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Sunday, May 12, 2024

listing inventory

    A for-sale sign went up in the front yard of a home down the street from me. Each time I drove by, I wondered what the listing price was. I finally looked it up online. I shouldn’t have had to do that. Nor should other neighbors have to do that.

    A buyers’ agent with frustrated clients should’ve circle prospected around that listing. A postcard to every home in the subdivision, letting them know that a home just went on the market and the price of the home would put that agent front and center in the residents’ minds.

    That is just where he or she needs to be if one of them is thinking of selling. And the chances are excellent that another home will go on the market soon.

    It’s no longer enough to counsel clients on being patient, adjusting their expectations, and coming into the market fully prepared.

    It’s time to get proactive. Not only is it a way to secure listings, but to expose your brand to a wider audience.

    Direct mail as the centerpiece of a circle prospecting campaign is probably the best way to take charge. But, it’s not the only way, and this market demands a multi-pronged strategy.

    Just Listed Postcards perfect for circle prospecting. See more HERE
    1. Add a pinch of social media

    You don’t need to be an influencer to obtain results on social media. Get busy posting and responding. Let your followers know what your buyers’ needs are. Share articles on the huge amount of equity that homeowners are sitting on right now and create a sense of urgency to get them off the fence and into the market.

    I once read an inman.com article from seattlehome.com managing broker Sam DeBord. In it, he shared a story about how he dealt with a low inventory situation by blogging consistently and sharing his posts on Facebook.

    It worked. He got a call from a stranger who read one of his Facebook posts and offered him the listing.

    2. So, you didn’t take the listing

    Go through your CRM and dredge up information on every listing presentation you’ve made but didn’t get the listing. Check to see if the home ever sold and, if it didn’t, reach out to the homeowner. This one is especially effective if the original market value is significantly higher today than it was when you made your listing presentation.

    Chances are, it is.

    3. Equity is a game-changer

    Again, the equity angle will most likely move someone if they’re not opposed to selling. As I mentioned earlier, homeowners who keep up with the news understand that home prices are high.

    Most, however, don’t have the vaguest notion of what their home is worth and how much equity they’re sitting on.

    A proactive agent would’ve not only sent me a postcard when that home in my neighborhood hit the market, but she would’ve followed up a week or two later with an unsolicited, basic CMA. Again, circle prospecting around current real estate activity is one of the best ways to get listings.

    No, these three steps aren’t new, but they may be game-changers for an agent who is struggling to find homes for their buyers. They are also terrific at getting you back to that coveted top-of-mind position with your sphere.

    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 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

    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 

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

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

    6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

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

      In March 2021, the average list price reached an all-time high of $370,000, up 15.6% compared to this time last year.

      Home sales were 9.1% higher than one year ago and although the mortgage rates have increased slightly to the highest levels this year at 3.09% for a 30-year fixed, there are reasons to believe the housing market will continue to be strong throughout 2021 (NAR source).

      This means it’s still a seller’s market, which is the key point you’ll want to make when communicating with the homeowners in your CRM.

      1. Nothing better than a warm call

      Comb through your CRM for the warmest leads among your homeowners and start your campaign with these people as your target audience. Yes, even friends and family and past clients.

      Pick up the phone and start dialing for dollars. And, naturally, during the conversation you’ll want to let them know how desperate homebuyers are for homes in the area and, oh, by the way, “Do you know anyone who might be considering selling their home?”

      You’ll most likely not get the name of a red-hot listing lead, and that’s ok. You are now top-of-mind with these people.

      Real Estate Times postcard
      2. Go back after lost listings

      Not taking the listing after a presentation is painful. But, remember another old real estate lesson: “Stay in touch until they list – and beyond.”

      St. Paul, MN broker Teresa Boardman once spoke about one of her most cost-effective listing generating techniques that you can copy.

      Go through your CRM, looking for homeowners for whom you gave a listing presentation over the past three years.

      Check the MLS to find out if the home ever sold with another agent. If not, take this condensed list of sellers and send them a Real Estate Times postcard. Catch them up on the current hot market and explain why now is the perfect time to join it.

      Or stay in front of this hand-picked list for six months or more with a scheduled FARM, Get More Listings campaign. Learn more, HERE.

      Remember, #StayHome made millions of homeowners overly familiar with their homes, and many have found that the home no longer fits their needs.

      Always let these potential listings know how ideal the market is for sellers, how much equity they’ve built up, and about the super low current mortgage rates.

      Very early in her campaign, Boardman had taken one listing and another homeowner felt like a “real strong possibility.” A third was debating renting out her home or selling it.

      3. Don’t forget social media, especially now

      Connecting with people on social media is so easy right now. Since the outbreak of the pandemic over one year ago, internet usage has increased 70%, according to Mark Beech at Forbes.com.

      Real Estate Times postcard

      Studies from Pew Research claim that more than half (53%) of “… Americans say the internet has been essential in the past year. 

      The amount of time that Americans spend on social media platforms, in particular, has increased from 79 minutes per day in 2019 to 86 minutes per day in recent months.

      There is a lot of engagement to be had right now online, particularly on social media.

      Use all that important information you have up your sleeve to let sellers know that they won’t find a better time to sell their homes and to convince buyers that they should remain in the market.

      Yes, inventory is super tight and many homeowners still aren’t getting what an amazing time this is to sell their homes for top dollar.

      This is also the ideal time for real estate agents to market to niche prospects such as empty nesters, high-income renters, move-up market, fence-sitters, and more.

      With nine campaign categories to choose from, it’s now quick, easy, and affordable to schedule a targeted campaign.

      Hurry! FARM Scheduled Campaigns are on sale 10% OFF the first month for ONLY 3 MORE DAYS! (sale ends 4/17/21).
      Fence-Sitters Series, one of 19 FARM Scheduled Campaigns (shown above). Learn more, HERE

      TO LAUNCH AN FARM CAMPAIGN:

      Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to get started on your FARM Scheduled Campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).

      And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY for each mailing until it actually goes out (cancel or change each mailing up until the night before it goes out. The price shown at check out is per mailing, not campaign total).

      Launch an FARM 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

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

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

      5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

      6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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

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

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

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

      Become a big fish in a small pond

      If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember the advent of email and the rhetoric surrounding it.

      It was going to put the post office out of business, direct mail marketers would consider it the answer to their problems, and it was immensely less expensive than regular mail.

      Well, the post office is still in business and direct-mail marketing is a booming business.

      Think email is a more effective tool than direct mail to generate real estate leads? Read on to see the other side of the story.

      Direct mail cuts through the clutter

      “In the 1970s, it was extraordinary for a person to receive as many as 50 [email] messages a day. Today, it’s not unusual for someone to receive 1,000 messages in a day,” according to Dave Crocker, administrator of emailhistory.org.

      Raise your hand if you’ve ever received 1,000 pieces of direct mail on any given day.

      The truth is, the volume of direct mail has decreased, starting in 2016, according to the U.S. Postal Service and the Data and Marketing Association. While this may be bad news for the post office, it’s excellent news for real estate agents who use direct mail in their marketing mix. Why?

      Direct mail has a better response rate than email.

      Though the volume of mail sent decreased, the response rates increased. The decrease in the volume of “junk mail” that each American receives, means less competition for those who continue direct mail marketing.

      For real estate agents, that’s even better news.

      Go for the best ROI

      Let’s face it, many real estate agents are thrifty and when a less-expensive marketing alternative presents itself, they’ll take it. So, these agents rely more on email than on direct mail.

      “If competitors are abandoning the mailbox, they’re leaving you with a huge opportunity to dominate the channel that achieves the highest response rate,” says Debora Haskel of IWCO Direct.

      According to the Data and Marketing Association, direct mail boasts response rates that are from 10 to 30 times higher than that of email. It also delivers 10 percent more customers than email (according to the Direct Marketing Association, or DMA) and it’s more effective than email at inducing brand awareness.

      In fact, 75 percent of people could recall the brand immediately after seeing it in a direct mail piece while only 44 percent of them could recall the brand immediately after seeing a digital ad, according to Proactive Marketing. 

      The millennial misconception

      If you’re targeting millennial homebuyers in your marketing efforts, direct mail should be among your weapons. There’s a misconception that this generation is completely connected electronically in all aspects of their lives.

      Studies show, however, that when asked whether they were more likely to read an email with promotional content or a direct mail piece with the same content, 12 percent more millennials said they prefer the latter.

      Even more surprising, was their answer to this question: “Which is more effective at getting you to take action?” Thirty percent responded that direct mail prompts them to action, while only 24 percent said email.

      Choose your direct mail pieces strategically

      The perfect direct mail campaign starts with a plan. Define your goal, set objectives and determine your target audience. With this information, you can put together your mailing list and then design your marketing piece.

      Whether you’re mailing newsletters, postcards or anything else, your pieces need to cut through the clutter and stand out. To do that, keep text to a minimum and go heavy on the images.

      “Take as much time crafting the look of your mailer as you spend on crafting the words and messaging,” suggests exactask.com’s Adam Treiser.

      What formats do consumers prefer? The DMA found that oversized envelopes are opened more frequently than other direct mail pieces, followed by postcards.

      Most marketing experts recommend multichannel marketing. If direct mail isn’t among the mediums you use in your marketing efforts, perhaps it should be.

      Start getting more seller leads now!
      Send the Time is Right postcard from the Listing Inventory Series to at least 100 prospects in an area where you want more seller leads.

      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 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

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

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

      2. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

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

      3. 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

      Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

       Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

      MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

      Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

      Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero!

       

      Engage the right audience

      Ok, I’ll say it: some real estate clients are better than others. The qualities that go into the making of the ideal client are subjective, but the fact remains that your favorite clients, financially and otherwise, are head and shoulders above the rest.

      So, how can you attract more like them and fewer of the others?

      It starts with your branding. Since it’s the chief attractor of leads, improving your branding will help you attract more of the leads you are seeking.

      You are your branding

      Scary, right? Unless you are the agent that has spent a great deal of time working on your brand, what you are putting out there may appear unfocused and too general.

      Let’s break it down and see where you might need a new strategy.

      First, who is your target client? And, no, “anyone with a pulse” isn’t the correct answer. In fact, pursuing all real estate consumers is one of the most common mistakes real estate agents make. When you try to be the “every agent” to everyone, you lack focus and your brand gets watered down.

      Instead of standing out, you blend in.

      Take some time to think back on your past clients, picking out those you truly enjoyed working with and who were most profitable. See what each of them have in common and then write out their client profile, combining the commonalities among those on your list.

      Focus in

      Are you suffering a brand identity crisis? It happens frequently when agents don’t take the time to focus on a target client pool.

      For instance, suppose the primary real estate consumers in your area are Gen Xers with a family and a home to sell before they buy another. However, your blog posts and social media shares are about condos and your happy hour cocktail client events don’t speak to the primary client pool at all.

      Once you have narrowed down your ideal client, it’s time to customize your brand (and content is a main component) to appeal to and speak to that client.

      When you strategically focus your brand’s “voice,” you’re more likely to attract the clients you prefer.

      Keep it simple

      Hopefully, your brand communicates to potential clients in a way that engages them. Unless you’re a strictly luxury home agent, this means keeping your web content and blog posts simple – writing in plain English and at a 9th-grade level.

      Sounds weird until you understand that the average American adult reads at a 9th-grade level, although studies show that we prefer to read at a 7th-grade level, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy.

      Other studies show that nearly 80 percent of us don’t really read the words but scan the content. Therefore, the average reader isn’t looking for flowery prose, real estate jargon they can’t decipher, clichés or self-promotion.

      And, whatever you do, avoid trying to sound like every other agent in town.

      “Would you go to a dinner party and repeat what the person to the right of you is saying? Would that be interesting to anybody? Why are so many businesses saying the same things at the biggest party on the planet — the marketplace?” Jason Fried, co-founder of Basecamp asks in an article at Inc.com.

      Keep your content simple in vocabulary, friendly and engaging while you supply your ideal client with the real estate information he or she craves. How’s the current market? What step should I take next?

      Your brand’s voice, evident in your content is important, but it’s speaking to an empty room if you don’t promote it. Use social media channels and direct mail marketing to push out your branded content and bring more eyes back to your website and more calls to your phone.

      Brand voice is just one part of a brand, but, for real estate agents, it may just be the most important aspect.

      Are you currently focused on attracting sellers? What do sellers want more than anything? Buyers!
      Send the I Have a Buyer postcard from the Listing Inventory Series to 100 prospects in an area where you want more listings.

      Need help targeting 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 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

      1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

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

      2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

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

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

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

      Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

      Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

      MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

      Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

      Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become a hero!

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