold in four hours.”

Impressive, right?

Check back soon for more ideas on forming a real estate team.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. 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 and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

4. 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

5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

Want to Grow Your Real Estate Business? Gain Some Positive Word of Mouth

Oct 24, 2022

If you’re like a lot of Americans, you avoid listening, reading, or watching the news as much as you once did.

Hey, we don’t blame you. News stories seem to be more focused on shocking behavior than ever before.

Yes, Americans are misbehaving more than ever, and this makes for stress and tension among everyone.

This includes the real estate world as well.

It’s evidenced by agents who don’t pay attention when clients are speaking to them, who drop the ball when it comes to returning calls, and that small minority who lack morals and ethics.

We know that you aren’t in that group, but for those who think small gaps in stellar customer service don’t matter, let’s look at how playing nice with others can change your reputation and allow you to gain some positive word of mouth.

1. Be considerate of the other agent’s client

Yes, your fiduciary duties are to your buyer or seller. But you also have a duty to extend consideration to the other agent’s client.

Take the multiple offer situation, for instance. Although there isn’t as much of that happening now, it was common over the past few years. Tons of buyers’ agents were gnashing their teeth over the lack of basic courtesy extended to their clients when their offer wasn’t accepted.

The Get More Listings II Series is shown above. To see more, Click HERE.

It takes 20 seconds to dash off a text or email to the buyer’s agent, letting her know that her client’s offer wasn’t accepted. “It’s a decided lack of professionalism,” one agent said about listing agents who fail to extend this basic courtesy.

“Think of the anxious buyer,” she added.

Send this text or email or make a phone call before you update the property’s status in the MLS. It’s not fair or courteous to other agents to have to learn the bad news from anything or anyone other than the listing agent.

Then, the buyer’s agent makes an appointment to show a home and ghosts the seller.

Many homeowners run around like crazy, tidying up their homes in anticipation of a showing. When you don’t show up or don’t call to reschedule or cancel the appointment, you become one of ‘those’ agents, the bad apples who make the rest look bad.

2. Use your words

One issue we heard about from several agents is that there is almost a complete lack of feedback on showings.

Remember, the average agent is a woman in her fifties; she’s been in the biz for way more than a minute. She recalls the days when soliciting feedback from showing agents was so commonplace that listing agents wouldn’t think of not doing it and then passing it on to their clients.

After all, isn’t communicating with the seller part of the listing agent’s job? Letting your client know how buyers feel about their home is critical.

If buyers’ agents don’t offer feedback, which is courteous, it’s the listing agent’s job to solicit it.

“Politeness … can be used to signal respect and consideration for others,” according to Matteo Bonotti & Steven T. Zech. (Understanding Civility).

Politeness and communication. It’s what you need to win the exacta in the race to set yourself apart from other agents in town and truly have a chance at growing your business through word of mouth.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

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

3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

If You Need Real Estate Business, Get Out and Network

Apr 12, 2022

Remember the days when real estate agents considered themselves sales professionals?

Today, most consider themselves to be ace relationship builders and wince when anyone regards them as someone in the same category as a person who sells cars.

However, a strong, well-maintained network can sustain your business for decades to come.

But, wait, “network” isn’t only a noun

When you “… interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts,” and relationships, you are networking. Generally speaking, there are three types of networks that real estate agents participate in:

Professional
Peer
Client (or prospects and leads)

All three provide different results, but today we are addressing the potential client variety of networking.

While it’s the wise agent who schedules time to nurture their current networks, those a step ahead are also adding to it, by networking.

Networks should be diverse

Unless you’re building a professional network, choose events and opportunities outside of the real estate industry. This might include chamber mixers and school board or PTA meetings where you’ll be exposed to those who are active in bettering your community.

Diversity in your networking, however, is critical, so branch out to other opportunities as well.

Consider creating a community service network by joining the local chapter of the Lions Club, Rotary or Jaycees.

“If you consistently push your boundaries and work to broaden your sphere of connections, over time, you will run into opportunities that others would only be able to describe as luck,” suggests Maria Arauz with the Keller Center for Research at Baylor University.

The Content Card Series is shown above. See Content Card postcards, HERE. See Content Card scheduled campaign information, HERE.

Break the ice … Gently

Naturally, you’ll want your new network of possible clients to understand what you do for a living, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to let them know.

“If you go to networking events with the intention of just trying to sell to people, they won’t want to meet with you later because they know you’re going to pitch to them,” cautions author and keynote speaker Ivan Misner at entrepreneur.com.

These are the overtly salesy folks who approach others at events, business card in hand.

“Be interested, not interesting” Misner continues. “It’s not all about you.”

If you want to make a true connection, make the conversation all about them. No pitches, no asking for business.

Sure, it takes time to network. Step one is making the time. Step two is showing up.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine, with rich, full-color content, and a sharp, professional esthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts, combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and, it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

2. 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 Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

Grow Your Real Estate Business and Overcome Your Fear of Spending

Jan 25, 2022

There seems to be this fundamental fallacy among many real estate agents that the more money they spend on their businesses, the less there will be for their personal use.

That simply isn’t the case, according to Heidi Sloss, author of “Fortune is in the Follow-Up: Five POWER Strategies to Grow Your Business.”

“Too many business owners under-spend on marketing, thinking that not spending is the same as saving,” claims Sloss. While it’s an annoying adage, it really does “take money to make money.”

Want proof?

An older study by ActiveRain determined how much real estate agents made and how much they spent.

Top producing agents earning more than $100,000 per year spent five to 10 times more money on marketing than lower-earning agents.

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 you drive or what you 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

Remember the scene in the motion picture “Ghost,” where Whoopi Goldberg’s character is forced to endorse a $4 million check “to a bunch of nuns?”

She struggles, claiming to “… just want to touch it one more time.” Finally, at the point of almost hyperventilating, with tears streaming down her face, Whoopie’s character, Oda Mae, hands the check to one of the nuns but then refuses to let go of it. A tug-of-war of sorts ensues until she finally releases it and dissolves into sobs.

Is that not exactly what you do in your mind when it comes time to part with your hard-earned money? Especially in a commission-based business, parting with money is frightening. Who knows when you’ll close another deal?

It’s only natural then that you might question whether any particular investment is really the right thing to do. Marketing dollars are particularly 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. Once the money is budgeted, consider it spent. Then, make careful, informed decisions about where to spend the money when it comes time to do so.

To help you make better buying decisions, visit review sites. Here you can read opinions – both good and bad – about the products real estate agents use in a typical day. Here’s our Google reviews page. Knowing what works for other agents arms you with the information you need to make sound spending decisions.

The bottom line is that if you really want to grow your real estate business, you’re going to have to spend some money investing in it – whether it’s on marketing, staff, or technology. So, overcome the fear and lose the death grip on the pocketbook.

6 Reasons to Go After Baby Boomers Right Now

They own 26 million homes in the U.S.
They control 70% of all wealth in this country.
They hold more than 50% of all owner-occupied homes.
41% state they will definitely purchase another home.
They are almost completely ignored by the real estate industry.
And, we’re giving you the first 100 prospects on a Baby Boomer list for free right now!

That’s Right, Discover Baby Boomers in Your Area and GET THE FIRST 100 FREE!

To get the first 100 on a Baby Boomers Prospect List FREE USE PROMO CODE: BOOM100.

CLICK HERE to create your list (From a desktop/laptop computer) with the Demographic Search tool.

This offer expires on January 29th, at midnight.

Do You Need Help Creating Your Baby Boomer List? Watch This How to Video Below.

PLUS: When you have time…below are some helpful tools to support your success.

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

2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

Want more real estate referrals?

Feb 17, 2020

That commission kerfuffle in which the NAR is embroiled, brings with it lots of discussions, questioning the value the agent brings to the real estate process.

Buyers’ agents, especially, are under the magnifying glass and it’s not at all uncommon to find quotes from consumers testifying that these agents do little to earn the “big bucks” the public thinks they make.

However, the results of a recent Century 21 survey say otherwise.

Ninety-nine percent of buyers claimed that their agent “added value” to the process.

Which is not quite what we’re hearing from the media, right? And, if I were a gambler, I’d bet against that study seeing the light of day in the mainstream media.

But buyers’ agents can take heart in knowing their clients approve of the job they do.

There were also other tidbits of information from this particular survey that, if heeded, can help listing agents maintain their relationship with clients long after the deal is done.

And, successful relationships result in referrals.

Use handwritten notecards to send a special message to your Sphere. Available on ProspectsPLUS.com.

First, let’s talk about buyers’ agents

Sadly, nearly a quarter of homebuying clients interviewed said they hadn’t heard from their agents since closing. It’s bad enough that so many agents can’t seem to follow up with leads and prospects but that they also ghost their clients – people they know – is simply mind-boggling.

Then, when we consider the C-21 survey results about how happy these clients were with their agent, what kind of crazy does an agent have to be to not follow up?

Would it help if you knew that these clients feel “abandoned” when they don’t hear from you? Would it help to know that more than one-third of survey respondents said they “were unlikely to recommend or rehire the agent they just worked with?” (Emma Ludman, Chicago Agent Magazine).

It’s easy to assume that since they just bought the home, they won’t be needing your services for some time. But they most likely have friends, family, and colleagues, right? If your name is top-of-mind when someone asks your clients which agent in town they recommend, you’ve got yourself a referral.

Follow up, follow up, follow up

The very first thing agents need to do is show their appreciation and gratitude to the person or people responsible for that commission check they just received. You’ll find a wide selection of cards here on ProspectsPLUS!

If you prefer to send a hand-written note, keep it brief.

“We are truly grateful for the trust you placed in us during your recent home purchase/sale. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

We hope to be your real estate team for many years to come.”

Get the card in the mail within a week or two after closing.

Then, create a follow-up campaign

Send the Neighborhood Update postcard, available under the Neighborhood Update Series.

If you don’t already have a follow-up system, it’s time to create one. In 2020, you’ll get the most bang for the buck with a direct mail campaign.

The mailings must be personalized and they must be strategic. Dig into your CRM and create lists, even if they’re as simple as a list of buying clients and selling clients. We would suggest an additional list of sellers who also bought a home. These experienced homeowners require different information than first-timers.

Decide what you’ll mail and how often. A list of what has sold in the neighborhood is welcome information for your buyers who are most likely keeping tabs on how their investment is doing. Also, consider:

Neighborhood update – Borino has a brilliant tip for making these more memorable and effective. Watch the YouTube video to learn more (market update letter is at 3:31).
Newsletters
Just listed/sold postcards for homes near them
Birthday and holiday greetings

“Defying the mediocrity that still exists in the real estate industry is a major part of our mission,” according to Mike Miedler, president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate LLC.

Send the Multi-Photo Just Listed postcard to your Sphere and show them how active you are. Available under the Multi-Photo Series.

Make it a part of your mission as well by keeping in touch with past clients strategically and consistently.

Send the Multi-Photo Just Listed postcard to your Sphere, keep them apprised of what you’ve been up to and stay on their minds.

Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list 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. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!

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

2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!

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

3. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook

4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

5. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT”

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

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