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Thursday, December 19, 2024

strategic marketing

    So, what are your business marketing plans for spring 2024 real estate marketing? Sure, much of the decision-making will center around what’s happening with the economy.

    Market soothsayers are hedging their bets when predicting what the Fed will come up with during the March meeting. The latest jobs numbers seem to be the fly in the ointment.

    “But Fed officials have repeatedly indicated that they want to be sure that inflation is coming down sustainably before they’ll consider cutting rates, and a more balanced labor market is part of that,” says Molly Grace at BusinessInsider.com.

    If you want to play it safe, you can rely on tried-and-true marketing methods. One of the best of these is farming.

    Let’s look at three farms we think are worthy of your consideration.

    Baby boomers in highly rated-school districts

    This year, baby boomers will turn 60 to 78. Last year, the National Association of REALTORS’ surveys found that baby boomers now make up the largest share of both homebuyers and sellers.

    In fact, this cohort makes “… up 39% of home buyers – the most of any generation – an increase from 29% last year.” That’s an astounding statistic. A 10% jump in real estate activity in one year? From a group of people who have been stubbornly sitting in the home they’ve lived in for 15 to 20 years?

    They’re moving; you should be at the forefront of your market to capture this business.

    Then, there are the Gen Xers and Millennial moms and dads who are still in the child-rearing phases, longing to get juniors into a good school district.

    That’s the perfect starting point for an agent looking for a new marketing method: farm those baby boomers living in decently ranked school districts. I would market to all of them, particularly those who live in multi-story homes.

    Stairs are hard on the knees and we’re betting they can’t wait to get into a home without the climb.

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

    Absentee owners

    While being a landlord isn’t quite as painful now as it was during the pandemic, the economy still isn’t where it should be, and many Americans are pinching pennies.

    Because of this, many landlords are thinking about cashing out. This is an easy audience to market to because most of it is done via direct mail.

    It’s somewhat quick and easy to set up, and landlords (most of them, anyway) are eager to learn about the market and what their rentals might be worth right now.

    However, this one requires consistency in nurturing. Consistent mailings will keep you top-of-mind but don’t neglect the Just Listed and Just Sold postcards pertinent to the landlord’s property.

    Spring will be here before we know it, so let’s get ready!

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

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

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

     

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

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

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

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

    4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

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

     

      In today’s competitive real estate market, establishing a strong brand is crucial for real estate agents looking to attract sellers and stand out from the crowd.

      A well-defined brand not only sets an agent apart but also instills confidence in potential clients.

      Here are some key strategies for real estate agents to establish a strong brand that attracts sellers:

      Define your unique value proposition

      Identify what sets you apart from other agents and articulate this clearly in your branding. Whether it’s your expertise in a particular neighborhood, your personalized approach to client service, or your innovative marketing strategies.

      Your unique value proposition should resonate with potential sellers and differentiate you from the competition.

      Craft a compelling brand story

      Your brand story should convey your passion for real estate, your commitment to client satisfaction, and the results you’ve achieved for past clients.

      Use storytelling techniques to create an emotional connection with potential sellers and demonstrate why they should choose you as their agent.

      The Join the Market Campaign is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

      Invest in professional branding materials

      Your branding materials, including your logo, website, business cards, and signage, need to be a reflection of the quality and professionalism of your services.

      Choose a cohesive color scheme, typography, and visual elements that convey your brand identity and leave a lasting impression on potential sellers.

      Leverage marketing to amplify your brand

      Establish a strong online presence through social media channels, a professional website, and direct mail marketing.

      Share valuable content, such as market updates, home buying tips, and success stories, to position yourself as a knowledgeable and trusted authority in the real estate industry.

      Prioritize client relationships and referrals

      Word-of-mouth marketing is incredibly powerful in the real estate industry, so focus on providing exceptional service to your clients and encouraging them to refer you to their friends and family.

      Building strong relationships with your clients will not only lead to repeat business but also generate valuable referrals that can help grow your brand and attract more sellers in the competitive market.

      By implementing these strategies, real estate agents can establish a strong brand that resonates with sellers and positions them for success in a competitive market.

        THE 2022 REAL ESTATE MARKETING PLANNER IS HERE!

        We Just Removed One IMPORTANT Item From Your 2022 Real Estate Business TO-DO LIST!

        ✔️Creating a Strategic Real Estate Marketing Plan for 2022

        With the 2022 Real Estate Marketing Planner, not only do you get a 12-month strategic plan, you also get:

        • A monthly calendar, color-coded to match weekly action items.
        • Weekly campaign postcard images with QR Codes for easy ordering.
        • Monthly holiday mail-by-dates for mailing postcards standard class.
        • A monthly list of fun activities to reference when contacting your Sphere of Influence.
        • Monthly Observances.
        Download your FREE 2022 Real Estate Marketing Planner NOW.

        P.S. ProspectsPLUS! Members: Be on the lookout for your FREE 2022 Real Estate Marketing Planner in the mail, soon!

        Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 if there is anything we can do to help you in your success.

        Wishing You Peace & Joy!

        Your ProspectsPLUS! Team

          About 74% of us make New Year’s resolutions, according to statista.com, unfortunately, as they go on to state, only 8% of us actually achieve them.

          Statistics show those that fail at keeping resolutions do so rather quickly, in fact, typically by February 1.

          Resolving to do things differently in a new year has a 4,000 year-long history. Ancient Babylonians apparently started it, promising their gods that they will pay off their debts and “… return any objects they had borrowed,” according to Sarah, Pruitt, author of “Breaking History: Vanished!” writing at history.com.

          So, why do we still make New Year’s resolutions? Especially when we have such a shoddy record of keeping them?

          “One reason is the allure of starting from scratch …” and “… the idea of bettering ourselves is another motivator,” according to Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. associate editor at psychcentral.com.

          The desire to make resolutions isn’t a bad thing. In fact, continuing to make them in the face of the very real possibility that we won’t stick to them shows that we have faith in ourselves, that we can change those aspects of ourselves or lives that we don’t like.

          Did you join the 74% and set some new year’s resolutions this year? If so, it’s not too late to change those resolutions into a more achievable form.

          This year, try something different

          Instead of big, lofty real estate business or personal goals, consider creating “micro-goals” instead. “You’ll be more likely to achieve them and see plans through,” suggests Emily VanSchmus at bhg.com.

          Let’s face it, vowing to make a thousand cold calls a day is nuts. You’ll grow so weary of even looking at a telephone that the slightest distraction will lure you away.

          A smaller goal, perhaps an extra 10 real estate cold calls per session, gives you a better chance of achieving your goal.

          Who cares if January 1 has come and gone? That date “… isn’t the hard and fast rule when it comes to making lifestyle changes …” or creating new real estate business goals, according to VanSchmus.

          The Real Estate Marketing Planner, click HERE to download now.

          For a 12-month strategic marketing plan, with small actionable tasks, there’s no better solution than the Free 2021 Real Estate Marketing Planner.

          Now Let’s set some micro goals

          We roamed around the interweb in search of advice for agents on making the “best” New Year’s resolutions and came up with a ton of lofty stuff. Here’s just one:

          “Focus on customer experience and customer service”

          Unfortunately, the author offered up no examples of how one should focus on a customer experience.

          What is customer experience in real estate? I like to think of it as the after-effect of working with an agent. It’s illustrated in the client who raves about her agent.

          Customer service is something a bit different; it revolves around the services you offer your clients.

          A free market analysis, suggestions on staging and a listing in the MLS aren’t services. They’re job duties.

          Services are something they won’t get from other agents, such as free staging, a free, pre-market home inspection, becoming a market maker by bringing your own list of buyers, or a complimentary professional house cleaning before listing.

          Only you know how you can improve your clients’ experiences. If you’re going for the goal of improving customer services, choose one and resolve to offer it. To learn more about how to bring your own list of buyers and become a “Market Maker” be sure to read this article.

          If you are still trying to work out your 2021 annual business goals, don’t forget to use the Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan. It provides an easy breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your annual goals.

          2021 Business Interactive Real Estate Business Plan
          Interactive Real Estate Business Plan, click HERE to try Now

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

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

          1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

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

          2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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

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

          3. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

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

          4. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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

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

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

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

            There seems to be this weird dichotomy that rules many real estate agents:  that the money they spend promoting their business cuts into the amount of money they’ll have for personal use.

            In the short-term this may be true. But if you plan to be in the real estate business for the long-term, not promoting your real estate business, or not promoting it well, is crazy.

            You’ll remain on that hamster wheel, spinning and spinning and spinning in your efforts to earn more.

            “Too many business owners under-spend on marketing, thinking that not spending is the same as saving,” claims Heidi Sloss, author of “Fortune is in the Follow-Up: Five POWER Strategies to Grow Your Business.”

            While it’s an old and somewhat tired adage, it really does “take money to make money.”

            SOI Campaign
            What comes first, the spending or the making?

            Almost a decade ago, the folks at ActiveRain.com published the results of a survey of 2,000 agents in the form of an infographic, “How Much do REALTORS® Work, Earn & Spend.”

            The “average” agent (those earning, on average, $35,000 a year) spend only $1,070 a year on marketing. That’s $89 a month. They spend more on their car than on promoting their businesses.

            Agents who earn, on average, $100,000 a year spend five to ten times more on marketing than those that make $35,000 per year.

            It’s easy to assume that “Well, yeah, they have the money to spend.” It could be, however, that they understand the value of promotion and aren’t afraid to spend the money.

            Let’s face it, there are a number of money pits in the average real estate practice, from keeping up with the latest technology to what we drive and what we wear.

            The truly important stuff, however – most of what’s in your business plan – is where to focus if you’re looking for ways to gain more clients and grow your business.

            So, while it’s important to invest money in continuing education, professional development and ensuring you have the office systems in place to make your job easier, none of it means a thing without clients.

            Overcome your fear

            In a commission-based business, parting with money is frightening. Who knows when you’ll close another escrow? What if you make the wrong marketing decision?

            It’s only natural then that you might question whether any particular investment is really the right thing to do. Marketing dollars are especially hard to spend. What if the campaign doesn’t work? What if I lose this money? These are perfectly valid questions as you tenaciously hold on to your dollar.

            One of the best ways to overcome the fear of spending is by paying close attention to the annual budget every year when you revisit your business plan.  Then, once the money is budgeted, consider it spent.

            And, make careful, informed decisions about where to spend the money when it comes time to do so.

            The bottom line is that if you really want to succeed in your real estate business, you’re going to have to spend some money on it – whether it’s on marketing, staff or technology.

            So, overcome the fear and lose the death grip on the pocketbook.

            Start your strategic plan to “Make More Money” today by scheduling an SOI Campaign with the Content Card Series.

            And, remember, with Scheduled Campaigns YOU DON’T PAY until each month’s mailing goes out (you can change or cancel up until the night before mailing).

            Don’t put off until tomorrow what can get done today, because what GETS SCHEDULED, GETS DONE!

            TO GET STARTED:

            STEP 1: Choose the SOI Campaign, Content Card Series.
            STEP 2: Then, choose your “Start Date” (See image illustration below), which postcards to send & for how long. It’s that easy!

            LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN NOW, CLICK HERE

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

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

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

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

            2. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

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

            3. Become a Neighborhood Brand

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

            4. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

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

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

            5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

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

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

            6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

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

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

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

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

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

            How long is long enough?

            Heading into the new year with visions of grandeur floating in your head?

            How this year is going to be the year that’s…

            BIGGER, BETTER and BRIGHTER than ever.

            If only you could figure out the answer that nagging question swirling around in your head, “I spent time and money on a bit of marketing last year and it went nowhere, how will this year be any different?”

            Well, here’s what statistics tell us —

            If you’ve sent out a few marketing pieces throughout the year in the past, it’s going to take much more than that, to get the results you are after.

            But how much more?

            A strategic ongoing focus

            A strategic focus that includes mailings, phone calls, emails, door knocking and community involvement — to be specific.

            Don’t forget the 3-7-27 marketing rule of success discussed in the last blog (3 contacts for name recognition, 7 to associate your name with your business, and 27 to be known and trusted enough to do business).

            The bottom line,

            Don’t be tempted to stop your marketing efforts after a few sporadic tries. Understand the science and psychology behind marketing.

            Historically most transactions or calls happen after five to seven contacts or more.

            An effective month by month plan

            A successful marketing plan includes a combination of the following:

            Ongoing monthly direct mail with periodic direct response offers, interspersed with email marketing, phone calls, and neighborhood visits.

            Follow this strategy and you are well on your way to putting yourself on the map.

            What to send for impact 

            Holiday Postcards:

            Every month you have the opportunity to add a seasonal timely touch to your marketing.

            Be sure to include a personal message on the back and follow this card up with a friendly, “anything I can do for you?” phone call every few months.

             

            Free Offer Postcards:

            These are great direct response pieces to send that highlight compelling free offers such as, free market analysis, list of homes and list of resources. These offers encourage interest and low-risk hand raising.

            Content Postcards:

            These powerful, content-rich cards have timely topics with consumer-friendly information that sets you up as the expert resource in your market.

            When to scale back?

            How about never?

            During the holidays many agents slow down their marketing as social obligations gear up and the industry appears to take a breather.

            Be the agent who takes the opposite approach.

            Stay top of mind without any lag in exposure so you can hit the ground running in January while other agents are just getting back in the game.

            This coming year CAN be your BIGGEST and BRIGHTEST ever!

            By expanding your ongoing marketing actions and touch points throughout the year, to ensure your business continues to thrive and grow.

            Start making a great impression today, then do it again next week, next month, and so on.

            Your business and your bottom line will thank you for it.

            Interested in a strategic one year marketing plan that has already been done-for-you? Take a look at our Master Marketing Schedule. Need our assistance?  Our team at ProspectsPLUS! is available at 866.405.3638 and excited to answer your questions.

            © 2024 ProspectsPLUS! | Real Estate Marketing Blog