Shown above: Postcards from various Just Listed/Just Sold Series and Anita Blue’s postcard. See more Just Listed postcards HERE
Congratulations, Anita Blue you are the winner of this week’s $120 gift card!
Anita had the following words to say about her success after sending a Just Listed postcard through ProspectsPLUS!,
“ProspectsPLUS! not only has a variety of postcards to choose from, they also deliver my postcards in a timely manner. It makes farming easy and effective.” – Anita Blue
Thank you, Anita, for your supportive feedback. We are cheering you on!
NEW CONTEST STARTS NOW: Get the FIRST MONTH of Any Scheduled Campaign For FREE! ($120 value)
FARM, Call to Action Series Scheduled Campaign shown above.Learn more, HERE
Enter this week’s contest for a chance to win a $120 gift card covering the first month of ANY Scheduled Campaign.
The scheduled campaign includes 150 jumbo-sized postcards, sent standard postage (excluding data and tax. Includes only the first month free of a new campaign).
HOW TO ENTER: Just leave a review regarding how using marketing from ProspectsPLUS! has impacted your business, and you’re automatically entered into our next contest.
Mention a “scheduled campaign you’ve launched” in your review and your entry into the contest is doubled.
Don’t forget to watch out for next Friday’s email announcing the weekly winner!
Ready to Schedule an SOI, Farm, Get More Listing, Holiday or Absentee Owner Campaign?
Just Sold Follow-up Scheduled Campaign shown above, learn moreHERE
Launch a Scheduled Campaign today and save time on your marketing by automating it!
You Can Launch a Scheduled Campaign to any of the following Markets in Just Minutes:
Sphere of Influence Geographic Farm Just Sold Follow-up Holiday Renters Absentee Owners Expireds FSBOs Fence Sitters* Get More Listings* Empty Nesters* Move-Up Market*
(*Located under Farm Campaigns)
And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY for each mailing until it actually goes out (cancel or change each mailing up until the night before mailing goes out. The price shown at check out is per mailing, not campaign total).
TO GET STARTED:
STEP 1: Create your prospect list using our mailing list tools, HERE.
STEP 2: Then, once you have your list, choose your Campaign, select your start date, and add your list, HERE or hit “Launch a Scheduled Campaign”, below.
Most real estate agents know that staged homes sell faster and for more money. Some, however, go beyond merely suggesting staging to their listing clients.
Rather than lay the burden of staging on their clients, these agents bring in a staging team, at no expense to the homeowner.
What seller services do you offer? Does that list on your real estate website include the usual?
“Complimentary home value analysis!”
“Open Houses & Broker Tours”
“Your home will be entered into the MLS”
“Your home will be featured on our website”
“Place a distinctive [name of brokerage] for-sale sign on the property”
“Active promotion to my expansive network”
“I will bring the buyers to you” (for more information on how to do this by becoming a Market Maker, watch this video)
These are actual “Seller Services” offered by agents on their websites.
If you are tired of not getting the listing and want to truly offer value, thereby standing apart from the crowd, it’s time to change things up. Read on for some tips.
Complimentary Pre-Sale Home Inspection
As you know, when a problem is unearthed by the inspector, the entire transaction is at risk.
Why not be proactive and head off as many challenges as possible before putting the home on the market? Offer your listing clients a free, pre-market home inspection.
Yes, some agents balk at the idea, claiming that the inspection now becomes a disclosure item. And that’s true.
The flipside to this is that the items on the pre-sale inspection list will most likely show up on the buyer’s inspection report as well.
A pre-market inspection allows the homeowner to make the repairs that the lender or buyer will most likely demand.
If for some reason your client can’t or won’t make repairs, you’ll have the time to determine upfront how to deal with repair requests and to have that heart-to-heart about lowering the asking price.
Professional Photography
I don’t need to tell you that there are far too many agents out there who are still snapping listing photos on their smartphones.
Since the first showing of a home typically happens online, it needs to be ultra-compelling.
We know many successful agents who have left the old ways behind and offer the services of a professional photographer to snap the marketing photos. Yet, that service isn’t listed on any of the websites we researched for this blog post.
Virtual Tours
Over the past few months, the popularity of 3D tours has outpaced other types of virtual tours, including video.
In fact, a recent study by the NAR claims that “Consumers Strongly Prefer Listings With 3D Tours.” Here are a few other things you should know about virtual tours:
“About 55% of survey respondents say they’d even consider buying a property sight unseen if there was a 3D tour available in the online listing.” (NAR)
Agents who use 3D tours in their marketing of listings sell them 20% quicker and for 9% more than agents who don’t use them. (Matterport survey)
Almost 80% of real estate consumers say they would switch to a real estate agent who offers 3D tours of homes for sale [Matterport survey]
Consumers are demanding more than a video of a home’s interior. They want the ability to virtually tour homes without someone else deciding what they can and cannot view.
If other agents in your market offer this service and you don’t, the chances are pretty good that you won’t get the listing.
Do yourself a favor and earmark some marketing dollars for at least one, true, seller service before the end of this year.
The Get More Listings Scheduled Campaign is currently on sale for 10% OFF the first month– 3 More Days!
Get More Listings Scheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A GET MORE LISTINGS CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).
USE PROMO CODE: LIST10 to get 10% Off at check out.
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). This sale expires 9/18/21.
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…below are some helpful tools 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. The Automated Way to 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
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. The 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
6. 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
7. The Free 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 prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
Ah, the humble postcard. So simple, yet filled with so much power.
For a time, it appeared that the selfie would replace the non-business postcard, but recent statistics say no.
In fact, in the recent Harris Poll Essential 100, Americans named the U.S. Postal Service as the number one most essential business’ in the country.
Never has this been more evident than in the real estate industry, which is seeing a resurgence in the use of “time-tested” marketing methods and direct mail is at the top of this list.
A late April Valassis survey found that 30% of consumers are spending more time reading the direct mail marketing pieces they receive.
There is an art to creating an effective postcard marketing campaign, though.
No, it’s not difficult, but there are certain strategies that work better than others. Let’s take a look at the most important of these.
It all starts with your audience
A Scheduled SOI Campaign is ideal for keeping in touch with your past clients and other VIPs in your sphere. And, ProspectsPLUS! offers a 3 extra closing guarantee when you Schedule a one-year SOI Campaign.
Postcards are also ideal for another type of lead generation – niche marketing. Decide on who it is you want to attract, buyers or sellers, and more specifically which niche of buyers and sellers, and launch a campaign.
The narrowing down of possible leads to focus on helps the rest of your marketing plan go more smoothly and increases your potential ROI.
If you’re looking for listings, find out the median duration of homeownership in your area. ATTOM Data Solutions’ most recent U.S. Home Sales Report shows that homeowners owned their homes an average of 7.95 years.
As we know, all real estate is local, so if you can find the data for your area, rely on that instead of the national numbers.
For instance, ATTOM also finds that homeowners in five Connecticut cities have the longest tenure, while those “… in Colorado Springs, CO … Oklahoma City, OK … Grand Rapids, MI …Denver, CO … and Minneapolis, MN had the shortest.
The Absentee Owner Campaign is shown above. Learn more HERE
This information helps you narrow your mailing list even further. You’re now looking for homeowners who purchased their homes at least six years ago (or whatever number is appropriate for your market).
How far back should you go?
“If someone bought last year or 30 years ago, they’re probably not looking to sell,” according to James McGrath, co-founder at Yoreevo in NYC.
“You want to be in that sweet spot of owners of 5-7 years,” he concludes.
The more you drill down in demographics, tenure, and the like with tools like the Demographic Search Tool (for niche marketing) and MapMyMail (for radial and pinpoint polygon lists), the more targeted the list and the better the response will be to your real estate direct mail campaign.
Absentee owners have been a popular target market this year. A targeted list of absentee owners in your local market can be easily created with the MapMyMail search tool (just select the “absentee owner” radio button in step 2).
We offer a number of brilliant Absentee Owner postcards as well. Make your marketing easy by scheduling an automated Absentee Owner Campaign.
Prefer targeting buyers?
Why not bring YOUR OWN buyer to the table. NAR states home buyers move within 15 miles of their last location. This means there’s a good chance your farm’s home buyers are renters located in the same area.
Geographic farming in some of the most popular apartment and condo complexes in your market is a good place to start. Narrow the search to tenants between the ages of 30 and 49. You might also want to narrow your target audience further, according to income.
Did you know our Farm, Get More Listings Scheduled Campaigns are currently on sale 10% OFF the first month?
Farm, Get More Listings Scheduled Campaign is shown above. Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A GET MORE LISTINGS CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below (from a desktop or laptop computer) and choose the Get More Listings Series of postcards.
USE PROMO CODE: LIST10 to get 10% Off at check out.
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). This sale expires on 9/18/21.
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…below are some helpful tools 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. The Automated Way to 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
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. The 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
6. 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
7. The Free 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 prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
Don’t be surprised if, at least at the beginning of a new client relationship, you’re treated with skepticism and mistrust.
This is specifically true during uncertain times.
Building trust is a barrier that must be scaled for every agent when developing a new client relationship.
And, even after you’ve won them over, there are plenty of new objections you may have to overcome.
Objection Handling Brochure, Pitfalls of Overpricing
The following are two of the biggies you might encounter that prevent consumers from moving forward, specifically during a pandemic.
The commission negotiator
Agent commissions are the most common area of negotiation, specifically during a time when market stability is uncertain.
First, most consumers know that, by law, commissions are negotiable. What they don’t typically know is that you don’t pocket the entire commission. So your first objective is to educate them. Use numbers they can relate to in your example.
“Joe, suppose I earned $20 in commission. Half of that, $10, right off the top goes to the broker whose agent brought in the buyer for your home. The other $10 goes to my broker who then pays me my share, $5.”
If all else fails, fall back on a time-tested commission objection handling technique:
“Sure, Joe, you may well find another agent who is willing to cut her commission right now. But, ask yourself: If she can’t negotiate with you over keeping her earnings, how can you expect her to negotiate with the buyer when it comes to you getting the highest price possible? If she can’t convince you she is worth her full commission, she can’t very well convince anyone of anything”
The market challenged
Objection Handling Brochure, Timing is Everything
Then there are the consumers who have a misunderstanding of what’s happening in the market and how it might affect them. “We’d love to sell and buy another home, but prices are too unstable right now.” In the current housing market, you may be hearing this objection frequently. The alternative to this one is “We’ve decided to wait until the market gets better.”
Either way, if the market truly is conducive to selling and/or buying, crunch the numbers for them.
In the current market, most sellers will still get what they want for their homes. It’s the buy-side they’re concerned about.
What they’re often overlooking are two very important factors:
They have loads of equity right now
Mortgage rates are at all-time lows
Combine the equity with the savings from low mortgage rates and you most likely have a situation where they can afford to buy a replacement home.
The bottom line
Objection Handling Brochures, Think It Over
Objection handling requires a delicate balance – one that can be achieved through empathy. Dan Lok, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Closers.com uses what he calls the “3 Fs,” Feel, Felt, Found.
I understand how you feel
Others felt the same way
Here’s what I found
An example of this is the following statement, “I understand that you’re frightened you won’t be able to afford a replacement home. Others feel the same way. But this is what I’ve found.”
For a Limited Time: Download an Objection Handling Brochure PDF For FREE!
Just select “Download Only” from the Shipping Option and use the promo code FREEBROCHURE at check out to get your Free Objection Handling Brochure PDF, Click Here.
Now that you’re armed with an Objection Handling Brochure, it’s the ideal time to launch a marketing campaign.
Did you know our Farm, Call to Action Scheduled Campaigns are currently on sale 10% OFF the first month!
Farm, Call to Action Scheduled Campaign is shown above. Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A CALL TO ACTION CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below (from a desktop or laptop computer) and choose the Call to Action Series of postcards.
USE PROMO CODE: ACTION10 to get 10% Off at check out.
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). This sale expires on 9/11/21.
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…below are some helpful tools 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. The Automated Way to 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
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. The 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
6. 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
7. The Free 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 prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
Much of your daily activity may be necessary, but some tasks may be keeping you from being the top-producing real estate agent machine that I know you can be.
And, some of the suggested methods for becoming a high-yielding agent might surprise you.
For instance, Sir Winston Churchill, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, insisted that he got twice as much done after napping (I’ve always liked that man).
“Don’t think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the day,” he said. “That’s a foolish notion held by people who have no imaginations. You will be able to accomplish more,” he concluded.
Fellow napper geniuses include Leonardo Da Vinci, who snoozed for 15-minutes, every four hours. President John F. Kennedy made it a habit to doze off every afternoon for one to two hours and who can forget the many photos of President Clinton, fast asleep, at some pretty inopportune moments?
So, go ahead and take a nap, but not before finding out other ways to become more productive.
1. Say “no” to overtime
Back in 2008, the powers-that-be at Microsoft Japan gave employees “five consecutive three-day weekends.”
While this cut operating costs for the company, it also increased sales. In fact, sales increased, per employee, 40% overproduction from the previous year.
Then, there is the study from a construction company wanting to figure out how scheduled overtime impacts their projects.
It turns out that working 60 hours or more per week over the course of two months correlated with a significant drop in productivity. Working more than 8 hours a day, 48 hours per week tanked productivity to the point where it was taking 3 hours to accomplish what had been done in 2 hours.
As a real estate agent, you need to be even more cautious of how much time you spend working. Without someone scheduling your work, it’s far too easy to keep working until you’re doused in that ‘midnight oil.
Set your schedule, keeping in mind the aforementioned studies. It may take some time to train yourself to turn off the lights and close the door at a set time each day, but it’s imperative if you hope to become a more productive real estate agent.
2. Take more breaks
You are your boss.As such, it is amazing how many agents treat themselves like sweatshop workers.
If you had a boss, you would be granted, by law, a number of breaks from work, scattered throughout the day.
Yet more than 60% of Americans claim to eat lunch at their desks.
Our brains need rest, according to Meg Sellg at psychologytoday.com. And to achieve it, avoid “Doing activities that don’t rely heavily on prefrontal cortex function [the area of your brain you are using when you work] but rely on different brain regions instead …,” says Nir Eyal, author of “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life,” tells Sellg.
Need a tip to turn off that prefrontal cortex?
Get up and move. Whether it’s a 5-minute walk or any other physical activity, Stanford researchers have learned that movement makes us more creative and, thus, productive.
Eat your lunch at the park or even on a bus bench. Views of nature and streetscapes relax and rejuvenate.
Whether you work remotely or in a brick-and-mortar brokerage, stop chaining yourself to your desk. Take naps, take breaks and close your “office” at a specified time each day. Then, watch your productivity soar.
Looking for an attention-grabber? How about sending a Real Estate Times Scheduled Campaign to your Sphere of Farm? The Series contains trending real estate news and statistics.
And, guess what? The Real Estate Times Scheduled Campaign is currently on sale 10% OFF the first month – but onlyfor 3 MORE DAYS!
Real Estate Times Scheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A REAL ESTATE TIMES CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).
And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change mailing up until the night before it goes out).
USE PROMO CODE: TIMES10 to get 10% off at checkout.
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…below are some helpful tools 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
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
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
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”
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
What do you tell people when they ask what you do for a living?
“I’m in real estate” is a common answer to the question. So is “I’m a real estate agent (or REALTOR®). Sure, those are answers to the question, but they aren’t exactly memorable.
Here’s how to craft a real estate agent elevator pitch that will make you unforgettable.
20 to 30 seconds
According to a Princeton University study, people form an opinion based on facial appearance within one-tenth of one second. Pass that test and then you’ll have a mere 20 to 30 seconds to wow them with your real estate elevator pitch.
Yup, it’s not much time, but if you can squeeze vital home information into the puny word count the MLS allows, you can certainly sell yourself in half of a minute.
It’s a tool you’ll use a lot
From responding to online leads to introducing yourself at cocktail parties and in marketing materials, a real estate elevator pitch is something you’ll find quite useful.
I love NextDoor.com, especially when a neighbor posts that he or she is looking for a real estate agent. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to see a really compelling response from agents. And, even sadder is that the agent responses are so similar they could be mistaken to have come from the same person.
“I go the extra mile” and “I go above and beyond” are common refrains. If that is your USP as well, please, do the industry a favor and dump it.
Agents can buy a NextDoor Neighborhood Sponsorship and, in my neighborhood at least, only three have done so. What they pay for, is an ad that looks like this (image left):
I haven’t come across an agent-sponsored ad yet that answers the questions suggested by the platform. Yet, they pay for the space.
Here’s a Sponsorship ad from another business (image right):
This phone and computer repair person understands the value of what he’s paying for and uses the space for all it’s worth with his or her elevator pitch.
Create your own real estate agent elevator pitch
“You know [the real estate pain point]? Well, I [solution]. In fact, [proof].”
That’s the formula for the ideal elevator pitch, according to author Allan Dib. “Good marketing takes the prospect through a journey that covers the problem, the solution and, finally, the proof,” according to Dibs.
Keep it quick. Keep it simple. Ensure it’s not too promotional.
Put in real estate terms, Dibs’ formula may look like this:
“You know how people who want to buy a home are having a hard time finding one? What we do is reach out to the homeowners in our database with a list of our buyers’ needs. This has been so successful that we have found homes for 25 of these clients just in the past 30 days.”
Go ahead and plug your elevator pitch into the formula or feel free to steal ours, if it fits.
Another way to grab your audience’s attention and keep it is with a Real Estate Times Series Campaign. The Real EstateTimes Series has timely real estate news and statistics that is of value to homeowners.
Did you know, the Real Estate Times Scheduled Campaign is currently on sale for 10% OFF the first month?
Real Estate Times Scheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A REAL ESTATE TIMES CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).
USE PROMO CODE: TIMES10 to get 10% Off at check out.
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). This sale expires 9/4/21.
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…below are some helpful tools 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. The Automated Way to 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
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. The 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
6. 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
7. The Free 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 prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –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!
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
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
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
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”
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
What agent doesn’t relish the thought of ranking high in Google searches? Doing so without having to pay for ads is even better.
The best route to that end is by blogging, consistently.
Choosing topics can be challenging. They should be local and, when possible, timely. To help you out, we’ve come up with some topics for fall that you’re welcome to steal.
Topic if Your Audience is Home Buyers
“3 Things you Must Know About Buying a Home in [name of your market] this Fall”
This will be a post of what you expect from the local real estate market this fall. Remember, the keyword here is “local.”
Don’t be general like the Minneapolis agent we came across who reiterated what the national media is forecasting.
His introduction to the piece was: “Here’s what a few industry experts have to say about the housing market …”
Wait—aren’t agents supposed to be the industry experts?
Additional homebuyer-focused topics to consider:
The importance of preparing to enter the market. Urge them to get preapproved early in the process. Talk about ways to keep motivated during multiple offer situations. How about backup offers?
The most popular neighborhoods for homebuyers and the challenges of shopping for a home within them.
Any COVID-related restrictions in place in your market.
Holiday Series, Autumn Postcard shown above. Learn More, HERE
Topic if Your Audience is Home Sellers
“3 Things you Must Know about Selling your [name of your market] Home this Fall
This should be an easy topic since we’re still in a hot seller’s market. Many homeowners, however, have concerns about being able to find a replacement home. Address this concern and any others that are prevalent in your market.
Other fall home seller topics to consider:
The importance of curb appeal in fall. Offer suggestions (again, keep it local) with mentions of local gardening outlets.
Recommended repairs to make before the home hits the market.
What to expect when offers roll in. Remind them that sometimes better terms trump a higher price.
Topic if Your Audience is Your Social Media Followers
Community Content
Although you should share all of your blog posts to your social media feeds, community content is immensely more sharable. Check out some of these ideas:
Have COVID restrictions changed in your market? Share what’s open, what’s closed, and alternatives to the latter.
A post on local parks, with a quick review of each one.
Activities for kids during fall break. Your local Parks and Recreation Department and school websites may offer ideas.
Suggest day trips for weekends.
Best places in town to have brunch on the patio.
How to start a vegetable garden.
Posts on the best places in your market to:
Ride a bike
Go hiking
Camp out
Fish
Shop at flea markets or go antiquing
Dine outdoors
Picnic
Swim
Golf
Take your dog (dog-friendly dining, beaches, parks, etc.)
Best beach
Have a staycation
Finally, one of our favorite local topics is “Why we love fall in [name of the market].”
Did you know our Get More Listings Campaigns are on sale right now?
If you’re considering reaching out to homeowners in your area in search of potential sellers, right now’s the ideal time (sale ends in 3 days on August 14, 21).
Get More ListingsScheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A GET MORE LISTINGS CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your campaign (from a desktop or laptop computer).
Get 10% Off, Use Promo Code: LIST10
And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel anytime or change up until the night before it goes out).
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
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
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
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”
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
Once upon a time, the word “value,” in the real estate industry meant only one thing: how much a property is worth.
Today, it also applies to marketing your services. Your “value proposition” tells the world why they should hire you instead of the agent down the street. It’s what you offer potential clients that few others do.
“Unfortunately, many businesses either bury their value proposition in buzzwords or trite, meaningless slogans or don’t bother highlighting it on their site and in their marketing campaigns – or they don’t figure out what it is at all!” according to Dan Shewan at wordstream.com.
We think it’s safe to say that most agents want to succeed and some mimic their fellow agents in the hopes of making that success a reality.
Thus, real estate blog posts end up full of duplicate messaging (“Now is the Best Time to Sell!), overused slogans (“Everything I Touch Turns to Sold!”), and websites are devoid of a value proposition or with one every other agent offers.
Let’s talk about the latter—your website.
Figure out what real estate consumers think is valuable
To figure out your value proposition, you need to understand your target client, especially his or her pain points. Your value proposition should quickly explain how your service solves the biggest problem.
Another way to come up with a value proposition is to determine how the benefits of using you as their agent differ from what other agents offer. Do you offer free staging to your listing clients? Discounted commission?
I see that look on your face, but a discounted commission to a listing client is quite valuable, as is free staging or free handyperson service to help get the home ready for the market.
In fact, your entire website should answer a visitors’ needs, from the site loading quickly to fuss-free navigation.
The NAR’s “Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends” report compiles an annual list of what homebuyers find the most valuable on real estate agents’ websites. Here are the top 5:
Photos of homes for sale and neighborhoods
Detailed information about homes for sale
Floor plans
Virtual tours (not video; those came out near the bottom of the list)
Real estate agent contact information
Your MLS listings will hopefully fulfill the first two wishes. Do you offer floor plans to listing clients? Buyers want them. What about 3-D tours or virtual walk-throughs?
Finally, and it may seem quite basic, but ensure that your contact phone number is at the top of every page on your website.
Stay in Touch With Your Sphere, Effortlessly, With a Holiday Campaign.
They’re Currently on SALE 10% OFF the First Month – FOR 3 MORE DAYS!
Holiday Scheduled Campaign (shown above). Learn more, HERE
TO LAUNCH A HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN:
Hit “CLICK HERE”, below, to schedule your 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).
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
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
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
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”
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
Has cold calling officially become a thing of the past? There are more than a few agents out there and several well-known real estate coaches that would say NO.
I would say minimally, it might not be the most efficient option. Unless you consider spending 7.5 hours to make 209 phone calls to get one appointment efficient.
Generating real estate leads on social media, if done right, is not only efficient but pleasant as well.
Facebook can be a goldmine for new real estate agents.
Why Facebook?
The platform’s demographics are one of the most compelling reasons to use Facebook for real estate lead generation. The largest age group among Facebook users is 35 to 54 (right in line with the average real estate consumer). Next, nearly 75 percent of users earn more than $75,000.
Finally, a study of CRM data from various companies across the planet finds that while the highest lead conversion rates come from referrals, the second-highest can be attributed to leads generated on social media.
If you understand the power of Facebook when it comes to real estate lead generation but haven’t quite figured out how to tap it, consider starting with Facebook groups.
A Memorial Day Super Sale is going on right now! Get 10% off on ALL postcards.
Use promo code: MEMORIAL10 (excluding postage, data, tax, and EDDM. Offer expires 6/4/22).
Start by finding some groups that Facebook thinks you might like. You can do that by going here and then clicking on “Discover.”
Naturally, if you post frequently to Facebook, the algorithm is going to assume you are interested in real estate so be prepared for lots of real estate-agent-related groups among the suggestions.
There’s nothing wrong with joining these groups but to generate real estate leads, however, go where consumers hang out.
You’ll find a “Categories” list on the left side of the page. And, since “all real estate is local,” the best category for a real estate agent to peruse is “Local.”
Here you’ll find some interesting groups. Mine includes one for a popular neighborhood in my city (with 31,000 members). As an agent, I would join that one. But there are tons of others to join as well.
Choose groups with interests that you can blog about because that’s one of the ways in which you’ll be using these groups to generate real estate leads.
Don’t be “that annoying real estate agent”
When interacting in your Facebook groups, keep your focus on the “social” aspect of social media. You’re not there to sell yourself or your business but to build relationships and get your name in front of people.
Don’t just use the groups to share your blog posts; interact with other group members.
And, keep in mind that some groups have rules, so learn them and abide by them.
It’s also important to keep in mind that interacting in groups is not about getting a flood of leads right now. Like most lead gen strategies, you’re building future 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
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
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
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).
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
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
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
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”
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 are an estimated 18 million U.S. military veterans, an undisclosed number of surviving spouses, and 1.4 million men and women currently serving on active duty.
This means that there are in excess of 20 million Americans who may be eligible to take advantage of the VA home loan program.
The good news for an agent who specializes in VA buyers is that millions of veterans feel that 2021 is a good time to buy a home.
Nearly 60% say they intend on buying in the next five years and 34% say they will definitely buy a home this year, according to research conducted by data and consulting company Kantar (for Veterans United Home Loans).
Sounds like a lucrative niche market, right? Not so fast.
“Real estate agents who aren’t familiar with the details of the VA loan program could waste time showing you properties that have little chance of meeting VA and lender guidelines,” warn the pros at veteransunited.com.
If this is a niche you are considering in your real estate business, get up to speed on the VA loan now, because half of the veterans surveyed say they will definitely consider applying for one.
How to become a military-friendly real estate agent
No, you don’t need a background in military service to work effectively with military homebuyers. Sure, it helps when it comes to communication. The real knowledge you’ll need, however, is about the nuts and bolts of the VA loan program.
You’ll also want to get to know the needs of this group of people. Many, for instance, don’t know that they are offered a unique home loan program as part of their benefits. In other words, they are completely unaware of the VA loan program.
“If you have not used the VA home loan program, what was the main reason you did not?” was a question put forth to veterans for the VA’s 2010 National Survey of Veterans. Nearly 34% responded that “I didn’t know about the program.”
Your first job, then, is to create a direct mail piece letting these folks know about the VA mortgage guaranty and singing the praises of its benefits.
Learn what’s important to veterans
Nearly half of the aforementioned survey respondents who did use a VA loan in the past said they did so because there is no down payment required.
Another big handful of them chose the loan for its “favorable interest rate,” and, coming in third, one group said that they felt their loan was more likely to be approved if it was guaranteed by the VA.
Since these features of the program are of such high value to applicants, these are points you need to feature in your marketing pieces.
Especially when it comes to comparing the FHA-backed mortgage with that of the VA (which a substantial number of veterans do), the lack of private mortgage insurance is a biggie.
Although they didn’t mention closing costs (as is typical with most homebuyers), let your leads know that the VA puts limits on the amount that the lender can charge the borrower.
It’s not all rosy, however. The VA loan comes with a funding fee. The amount varies and you can learn more at va.gov.
There is a lot to learn about the VA loan, but it’s all well-worth knowing. The VA makes it easy for you to learn by devoting a section of va.gov to real estate professionals. You’ll find that information at benefits.va.gov.
RIGHT NOW! Absentee Owner Scheduled Campaigns are on sale 10% OFF the first month (sale ends 4/3/21).
Launch an Absentee Owner Campaign by clicking the “GO NOW” button, below (from a desktop or laptop computer).
And, remember, YOU DON’T PAY until each mailing goes out (cancel or change up until the night before each mailing. The price shown at check out is per mailing, not campaign total).
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
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
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
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”
The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here
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