Real Estate Marketing Blogger

Are you in the habit of taking notes about properties you’ve seen, neighborhoods you’ve visited, and people you’ve met? If not, you might want to. A busy and successful agent will need to know the details of all the local neighborhoods and this knowledge should include more than just the schools and hospitals. Also, you should be touring the properties on the market so you know exactly what is available at what price and this is can be a little overwhelming if you just try to remember everything. Most important are remembering the people you meet since this is primarily a people business. People are used to being forgotten so be the exception. Be the person who cares enough to remember them.

Many religious organizations, churches, synagogues, etc. print weekly bulletins for their members that you might consider advertising in. Running an ad in one of these is generally less expensive than many other types of media and you can usually get a discount if you agree to run your ad for a longer period. Try to get your picture with the ad so that week after week the members will not only start to identify you with real estate, but also as a supporter of their organization.

Write a script of possible scenarios to use with buyers, sellers, and FSBO’s, and use it to practice your presentation skills. You can look to others for suggestions but try to write them yourself since only you know what you’ll be comfortable with. The other half of this is to make certain you practice until they’re second nature and you can adapt it to any person or situation.

How much curb appeal does your listings have? If the answer is “what’s curb appeal?” then you better get to work. Many people still find a house the old fashioned way, by driving by. If they like what they see from their car, you might get a call. So give your sellers some ideas to improve the look of their house from the street. Ask them to go out to the curb with you and describe the good, as well as the bad, they see. They will probably come up with ideas on their own but you should be ready to point them in the right direction.

Many people, especially out of town buyers, want to know how close any hospitals are to where they’re thinking about living. Are you able to tell them? If not, you’ll want to spend some time learning. In fact, you might want to prepare a list of all the hospitals, along with addresses and phone numbers, and include it the information packet you give them.

Have a checklist prepared to use when first talking with potential buyers to find out, as much as possible, exactly what they are looking for. If your buyers would never consider a house with a pool, the time to learn that is before you walk out the back door of a house with one. It does neither of you any good to show houses they either don’t want or can’t afford.

Are you using a blackberry or other device that can get and answer e-mail from wherever you are? If not, this is something you will want to look into. One of the most common complaints from people about their agent is the lack of a timely response when they call. Having one of these devices can help keep you in touch and keep your clients informed and happy.

Do you gladly give out testimonials to prospective clients? You should. Testimonials prove you have done a good job for others and are strong evidence you are the right agent to hire. Many people, probably you included, look at the experience others have had before to determine whom they should work with. So, don’t forget to ask current clients for one and make sure you use it on your mailings, flyers, and website.

If you have already started a blog, or intend to, you might want to use it to concentrate on your farm. You could mail, or hand deliver, letters or flyers to the houses in your area letting them know your website address and that you will be discussing topics that concern them. You could talk about any real estate or community related topic. Most importantly, you are there to engage them in a discussion with you as the local expert. This not only gets your name out there, it affirms it in the minds of the people you are trying to meet.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No one, especially your broker, expects you to know everything right from the start. Your broker will be glad you asked since this shows an active participation on your part to learn, and your clients will be glad since this shows them you are interested in what they have to say.

You probably are used to sitting open houses on the weekends, but why not during the week? You might be surprised at the number of people who show up if you hold a house open for a couple hours in the early evening in the middle of the week. You just might bring in some of those people who have no time on the weekend but still need to find a house.

Keep your car spotless, especially if you use it to drive clients around in. Nothing says “unorganized” like a messy car. So, clean out those fast food wrappers, get the stacks of paper off the front seat, clean the bugs off the windshield, and whatever you do, don’t smoke.

S.C.O.R.E. calls themselves “The Counselors to America’s Small Business” and they have many resources to help you. This non-profit association offers free advice, business templates, and education on-line or in person. At their website you can find free advice on designing brochures, managing your schedule, and many other general business topics. Find them on-line here.

Being an agent is hard work and it takes a lot of strength and stamina to carry out all the things you’re expected to. Losing those extra pounds will not only give you more energy and endurance, it will make you look and feel better and increase your self-confidence.

If you are listing an empty house make sure that you, or the owners, have made arrangements to have the lawn and the rest of the grounds taken care of. Having an overgrown field instead of a neat lawn doesn’t exactly scream curb appeal and anyone looking at it can’t help but think what else about the house has been neglected.

A great way to get your name out to many new people, increase your circle of influence, and make a difference in the lives of others is to join one or more clubs or groups in your area. This could be a local community center, a parent-teacher association, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Habitat For Humanity, or any other organization that might interest you.

Unless your broker is paying for it, a lot of print advertising will probably be out of your reach. However, if you do decide to advertise this way, maximize your exposure by finding publications that will be around for a while. An example might be the yearly member directories of clubs, churches, or professional associations. Numerous organizations put these out and their members frequently refer to them for years.

 Ø       Gift certificate to a local home center for new locks or other items

 Ø       Gift certificate to a local restaurant to celebrate the closing 

Ø       Tickets to a local event to unwind after the stress of the move is past 

Ø       A couple scented candles to set the mood in their new home 

Ø       A birdhouse the new owners can set up and enjoy 

Ø       A nice live plant 

Ø       A large basket of fresh fruit 

Ø       A framed blowup of their new home 

Ø       A gift basket with a selection of various types of coffee and tea 

Ø      A special bottle of wine or champagne

You must learn to focus your direct mail efforts. Sending flyers for modest priced and starter homes to renters in an apartment complex is more focused than sending a page of all the listings in your office to everyone on your mailing list. The best way to decide what to send out is to put yourself in the place of the receiver. If what you’re sending describes something they’re likely looking for, then you’re on the right track. If not, then find something else. Remember, sending the right message to the right prospects will improve the response you get while saving money you can then use for something else.

You, or the sellers, must absolutely pay attention to the flyer pouch in front of the house and keep it stocked. Many people begin their search for a house by driving around to have a look in the areas they are interested in and expect to be able to get a flyer describing the house if there is a place for them. Also, don’t forget to make sure the weather hasn’t destroyed the flyers already in there. A wet, pulpy mess in place of a nice crisp flyer doesn’t exactly make a very good impression.