Retool Your Real Estate System by Learning How to Avoid Bad Prospects
Author: Jeff Crossriver
Source: ezinearticles.com
Most real estate marketing plans conjure up ways to get to as many potential candidates as possible. After all, part of marketing a property for sale or rent is about also coming into contact with future prospects that you could do business with. But adopting a "come one come all" approach may not be the best practice for you in the long run. Your goal is to come into contact with the right kind of prospects and having to constantly deal with bad prospects can be a real drag on your business. There are some things you can put into place at the front end as you design your marketing program that can save you big time.
Educate Your Prospects Ahead of Time - This is one of most important things you can do to improve your marketing efficiency. You can't blame prospects for asking a lot of questions and wanting to see the property if you haven't given them any information to start with. Simply by placing good content about your property at their disposal, your prospects will be more than happy to evaluate their fit with your property on their own. Sometimes you risk losing a prospect that really was a good fit because you never had the chance to point out why. But overwhelmingly, you will find that prospects having no business dealing with your property will filter themselves out automatically and that is far better than the risk of losing a one off prospect.
Set Up a 24/7 Pre-recorded Message - This low tech and low cost technique could turn out to be your very best friend. Have your ads or brochures funnel prospects either to your website presentation or to a pre-recorded message. On the telephone message you will present the best aspects about your property, including the key benefits to the listener, in a safe low pressure environment. A lot of prospects prefer getting property information remotely without having to deal with a sales person. This is great news from your point of view. You get to shine by carefully scripting out the very best things your listener should be aware of, without any competitive noise interfering with your message. Your pre-recorded message should be approximately three to five minutes long and should tell them exactly what you want them to do at the end of the message.
Ask Prospects to Participate in an Online Survey - This is a good way to get some advance information about a prospect to help you evaluate their fit for your property. This is typically done through an online website referred to as a Landing Page. Visitors to your website are presented with a minimal amount of information and offered a FREE REPORT if they fill out a short survey. The survey asks them questions regarding their preferences about real estate such as what amenities they would like to live by, how much they would be willing to pay for extraordinary property features, or how long they expect to stay in their next residence. Whatever important information you feel can help you filter your prospects without appearing overbearing can be included in a short 5 -10 question survey.
Prepare a Video Tour of Your Property - This is the perfect vehicle for giving prospects a visual feel for your property before coming over for a viewing. The video tour will be placed on your property website and does not have to be a professionally produced piece. You can quickly put together a great looking video at a surprisingly low cost using Microsoft PowerPoint and a voice over narration. You take the time to script out the story ahead of time in a fashion that points out all of the important benefits of the property to the viewer. Screen capture applications such as Camtasia Studio will record your slide presentation and voice over and convert it into a movie you can upload to your website on the fly. This will make your prospects happy because you gave them an opportunity to wrap their arms around what you have to offer without making the effort to visit the property. It should make you happy that unqualified prospects that have no business wasting your time will filter themselves out before ever giving you a call. As is the case with the pre-recorded telephone message, you have the opportunity to pitch your property message in a focused environment without any competition watering down your message.
The above techniques are but a few of the things you can do in advance to make your real estate marketing as efficient as possible. Your goal is to educate and persuade the best prospects and to filter out those prospects that are a poor fit for your property. Figuring out how to do this remotely without your personal involvement allows you to focus on the most productive aspects of your marketing plan. When you interact with a prospect that has been educated and already has enthusiasm for your property, you can focus all of your efforts on the close, which is the ultimate goal of real estate marketing.
Author - Jeff Crossriver has been marketing real estate for over 20 years. Get FREE video training on his breakthrough real estate system for Marketing Real Estate at http://www.VanquishYourVacancy.com.
Why Its Dumb For Real Estate Agents Not to List and Sell Rental Property
Author: James Kobzeffbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Real estate agents that sell residential property commonly exclude listing and selling rental property because they accept the notion that income-producing property has little or no part in their residential business.
With due respect to my colleagues, this is a dumb misconception that can potentially cost agents multiple additional commissions annually.
Okay, but I should point out that some agents do list and sell a duplex, tri-plex, or four-plex occasionally. This, however, is just the tip of the rental property iceberg and not the type of investment property agents fail to capitalize on, or the other (larger) commissions they fail to earn.
Allow me to explain.
First, when most residential real estate agents do list and market income property for sale they regularly omit crucial financial data such as net operating income, cash flow, and rates of return. They present no APOD, proforma income statement, or marketing package-the reports typically used in real estate investing that present these numbers. Mostly, they are content to let the selling agent run the numbers.
If this is you, then heres where youre missing the mark-its a matter of perception.
When you fail to make even a minimal effort to present income-producing property correctly, you appear as one with little regard for real estate investing and instead come off as one who simply throws it up on the wall and hopes it sticks. But this approach not only can cost you ample recognition from your colleagues that could later result in getting income property referrals, you probably will also fail to give investors any motivation to work with you further.
Secondly, consider the opportunities to capture additional rental property business you might lose when you arent prepared to service income property on a moments notice. I cannot tell you how many agent-colleagues I have known who lost huge opportunities to create investment real estate business during their floor time merely because they were not prepared for the inquiry. Bear in mind that you have a small window of opportunity to win the trust and loyalty of a customer, and when you stutter or delay you could lose that customer to a competitor forever.
The irony is that its not that difficult to enhance your image or to get you prepared to sell rental property. There are tools available that make it easy to create APODs and proformas with the numbers you need to make presentations that are both informative and impressive.
Thirdly, agents who do not become proactive with real estate investing and prefer only to list and sell rental property when its handed to them lose any opportunity to convert their house buyers into real estate investors. Heres my point.
Every person you sell a house to could also be in the market for rental property. In fact, considering the fluctuations in our economy, it would not be surprising to discover that more than a few of your homeowners are ready to pull their money out of Wall Street and put it into income-producing property on Elm Street. Naturally, you wont know unless you ask, but you undoubtedly are not going to ask until you make some commitment to sell rental property.
And that brings us back to my premise.
Why wouldnt you want to supplement your residential business by listing and selling rental income property? It would certainly be dumb not to considering that there is money to made with investment real estate and so little requirement on your part. After all, youre already in a very good position to actively list and sell rental properties because youre already selling real estate. Heres a recommendation.
Make the commitment to work with investment real estate, obtain the right tools to run the numbers adequately and create your presentations, and then devote a sliver of your time proactively pursuing opportunities. If done diligently you will make more money. Honest.
Heres to your real estate success.
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pstrongAbout the Author/strong/ppJames Kobzeff is the developer of ProAPOD a target=_new href=http://www.proapod.com/basic.htm rel=nofollowreal estate agent software/a. Create cash flow, rates of return, and profitability analysis presentations for rental properties in minutes! Includes APODs and Proformas. Easy and affordable. Special offer available today. Learn more at = a target=_new href=http://www.proapod.com rel=nofollowhttp://www.proapod.com/a/pbr
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Real Estate Postcards are an Effective Marketing Tool forRealtors
Author: Jeff Charltonbr
Source: articleage.combr
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Real Acreage agents all over the US are award that the
aggressive use of absolute acreage postcards to advance their name
and casework is actual able in accepting new audience and
increasing commissions. Let??s appraise why postcards work.
Real Acreage Postcards are both affordable and attention-
grabbing. Because a postcard doesnt charge an envelope, your
message has a arch alpha at accepting attention. The alpha of any
successful business accomplishment begins with an attention-grabbing
first impression.
Real acreage business postcards accept been about for a long
time, and accept been admired by business professionals because
they are awful arresting and tend to accomplish response. With
today??s press technology, full-color absolute acreage postcards
are added affordable than ever.
Real acreage business Postcards get apprehend by over 99% of your
prospects. Think about the endure time you accustomed a postcard in
the mail. What did you do with it? If you??re like a lot of people
you apparently apprehend it as anon as you took it out of your mailbox.
You may again bandy it away, but by that time the marketing
message already got to you.
It??s this actual appulse that makes absolute acreage postcards so
effective in prospecting. You alone accept a few abnormal to get
someone??s attention, and a postcard can do that bigger than any
other mail section because the banderole and business bulletin are
right there shouting at the reader. No envelope to open, no
paper to array through.
Real acreage business postcards are far cheaper to forward than
regular mail. You can mail a 4.25 inch by 5.5 inch postcard via
First Chic Mail for alone 23 cents. You can accomplish small, targeted
postcard campaigns and get the aforementioned after-effects as an expensive
print or advertisement attack ability bring.
Another account of absolute acreage postcards is that you can mail
them aggregate mail (standard mail), and the appulse is the same.
There is no acumen to pay for aboriginal chic postage. This allows
you to go as ample as 11 inches x 6 inches and still be within
the ambit of a accepted mail letter, which will alone amount you
between 17 cents and 23 cents to mail depending on your list.
These colossal absolute acreage business postcards absolutely angle out
on the mail.
For absolute acreage agents, the key to success is to mail to the
same ??farming?? breadth over and over to get your name in foreground of
potential audience abundant so that they bethink you if it is
time to account or buy a home. The a lot of acknowledged agents mail at
least 500 absolute acreage postcards every time they account or advertise a
home to the actual breadth surrounding the property. In
addition, they mail accepted absolute acreage business postcard
messages on a account basis, such as ??Find Out what Your Home
is Worth?? to their absolute agriculture area. They aswell mail holiday
greetings and agenda cards. They actualize appropriate promotions or
joint adventure promotions with bounded businesses such as ??Come in
to our Flower Shop and get a Free Valentine Rose Compliments of
Jane Williams Realty??. They mail ??Recent Sales in Your Area??
cards.
Newsletters are aswell able accord architecture tools, and
successful agents plan those into their commitment campaigns as
well.br
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How Call Capture is Generating High Quality Real Estate Leads
Author: Brandi Cummingsbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Its no surprise in this market that the real estate industry is relatively concerned with gathering high quality leads. If an agent doesnt have good leads, after all, he or she wont make sales - there wont be any prospects to sell to. Therefore, its especially important for agents to consider all possible avenues when looking for real estate leads, and all possible technologies that can bring them the business that they need. One such technology is call capture systems. Call capture systems are able to generate new leads from a rather obvious yet often ignored place - an agents own incoming phone calls.
Call capture systems work as their name implies. They capture information from each new call to a phone line by gathering data from the call and from the actual caller. Different extensions can be used to organize a call capture system. In real estate, theyre very often tailored to deliver virtual audio tours of properties to potential clients or to offer free reports available to consumers. Their contact information is then saved for an agents follow-up. The systems have gained a lot of popularity with some agents, as they represent a non-invasive way to get information about potential clients that call.
All sources of real estate leads must be evaluated to determine whether theyre worthwhile. Since call capture systems are organized by extension, agents can also use the system to track the response to specific ads by placing different extensions in different advertisements. These ad-tracking features show an agent which ads are effective. From this gathered data, the agency can design an advertising plan thats effective in generating high quality leads. Money that was wasted in bad ad campaigns is fed into more effective campaigns, leading to a better return on investment. As a result, an agent will see a dramatic increase in the number of quality real estate leads they receive.
One of the more amazing features of a modern call capture service is the technologys ability to get all information relating to specific phone calls. Some systems, those that use toll free numbers, can even bypass blocking capabilities or unlisted numbers that call into them. Even when numbers are blocked, caller id information is captured. The overwhelming majority of calls accepted by a capture system provide an agent with a viable lead - a number that he can call, a name, and even an address.
Of course, once a prospect is contacted, a real estate agents job isnt done. Its important to remember good follow up, and to make sure consistent contact is kept up with a lead. Call capture systems are again useful in this respect. A call forwarding extension is a feature of many systems. This allows a prospective buyer or seller to get straight through to a real estate agent at any time of day. This is because the calls are re-routed to the agents cell phone. This constant contact improves a clients trust in a real estate agent, and avoids missed calls that might result in lost sales opportunities.
Forwarding can be used in a variety of creative ways to aid sales. For instance, at the end of an audio presentation, a call capture system might urge the interested client to press a certain button to find out the price of a house. When the client presses the button, the call is forwarded to the agent. This allows the agent to speak to the interested customer at the moment that his interest is most pressing. Those who do not take this option are still given relevant, specific information about the property. The agent is then notified by the call capture system that the lead came in and can follow up with them using the information the system has captured.
The number of viable leads generated by a real estate agent is vital to keeping a steady stream of new business. Call capture systems can be very helpful in this respect when employed correctly. Creativity and organization are key. As with all new technologies, theres a slight learning curve to call capture systems. However, they begin generating leads almost immediately. With the right sales approach and a steady source of quality real estate leads, every agent can build a successful and lucrative career.
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pHigh quality leads are the backbone of any successful real estate business. a target=_new href=http://www.realtyone800.com rel=nofollowClick to learn/a more about how call capture works to generate red hot, real time leads or for a 15 Day Free Trial of a leading call capture system visit a target=_new href=http://www.realtyone800.com rel=nofollowhttp://www.RealtyOne800.com/a/pbr
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Real Estate Marketing: Why Image Advertising on the Internet (or Anywhere Else) Stinks.
Author: Jason Leister
Source: articleage.com
So what is "image advertising?"
Have you ever seen a commercial on TV for a hotel chain where the commercial is
nothing but a beach scene filled with sounds of crashing waves? That's what you
see for the first 20 seconds. Then at the end, the name of the hotel chain fades in
the lower right hand corner of your screen before the commercial ends.
That's image advertising. It's what Madison avenue agencies are paid big bucks to
create.
In the real estate marketing world, image advertising takes on a slightly different
form.
Have you ever seen an ad like this? Here's the content:
Mr. Joe Realtor, Your Choice for ALL Your Real Estate Needs
Somewhere in the ad is a picture of Mr. Joe Realtor and then his company logo and
contact information.
That's it. That's the ad.
What's the problem with it?
It's expensive.
It's boring (one of the worst marketing sins you can make).
It makes you look just like everyone else.
It totally ignores your market (by not talking about them).
It doesn't work (by work I mean generate a ton of leads).
This type of real estate marketing rarely offers something unique, rarely mentions a
benefit, is virtually untrackable, and is usually completely centered on the greatness
of the advertiser and not on solving the problems of the advertiser's prospect.
The good part for you is that the vast majority of real estate professionals out there
are throwing money hand-over-fist at this type of stuff... and then explaining away
the lack of results by saying that advertising doesn't work.
It's happening on the internet and it's happening all over print advertising.
What's the alternative?
Fuel your real estate marketing with
direct response advertising.
It works offline and it works really well online.
For advertising to be considered "direct response," a couple things have to be true:
there must be an offer
there must be a reason to respond immediately
the ad must be trackable (by using a code or special phone number or website
address)
the only thing that matters is results
In direct response advertising, the buzzword "branding" is a not a goal. A RESPONSE
is the goal.
By being able to track every ad you produce, you can make sure that your
advertising is profitable. After all, it is supposed to make you money.
Here's how it should work:
For every $1 dollar you send out in ads you should get some multiple of that back
as sales.
One of the best examples of direct response advertising is all of the "junk" mail you
throw out everyday.
Have you ever wondered why companies pay so much money to send you all of this
mail? The glossy envelopes... the "Respond by July 27 to get your free prize."
envelope teasers...
They send it because it works. It makes them money.
It may not be too flashy - there probably won't be any cute taglines on it and some
real estate professionals might even call it "unprofessional."
But one of the main points in being a successful marketer on the internet (and
beyond) is realizing that YOUR vote about the ad doesn't count.
Results are all that matter. And your prospect is the only one that determines those
results.
In a nutshell, direct response advertising is akin to putting the sales pitch you would
deliver to a prospect face-to-face, on paper or on your website. It's called
salesmanship in print and if it helps you sell more real estate or get more listings,
do you really care what others think?
You can use direct response advertising everywhere online: on your website, in
Google Adwords, in your email campaigns, your autoresponders... everywhere.
So take some time to start opening your junk mail... It's a free education coming
right to your door and it will help your real estate marketing online and offline.
Jason Leister, the Real Estate Technology Guru (tm), is owner of Computer Super
Guy, LLC, a Chicago-based technology firm that helps real estate professionals
profit with technology.
Visit the
Real Estate Technology Guru
to subscribe to our free monthly eZine, ProfIT, and receive a FREE copy of
our special report "The Truth About Real Estate Websites and Search Engine
Optimization."
A Real Estate Marketing Script Is Worth Its Weight in Gold
Author: Lanard Perry
Source: download
Need more business? Not getting enough listings! Are sales non-existent? About to throw in the towel and change careers...again? If so, stop! The answers to your problems could be a real estate marketing script.
A good marketing script can give a serious boost to your real estate business. While there are plenty of scripts to choose from my recommendation is to go with one that farms expired listings!
Why? Because expired listings are plentiful, easy to find and are some of the best leads you can get - whether you source them free or purchase them through a service!
But expired real estate marketing scripts aren't your only options. There are scripts for everything from FSBOs to farming first time home buyers! In fact, the more successful listing and selling real estate agents have a real estate marketing script of some kind. And when you get one too, you can also achieve the level of success that they routinely enjoy.
You could become so successful that you might even find yourself in the enviable position of needing hired help to handle all of the new business you generate. That would be a nice problem to have!
The best thing about a real estate marketing script, whether it's targeting FSBOs, expireds, or whatever you choose, is that they'll help you save you time while making money. All of the work is done for you, as most scripts come with everything you need to succeed; letters, logs, marketing update reports and other information and documents you need to get the most use out of the script.
The bottom line is a good marketing script offers a proven system that works in almost any market, regardless of city, county or state.
Slowed down market? No problem! Real estate still selling briskly in your market? Good! Whatever your market conditions a real estate marketing script can help separate you from your competitors and establish you as the agent of choice.
Now, the difference between a good script and a great one, at least in my opinion, is that a great script will have prospects calling you...rather than you calling them! Cold calling, if not dead, is in "intensive care." The National Do Not Call List has put a serious dent in your ability to call people at will.
An expired listing script, however, doesn't necessarily require you to "cold call" prospects. In fact, I farmed expired listings with just letters and averaged 2 plus listings a week.
At the end of the day marketing scripts eliminate the guess work from effective real estate marketing by clearly outlining in simple steps what to do, what to do it with, when to do it, how to do it and how often it should be done!.
Yep, the hard part is done for you! All you need to do is follow the directions that come with whatever script you choose!
Finally, before you purchase a real estate marketing script only consider those that offer a satisfaction money back guarantee. If the scripts are as good as advertised this should not be a problem.
Also, call before purchasing to see if you get through to a live person. And beware! If you can't reach a live person before you purchase a script you probably won't be able to reach anybody in the event you want a refund.
Summarily, a good real estate marketing script can be a huge boost to your career. It can jump start a new one while re-energizing an old one. Get one for yourself today!
Lanard Perry, author of a real estate marketing system, shows Realtors how to average 1 or more listings a week. Visit him at Real Estate Marketing Talk for more marketing ideas.
Money Making Real Estate Marketing Ideas
Author: Lanard Perry
Source: articleage.com
Real estate marketing is a lot simpler than most Realtors
make it out to be. Some equate expensive products and
services with quality.
However, effective real estate marketing does not have to be
expensive, complicated, or sophisticated. Sometimes, plain,
simple, direct and to the point makes lasting impressions
that result in increased business opportunities and more
income.
One of the most effective real estate marketing ideas
involves Expired Listings. If you're newly licensed, new to
a community or simply looking for a way to increase your
business you should aggressively pursue them.
Expired Listings are plentiful and always easy to find. All
you have to do is look at your daily MLS updates.
If you make them a staple of your real estate marketing
efforts by pursuing them consistently you should be able
to develop a steady stream of prospects and a solid income
within 3 - 6 months, depending on your local market
conditions.
Still, getting them is easier said than done. However, a
good real estate listing system can help set you apart from
other Realtors in a relatively short period of time.
Visit http://www.farmingexpiredlistings.com if you need one.
Below are some additional real estate marketing ideas.
1. Bumper stickers. Are you advertising yourself via bumper
stickers, yet? If not you're missing out on a simple, cost
effective marketing strategy.
So, here's the deal. It's very simple. Have some bumper
stickers printed with your web site address and other
business information on it.
Ask your church, sorority, fraternity and/or other groups
you belong to to support you by placing them on their cars.
Many will be happy to help out, especially since it won't
cost them anything to be supportive.
Also, make enough for family, friends and clients who are
happy with your services and willing to share how great they
think you are.
2. T - Shirts & Jackets. Real estate marketing via T -
shirts and jackets is not a new or novel idea, but how many
Realtors do you see advertising via this medium. Did you say
"none?" That's what I thought.
So, have some t-shirts and jackets made with your web site
address and other business information on them. You, your
family and friends can wear them almost anywhere. Market
your business year round for a one time cost. When it's too
cold for t-shirts wear the jacket.
3. Baseball Caps. Here's another great way to get a lot of
free advertising.
Have some baseball caps made with your web site address and
other real estate business information on them. Heck, you
might as well spend a few more bucks and outfit your child's
baseball team with them. It makes for great publicity and is
also a nice thing to do for kids!
Ask the parents for "quid pro quo" by asking them to place
your bumper stickers on their cars.
4. Envelopes, Stationary & Business Cards. These are the
mainstay of any real estate marketing campaign, and a must
for your marketing campaigns.
Make sure your web site address and other business
information is printed on all of your stationary, envelopes
and business cards. Leave a few wherever you go. Give them
out like candy, as they are doing nobody any good in your
pockets.
5. Magnetic Signs. Automobile signs are the "meat and
potatoes" of real estate marketing of most serious agents.
If you don't already have some get some. No,not the generic
ones that your Broker has laying around, but signs with your
name, web site address and other business information on
them.
Place them on your car doors or roof. Take them off and
reattach them in different spots from time to time to avoid
fading your paint job.
6. Flyers. Print flyers with your web site address and other
business information on them. Keep some with you at all
times and hang on bulletin boards or simply lying around to
be picked up. It's a great, inexpensive real estate
marketing idea that reaches a lot of people fast.
Print out a few hundred at a time and pay your kids to place
them on car windshields in grocery store and shopping center
parking lots on Saturday mornings.
7. Articles. Another real estate marketing idea is to write
articles. Writing articles is a great way to demonstrate
your expertise as a real estate professional while plugging
your real estate business. It's also an inexpensive way to
increase your website ranking.
These real estate marketing ideas, anchored by a good real
estate marketing listing system, can help supercharge your
business and help you achieve the success you deserve.
So, the sooner you adopt these strategies the sooner you'll
be able begin reaping the benefits of them.
Copyright ? 2005, Lanard Perry
Lanard Perry is the author of "Farming Expired Listings - A
Guide To Your Personal Success." Get a FREE Sample Chapter
at http://www.farmingexpiredlistings.com
Top 4 Real Estate Blogging Tips
Author: Anthony Joesph
Source: ezinearticles.com
Whether you're a real estate agent or a licensed real estate investor, there are a variety of ways to market your real estate business. An effective marketing strategy that every real estate professional should engagein is blogging.Here Realtors are a number of tips for living a few blogs: 1. Make sure you have sufficientcontent for visitors to read. A mistake many real estate professionals make when building ablog is sending some blog articles and that's it.When is toblogging, consistency is the key to a successful blog. A golden rule of blogging is to post at least 1-2 or more blog entries per week (every week). Consider writing at least 10-15 before postsin before launching his blog blog.Once complete, save your blog posts in draft form. Then he published every post every day so that your visitors have a fresh content to read on a regular basis. Imagine if you subscribe to their favorite magazine or newspaper printing and publishing were only 3 or 4 items within a period of 12 months. You cancel your subscription and find another magazine or newspaper to read. The same applies to forblogging.If want to have a successful blog with a steady stream of visitors, you must have a sufficient amount of quality content available to be read. Otherwise, they get bored and are engaged in real estate blog site better. 2. Add images to yourblog. A professional blog should have high resolution photos for each blog entry. Visitors love pictures that look great. You can add your own photos or you can buy photos online. You can find affordable professional photos for your blog to sites like iStockphoto. 3. Spend time with the construction quality of your blog. There are so many things you can do to improve your blog. You can add plug-ins and videos.You can customize your blog template and more ... However, it takes time and a little effort. If you do not have time to keep your blog, consider hiring someone to maintain your blog for you. 4. If you use a blog based on a blog or customized? If you want your blog readers to take seriously yourblog, consider investing in a customizedURL. A blog based on free will is an extension of URLs: yourblogname.companyname [dot] com or a custom URL as yourblogname [dot] com. Hopefully real estate advice to help you in building your NewBlog.
Anthony Joseph provides real estate tips to realtors, buyers and sellers.