Friday, December 27, 2024

niche marketing

    We just freed up a whole bunch of your time!

    HOW?

    By adding the ability to SCHEDULE MAILINGS on ProspectsPLUS!

    Now, you’ll experience…

    • Less time spent marketing
    • Less last-minute marketing stress
    • Less missed important marketing deadlines
    • Less marketing systems to babysit
    • Less questions each month about who you need to market to and when.
    • Less tasks on your “To Do” list
    • Less money spent on postage (you can send standard class)
    • Less past clients FORGETTING ABOUT YOU because they’re getting scheduled mailings from you throughout the year.

    IMAGINE YOUR LIFE WITH SCHEDULED MAILINGS! NOW, YOU CAN….

    • Schedule out a year of postcards in one visit and you don’t have to pay until each postcard goes out.
    • Assign additional tasks to your assistant because her time has been freed up.
    • Spend more time on priority activities like prospecting, presenting, and closing.
    • KNOW what future marketing is going out WHEN – no more worries.
    • Save money, since you’re scheduling in advance you can now send standard class.
    • Better yet – with the money you’re saving on postage you can upgrade to a jumbo or panoramic sized postcard – and REALLY STAND OUT.

    AND SCHEDULED MAILINGS ARE…

    • 100% risk-free. You aren’t charged until the date the postcard goes out.
    • Able to be canceled or changed (including the mailing list) right up to the night before your order goes out.
    • Confirmed by email the day before your order goes out.

    HERE ARE 5 WAYS THE POWER OF SCHEDULING WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE


    1. Just Closed on a Property? Schedule the Next 5 Years of Client Anniversary Cards RIGHT NOW
    Customer Appreciation Series

    2. Say GOODBYE to Holiday STRESS. Schedule All Your Holiday Postcards Before the Season Begins

    Holiday Series

    3. Schedule Your Open House Postcards to Arrive JUST IN TIME – Prior to Your Big Weekend

    Open House Gear, Color & Scenic Series

    4. Don’t Ever MISS a Client Birthday Again. Schedule the ENTIRE YEAR at Once

    Birthday Series

    5. Niche Marketing? Schedule Out Those REPEATED Postcard Mailings to go out RIGHT ON TIME

    Absentee Owner, First Time Buyer, Fence Sitter Series

    Ready to HAVE MORE TIME IN YOUR DAY? Start Scheduling Your Mailings Now.
    Because what GETS SCHEDULED – GETS DONE!
    Just click the “Schedule for Later” button on the order proof page and pick your date – it’s that easy!

    Need help getting started with your scheduled mailings or in targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

      Ellen DeGeneres, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lady Gaga. There is something oddly similar about those three. Love them or despise them, they all have great-big personalities.

      And, they were all, at one time, employed in the food and beverage industry (DeGeneres and Ocasio-Cortez bartended and Lady Gaga waited tables).

      If you’ve ever worked in the hospitality industry, you know that there is a direct correlation between building rapport with your customers and your tip income.

      After all, do you tip the grumpy waitress, the bartender who ignores you or the bouncer who makes you wait until the “important” people are let into the club?

      Like real estate, many of the jobs in these industries have a low bar of entry. Let’s face it, waiting tables is easy to learn. Waiting for them with elegance, with class and with customer service top-of-mind is a bit harder.

      The House Feeling a Little Empty postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.

      Being personable leads to the bigger bucks

      Even the bartender who mixes a mean Manhattan won’t build a following without a bit of personality. It’s the same in real estate.

      An agent can have an expert-level understanding of contracts and marketing but, without the ability to build rapport, will fail to build a referral base. Without that, he or she will be forever chasing after new business.

      Think about the waiters and waitresses you’ve over-tipped – it was their personality, their ability to interact that compelled your generosity, right?

      Sure, you can be a ho-hum agent, do the minimum required and still make as much on a transaction as an agent who goes above and beyond in providing customer service.

      And, if you don’t want or need repeat business and referrals, go ahead and be that agent otherwise read on.

      The approach

      “When greeting a guest I always approach the table with a smile,” Jenna Paul, server and assistant general manager of The Peached Tortilla in Austin Texas tells Jane Ko at Seasoned.co.

      Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But the advice also applies to real estate agents. Whether you’re knocking on doors, schmoozing at community events or greeting who you hope will be your next listing client, a smile is imperative.

      Smiling puts a potential client at ease and builds that first step toward genuine rapport. “People like that warm and inviting welcome,” says Chance Ramsey, assistant general manager at Contigo, also in Austin.

      Step two to blissful rapport

      “Don’t worry – he’s one of us.” You know that feeling you get when you’re sure you’ve just met a like-minded individual and everything clicks?

      My “one of us” may be vastly different than yours. But we know, instinctually, whether or not someone is like us or not like us.

      The Ready to Sell the Lawnmower postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.

      “Rapport is established by creating a common ground with your guests that enable them to put you in the “like me” category,” David Hayden explains to food and beverage employees at TipsSquared.com.

      He goes on to explain that being perceived as one of your potential clients’ “good guys (or gals)” … “puts them at ease” and builds trust.

      So, how do you become a member of their tribe? Consider mirroring. Tony Robbins suggests that mirroring is the ideal technique to help you learn something new, be it a new habit or strategy.

      Author, trainer and business speaker Jeff Mowatt, takes it a step further by applying the technique to building rapport in sales and uses food and beverage workers trained in the technique, as examples.

      “Match your customer’s style,” he begins. “Pay attention to how your customer prefers to communicate and get in step. Does your customer prefer to get right down to business, or warm up by engaging in small talk?”

      “If your customer talks quickly and loudly, make an effort to match that energy,” and “if the other person talks softly, then you talk more softy,” he suggests.

      “If they lean forward, then you lean forward … In other words, you ‘mirror’ the other person’s tone of voice and body language.”

      Think about DeGeneres today. Aside from the big, bold personality, she’s someone with whom people connect. The same can be said for another one-time hospitality worker, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

      A one-time nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires, he is known today as Pope Francis. “The People’s Pope,” to many, he has made it his mission to build rapport across the globe.

      Being personable in the hospitality industry leads to immediate gratification in the form of higher tips.

      The Want More Time for Play postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.

      In real estate, the gratification is delayed. But, when it comes, it pays off in big bucks.

      Go after the Empty Nest niche market by sending the Want More Time for Play postcard from the Life Event Series.

      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

       

       

        If you follow the annual “The 1000” list from RealTrends, you may wonder how those agents make it so big in real estate.

        In our opinion, the list tends to be a bit misleading, with team agents often listed as solo and vice versa.

        Then, there’s Ben Caballero, always ranking number one in the “Individuals by Transaction Volume” category.

        He is most likely an excellent agent. But he is not your traditional “solo” agent, as the category implies.

        He “oversees a team of 22 people” who helped him sell “$2.2 billion worth of homes in 2018,” according to BusinessInsider.com.

        For the purposes of this blog post, however, he makes all that money by specializing in a real estate niche. He sells only one type of home, which happens to be first on our list of profitable real estate niches.

        New Home Sales

        Caballero “only sells new-construction residential properties and he only works with volume builders, or companies that build several hundred homes per year — sometimes up to 3,000,” according to BusinessInsider.com’s Katie Warren.

        He and his team sell, on average, 92 homes per week.

        The niche is competitive and requires a bit of education before pursuing it. There is additional paperwork and, often different contracts than you’re accustomed to.

        Financing may be tricky, and if the buyers don’t have an agent, your job description grows exponentially to include assisting the buyers through not only the purchase process but helping them choose a lot, floor plan, options and more.

        Some builders require the agent to come up with a marketing plan, track and follow up with leads and develop relationships with title reps, lenders and others.

        Some new home sales agents are employees, with employer-offered health insurance benefits, retirement plans, paid time off and bonuses.

        Obviously, Caballero is proof positive of the amount of money it’s possible to make in this real estate niche.

        The Luxury Market postcard is available in the postcard section under the Luxury Market Series.

        If you’re curious about who is hiring new home sales agents and the job requirements, check out some online job boards, such as at Indeed.com and Monster.com.

        Luxury Homes

        When discussing lucrative real estate niches, luxury home sales is sort of a no-brainer. High-end homes are more expensive so commission checks are bigger. If you can develop a decent volume, you’ll be all set.

        Knowing you want to specialize in luxury property and knowing how to go about it, however, are two different things.

        First, you’ll need to truly understand your target audience. What are their needs? How do they differ from buyers and sellers of lower-priced homes?

        Then, you’ll want to know how to reach the affluent. Marketing to them isn’t the same as marketing to other real estate consumers.

        Finally, consider micro-concentrating within the luxury home niche. Choose to work with certain luxury clients, such as those who share common interests (belong to the same country club, work in a certain industry).

        The Picture Yourself Here postcard is available in the postcard section under the Millennial Series.

        If you plan on specializing in listing luxury property, check out this video from Michael LaFido.

        Focus on a Generation

        There are currently four generations of Americans who are most actively involved in buying and selling real estate.

        Our youngest cohort is Gen Z, born between 1996 and today. This means that the oldest turned 23 this year. Believe it or not, these “youngsters” are buying homes. And, as the generation ages, more will be jumping into the real estate market.

        Next in time are the millennials, born between 1977 and 1995 (they are between the ages of 24 and 42 in 2019). They number 83 million, more than the baby boomer cohort.

        According to NAR, millennials are currently the largest group of homebuyers in the U.S. at 37 percent. That’s five percent more than baby boomers.

        Forget the moaning and groaning over how “broke” they are. Yes, many have student loan debt. Many others, however, are finding ways to pay down this debt and acquire a decent credit rating.

        Millennials, on average, boast an average FICO® Score of 665, squarely in the “fair” range according to Fair Isaac. The older of the group have the best scores and purchase more expensive homes.

        Next comes Generation X, born between 1965 and 1976. They’re often referred to as the “forgotten generation,” ignored by the media and marketers.

        These folks, in our opinion, are those the savvy agent will pursue. Why?

        They are in their peak earning years, they (by and large) need larger homes and they typically have a home to sell. Plus, they have experience with real estate so they don’t require as much education and hand-holding as the younger generations.

        Finally, we take a look at baby boomers. Born between 1946 and 1964, this group is now between the ages of 55 and 73. Since the most common age to retire is 62, many of the members of this cohort are still working and make up the nation’s highest wage earners.

        Since NAR studies show that the average real estate agent is a woman in her 50s, this may just be the ideal real estate specialty. Marketing is so much easier when you have something in common with your target audience.

        Get more information on how to market to Gen Z and millennials at the Center for Generational Kinetics’ website. Target boomers more effectively by reading up on them at KEAP.com (be aware, though, that the author got generational birthdates wrong) and SmallBizTrends.com.

        There are also a number of baby boomer-specific blogs that are worth a look:

        Send the Too Much House postcard from the Life Event Series to a targeted list of Baby Boomers.

        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. 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

         

         

        2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

         

        “Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

         

         

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

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

         

         

        4. 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

         

         

        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

        The Ins & Outs of the Divorce Niche

        Leaving her husband was the most gut-wrenching decision Louise would make in her adult life.

        Or, so she thought.

        What to do with the family’s home as they separated soon rivaled the decision to leave.

        Images of the kids being ripped from their friends in the neighborhood, sleeping in strange bedrooms and trying to settle into a new school made her question whether divorce was the right answer.

        Then, there was the house.

        The one she and her husband shopped for, fought for, fixed up to meet their needs, loved, maintained and in which they built memories.

        Man, giving that up is a hard concept to deal with.

        With the help of her attorney and a dedicated, empathic real estate agent, Louise overcame the turmoil and was able to move on with her life.

        Yes, divorce rates seem to be on the decline in the U.S. yet 40 to 50 percent of American marriages still end in divorce.

        Furthermore, divorcing couples sell homes and, often, purchase another. Although it sounds a bit mercenary, the divorce niche in real estate can be quite lucrative. 

        Someone needs to help couples going through this challenge.

        At the risk of sounding like we’re objectifying living, breathing human beings (humans who are in emotional pain), you won’t find a more motivated home seller than someone going through a divorce.

        Whether it’s because of a court order or simple logistics, most (but not all) divorcing couples choose to include the home when liquidating their assets.

        You don’t necessarily need to have personal marital break-up experience to effectively pursue divorce leads, but agents who do are one-step ahead of you.

         What you need to know to work with divorcing couples

        Working with divorced or divorcing couples isn’t easy. It isn’t for those who lack empathy, tact, diplomacy or patience.

        It’s for the counselors among the agent ranks, the educators, those who truly want to help and aren’t in it for the quick commission.

        Agent Scott Weeda, for instance, tells NPR’s Sara Lerner about just one of the strategies he’s found effective when working with divorcing couples:

        “I never try to force them to communicate together, which means a lot of separate and duplicate communication, so that neither ever has the impression that I’m trying to force the agenda of one on the other,” he says.

        This may mean coordinating separate meetings for everything from signing the listing agreement to acknowledging contingency releases, presenting offers and closing.

        But that is one strategy in a process full of them.

        How to generate divorce listing leads

        You have several options when it comes to finding divorce leads. One of the easiest is, of course, to buy a list. Companies such as ReboGateway (started and run by former agents and brokers) offer lists that they obtain from mining court records.

        We offer postcards that speak specifically to divorcing couples selling their home in our Life Event Postcard Series. These postcards integrate with ReboGateway. To learn more about how to export a divorced homeowners mailing list from Rebogateway into your ProspectsPLUS! account click here (from a desktop computer).

        Or, consider mailing to quit claim deed filers. A real estate investor who specializes in divorce listings claims, in a thread at bigger pockets.com, that about 20 percent of responses to his quitclaim deed ads come from divorcing couples.

        “Most of the time I am contacted from the person who decided to keep the house and now they understand they can no longer afford it,” he explains.

        He also advertises in a local grade school’s parent newsletter. The ad directs the reader to a landing page he designed specifically for couples going through a divorce.

        If you think that sending a divorce focused postcard is too direct send a postcard from our Get More Listings Series instead. This series is targeted at driving more listings. As long as you get your name in front of these couples you’re one step ahead of everyone else.

        Get referrals

        If you decide to make divorce real estate your sole niche, consider a program that teaches you how to work with the family law community to earn their referrals.

        Laurel Starks, divorce agent and author of “The House Matters in Divorce” offers classes in how to get divorce leads and how to work with divorcing couples.

        She is the founder of the Divorce Real Estate Institute and teaches agents about the “two paths to successfully serving divorcing clients.”

        Since the 2019 real estate market remains up in the air right now, choosing the divorce niche may just mean the success of your business this year.

        Send our Divorce: Curve Ball postcard from our Life Event Series to your list of divorced homeowners.
        Remember to export your Rebogateway list of divorced homeowner into your ProspectsPLUS! account, click here to learn more (From a desktop computer).

        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 4 free ways we can help you have an INVINCIBLE 2019!

        1. 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 

         

        2. 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

         

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

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

         

        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

        Also…check out these game-changing tools!

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

        MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

        Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand & achieve 20% market share

        Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

        Our business flourishes from recommendations just like yours and we truly appreciate your review of our products and services – Review us here 

        Engage the right audience

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

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

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

        You are your branding

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

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

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

        Instead of standing out, you blend in.

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

        Focus in

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

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

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

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

        Keep it simple

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

        Need help targeting buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

        PLUS: When you have time…here are 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

        1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

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

        2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

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

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

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

        Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

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

        MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

        Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

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

        The Success Mind-Set

        Success begins with the right mindset. Real estate sales is not just a job; it is a business. A business that requires planning, organization and systems to maintain balance, accountability and forward momentum. The following details the 3 steps to epic success.

        Step 1: Have a Plan

        Planning is critical to realizing your goals, generating consistent income and creating an exit plan. The proper exist plan ensures you have a valuable “book of business” that you can sell when you are ready to retire. Your plan should:

        • be written out and clearly defined
        • have a realistic and comprehensive budget
        • be based not only on your goals, but also on your family’s goals (very important to maintaining the support system necessary during long days or tough weeks!)
        • outline the number of transactions you need to reach those goals based on commission dollars, list-to-close ratio and fall-through rate
        • outline the number of contacts, appointments scheduled/.attended you need to realize your transaction goal
        • break your numbers down into daily, weekly and monthly activities so that you ALWAYS know where you are in relation to your goal

        Be sure to share your plan with a manager, coach or partner so that you can set up a system of accountability.

        Step 2: Employ Smart Marketing

        In today’s competitive arena, effectively marketing yourself and your business requires both consistency and laser focus.

        Countless agents send single marketing pieces to thousand of consumers, with no intention of following up. This approach is a waste of time, energy and valuable marketing dollars.

        The truth is, you should be in contact with your sphere of influence at least every 30-45 days. One month, send a postcard, letter, newsletter or flyer. Many of our customers find the Listing Inventory Series, Content Cards, and Market Dominator among their favorites.

        The following month, call with a friendly event reminder, helpful hint, or just to say hello.

        During the third month, arrange to see them via a networking event, social gathering or in-person visit. Drop off a small token, informational item or card. Then start the “rotation” over again.

        Such consistency creates vital ‘top-of-mind’ awareness. This awareness becomes “the key to the kingdom” when growing your referral base and creating a reliable income.

        Gone are the days when agents could afford to take a “shotgun” approach-casting a wide net in the hopes of “catching a few”.

        Response rates increase dramatically when you speak directly to the needs and interests of a particular group.

        Wise agents seek out demographics or geographics that they relate to or have a history of success with.

        The more comfortable you become speaking to a particular group or segment, the more you become recognized or thought of as a specialist in that field.

        Related: Niche Marketing and the Law of Attraction

        mailing list
        Targeted marketing examples:

        • First-time homeowners – Try MapMyMail to quickly create a list of local renters. Send a postcard that explains the advantages of home ownership.
        • Builders – Offer to help builders eliminate their #1 worry: standing inventory. Create a list of every builder in your area and send a flyer explaining how you can find their perfect customer.

        lifestyle

        • Find a new niche – With our Lifestyle Interest data, you can reach consumers who are just the demographic you want to work with. Think Golfers, Boaters, Fitness Lovers and more.
        • FSBOs – There are many effective search products for this demographic. Fear leads many agents to steer clear of FSBOs, which eliminates at least a portion of your competition.

        real estate fsbo marketing postcards

        • A New Geographic Farm – Find an area in your market that is beginning to see turnover, but doesn’t currently have another agent with more than a 10% market share.  Start connecting month after month using the Neighborhood Update/Free Offer series. This series will present yourself effectively as the turn-to agent in your market.
        Step 3: Put Solid Systems in Place

        Without systems, you’re like a hamster on the wheel-spinning without really getting anywhere. Systems are the only way to maintain the delegation, automation and streamlining that will continuously work on your business. Systems allow you to:

        • manage your time effectively
        • create a consistent standard of service
        • assure clients that their needs are being met by a “team”
        • provide checks and balances for fine tuning your business
        • promote efficiency and accuracy
        •  reduce training time when bringing on new team members

        What systems should you have in place?

        The success mind-set requires dedication and a commitment to the activities that earn you top dollar and allow you to “feed” the career you’re building.

        Related: 3 Tools That Drive More Business

        Need our help?  Contact our support team today at 866.405.3638. They’re more than happy to help you.

        Gear up For selling real estate to Generation Z

        85 Million Strong & They Want Homes

        Here’s a hot tip: While the rest of the real estate industry is distracted — lusting after millennials, ignoring Gen Xers and barely tolerating baby boomers – get to know the next big thing, Generation Z.

        Gen Z is expected to count nearly 85 million members by 2020, making up almost 25 percent of the nation’s population, according to a study published by Fung Global Retail & Technology.

        The oldest members of this generation turn 23 in 2018 and there are already statistics showing that they will be buying homes.

        Known as “digital natives,” this generation is the first to be oblivious to “life without technologies and services such as smartphones, iPads, Facebook, Instagram,” according to the study.

        Who they are

        If you’re an agent of a certain age, I have some scary news for you: your grandkids are about to enter the housing market.

        What’s even more frightening is that, according to The Center for Generational Kinetics, members of Gen Z think millennials are “old.” Imagine what they think about their grandparents – the baby boomers.

        If you’re a member of the latter, the good news is that your grandkid can be your laboratory when you decide to pursue this younger generation. The rest of the real estate industry has a steep learning curve ahead of them because members of Gen Z, although more like boomers than millennials, have little in common with any generation that came before.

        What they’re like

        To the so-called “super entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” business and making money are already top-of-mind, but don’t look for them to get there using the same, conventional methods.

        Non-conformists, much like their grandparents’ generation, these digital natives are “a generation whose entire world and self-views are crafted by technology, immediacy and access,” Sherry Chris, president and CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate tells RISMedia’s Maria Patterson.

        Although young, they seem to be learning from their predecessors, already socking away money for retirement. In fact, according to the Center for Generational Kinetics, nearly a quarter of Gen Zers had a savings account before they turned ten.

        How will this group’s fiscal responsibility impact the real estate market?

        Almost all of the Gen Zers surveyed in a Better Homes & Gardens ® survey say they will buy a home and 80 percent believe that homeownership will lead them to the American Dream.
        What will it take to work with them

        It’s amazing the things scientists are able to measure. Attention spans, for instance. Apparently Gen Zers’ attention spans (eight seconds) are four seconds less than millennials’, according to Anna Fieler, executive vice president of marketing at POPSUGAR.

        Remember, this is the demographic that dominates on Snapchat and Instagram (they claim Facebook is for “older people,” according to Andrea V. Brambila at Inman.com), so communicating with them means getting to the point almost immediately. They are practically attached to their smart phones, so texting will get you a lot further than an email.

        “In fact, the rise of Gen Z should sound the alarm for all that a targeted Internet strategy is vital for reaching this cohort …,” warns Allen Shayanfekr, CEO and Founder of Sharestates.

        While social proof is important to millennials, gen Zers won’t consult Yelp or Zillow reviews to find an agent. It’s their friends’ opinions they rely heavily on, so providing the kind of customer service that garners referrals will be more important than ever.

        Gen Z represents a pool of very motivated real estate consumers. Start gearing up for them now and you’ll be a step ahead of your competition. Take advantage of our Mailing List Page Option 2 Demographic Search to create a targeted mailing list of Gen Z’s.

        Related: Great Customer Care Equals Long Term Results

        Need help creating your targeted list or anything else? Contact our marketing team at 866.405.3638. They’re incredibly knowledgeable, and ready to help get you suceed!

        Tools You Can Use…

        By Julie Escobar

        Back in the DAY…(ever notice how people always say that about what they did ions ago?) I used to love working with First Time Home Buyers.  They were excited, eager,  a little nervous and usually very appreciative of an agent’s experience and help.  Today’s consumers (even the newbies) are a lot more savvy than they used to be but I still find this niche a great source of prospects (and referrals) for agents today!

        One great way to attract First Time Home Buyers is by hosting Home Buying Workshops in your market.  Many agents find that holding them at the local libraries, schools (many PTAs or PTSAs would be happy to include a segment in one of their meetings for valuable information!)  In many areas, you’ll find clusters of higher end apartment complexes that you could easily target for first time home buyers.

        You can even use our mailing list options to specifically search for high-end renters and create a marketing database to connect with this demographic.

        Couple up with a mortgage lender and real estate attorney to help spread the word and bring more value to the table.  I’ve even known agents who invite local restaurants (especially start ups that are trying to market themselves as well) to bring in sample appetizers or refreshments in return for letting them share their contact information or coupons as well!  In today’s world, this kind of smart, intuitive shared networking is making a big difference for a lot of agents.

        We’ve got a terrific free report just for agents that’s filled with lots of ‘goof-proof’ tips on how to host a
        successful workshop!  We’ve even got ready made postcard invitations that you can send out in a matter of kissyourlandlordgoodbyestdthumminutes!

        It’s easy to use and easy (and free) to get!  Click here to go to our Resource Page – scroll about half way down the page until you see “Free Consumer Workshops” – then just click download!  Easy, breezy!  While you’re there – also download “How to Save for a Down Payment” which is a great piece to share with those folks who WANT to buy but aren’t quite ready to just yet.  Having your mortgage lender there will be very beneficial as you can help folks sort out where they are NOW in relation to what they need to purchase a home.

        Be sure to get everyone’s contact information – then put them on a drip direct mail campaign every 30-45 days so stillrentingstdthumbthat when they are ready to purchase – they’ll know JUST who to call.  Our First Time Buyers Series is perfect for that.

        They really speak to the questions that these folks already have in their heads and keep you top of mind.  I always like to use the alternative back on the postcard to write a little more information and create some calls and response by offering a free list of homes, list of foreclosures, additional home buying tips, local school information, etc.  All great reasons for them to stay connected with YOU!

        If you are hosting an event in your market – be sure to share that information on your social media networks, and in the rental communities you are targeting.  And if this is the demographic you want to OWN in your market, consider setting up  a Facebook page so that you can really continuously share news people can use relating to buying a home and your market.  Don’t JUST talk business though!  Share information about your local economy, schools, community garage sales, tips about new restaurants or businesses in the area.  You can spotlight standout community leaders, kids who are making a difference, teachers, local heroes, specials you run across, testimonials from happy customers and more!

        Need help getting started? Call our team at 866-405-3638 today.  They’re smart, knowledgeable, friendly and here to help you suceed!

        Working the Renter Niche

        Most top agents focus their business marketing in three important areas:  their sphere of influence, their geographic farm, and a niche market.

        One niche that gets a lot of attention is the renter market. With rents on the rise across the nation, interest rates still historically low, and housing prices not yet scaling too quickly –it’s the perfect opportunity for renters to kiss their landlord goodbye – as it says in one of our most popular postcards for agents working this market.

        Consistency is Key

        As with any marketing campaign, consistency is key. Our First Time Buyer/Renter series has eight postcards, which is perfect for a 6-8 month campaign. Here’s what you do:

        • Choose some higher end rental properties or apartment complexes in your area and capture a mailing list.
        • On the reverse side of the postcard, make an offer for an item of value such as one of our free reports.
        • After each mailing has hit, be sure to follow up either by phone call or get out in the community and start meeting the people. Is there a Starbucks or coffee shop near the rental community? Let people know you’ll be there to answer questions one morning at a specific time. You can even use the back of the postcards as an invitation!
        • Repeat this process once a month for the next six months.

        Another great idea from the Master Marketing Schedule is to send the Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye postcard to 100 renters in your market.

        Related: Attracting First Time Home Buyers

         Need help? Were here for you. Contact our support team at 866.405.3638 today.