Real Estate Marketing Blogger

Tip Of The Day - Be The Solution

March 3rd, 2008

You’ve heard it said that if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem. This is absolutely true when it comes to helping someone with his or her real estate needs. As a professional agent, you must realize that most people do not know exactly what they want and even fewer know how to get it. An agent that doesn’t know how to help just makes things worse. Instead, be the solution to both of these problems and you are likely to reap the rewards for many years to come.

Tip Of The Day - Turn Your Knowledge Into More Clients

March 2nd, 2008

Ask yourself, “How do people in your area find their agent?” Is it ads in the newspaper, or maybe it’s the phone book, from flyers sent to their house, probably on the Internet nowadays? Ask everyone you come in contact with. Even ask other agents. Don’t worry about them being insulted or secretive; agents love to brag about their successes. You might even want to send out a questionnaire to your farm asking them how they would go about finding an agent if they need one. Once you have your answers, use this information to design or change your marketing campaign to take advantage of it.

Tip Of The Day - Qualified But Not Bragging

March 1st, 2008

Be careful how you blow your own horn. If the only message that your readers can glean from your marketing materials is how much real estate you have sold (read how much money you have made) then you need to rethink your copy. Proving you are qualified to take good care of your clients and that you are the best agent for the job should be your message. No one cares about how great you are. They only care what you can do for them.

Tip Of The Day - You Need More Listings

February 29th, 2008

Focus your efforts on increasing your supply of listings and you will increase your income at the same time. Remember, every other agent working in your area is potentially helping you sell your listings but you are on your own with your buyers.

Tip Of The Day - How Will You Negotiate?

February 28th, 2008

One question to ask when talking to FSBO’s is how they expect to be able to negotiate with a prospective buyer. They should know that it is rare for a seller to accept the first offer a potential buyer makes. There is almost always a back and forth negotiation that takes place and unless the seller is able to separate him or herself from the personal nature of the transaction, they are likely to be unhappy with the result.

Tip Of The Day - Check Your Website Everyday

February 27th, 2008

Get into the habit of checking your website at least once a day. If there is a problem, you need to be the first to know about it. The company that hosts your site could have a problem that has shut you down and is probably so busy trying to fix the problem that they do not have the time or the ability to tell you about it. In fact, it is the policy of many hosting services that you are the one responsible for keeping track of this. Nobody cares about your site more than you so make sure you know what is going on with it.

Tip Of The Day - Neer Send Spam

February 26th, 2008

Spam is unwanted and unasked for e-mail of any kind. Not only is it illegal to send anything like this, you are likely to anger the recipient so much that they will never even consider working with you. Ask for permission before you send any e-mail. If you don’t get that permission, don’t feel bad, your e-mail wouldn’t have worked on them anyway.

Tip Of The Day - Easy To Read?

February 25th, 2008

This may sound obvious but you would be surprised at how many people use dark colored paper with dark colored ink for their flyers. Ask yourself if anything could be harder to read. Even if your flyers are designed perfectly with the right combination of paper, ink, and copy you will still have a large percentage of receivers who will throw them away without looking at them. Don’t force everyone else to do the same as well.

Tip Of The Day - Make Your Business Cards More Valuable

February 24th, 2008

Make your business card more valuable by printing a calendar or an amortization table on the back. You might even consider passing out laminated versions of the same with your contact information taking second place. Many potential clients and even other agents will hold on to these if they are done well and have a nice clean look.

Tip Of The Day - Be Persistent

February 23rd, 2008

One of the most common mistakes that an agent can make is to stop their marketing effort as soon as their business picks up. The secret to a consistent or increasing level of clients is a steady and determined marketing effort. All market planning should be long-term and you should always be looking a minimum of six-months to a year down the road. If often takes at least that long for your marketing efforts to convert prospects into clients, so be persistent in your efforts and eliminate those feast or famine cycles.

Tip Of The Day - How To Really Help Expired Listers

February 22nd, 2008

You have certainly heard it before but there is nothing you can do to help a person whose listing has expired more than convincing them to set their asking price correctly from the start. The “let’s try this price and we’ll lower it later if necessary” just doesn’t work. Buyers equate a falling price with a desperate seller and will write their offer accordingly, if at all. So, convince them to price correctly from the start or don’t bother taking the listing.

Tip Of The Day - A Business Card Reminder

February 21st, 2008

Quick, check your pockets or your purse right now. Do you have a supply of business cards to give out? If not, you need to change the way you do business. You should be in the habit of passing out your business card to everyone you meet and you certainly are not going to be able to do that if you don’t have a ready supply with you at all times.

Tip Of The Day - Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse

February 20th, 2008

One of the best strategies you can use to convince FSBO’s and expired listers to work with you is to present them with a deal that increases the odds of them attaining their most important goals. This doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed to get everything they want, but it does mean that you use your imagination and skills to set up a deal where the probability of them doing so is the greatest. Find out what is most important to them and then figure out how to accomplish that. If they need to sell fast, use listing price to do it. If they need a minimum amount before they will sell, show them how to spend the time, effort, and a little money to make their house worth more to prospective buyers.

Tip Of The Day - Concentrate On Listings

February 19th, 2008

Concentrating your efforts on increasing your listings rather than the number of buyers you work with could be the difference between a steadily increasing income and the opposite. Even the most organized agent can only work with so many buyers at a time. Servicing a few buyers can take as much time as servicing many listings so it only makes sense that if you want to increase your earnings you will increase your listings.

Tip Of The Day - Provide Value With Outgoing Links

February 18th, 2008

Make sure you have placed as many helpful links on your website as you can think of. You should have links to the local tax authorities, the recorders office in your area, and the Chamber of Commerce for all the cities in your area. Any links on your website should be set to open in a new window whenever someone clicks on them so that it is easy for them to come back to your page.

Tip Of The Day - One Thing At A Time

February 17th, 2008

If you are like most people, you do not use your time as effectively as you can. You start one task only to be interrupted by something else. Or, you may find yourself trying to do two things at once with the result that both prove to be less than your best effort. One strategy you can use to eliminate this is to try thinking of your day in short fifteen-minute or half-hour increments. Use each period to concentrate on one task at the exclusion of all others. It sounds too simple to be effective, but this might just be the easiest way to work through all the things you need to do.

Tip Of The Day - Price It Correct From The Start

February 16th, 2008

The most important item you and your clients need to discuss, and hopefully, agree on, is the listing price. In today’s housing market, pricing a house higher than the competition will almost certainly guarantee that it will sit for months. And, the worst part is that once you convince your sellers to lower the price where it should have been to start with, your prospective buyers will think something must be wrong with the house and will still hesitate to make an offer. If you really want to help your clients, get the price correct right from the start.

Tip Of The Day - How Active Is Your Farm?

February 15th, 2008

You should be constantly reviewing the areas you farm for all the real estate activity to continuously determine if they are active enough to be worth your time and marketing dollars. Keep track of every listing, sale, expired listing, and FSBO. Make a spreadsheet in which in you can easily enter the data and consider the results every few months. If there is not enough activity, you may want to focus your efforts elsewhere.

Tip Of The Day - Get Organized

February 14th, 2008

There is almost certainly no one thing you can do for your career and your life better than getting organized. Organized agents are able to service more buyers, list more sellers, and close more deals.  They don’t waste their time trying to figure out what they need to do next, all the while hoping they did not forget anything important. Get organized and start earning more.

Tip Of The Day - Keep And Use A Mailing List Of Other Agents

February 13th, 2008

You are probably in the habit of sending out notices of your listings to people on your mailing list but are you also sending these same notices out to all the other agents in your area. The buyer for your listing will probably come from another agent so it only makes sense to let them know what you have listed. Start and maintain a mailing list of all the agents in your area and use it to spread the word about your new listings.

Tip Of The Day - Don’t Waste Time Chatting

February 12th, 2008

Do you spend part of every day chatting with your fellow agents? If so, ask yourself if your time wouldn’t be better spent doing something else. For example, you could spend the time writing out personal messages to people on your mailing list. And, since every one of these personal messages deserves a follow up call, you may use this time for that. The list of things you could do with the extra time is endless, so look closely at the time you are spending that is not furthering your career and then look for better ways to fill it.

Tip Of The Day - FSBO Strategies

February 11th, 2008

One way to court the FSBO’s in your area by asking them questions designed to show them they might be in over their head. One such question is how will they know if a potential buyer for their home is even qualified to buy it. Most people have a natural aversion when it comes to asking others about their personal finances and people trying to sell their own home are no different. Let these sellers know that one of the most valuable services you can offer is the ability to sort through all the lookers to find the buyers who are really willing and, more importantly, able to buy.

Tip Of The Day - To Do List

February 10th, 2008

One thing you need to do as an agent is to make sure you use your time as efficiently as possible. One way to do this is by keeping a To Do list. This simple tool can mean the difference between really accomplishing what you need to be successful and just filling your time.

Tip Of The Day - Set Your House Apart

February 9th, 2008

How do you sell a home when every other house on the street is for sale? The only way is to set your house apart from all the rest. You can do it by price, condition, extras (like warranties, carpet allowance, etc.), or special financing terms. Tour every other house and ask yourself why anyone would want to buy yours. If you are unable to find enough good reasons, you can bet that nobody else will either. Make your house stand apart from the rest and make buyers feel they would be crazy to even consider one of the others.

Tip Of The Day - Use Monthly Newsletters To Keep In Touch

February 8th, 2008

Are you mailing out a newsletter every month to your farm? Writing and mailing your own newsletter every month can be one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with your target market. Try to make sure what you send out has a lot of useful information and informative articles. Also try to make sure you have put a local slant to everything, as much as possible. The more informative and useful you make it, the more people will want to read it, and the easier you will be remembered.

Tip Of The Day - Keep An Extra Shirt Or Blouse For Emergencies

February 7th, 2008

Keep an emergency shirt or blouse with you for those accidental spills that seem to happen at the worst possible times. You may not think of this as such a big deal but if you meet your clients with a large coffee stain in the middle of your shirt, I guarantee it will be the one thing they remember about the meeting and will probably be talking about for years to come.

Tip Of The Day - Do Your Homework

February 6th, 2008

Whenever you do a market analysis for a client, don’t just depend on a few neighborhood comps to justify your price. Make sure that you go out and look at the homes you are using for comparison. This is one of the easiest ways to convince a potential client that you know what you are talking about and will provide a far more accurate analysis than you (and most of your competition) would otherwise provide.

Tip Of The Day - Keep In Touch With E-Mail

February 5th, 2008

Times have changed and most people today are comfortable with staying in touch by way of e-mail. Use this to your advantage to drop a quick note, a news article that might interest them, or information about a local event they may want to attend. Just remember to be sure you have their permission to contact them this way since unwanted e-mail sent without permission is considered Spam and will probably have the exact opposite result than what you are trying for.

Tip Of The Day - Do Not Follow The Crowd

February 4th, 2008

If you want to set yourself apart, do not just do what every other agent is doing. Show your potential clients how you are different and why they should go with you instead of someone else. Always be on the lookout for ways to set yourself apart. Keep a notebook with you at all times to record your ideas. Setting yourself apart from the hundreds (or more) agents in your area might be the hardest thing you have to do to convince people to hire you and not someone else.

Tip Of The Day - How Do They Benefit?

February 3rd, 2008

Whenever you write an ad, sales letter, flyer, or any other type of marketing copy, ask others to look it over and pick out the benefit to the reader. If there isn’t an easily discerned benefit, you probably want to spend a little more time with it. People are not interested in you; they are only interested in what you can do for them. They will only respond to how they can benefit so make sure that benefit is easy to find.

Tip Of The Day - Using Advertising Dollars Effectively

February 2nd, 2008

Don’t waste your marketing dollars advertising your services in newspaper display ads. Newspaper advertising can be used for your listings but your money might be better spent advertising yourself in other ways. For the price of one ad you might be able to make a number of mailings to your geographic farm, or you might be able to buy a number of giveaways like personalized coffee mugs, calendars, or key chains. You could mail hundreds of personal letters for the same price. Always consider the many ways you could spend your marketing dollars so they are used most effectively.

Tip Of The Day - Coupons In Real Estate?

February 1st, 2008

Contrary to what most people think, the use of coupons in real estate can actually work if used properly. For example, a coupon that pays for a moving truck for local moves might be the final incentive for a potential client to want to work with you. You also might offer a certain amount off of your commission, or a gift certificate at a local home center.

Tip Of The Day - Can They Afford It?

January 31st, 2008

Don’t be the kind of agent who puts people into the most expensive house they can qualify for. Instead, take the time to find an equally good house that fulfills your client’s criteria, but is priced below their maximum. Doing this can cement your professional relationship and provide you with a lifetime client and a source for referrals for years to come.

Tip Of The Day - Don’t Depend On Advertising

January 30th, 2008

Advertising is probably the most expensive way you can attain name recognition. Besides being expensive, advertising has another downfall. When people see you in an ad, they do not feel the personal connection to you they need to feel in order to want to do business with you. Consider if you would be willing to trust your largest financial transaction to a name or face in the newspaper. Wouldn’t you rather want to work with someone you have a more personal connection to?

Tip Of The Day - Find A Way To Help

January 29th, 2008

Ask yourself, “What can you do to help your clients?” If you are like most agents, you will have clients with financial and credit history challenges to overcome. Many people do not know how to help themselves so your advise in this area would not only help your clients get their lives in order, you would be gaining a paycheck when they qualify to buy a home. Potential clients in this situation are used to be treated poorly and will be loyal to the agent that helps them so be different and earn a client for life.

Tip Of The Day - Friendly, But Not Friends

January 28th, 2008

The people who hire you to help them buy or sell their house are not looking for, and do not need,  just another friend. What they really need is a professional who will advise them on the many choices they will be forced to make. Buyers will need someone who can help them find the right combination of house and price. Sellers will need you to find a buyer who is willing and able to pay a fair price for their property in as little time as possible. Having an agent that is also a friend is great but not as important as having an agent that is able to provide the professional service their clients are looking for.

Tip Of The Day - Set Daily Goals

January 27th, 2008

Everyone has heard the importance of setting and working towards long-term goals, but are you aware that the practice of setting and attaining daily goals may be more important in the long run? All of these little goals add up to big accomplishments and because you are making many small decisions over a period of time, you are able to guide the course of your career most effectively.

Tip Of The Day - Track Your Marketing

January 26th, 2008

Do you track the effectiveness of every mailing you send out and every ad you run? If not, how will you know what is working and what is not? By keeping a record of every one of your marketing efforts, you can really tell what the best use of your marketing dollars is. Don’t just depend on what you think might be working, you may be surprised to learn what you thought was working is not.

Tip Of The Day - Will They Even See It?

January 25th, 2008

Have you given any thought to what publications are read by your target market? If you are spending money advertising in your local newspaper, you better be sure the people you are trying to attract will see it. If you are like most agents, you only have a limited amount of money to spend on marketing; so don’t waste it on things that have no chance of working.

Tip Of The Day - Personalized Key Chains

January 24th, 2008

Try passing out personalized key chains to everyone you meet. You can purchase these from any of the many promotional product companies locally or on the Internet. Many people are reluctant to throw these away and frequently end up actually using them. You might want to put your name and website on one side and then something like a small calendar on the other.

Tip Of The Day - Out-Of-Town Owners

January 23rd, 2008

A good source of new listings can be out-of-town owners. You can make up a database of these owners by compiling the names and addresses from your local property tax records where the tax bill is mailed to an out-of-town address. Often these owners would really like to sell but are unsure of how to do it from a distance. Market yourself as the local expert with the knowledge and unique understanding of what will be involved for this type of owner and you will win many new clients from this, often, untapped source of new business.

Tip Of The Day - Think Of Yourself As A Brand

January 22nd, 2008

Thinking of yourself as a brand instead of just another agent could be just what you have been looking for to boost your career. Thinking this way forces you to focus all your marketing in the same direction. Whenever someone thinks about real estate, you want him or her to think about you. To do this, you need to find a way to stand apart from your competitors and make sure everything you do is designed to give people a reason to work with you. By giving more than what people expect, you will soon create a brand that is distinctly your own and that people will come to know.

Tip Of The Day - Be Clear About What To Do

January 21st, 2008

Do you give a clear instruction to the reader in every one of your mailings? If you want the recipient of your mailing to give you a call to discuss how much they could sell their house for, tell them exactly that. Don’t just tell them to call, they will not know why they should and, consequently, will just ignore your request.

Tip Of The Day - Marketing Idea Strategies

January 20th, 2008

Get out a pad of paper and a pen and start making a list of all the ways you can contact prospective clients. Don’t worry if it is something you cannot do, afford to do, or even would do, just keep writing. Try to list as many as you can think of. Once you have your list, decide on the five best ideas you came up with and then devise a marketing plan around those ideas. Keep your list and add to it whenever you hear about or think about a new way to reach out to people. If used properly, this could be a resource that you can consistently mine for new ideas.

Tip Of The Day - Suddenly Swamped

January 19th, 2008

Have you given any thought to how you would handle a sudden increase in business? You may be in a position where you think you hardly have to consider this, but give it some thought anyway. If you are marketing yourself in a variety of ways, as you should, you will eventually reach a point where you are servicing multiple buyers and sellers at the same time. You will need to learn how to be the same great agent for many clients just the same as you would if you only had one. The really successful agents have learned how to do this and you will need to as well if you expect to achieve the same.

Tip Of The Day - Be Passionate

January 18th, 2008

If you are passionate about your profession and the help it provides people, then your clients will feel that passion as well. Everyone wants to believe they are making the best decision they can. This is especially true when it comes to money matters and even more so when it comes to buying and selling a home. It is common knowledge a home is the largest purchase that most people will make and your passion about your profession can go a long way in convincing them you are the agent to help them.

Tip Of The Day - Know Your Value

January 17th, 2008

Can you talk persuasively about why you are worth the money you make? If not, you need to learn how. This is the one question that almost everyone who considers hiring you will have on his or her mind so you better be ready with an answer. If you stammer through your reply it will sound like you are making it up as you go along so practice this just like you would practice any of your scripts.

Tip Of The Day - Professionally Made Business Cards

January 16th, 2008

One of the most important marketing tools you have is your business card. You hand them out to everyone you meet (you do, don’t you?) and many people will hold on to them until they need them. With all the ways you can profit from your business cards, why would you not get the very best looking cards you can? Don’t waste time and money at a printer that doesn’t specialize in these. Instead go to the printer that can offer hundreds of different kinds of stock, inks, embossed, special cuts, folds, etc. Be creative, be professional, but never be cheap. A single transaction should pay for your cards for many years to come.

Tip Of The Day - Under Construction?

January 15th, 2008

Check to make sure that every single page of your website is functioning the way it should. Never allow a link to take someone to a page that is “under construction.” People see this as a sign to go elsewhere since there are countless other sites they can go for the information they seek.

Tip Of The Day - Give A Public Seminar

January 14th, 2008

Offer a free real estate seminar to increase your exposure to your local community. The public library is a great place for this, or perhaps a community or senior center would be willing to let you speak. Prepare informational handouts and make the topic of your seminar something the local people are interested in. You might talk about how your local market is doing better than the national or regional averages, or some strategies people can use if they are facing foreclosure. The closer you get to the problems and needs of your likely audience, the greater the turnout will be.

Tip Of The Day - Recommend A Solution

January 13th, 2008

Think about the real estate problems the people in your market are facing. Many people today are looking at the possible loss of their home because they are unable to afford it. How can you help them? What if you could find them a less expensive home they could afford? Perhaps you could put them into contact with a banker that would help them out of their current house and into another. Many people facing foreclosure feel trapped and would welcome a solution to their problem and, if you think about it, solving problems are what your business is all about.

Tip Of The Day - Identify Your Weaknesses

January 12th, 2008

One area many people feel uncomfortable with is dealing with their own weaknesses. The obvious problem with this attitude is that instead of recognizing them and then improving them, they allow them to limit what they can accomplish and forever hold them back. You must face up to the things you are weak in or be stuck at your current level, or perhaps, fall further behind your competition.

Tip Of The Day - Trust

January 11th, 2008

In order to take the chance and work with you, a buyer or seller has to feel they know you and feel comfortable that you will take care of their needs. In other words, they need to trust you. Ask yourself if you would be willing to depend on an agent to help with the largest purchase you ever made if you did not trust them. Do what you say you will. Always live up to the promises you make. If you say you will call at 7:00, then make sure you call at 7:00. Most people want to believe in you so give them a reason to do so and they will.

Tip Of The Day - Write A Weekly Column

January 10th, 2008

If you have the writing skills, offer your local newspaper or other local publication a weekly or monthly column about issues important to the local real estate market. You will have to prove your worth as a writer and will, almost certainly, need to submit some writing samples. Also, spend the time and effort to find out the exact person who will make the decision and present your offer in person. You should not expect to be paid for this, but it hardly matters since your compensation will come from the clients you receive as a result of the free publicity and the authority you will gain as the local real estate expert.

Tip Of The Day - Focus On Their Needs

January 9th, 2008

Focus your message on the emotional needs and wants of your target audience. Most people have a very cynical view of any marketing message they receive. They are constantly bombarded with advertising, offers, advice, commercials, sales pitches, etc. In order for your message to be heard and responded to, you are going to have to stand out from the crowd. The best way to do this is to show your potential clients you truly care about them and that you understand their wants and needs and that you are the right agent to satisfy them.

Tip Of The Day - Check For Spelling And Grammar Errors

January 8th, 2008

Nothing makes you look more like an amateur than by allowing misspellings or grammatical errors in anything you have written. Do not fool yourself by thinking no one will notice. Almost everyone will notice, and many will not forget. Remember, your mailings are designed for one thing, to convince people to call you for help with their real estate problems. How can they trust you to help them when you are not even careful enough to help yourself?

Tip Of The Day - Letters To The Editor

January 7th, 2008

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspapers can give you free publicity but make sure you are careful you do not promote an unpopular or controversial view on anything. You would be much better off putting a positive spin on anything that has been reported recently concerning the real estate industry. For example, if the media has been talking about how bad the national market for new homes has been but your market is doing better, you could use this to write a positive sounding letter.

Tip Of The Day - Check For Continuity

January 6th, 2008

Once you have written anything you plan to send out, you will want to not only proofread it for spelling and grammar errors, but also to make sure of the continuity of the message. Does the whole page flow naturally from one paragraph to the other? You never want to have a series of disconnected paragraphs. Instead, you want to have one main idea with every paragraph leading the reader along a consistent theme.

Tip Of The Day - Formal Or Informal

January 5th, 2008

Make sure that all your mailings have a consistent tone, whether it is folksy or serious or business-like does not matter as much as your being consistent. You are trying to project one image that your target audience can get to know and trust and sounding like a different person each time does not build up their trust.

Tip Of The Day - Why Aren’t They Buying

January 4th, 2008

If you have been consistently farming in an apartment complex but have seen little or no response, you need to find out why. If the rental rates are near the bottom of the local market, then you might be marketing to people who cannot afford to buy a house of their own. If so, you should look for another area to use your marketing dollars.

Tip Of The Day - Use First-Class Stamps

January 3rd, 2008

To increase the likelihood they will be opened, try hand applying first-class stamps to your mailings. Using metered postage makes it look more like a business mailing, thus making it easier for the recipient to throw it away unopened. Even postcards can benefit from a hand-affixed stamp.

Tip Of The Day - Be Passionate

January 2nd, 2008

If you are passionate about your profession and the help you provide your clients, then they will feel that passion as well.  Most people recognize that they require an agent to help them with their real estate needs but want to be sure they choose the best agent for the job. If you prove to them that you are a person with passion and enthusiasm you will go a long way in convincing them you are that agent.

Tip Of The Day - Follow Up After Every Mailing

January 1st, 2008

You should make it a practice to follow up with the receiver after every mailing to get the best return on your investment. Ideally, this follow up should be in person or by phone, but if that is not possible, your next best option is to follow up with another mailing. Think of both of these mailings as two halves of one effort and make the copy of each compliment the other. The second piece should reinforce the message of the first. Also, make sure each piece you send has a complete message of its own for the people who only see one of them.

Tip Of The Day - Cultivate Referral Business

December 31st, 2007

In order to build your business up to a profitable level, or to take it to the next level after that, you will need to cultivate referral business from past and present clients, friends, neighbors, etc. Everyone you know, and everyone they know should be working to find people in need of your services. Do not be afraid to ask for the referral and make sure you live up to the confidence that has been placed in you once you get it.

Tip Of The Day - Like Politics, All Real Estate Is Local

December 30th, 2007

In order to be effective, you must tailor your marketing strategy to the current conditions in your local market. It does not matter that home prices are on the rise in other parts of the country, or that new homes have flooded the market somewhere else. The one place you need to be truly concerned with is the market you work in.

Tip Of The Day - Identify Who Needs Your Services

December 29th, 2007

Get out a sheet of paper and list every type of person who can use the services you offer. Your list will include persons who currently rent apartments or houses, those who are newly married, those who have just had a baby, and those who are looking to downsize into a more manageable place. The reason for this is that each of these groups will need a different marketing approach. The more focused your marketing is to the recipient, the better the response will be.

Tip Of The Day - What Is Your Intention?

December 28th, 2007

When writing to FSBO’s or anyone else, make sure you know what you intend your reader to do. For example, the intended purpose of a letter to a FSBO should not be to list the property; instead it should be to prepare the seller to take your call. No one is going to list his or her house with a name in a letter.

Tip Of The Day - Send Out A Press Release

December 27th, 2007

Send out a press release to all of the newspapers and other local publications you or your firm advertise in at least once a month. Most publications are always looking for newsworthy items to publish but probably do not have much interest in publishing a free commercial for you. So, make sure you slant your release so that it serves a valid purpose for the publication.

Tip Of The Day - Make Yourself Easy To Contact

December 26th, 2007

How easy are you to get hold of? No one is available all the time but you should pick up your own phone as often as you can. Some agents seem to never pick up their phone, preferring instead to return the call when they are ready. Through the course of the average transaction, your clients will need to contact you many times. How much “personal service” will they think you are providing if you are always unavailable when they call?

Tip Of The Day - Merry Christmas

December 25th, 2007

Enjoy the holiday. Take some time and spend it with your family and all the people you love. Working hard all year is great for your career but do not forget what you are really working for. Take a few minutes during this special time of year and remember what is truly important. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas.

Tip Of The Day - Update Your Mailing List

December 24th, 2007

A good mailing list can be one of your most valuable assets but it needs to be up-to-date for it to be effective. Go through every name on your list at least once every six months and make sure all the information is still correct. People move, get divorced, have babies, etc. Prove to your contacts you care by keeping up with the changes in their lives.

Tip Of The Day - Underline To Call Attention To Your Text

December 23rd, 2007

You can call attention to a particular line or offer in your sales letter by underlining it by hand. Make sure to use the same ink you sign your name with. This will help your reader focus on a key point you are trying to make as well as draw their attention to the letter itself.

Tip Of The Day - Short Paragraphs

December 22nd, 2007

When writing sales letters, make sure to use short paragraphs. If the letter is filled with long paragraphs your reader is far more likely to throw it out unread. Dense copy looks like work and no one wants more of that.

Tip Of The Day - Wasting Time

December 21st, 2007

Every agent has a limited amount of time and you are no exception, so make sure to consider the amount of time involved in every marketing plan you devise. Ask yourself if your expected results justify the amount of time it will take to work your plan. An example of this is cold calling. Some agents swear by this method, but if you have to make hundreds of calls to get just one client, you need to decide if your time would not be spent better doing something else.

Tip Of The Day - Write A Personal Letter Every Day

December 20th, 2007

A personal letter, followed up with a phone call can be a great way to find new clients. Try to write at least one handwritten letter to a person on your mailing list everyday. Do not use your computer; write each letter out by hand. Draft some samples and use them as a guide for what you will write. If you take the time to do this, the recipient will be able to tell the difference and will always remember you as the person who cared about them enough to do something no other agent ever did.

Tip Of The Day - Be A Local School Expert

December 19th, 2007

One of the most important concerns of many parents is where their children will attend school if they move, which is why you absolutely must know all the schools in your area. You will be asked, so try to commit their names and locations to memory. You might also visit each of the schools and ask them if they any literature you could use to pass out to their clients.  This has a two-fold benefit; you will remember the school better once you have been there, and second, you will save some money if the school pays for the copying.

Tip Of The Day - Do You Parcel Out Information?

December 18th, 2007

Not only do most real estate websites today offer detailed information for the agents’ own listings such as price and address, you are likely to find detailed information for all the listings in the local MLS. If you have decided, however, to only put a brief description up with a photograph expecting the visitor to call you for the rest of the details, you may find yourself with no takers. For better or worse, visitors to your site expect to see the information they are looking for without having to give personal information or give you a call. And, if you do not provide it, they will simply click over to someone else who does.

Tip Of The Day - Hold An Open House During The Week

December 17th, 2007

Many people who are looking for a home work nights and weekends. Why not be one of the few agents who try to help these people find their new home. Send out invitations to apartment renters and advertise the special day and time. You may be so surprised when you see how many people stop by, that you find yourself doing these more often.

Tip Of The Day - Use Mapping Software For Your Listings

December 16th, 2007

Have you made sure that all of your listings can be located easily? Is there an easy way to print a map that your potential buyers can follow? There are many free software options that allow you to offer maps with your listings, so use them. Also, make sure the property they click on is for the map that pops up. There is nothing more frustrating for a buyer (and for the seller, too) to print a map of a house they like that is wrong and will not get them to the property. After driving around looking for the house without success, do you think the buyers are going to feel very good about calling you?

Tip Of The Day - Think Twice About Prewritten Newsletters

December 15th, 2007

You may be tempted to buy one or more of the prewritten newsletters that are available to send out to your farm but give it some thought before you do. You are trying to establish yourself as the local real estate expert. Ask yourself what someone is supposed to think if you send something you clearly had nothing to do with. People easily see through this type of thing and, instead of gaining their trust, you do just the opposite.

Tip Of The Day - Take More Pictures Than You Need

December 14th, 2007

Are you taking enough pictures of the property when you visit your seller? How many times have you returned to your office and realized that most of the pictures you took are too dark, too light, or just plain terrible? Your choice is to go back and shoot some more or use the ones you got, so save time and take more than you think you will need the first time.

Tip Of The Day - Your Unique Qualities

December 13th, 2007

One advantage you have over every other agent in your area is the unique qualities that make you who you are. No one can copy your style or be another you. Many people select their agent by asking friends and family for a referral and it is these qualities and skills they will consider before referring you.

Tip Of The Day - Give A Clear Call To Action

December 12th, 2007

Make absolutely certain to include a clear and direct call to action in every letter, flyer, or advertisement. “Give me a call if I can be of assistance” just does not cut it. “Give me a call to find out exactly how I will sell your house” or “Call me to help you sell your house for the highest amount possible” is much better.

Tip Of The Day - Test Every Element On Your Website

December 11th, 2007

Take the time, whether you or someone else updates it, to check every single element on your website. There is nothing more frustrating than to click on links that do not work, to pull up maps that show the wrong location, or to force the user through a number of steps when they just want some simple information. No one cares as much about your website as you do so make sure you are the one who is doing the checking.

Tip Of The Day - Try Something New

December 10th, 2007

Set as one of your goals to try a new way to market yourself at least once a week. This could mean writing a new sales letter to send to your close contacts, a new flyer to one or more of your farms, or a new newspaper or magazine ad. You might look for a local apartment complex to start farming to convert renters into buyers. You could work out a plan to convert the many FSBO’s in your area and then actually start calling them. If you set as your goal to do “something”, you can almost certainly meet it with a little thought and effort.

Tip Of The Day - What Works And What Does Not?

December 9th, 2007

If you are like most agents, you have a limited amount of time and money to spend towards your marketing effort. In order to get the most use of both, you need to constantly ask yourself which of your marketing efforts is doing the job and which need to be reconsidered? In other words, how do you know what is bringing your clients to you? The best way to find out is to ask them and the natural time to bring it up is at the first meeting. Continuously judging every element of your marketing plan is the only way to use your time and money to their fullest.

Tip Of The Day - Price Or No Price?

December 8th, 2007

How do you feel about putting prices in your ads? You either put them in or not, but ask yourself why? Most agents who leave off the price do so because they think this will urge the truly interested to call for more information. Is this really true? If not, you might be losing money. Never mind what you believe, the only way to find out is to test the theory. Use similar properties in the same publication, some with prices and some without, and see the actual results you come up with. You may surprise yourself.

Tip Of The Day - What Matters To Your Client?

December 7th, 2007

Solving the problems of your clients should be your primary motivation and the only way you will be able to do it is by asking yourself what matters to them. What are they concerned with? Are they looking for a house in a particular school district or are they very concerned about the distance they will have to drive to work? Maybe they are only planning to own the house for a short length of time or would like a home that can be divided into a separate living space for another person such as an in-law. Find out the things that matter to your clients and then solve their problems and answer their concerns.

Tip Of The Day - Be Positive, Confident, And Friendly

December 6th, 2007

People love to work with others who are positive, confident, and friendly. Think about it, who would you rather work with? Positive people spread their outlook to those around them and make everyone feel good. Confident people have a way of getting everyone on board with their ideas. And, friendly people are a joy to be around. Be the person everyone wants to work with.

Tip Of The Day - No Misspelled Words, Ever!

December 5th, 2007

Make it a point to go over everything you write one final time to catch any spelling errors before sending it out into the world. A misspelled word screams out to the reader you do not care enough about them to take the time to do it right. It also gives them a lasting impression that you are careless and not detail oriented. There is no good reason for ever allowing a misspelled word in anything you write.

Tip Of The Day - Receive Your E-Mail On Your Cell Phone

December 4th, 2007

Do you have your E-Mail forwarded to your cell phone? If not, why not? Your clients, and potential clients, expect you to respond to their inquiry as soon as possible and if you only check your e-mail when you are in your office, you are probably upsetting people and losing clients to agents who make themselves always available.

Tip Of The Day - Realities Of The Market

December 3rd, 2007

No amount of marketing is going to help you sell a house that is over-priced. One of your responsibilities as an agent is to get your sellers to understand this and the time to approach the subject is sooner rather than later. If you do not, they are going to blame you and your marketing plan for the lack of a qualified buyer.

Tip Of The Day - Use Response Cards

December 2nd, 2007

Consider including a postage paid response card in with your next mailing. This could increase the overall response dramatically. The easier you make it for your readers to contact you, the greater the response will be.

Tip Of The Day - Set The Tone

December 1st, 2007

In order to put on a consistent tenor on all the elements in your marketing campaign, you should decide what tone you want to use and stick with it. For example, you may decide you are more comfortable with a conversational tone in your letters and flyers. Or, you may decide it is a more accurate representation of your style to be more business-like. Whatever you decide, try to stick with a single style so people can get to know and remember you.

Tip Of The Day - Be Clear In Your Marketing Message

November 30th, 2007

Anyone reading your marketing materials should be able to instantly recognize the intention of the effort. If not, you need to redo it until the intention is clear. You only have your readers’ attention for a few seconds, so make sure you are instantly understandable. Get the benefit to them right out front. If you try to build up slowly to your best benefit, you might be the only one who ends up reading it.

Tip Of The Day - Article Content For Your Website

November 29th, 2007

If you post real estate articles on your website but do not have the time or the ability to write as often as you would like, you might want to consider one of the article publishing sites on the web. These sites offer articles that you can republish on your site for free as long as you follow the terms of use that have been set forth. The leader in this field is EzineArticles In the interest of full disclosure, I have contributed a number of articles to this site.

Tip Of The Day - Blog Your Way To More Clients

November 28th, 2007

Start a blog. This is a great way to get the people in your farm to look to you as the local real estate expert. You can use your blog to write about local events, recent sale information, general selling or buying tips, and just about anything else you can think of. This can be used as an addition to your webpage, or by itself. Make it interesting and current and informative and you will soon gain a loyal following.

Tip Of The Day - Establish Relationships

November 27th, 2007

You will want to establish a relationship with as many people as possible. Your career depends on it. Never go anywhere without a supply of business cards because you simply do not know whom you will meet. Get into the habit of passing out two cards instead of one. Ask the recipient to pass the second one along to a friend.

Tip Of The Day - Hand-Written Letters

November 26th, 2007

Draft a one-page sales letter and then use it as the basis for a hand-written letter you will eventually send to every person on your mailing list. Try to mail a few of these every day. This may seem like an unnecessary and unproductive use of your time, but every one of these will probably have the impact of a dozen other mailings. Ask around to people you know if they have ever received a handwritten letter from any agent. If the answer is yes, this tells you it must have been effective since they still remember it. And, if the answer is no, it provides more evidence of how something like this is remembered.

Tip Of The Day - Remove Personal Items From View

November 25th, 2007

Advise your clients who are trying to sell their house to remove as many personal articles from view as possible. Absolutely no one tours a house without checking the bathrooms. If they are filled with personal toiletries, hanging clothes, or anything else that reminds them there is someone else living there, the prospective buyers will find it impossible or undesirable to live there.

Tip Of The Day - A Single Mailing Does Not A Campaign Make

November 24th, 2007

Don’t get discouraged when you get little or no response from a single mailing. This is exactly what you should expect. It often takes many impressions before someone will respond. Before mailing anything, plan out all your subsequent mailings and think of this entire effort as a campaign instead of a mailing. A single mailing of anything will probably be just a waste of your time and money.

Tip Of The Day - Contact Manager Software

November 23rd, 2007

Get a good contact manager software program and spend the time to learn how to use it. The better programs will allow you to keep detailed records of all your contacts and keep track of what you send and when. You will want to use this type of software as the foundation of your mailing and contact list.

Tip Of The Day - Limit Your Sales Letters To A Single Page

November 22nd, 2007

Make every effort to limit the sales letters you send out to only a single page. When the recipient opens the envelope and sees more than one page, they are more likely to “save it for later”, or just throw it out. Get into the habit of examining every aspect of every letter you send out to maximize the chances it will be read and acted upon.

Tip Of The Day - Your Contact List

November 21st, 2007

Be sure to think of your contact list as one of your most valuable assets, because it is. The process of building your list should begin when you first become an agent and should continue throughout your career. Get into the habit of adding names every day and you will soon build a list you can continually mine for new clients.

Tip Of The Day - What’s Next?

November 20th, 2007

Whenever you design an ad, write a sales letter, or send a postcard, make sure you tell the reader what they should do next. If you want them to call, visit your website, come to your open house, or anything else, you have to tell them to do so. This is not the time to be coy.

Tip Of The Day - One-Page Newsletters

November 19th, 2007

Are you constantly looking for ideas on what to mail to your contact list? You might try writing and mailing a one-page newsletter every month. You can use a template from one of the desktop publishing programs such as Microsoft Publisher and write about local topics of interest. Make sure you limit the size to a single page making it easy to write, easy to mail, and, most important, easy to read.

Tip Of The Day - Use Postcards Instead Of E-Mail

November 18th, 2007

Drive traffic to your website with the use of postcards. Postcards are easier to design than an advertisement, they are easier to write because there is less copy, and they are cheaper to mail than a letter. Try to print these off of your computer; you can add the address right to the card, thereby saving you the expense and hassle of printing and affixing mailing labels.

Tip Of The Day - Remembering The Details

November 17th, 2007

Are you in the habit of taking notes when talking to your clients? If not, you might want to since it is very easy to forget the details of what someone else tells you when you are being told many things at the same time. Impress your clients by keeping a clipboard with a yellow legal pad for note taking with you and make sure you use it. Before you part, review your notes with your clients. This will give you one last opportunity to find out their true needs and desires and will go a long way in showing them you really are listening to what they have to say.

Tip Of The Day - What Did You Think?

November 16th, 2007

Whenever you do a showing, always ask the client what they liked and disliked about the house. This will sound elementary, but you may be surprised how many agents get excited about the potential sale and forget to ask. Get them to talk specifics while they are still in the house, if at all possible. This way you can address any concerns they have so you can narrow down the search for what they are really looking for. The time for excitement is after all the parties are happy and the sale is closed.

Tip Of The Day - Hand Address Your Envelopes

November 15th, 2007

What is on the outside of the envelope you mail your sales letters in? Keep in mind that the only thing you want to accomplish with the outside is to get the recipient to open it. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by writing the address and return address information by hand. This makes the letter look like a personal message just for them and makes the recipient eager to see what is inside.

Tip Of The Day - Start Your Letter With A Question

November 14th, 2007

A great way to begin a sales letter is with a question. You only have a second or two to grab the attention of the recipient before your letter goes in the trash so make sure the first thing they see makes them want to keep reading. Asking a question gets the reader involved and urges them to continue.

Tip Of The Day - Ineffective Marketing Material

November 13th, 2007

Is your copy getting the intended message across to your readers? If you are trying to convey more than one message at a time, the likely answer is no. You only have a split second to grab their attention and convey your meaning. Be clear, be concise, and be succinct. “Why rent when you can own for the same price?” sends a clear message that everyone can recognize. “One-of-a-kind 4 bedroom, 2 bath and a 1 bedroom, 1 bath condo available now” does not. No one would believe these 2 properties would appeal to the same buyer, so why would an agent advertise them together?

Tip Of The Day - Are You Really Targeting Potential Clients?

November 12th, 2007

Are you not seeing any results from your marketing efforts? Perhaps the people you are mailing to are unable or unwilling to buy or sell. For example, if you are prospecting for buyers from an apartment complex that is priced near the bottom of the local market, you are probably wasting your marketing dollars. These people will likely move up to a better rental before buying a house. Often, who you are mailing to is more important than what you are mailing to them.

Tip Of The Day - Entrenched Competition

November 11th, 2007

Don’t waste your time and marketing dollars trying to unseat an agent who is getting nearly every deal out of a particular area. You would be wiser to choose another area where no one is dominant and then work to become the leading agent there. You should know that if you do try to go head-to-head with an already dominant agent, your efforts might actually drive clients to your competition since it will remind them of the name they see most often in their neighborhood.

Tip Of The Day - Do Not Give Up

November 10th, 2007

If asked, many agents will say they have had little or no results from many of their marketing campaigns. The most common cause of this may be that the agent did not stick with the effort long enough for it to work. It is a well-known fact that it takes multiple impressions on a person before your marketing message gets through, so when you design your plan, make sure you give it the time it needs to work.

Tip Of The Day - Use Postcards In Your Marketing Effort

November 9th, 2007

It is a well-known fact that using postcards as a part of your overall marketing strategy can be a great money-saving and effective way to bring in more clients. One major problem with a sales letter is that it may be considered junk mail and, consequently, thrown away unopened. Postcards have the advantages that they are often read, especially if designed well, and can cost less than a letter.

Tip Of The Day - Set The Tone For Your Meetings

November 8th, 2007

Try setting the tone and agenda for a meeting with potential clients by outlining what you will be discussing right at the beginning. For example, you might tell them what topics and documents you intend to cover and then finish by saying that if everything looks okay, they can then sign the contract, offer, or other form. By talking about this right from the start, you are conditioning the persons you are meeting to anticipate these documents and, therefore, be prepared to sign when they appear.

Tip Of The Day - Watch Out For Time Wasters

November 7th, 2007

As much as you may not want to admit it, there are people who are only out there to waste your time. These are the people who have no intention of buying or selling. Some are just killing time (yours as well as theirs), and others who are supposedly gathering information for some anticipated move in the future. Do not let them waste your time, but be careful, since these same people might want to do some real business in the future and you will want them to call you when they do.

Tip Of The Day - Are You Politically Correct?

November 6th, 2007

In today’s society, it seems people are more sensitive to the use of language than ever before and the last thing you want to do is offend someone with anything you write or say. Be mindful of racial and cultural stereotypes and avoid using slang that can be easily misunderstood. Check over all of your marketing materials and make sure they give off a look and feel of inclusion to all persons. In the competitive world of today’s real estate market, you need all the clients you can get.

Tip Of The Day - Out-Of-Town Owners

November 5th, 2007

One area of concentration in your farm that might be overlooked are the out-of-town owners who are currently renting out their property. Make sure you put them on your mailing list, especially if you send out newsletters or flyers that update events, recent sales, or new listings in the area. Also, send them a personal sales letter a couple times a year to let them know you are available if they need any local real estate services. You also might want to include some type of refrigerator magnet or calendar so that they have your name and number available when they need it.

Tip Of The Day - Set Yourself Apart

November 4th, 2007

One objective you should have for your marketing effort is to set yourself apart from all the other agents in your area. Think of, and then implement, various ways to show the unique advantage your clients will have letting you handle their real estate needs. For example, you might offer to pay for a home warranty for every seller who lists with you, or you might offer a free moving truck to use once your clients close successfully. Be creative and show everyone you stand above the rest.

Tip Of The Day - Learn From Others

November 3rd, 2007

You have probably heard the expression that you shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, meaning most things have been done before by someone else. Why not learn what other agents around the country are doing and then apply it to your own career. For example, if you are trying to improve the look and function of your website, spend a couple hours online looking at what other agents have done. This does not mean you should just copy what you see. Instead, think of it more as a brainstorming session to give you new ideas to improve what you are already doing.

Tip Of The Day - Do Not Forget The P.S.

November 2nd, 2007

Whenever you write a sales letter, always write a postscript at the end. The P.S. at the end gives you one more opportunity to tell the recipient about the benefits they will enjoy by letting you help them with their real estate needs. You could also use the P.S. to sum up the benefits you have told them about in the letter. Including the postscript is so important because it is one of the few parts of a sales letter that is almost always read.

Tip Of The Day - Get Help From A Professional

November 1st, 2007

Learn to recognize what tasks you should do yourself and which ones would be better left for a professional. For example, if you don’t have the necessary experience with designing effective ads, taking professional looking photographs, or writing great sales letters, you should consider turning to someone who does. If you take a minute to consider the money you will lose from lost business and a less than stellar reputation, the fees these experts charge will not seem so bad.

Tip Of The Day - Watch What You Write

October 31st, 2007

When writing the copy for your marketing materials, stay away from using any industry specific terminology. Many of the recipients will not understand you and may even feel slighted. Instead, always stick to plain English when you are writing to the general public. Only use industry jargon with other professionals in the business.

Tip Of The Day - Donate On Behalf Of Others

October 30th, 2007

A great way to thank your clients for their business is by making a donation on their behalf to their favorite charity. Try to make your gift personal such as by donating to an agency that has played a role in helping an affected member of their family. Let them know you care by sending a card telling them of the donation.

Tip Of The Day - Replace Those Artificial Plants

October 29th, 2007

When advising your sellers how to improve the look and atmosphere of the house they are trying to sell, you might suggest they use some well-placed live plants and flower arrangements. Many people decorate their house with artificial plants that look worse year after year. And, because they have been there so long, the owners do not even notice them anymore, but rest assured, any prospective buyers will.

Tip Of The Day - Identify Your Weaknesses

October 28th, 2007

Take the time to identify any areas of your profession you are weak in and them formulate a plan to improve these specific areas. For example, if you are not up to speed on the newest technology and how it can help you, then you may be falling behind other agents who have taken the time to learn. Use the Internet to keep up on what’s new. One place to start is PC World where you can find new products and reviews, articles, and ideas to help you keep up in this rapidly changing world.

Tip Of The Day - Train Your Support Staff

October 27th, 2007

Does anyone else at your office answer calls for you from prospective clients? If so, you will need to make sure they are thoroughly trained in how you expect the calls to be handled. Chances are good you will never get a second chance with a caller if they feel they were mistreated or ignored the first time.

Tip Of The Day - What Benefits Do You Offer?

October 26th, 2007

Decide on the most important benefit your clients will enjoy by hiring you and then use this as a basis for part of your marketing campaign. For example, if your clients can either get a hold of you immediately or expect a return call within the hour if they leave a message, tell them so. Not being able to contact their agent and not getting a timely return call are common complaints so people will recognize this as a benefit they would certainly like to see in their agent.

Tip Of The Day - Create Credibility

October 25th, 2007

Create credibility with your clients by not only advising them of the homes they might like but also the homes they should steer clear of. Your buyers might decide that buying a “handyman special” is the way to buy a larger house than they otherwise can afford, but if they are inexperienced at this, they will almost certainly underestimate the time and expense it will take to do the repairs. Warning them of what they will be getting themselves in for will go a long way in showing them that their well-being is more important to you than just getting a commission.

Tip Of The Day - Attend A Class Or Seminar

October 24th, 2007

Attend at least one training class or seminar every couple of months to keep your skills sharp and to learn new strategies for getting and services clients. With the speed that new technologies are being introduced, you may look for this type of training outside of the real estate field and then apply it to your particular needs.

Tip Of The Day - Get Into The Habit Of Saying Yes

October 23rd, 2007

Get into the habit of saying yes. Yes, I can help you. Yes, I know the answer to your question. Yes, I have the perfect house for you to look at. Yes, I know a mortgage broker that can help you. Yes, Yes, Yes. That is what people want to hear and if you can’t tell it to them, another agent will.

Tip Of The Day - Provide Buyer Information Booklets

October 22nd, 2007

One way for you to provide more information to your buyers is to write and handout booklets of what they should be aware of when buying a house. You might want to walk them through the entire buying process or let them know some of the things they will want to consider when choosing their new home. This is the kind of information that your clients will use and then pass on to their friends and family so make sure your name and contact information is prominently displayed throughout.

Tip Of The Day - How Do Others Describe You?

October 21st, 2007

How do you think your clients describe you to someone else? Your very livelihood will depend on the answer. If it is anything but positive, you have your work cut out for you. If you want the answer to be dependable, then make sure you do exactly what you say, exactly when you say you will do it. If you want them to describe you as the local real estate expert than spend the time to preview everything in your area and really learn your market. Be the person you want to be described as.

Tip Of The Day - Listen, Listen, Listen

October 20th, 2007

When they are excited or are eager to impress, many people tend to talk fast and not pay attention to what is being said to them. Resist this urge with all your might. The person you are speaking with will probably appreciate your enthusiasm but will not appreciate the fact you didn’t hear a word they were saying.

Tip Of The Day - Don’t Trade Away Your Integrity

October 19th, 2007

Never say or do anything that could compromise your integrity. At some point in your career you may be asked to do something that is not exactly illegal but, also, not exactly right. If the deal you are working hinges on this, you may be tempted to go ahead and do it. Resist this temptation. The only things you have to offer your clients are your honesty, your credibility, your knowledge, and your integrity. If you trade these away, what will you have left?

Tip Of The Day - Say Thank You

October 18th, 2007

Get into the habit of thanking the people around you. Thank the support staff in your office, the vendors and contractors who inspect and repair your listings, the title and mortgage people who work to get your deal done, and, most important, your clients, without whom you wouldn’t be in business at all.

Tip Of The Day - First Impressions

October 17th, 2007

Always remember the first impression people will have of you will probably come from your marketing materials and from the way you respond to their first contact. You will never be able to improve this first impression so make sure that every advertisement, flyer, letter, or brochure gives one the professional and competent appearance you are striving for and then prove it by making sure to return every call immediately.

Tip Of The Day - Market Your Website Address

October 16th, 2007

Does your website address appear prominently on all of your marketing materials? If not, it should. The number of people that visit will largely determine the success of your site and you will need to constantly work at driving traffic to it. So, don’t ever pass up the chance to let someone know how to reach you online.

Tip Of The Day - Customer Focused Design

October 15th, 2007 <