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Monday, November 18, 2024

Marketing

    Someday, probably sooner than we imagine, sellers will be competing for buyers, while buyers will have vastly more choices in homes. First impressions matter, but never more so than when there aren’t enough buyers in the market.

    When it comes to showcasing your listings, high-quality photography can make all the difference. If you’ve never used the services of a pro real estate photographer, you’ll want to read on to learn why you should.

    And, most importantly, discover the questions you should ask to ensure you get the right photographer for your real estate business.

    Why clear, compelling listing photos are important

    It makes a great first impression 

    Your listings are essentially your products, and first impressions are crucial. Compelling photographs are the first point of contact for prospective buyers, drawing them in and sparking their interest.

    Showcases a property’s best features

    Skilled real estate photographers know how to capture a property’s strengths and minimize its weaknesses. They use their expertise in lighting, composition, and post-processing to make a home look its absolute best.

    Increases online visibility

    We already know from the various ocular movement studies that buyers’ eyes go right for the photo as soon as they pull up a listing. If there is no photo, they leave the page.

    If the photo is dark, crooked, or otherwise amateur in nature, most will also leave.

    Results in faster sales and higher prices

    Properties with professionally photographed online listings tend to sell faster and often at higher prices.

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

    Helps you ace your listing presentations

    Who is more likely to ace the listing presentation, the agent with DIY photographs of past listings or the one with gorgeous, jaw-dropping photographs?

    Here are the questions to ask when interviewing a photographer

    • Can I see your portfolio? Reviewing a photographer’s previous work will give you a sense of their style and the quality of their work.
    • Are you insured? Ensure that the photographer carries liability insurance in case of any accidents or damages during the shoot.
    • What equipment do you use? Ask about the type of camera, lenses, and lighting equipment they use to ensure they have the necessary tools for the job.
    • Do you offer post-processing services? Inquire about their editing and retouching capabilities to enhance the final images.
    • What is your availability? Confirm that the photographer can accommodate your scheduling needs, including weekends and evenings if necessary.
    • Do you provide virtual tours or drone photography? These additional services can enhance your listings and attract potential buyers. Yes, hiring a professional photographer will eat into your commission check. But without one, you may not even get the listing.

    With the right photographer, you’ll have the tools to make a lasting impression and close deals more effectively.

     

    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

    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 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

    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 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    

     

      A few weeks ago, we promised to update you on the latest social media demographics. We started with TikTok, and today we dive into Instagram.

      The criteria we used when choosing the “best” social media options is simple: Those in your target demographic should use the platform heavily. If that includes buyers and sellers, you’ll want to hang out where baby boomers do. 

      If, on the other hand, you are targeting millennial real estate consumers, we can show you where to spend your time.

      Remember, when it comes to marketing your real estate business, targeting is critical. Otherwise, you are wasting both your time and money.

      Let’s talk Instagram

      Although India leads the world in Instagram users, with more than 225 million active users, the U.S. comes in second, with “… at least 143.4 million active users,” according to DataReportal.com.

      Instagram tends to attract a young crowd in the U.S., with ages 18 to 24 accounting for its largest audience share (27.7). The second-largest share of audience is those aged 25-to-34 … to which 25.7% of Instagrammers belong,” according to data from Oberlo.com.

      Pay close attention to this statistic: “As of 2022, around 87% of Instagram’s 1.31 billion users who might potentially be targeted with ads are outside the United States.”

      If you’re selling international real estate, this statistic may not bother you. But that nearly 90% of the platform’s targeted users are outside the U.S. should be a deal breaker for real estate agents.

      Add to that the young age of the average user. There are platforms with far better demographics if you’re looking for potential homebuyers and sellers.

      Who you should be targeting

      Although we went over this in our last post about TikTok, in a nutshell, baby boomers are the ones buying and selling right now, making up 39% of buyers. According to the NAR, they have overtaken millennials’ share of the buyer pool (28%).

      Sellers? Baby boomers again, but Gen X is part of the pool as well. NAR says the typical seller is 60 years old.

      So, we’ve struck out with both TikTok and Instagram. But check back because soon we’ll have the winners of which the-social-media-platforms-are-best-for-real-estate- agents contest.

      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 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 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

      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

        Marketing is a crucial part of any business, specifically a real estate business because it helps in the following ways,
        • It promotes your services to target audiences,
        • Builds brand recognition,
        • And generate leads and sales. 

        However, for marketing to be effective, it must be seen by consumers repeatedly. 

        There is a term for this: “Brand Conditioning.” Over time, this type of marketing of a product or service results in a higher conversion rate due to increased consumer confidence.

        Repeat exposure to a brand or message is necessary for the brand to psychologically impact consumer behavior – it’s the true science of marketing.

        Here are Five Ways Repeat Exposure to Real Estate Marketing Works: 

        Reason # 1 – Repeat exposure helps to build brand recognition. 

        Consumers must be familiar with your brand to trust it enough to consider using your services. The term for this is “Brand awareness.”

        Brand awareness measures how memorable and recognizable your brand is to a target audience.

        With repeat exposure, consumers become more familiar and more likely to remember your brand, thus increasing brand confidence and awareness. 

        Once they understand your brand, they can differentiate it from other competing brands as well.

        The Looking For Listings Scheduled Campaign is shown above. To learn more, Click HERE.

        Reason #2 – Repeat exposure helps to reinforce the message you are delivering. 

        When consumers are exposed to your message multiple times, they are more likely to remember what’s special about you and your business; your value proposition.

        A value proposition is a service or feature about your real estate business that makes you attractive to customers. Hopefully, it is unique as well.

        An example might be, “my years of experience allow me to sell homes faster”.

        Understanding your message has a stronger impact on their long-term behavior toward your business. 

        Reason #3 – Repeat exposure to your message is important for the lead generation cycle.

        When a consumer is exposed to your brand multiple times, they’re more likely to take action and reach out to you for your services. 

        This is because your brand message is reinforced with each mailing that you send and the consumer is more likely to remember it when making a decision on a realtor. 

        In fact, scientific studies have proven a consumer needs to be exposed to the marketing of a business on average 20 times to be sold on using that service or buying that product.

        It takes seeing the marketing 5 times before a consumer will stop and read it.

        Reason # 4 – Repeat exposure to your brand illustrates your professionalism and ups your credibility.

        It demonstrates that you are committed to marketing, including delivering a consistent and strong message over time.

        This is perceived by the consumer as a form of marketing or a level of professionalism that you will likely carry through to your real estate clients and the marketing of their homes.

        As they say, “the proof is in the putting.” You can tell a potential client how much you will market for them, but showing them through your marketing is a much more powerful demonstration. 

        Reason #5 – Repeat exposure to your branding is essential for developing relationships. 

        By delivering a consistent brand message, you can build relationships with your target audience as they slowly get to know you better and rely on your content. 

        They begin to see you as the local area expert based on the “Just Sold” and Just Listed” success stories you send them, the educational content they receive from you, and the local area market stats you share.

        Now that you understand the importance of marketing repetition 

        Launching a scheduled postcard campaign is an easy way to get in front of your market and stay there long enough to develop the brand recognition we’ve discussed above.

        ProspectsPLUS! offers over 40 scheduled postcard campaigns in various niches, and it takes only seconds to set one up. 

        Once your campaign is launched, your postcards are automatically delivered month after month to your market while you attend to other high-level tasks.

        To learn more about scheduled campaigns, Click HERE.

        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 

        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

          It’s safe to assume that most home sellers and buyers don’t know the meaning of “LTV,” they may have never used the word “contingency”, and the word “title” is just a name of a book.

          Studies show that the average adult reads at a 9th-grade level and that we actually prefer our reading material to be at a 7th-grade level.

          The words you choose to use on your website, in your listing descriptions, and direct mail pieces can make or break the visitor’s or recipient’s experience.

          The good news is that writing for an audience of everyday people isn’t at all like what you learned in high school or college. It’s easier, and it’s more fun.

          1. Ditch the insider lingo

          Unless your audience consists solely of other real estate professionals, using real estate lingo is like writing in a foreign language to an English-only reader. Check out this real-life example:

          “If you’re buying a home and apply for a mortgage, one critical factor in

          whether you secure financing is your loan-to-value ratio.”

          There’s no crime in using normal, everyday American English. So, let’s redo it:

          “Something you’ve probably never heard of may stand between you and the interest rate of your dreams: The loan-to-value ratio, or LTV for short.  Welcome to the world of real estate, my friend, this is just the beginning of a list of terms you’ll be hearing a lot in the months to come. So, what is the LTV?”

          Don’t’ assume that your reader understands commonly-used words and acronyms used in real estate, such as LTV, CMA, contingency, addendum, consideration, and one that we see frequently in the current market, absorption rate.

          Take the time to explain them, in plain, friendly English.

          2. Why so overly-formal?

          “Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is to use the first word that comes to your mind if it is appropriate and colorful,” author Stephen King cautions in his book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.”

          Let’s take another look at our first example. Check out the formal-yet-clunky vocabulary. “Critical factor” can easily be replaced with “an important factor” and “secure financing” should be changed to “get a loan.”

          After all, when one of your clients gets the mortgage he wants, that’s exactly how he describes it: “I got a mortgage,” not “I obtained” “procured” or “secured financing.”

          Take off your real estate hat for a minute and imagine that you’re a consumer, wanting to buy a house. You run across this on an agent’s website or a direct mail piece:

          “Our agents will apply their extensive community knowledge and professional

          resources to find your dream home.”

          Is there anything in that sentence that would make you pick up your phone and ask to hire one of their agents? All we can imagine is sitting in a car, hour after hour, with someone who speaks like this.

          No thanks.

          Consider replacing some of the most common formalities you find in real estate blogs and other written content:

          • “Use our services” rather than “utilize” them.
          •  “Talk about the process” instead of “discussing” it.
          • Dare we suggest this one? “home loan” instead of “mortgage.”
          • Finally, can we all agree that “real estate” and “properties” are things investors buy and that everyday people buy homes, condos, houses?

          An engaging, friendly writing style will help potential clients get to know and like you, and offering them valuable information in an easy-to-understand form gets their trust.

          Use the same, short, easy-to-understand sentences you use when speaking with a friend and you’ll be on your way.

          DID YOU KNOW WE’RE HAVING A WE HEART YOU 10% OFF POSTCARD SALE?

          BUT ONLY FOR 3 MORE DAYS!

          Use Promo Code – HEART10 

          at check out to take advantage of this limited-time offer (excludes postage, data, EDDM, and scheduled campaigns).

          Hurry! This offer expires Saturday, August 31st at midnight!

          GO 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 NEW 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically every month to an exclusive carrier route (membership includes your own online Homes & Life Agent Magazine). 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

            Are You on Track to Accomplish Your Goals?

            To provide you with every tactical advantage during the second quarter of 2021, we’re giving you two free gifts.

            1. The FREE 12-month Real Estate Marketing Planner
            2. The Easy Online Business Plan (a weekly revenue-generator)

            If you already have these tools, NOW is the time to revisit them to ensure you’re doing everything to stay on track and MEET your 2021 revenue goals!

            1.The Free Real Estate Marketing Planner –

            A powerful weekly guide that tells you where to focus your marketing attention each week of the year to achieve more closings. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence.

            To Download your FREE Real Estate Marketing Planner, click the “GO NOW” button below.

            2.Interactive Business Plan –

            2021 Business Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

            An easy online business plan that breaks down how many prospects, listings, and closings you’ll need on a weekly basis to hit your revenue goals for the remainder of the year.

            To complete your FREE Interactive Business Plan online in just minutes, click the “GO NOW” button below.

            Want More Referrals? Stay connected to your Sphere with a Content Card Campaign.

            It’s currently on sale 10% OFF the first month – sale ending in 3 days.

            SOI, Content Card Scheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE

            TO LAUNCH AN SOI, Content Card CAMPAIGN:

            Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer). Use promo code: CONTENT10 to save 10% off the first month.

            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).

            Launch an SOI, Content Card 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. Become a Neighborhood Brand

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

            2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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

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

            3. 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

            4. 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

            5. 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

            6. 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

            7. 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

              Real estate agents have done an amazing job pivoting their businesses in 2020. You’ve got that Zoom thing down like a pro and have figured out what makes a winning video walkthrough.

              And, just as there was no way we could have predicted a pandemic back in 2019, who knows for certain what 2021 will look like.

              Regardless of what’s to come now’s the time to get dialed in on what will provide optimum success in the New Year based on best practices.

              Americans are a captive audience

              Recently, we suggested you go big on social media engagement, at least during the first quarter of 2021.

              After researching what other agents are considering we also feel the need to urge you to come up with a content marketing strategy.

              It’s easy to get started and it doesn’t have to crush your pocketbook. It all starts with getting clear on your audience and then creating and distributing content to them, consistently, according to the pros at the Content Marketing Institute.

              Get More Listings Scheduled Campaign
              Who are you trying to reach?

              Think carefully about who you are targeting, buyers or sellers, and what niches within those groups.

              Figure out their most pressing concerns and questions. Then, deliver content that offers solutions specific to them.

              Content creation

              Creating content can be accomplished by your own fingers on the keyboard or graphics software or by hiring a writer and/or designer.

              If you have more time than money, the DIY solution is perfect.

              However, if your time is better spent on another part of your business, and money is tight for you, consider visiting Upwork.com or Fiverr.com to choose from among the thousands of freelancers looking for work.

              Once you’ve figured out which topics would be of the most value to your audience, it’s time to get them out of your brain and into an easy-to-read and understandable form.

              That “form” will depend on how you’ve decided to distribute content. For instance, if you’ll be writing blog posts, remember to organize your thoughts in a logical manner and use lots of white space, bulleted lists, subheadings, etc.

              Content Card Series Scheduled Campaign

              Direct mail marketing pieces should follow best practices as well. To ensure this happens, take advantage of the plethora of professionally designed marketing templates available on ProspectsPLUS.com.

              All of the marketing available on ProspectsPLUS! is created by their in-house direct response marketing experts, ensuring you deliver the right message, to the right audience, at the right time.

              Which leads us to a related question:

              How will you distribute that amazing content?

              Content distribution tactics vary and include not only direct mail, mentioned above, but also:

              • Blog posts
              • Ebooks
              • Infographics
              • Newsletters (either via email or direct mail)
              • Social media content
              • Videos
              • Podcasts

              Whichever vehicles you choose, ensure that you can use them consistently, based on the 3-7-27 Law of Branding. That’s the key to a winning content strategy.

              To make consistency easy, take advantage of scheduled campaigns on ProspectsPLUS.com. Schedule an SOI or Farm campaign for up to one year in just minutes.

              You don’t pay until each mailing goes out, and you can cancel or change your order at any time up until the night before your mailing.

              Get started with your 2021 content marketing by launching an SOI Scheduled Campaign.

              Definition Series Scheduled Campaign

              Get your 2021 marketing in place now, so that you can focus your attention on other high-level tasks throughout the new year.

              And, right now, ProspectsPLUS! is offering a 3 Extra Closing a Year Guarantee if you schedule a one year SOI campaign.

              Watch this video (below) to learn more about just how easy it is to launch a scheduled campaign.

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

              1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

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

              2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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

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

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

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

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

              4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

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

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

              5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

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

              6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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

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

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

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

                There was a time, you may recall, when a product or service with a review from an expert or celebrity was perceived by the public as better than those without these reviews.

                While the latter still holds true (Oprah need only mention the name of a product to skyrocket its sales), the consumer has stolen the power from the experts. Which is amazing for real estate agents.

                We don’t know for sure, but a lot of the credit for the popularity of crowdsourced reviews goes to Jeremy Stoppelman and the flu virus. The latter took Stoppelman online to search for reviews of local doctors. Not finding any, the former PayPal employee decided, with help from Russ Simmons (also formerly with PayPal), to create Yelp.

                Just Listed Color Series

                Today, many of us won’t eat in a restaurant or buy a tube of toothpaste without consulting Yelp or Amazon reviews.

                Is it any wonder then that client testimonials are powerful indications of the level of skill, trustworthiness and customer service of the person one chooses to help sell such an enormous investment–a home?

                Capturing word-of-mouth

                When Stoppelman and Simmons were kicking around the idea that became Yelp, their goal became to “… create something online that could capture word-of-mouth.”

                Word-of-mouth, especially if it comes from one’s sphere of influence (primarily friends and family), is amazingly powerful, according to a Nielson study. Eighty three percent of consumers surveyed in that study trust the opinions of friends and family about a product or service “… above all other forms of advertising.”

                What about other consumers? The ones you aren’t related to? It turns out that two-thirds of them trust “consumer opinions posted online,” according to Nielson.

                With statistics like that, why do so many real estate agents ignore the power of testimonials?

                If you are still relying on presenting your testimonials in text version on a dedicated page on your website, quit it. Those text reviews belong front and center – the best on your home page and the rest sprinkled throughout your site.

                But, don’t stop there.

                Build even more trust with testimonial videos

                Maybe I’m a little skeptical, but when I read a testimonial without a photo of the giver, my trust goes down. My trust is further eroded if the person who gave the testimonial isn’t fully named – “A. Smith” doesn’t exactly help create trust.

                Sure, you can (and should) add your clients’ photos to their testimonials, with their permission of course. While you’re asking for permission, explain that you need to use their full name as well.

                Multi-Photo Series

                The best trust-builder, however, is for potential clients to actually see and hear the testimonial, via video.

                While NAR studies show that homebuyers don’t find listing videos as helpful, other studies show that “When asked how they’d most like to learn about a product or service, two-thirds of people (66%) said they’d prefer to watch a short video.”

                You don’t need to spend a fortune on the production of these videos. Go big like agent Greg Guinto, make them laugh, like Albert Pavon, or go the budget route (just make it shorter please) like agent Chad Smith.

                When creating your video testimonials, keep them short and “… do a gut check to make sure you’re using everyday language and everyday people,” cautions Ken Wheaton at ThinkWithGoogle.com.

                Post your testimonial videos on your website, of course, but share them on social media and in emails as well.

                Just Sold Color Series
                Promote your success to your Sphere and the area you just sold a home by sending a Just Sold postcard.
                There’s no better way to demonstrate your ability to succeed to future home sellers.

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

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

                1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

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

                2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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

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

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

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

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

                4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

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

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

                5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

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

                6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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

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

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

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

                  When I was buying a home a couple of years ago, I met with an agent at a nearby Starbucks. His entire buyer’s consultation consisted of trying to get me to sign a buyer’s agreement.

                  No matter what I asked him about, from current market conditions to requesting a referral to a lender, it always came back to me having a pen shoved in my direction.

                  No, he didn’t win me over as a client.

                  Sure, it’s important to many buyers’ agents to get a signature on that agreement. But a little foreplay would’ve been nice and probably would’ve resulted in getting my signature.

                  You have a lot of valuable information to impart, especially to first-time buyers. Providing excellent customer service demands that you share this information with potential clients. The payoff is a more relaxed client and a smoother transaction.

                  The pandemic has us all going a bit stir crazy, but using the time to prepare yourself to be more customer-service oriented when it’s over is a wise move.

                  Here’s a list of parts of the homebuyer process that confuse buyers the most. Use explanations of them in your consultation.

                  What’s the local market like?

                  Establish yourself as the local expert right out of the gate. Explain to your buyers that what they read in the national news about the housing market doesn’t necessarily pertain to the local market.

                  Outline the difference between a buyers’ and sellers’ market and how they come about. Dive into current local market conditions and how it pertains to their home-shopping process. What will you do to help alleviate any market conditions that may be challenging for them?

                  Finally, a thorough, easy-to-understand explanation of market value is in order. And, no, you don’t need to present these facts orally. An infographic or text explanation that they can take with them is even better.

                  Mortgages confuse first-time homebuyers

                  Nearly a quarter of first-time buyers haven’t seen a lender. They don’t know if they can even qualify for a mortgage let alone how much they can spend.

                  Yet, they are out looking at homes for sale, according to a survey commissioned by Discover Financial Services.

                  Crazy, right? Why are listing agents allowing non pre-approved buyers to tour their clients’ homes? Why aren’t buyers’ agents counselling their clients about the importance of seeing a lender?

                  The dangers in the latter include buyers not knowing that they shouldn’t apply for credit or buy anything on credit. They don’t get that they shouldn’t change jobs and areg clueless about that second credit pull just before closing

                  From application to underwriting and closing, your buying clients deserve an in-depth explanation of the mortgage process. If your preferred lender doesn’t supply this (and most don’t), then it’s up to you to do so.

                  That downright scary home inspection report

                  The chances are pretty good that most first-time homebuyers have never seen a home inspection report. Pity, because it would help prepare them for what is to come.

                  From photos enlarged to super-giant-size to technical jargon that nobody outside of the construction industry understands, the results of a home inspection appear to most buyers as big, fat dollar signs flying out the window.

                  Let your buying clients know that:

                  • Although the report may seem nit-picky, the inspector is tasked with being thorough.
                  • Problems in photos may appear far worse than they actually are.
                  • If something big does turn up, “we can handle it.” Let your clients know their options (walking away from the deal, negotiating with the seller for repairs, etc.).

                  HOAs and their documents

                  Gotta love that mountain of paperwork the HOA provides buyers of homes in managed communities.

                  Filled with legalese, it’s almost impossible for the average buyer to know, first, what to look for, and, second, how to decipher the information when she finds it.

                  As an agent, your best course of action is to outline the typical docs in a HOA package, highlighting the ones that buyers should pay close attention to.

                  Then, urge them to run the whole package by an attorney. Unless you are one, of course.

                  Staying home, as we’ve all been urged to do, doesn’t have to be filled with long days binging on Netflix or catching up on home maintenance chores. Take some time to work on the parts of your real estate business that you’ve let fall by the wayside.

                  Send a The Clean-Your-Plate-Pancake recipe postcard from the COVID-19 Series to an area where you want more listings.

                  Need help targeting a specific 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 some Free resources we’ve made available to support your success.

                  1. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

                  The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted mailing 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

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

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

                  3. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

                  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. The 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

                    Best Books for Agents

                    While there are agents who are still managing to carry on business as usual during the pandemic, many are hunkered down at home, trying desperately to figure out what to do next.

                    You could bust your boredom like Katherine Hahn, but it won’t do much to fan the flames of your real estate brand or make you more productive when we come out of the other end of this thing.

                    The At-Home postcards are from the COVID-19 Series in the postcard section.

                    We’ve come up with several ideas to help you out and we start with hunkering-down reading material. Some of our suggestions are older books, but the information within them is still brilliant. Others are newer offerings with tips on digital marketing especially. And, a few are pure escapism.

                    Follow the link in the title of each book to learn more about it.

                    1. The Social Agent’ 2.0 Update: The Evolution of Digital Marketing, Tony Giordano

                    Considered a “celebrity real estate agent,” Giordano is also a national speaker and author who prefers to show, not tell, how to do social media right as a real estate agent.

                    The book’s reviews on Amazon can attest to his success with that, with one reviewer claiming that “Tony goes into some detail on what to actually do, instead of just ideas, which I appreciate.”

                    Giordano talks about “Online Presence vs. Present Online,” and explains how “Everyone is present yet few have presence.”

                    ‘the social agent’ is also available at Barnes&Noble, which is currently offering free curbside pickup for online orders.

                    2. What to Post: How to Create Engaging Social Media Content that Builds Your Brand and Gets Results (for Real Estate), by Chelsea Peitz

                    Like “the social agent 2.0,” this book dives deep into various social media strategies. Peitz, however, promises that What to Post is “… a step-by-step guide that will help you create a fail-proof social media content strategy that will give you an unfair advantage on platforms like Facebook and Instagram and generate FREE real estate leads.”

                    Unlike a lot of real estate-specific books on the market, What to Post was published in February 2020, so you won’t find a section about what to post on MySpace and other outdated, non-existent platforms.

                    Peitz, by the way, is the national director of social sales for Fidelity National Financial, as well as a social media coach and brand developer.

                    The At-Home postcards are from the COVID-19 Series in the postcard section.

                    Since social media marketing should be among your go-to methods right now–while most people are hunkered down and spending lots of time online–this may just be the ideal book to read.

                    Go take a peek inside the book at Amazon.com.

                    3. Lead with Heart: Transform Your Business Through Personal Connection, by Tom Gartland

                    First, let’s address the Amazon ratings. There are only three and one of them is from what sounds like a disgruntled former employer. He or she really doesn’t review the book, so we’re disregarding it and hope that you will too.

                    Why?

                    Since its publication in 2018, many agents have suggested this book to others. For instance, Minnesota broker and mega-agent Kris Lindahl raves about Gartland’s leadership principles.

                    Especially if you are leading a team of agents, give this book a read.

                    4. Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business, by Ann Handley

                    We love that Handly devotes an entire chapter to creating case studies. Too few agents use them in their marketing and, if done right, they are so powerful.

                    But you’ll also learn the art of blogging, how to put together a killer ebook, podcast or video.

                    Content Rules is also available at Barnes&Noble.

                    Escapism

                    After an evening spent watching the news or hanging out on social media, do you ever find yourself in “the panic that comes with knowing too much and being able to do so little?”

                    Elena Nicolaou, culture editor at OprahMag.com, calls this “coronanxiety.” Her secret for fighting it?

                    “Feel-Good Books.” Although many might consider this escapism, Nicolaou cites the many psychologists who “… recommend reading as a coping mechanism during high stress moments.”

                    Fiction is ideal right now, the perfect vehicle for “… the off-ramp of reality,” as Nicolaou calls it.

                    So, what’s the recommendation? There are far too many to single out one. In fact, here’s a link to the Modern Library’s list of the “100 Best Novels” so you can choose. 

                    We’ve chosen a few of our favorite “couldn’t-put-them-down” books:

                    11/22/63, by Stephen King

                    Appaloosa, by Robert B. Parker

                    The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein

                    The Kin of Ata are Waiting for You, by Dorothy Bryant

                    The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

                    The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett

                    Happy reading and stay healthy!

                    The At-Home postcards are from the COVID-19 Series in the postcard section.
                    Send a postcard from the COVID-19 Series to your Sphere or Farm. Let them know you’re thinking about them by offering DIY projects and family fun to keep busy during the stay-at-home orders.

                    Need help targeting a specific 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 some Free resources we’ve made available to support your success.

                    1. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

                    The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted mailing 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

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

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

                    3. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

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

                    4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

                    5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

                    6. The 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

                      Can someone point out where it’s written that real estate agents need to be active on every social media platform?

                      I didn’t think so.

                      Real estate agents, if they’re doing it right, have insanely busy schedules and little help with the scut work.

                      Not that marketing your business is necessarily scut work, but the actual implementation of social media marketing methods often is.

                      Since demographics on these platforms ebb and flow, it’s challenging to figure out which ones are worthy of your precious time and money and which to cut loose.

                      The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in the Postcard Section

                      So, we thought we’d help you out a bit by doing some of the research for you.

                      It’s all about the demographics

                      “Popularity was fickle and elusive, like trying to catch fireflies in a jar,” according to author Melissa de la Cruz. While she wasn’t referring to social media, the quote certainly fits.

                      It’s important to not buy into the hype when researching social media platforms. That Twitter boasts 330 million monthly active users means nothing other than that a whole bunch of people use it.

                      The two most important statistics for real estate agents to know are:

                      • How many of these users are located in the U.S.?
                      • A breakdown of these U.S. users by age group

                      For instance, of those 330 million monthly Twitter users, only 20 percent are located in the U.S. There are other social media platforms that offer a larger U.S. user base.

                      The age of the average user is critically important for real estate agents when choosing where to market their businesses.

                      The NAR breaks down buyers and sellers according to generational cohorts:

                      Millennials will be between the ages of 25-43 in 2020. They represent:

                      • 37 percent of buyers
                      • 20% of sellers

                      Gen X members are between the ages of 44 and 55 this year and they represent:

                      • 24% of buyers
                      • 25% of sellers

                      Baby Boomers are age 56-74 in 2020 and they make up:

                      • 32% of the buyer pool
                      • 43% of sellers

                      Keep in mind that the average age of a homebuyer is 47 and the average age of a home seller is 57, according to the NAR.

                      Obviously, if you are a listing agent you are going to want to put your marketing money and time into the platform that attracts baby boomers and older members of Gen X.

                      The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in teh Postcard Section

                      Buyers’ agents should go all-in on platforms that are popular with Gen X but figure out where millennials hang out as well.

                      Facebook

                      Every year when we take a look back at social media user statistics Facebook comes out the clear winner and, although its popularity is waning, 2020 should be no exception.

                      Last year, the largest group of U.S. Facebook users were millennials, at 84 percent. The next largest age group, 30 to 49, includes younger members of Gen X.

                      Older generations are well-represented as well, with two-thirds of older Gen Xers and boomers and nearly half of older boomers (older than 65) using Facebook.

                      Facebook remains a no-brainer for real estate agents, whether trying to boost organic traffic to websites or using targeted advertising.

                      Instagram

                      Our opinion? For real estate agents, Instagram is mostly not as effective as Facebook.

                      • Of the platform’s 1 billion users, only 11 percent reside in the U.S.
                      • Only one-third of the most-viewed stories are from businesses.
                      • Instagram ranks sixth in global popularity (Hootsuite).
                      • Instagram’s largest user base (64 percent) is between the ages of 18 and 34.

                      Consider this as well:

                      If your looking to target a younger demographic this is a great platform.

                      Don’t be sucked in by the number of businesses that use the platform. Their targeted demographics are most likely not nearly as narrow as yours. For instance, they may be after a global audience or want to appeal to teens and young adults.

                      If you are already creating posts for Facebook, it should be fairly easy to copy them and post to Instagram as well. The more reach and visibility you can generate from posting your brand or listings the better!

                      Remember to keep a close eye on your targeted audience and make sure your content matches the demographic.

                      The Valentine’s Day postcards are available under the Holiday Series in teh Postcard Section

                      Check back soon when we compare two more popular social media platforms.

                      Send Valentine’s Day postcard from the Holiday Series to your Sphere of Influence. Let them know you are thinking about them.

                      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. 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

                       

                       

                       

                      4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

                       

                       

                       

                      5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

                       

                       

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