Realasponse™

I’ve noticed over that last couple of months or so more real estate agents marketing with real estate postcards for various reasons. Most agents have come to realize that innovative marketing in today’s market is more than posting up Goggle Adwords and having a website. It’s about being first of prospects. Literally. In fact, in their hand. This is what postcards allow you to accomplish; and accomplish without being there.

On our site there are three main benefits we share about postcard marketing. Here they are:

1) Open Mail (no need to open)
When mailing brochures, packages, and envelopes, you’re left hoping that prospects take the time to open and read your message. However, with postcards the visuals and message go to work immediately without any need for opening. Prospects are hit upon contact. This is important since research shows that your marketing pieces have only 3 seconds to capture the attention of potential clients.

2) Effective -vs- other methods
Aside from being cost-effective, real estate postcards beat out other real estate marketing methods by sheer circumstance. Unlike an ad, your postcard competes with only a handful of items in the mailbox on that day, rather than with the 250-300 ads in a typical newspaper or magazine.

3) Personal Interaction
Unlike emails or websites, postcards are held in hand while read. The act of consciously picking up a postcard is the first step toward opening up your prospect to your message. Remember, the prospect is physically holding your message and has to interact with your postcard (turn it over) for more information. This experience makes for a loose personal contact between you and your prospect from right within their home.

And there explains the massive move toward more traditional marketing like postcards. However, mind you, traditional marketing with long over due treatments to postcard marketing. Realasponse.com

Here’s one common mistake I see agents make time and time again: Their Open House postcards fail to carry the excite of an event. That’s right, an event. Remember, the market is not an exciting place at the moment and both buyers and sellers are a bit nervous. That excitement needs to be broken with energy. However, I ‘m not talking about anything cheesy such as pens and gimmicky items. What’s needed is nothing more than the good ol’ Open House Postcard with a twist of life.

So we here a Realasponse.com are announcing a site in the works that will provide agents across the country with FREE Open House Flyers that you can edit yourself. You heard right 100% FREE with no strings attached. The reason for our announcement is due to the market saturation of so many sub standard Open House Marketing Flyers. If we all want the market to do better we should also do better by the market.

Prospects want more for agents in a time where commissions are under attack. Well, we’re helping you out! Stay tune for updates.

Go on any website selling just listed postcards and just sold postcards and you’ll find the same dated postcards from years back. The first thing that any real estate agent should ask is why should I market with postcards are clearly in a time warp when today’s marketing times call for a different approach?

The problem with these postcards are twofold. First, let’s start with their messages. Ofttimes the typical just sold postcards consists of one message entirely: “Just Sold!”. That’s not good enough in a market where prospects have been numb to this message over years and realize the market has changed. The best thing to do is put the “Just Sold” message in context with today’s market, as seen here: Just Sold Postcards . The reason these postcard messages work (aside from prospect-researched layout) are the fact that the postcards don’t ignore where the market is currently at, however, embraces it and finds a way to use it toward an advantage.

Remember, clients are smart today and have access to much of the same information as you have. So, if you come with the same-old-pitch, they’re thinking “same-old-agent”; and the “same-old-agent” can’t get my home sold in today’s market.

The same applies for Just listed postcards. Where’s the ‘UMF!”. There’s no spark in seeing a postcard with a headline of solely “Just Listed”. Again, putting things in context with today’s market will set you apart from the countless agents who haven’t got a clue as to what they’re doing.

So, while others may be drowning in a sea of slow transactions, you’ll be hitting the mark with robust messages and presentation that keep you afloat.

I think we’ve all heard a hundred times how important it is to stand out and create a memorable brand… however, there are limits on what’s considered effective and what’s downright cheesy and tired. Here are 5 of the most common branding mistakes I’ve seen agents make over the years…and for some, even cost them their business.

1) Home holding needs to be dropped
Wait…let me think on what’s being said here, “My home is in good hands with you?”, “You build model homes?” or better yet, “You passed GO, collected $200, and want to place a house on Boardwalk.” No, but seriously, the home holding images are one of the most overused images to date in real estate. Prospects are numb to its meaning and it carries to “pop value”. To prospects, it’s just another quick give way sign of a “real estate person trying to sell me something.” Brand building is not built on commonality…it has to have pop.

2) Trash the recycled messages
I’ve seen them, you’ve seen them…you may have even used them. The “card board-cutout” messages of five and ten years back. Sorry, but they don’t work in today’s market. A free consultation is NOT an offer, it’s expected. Asking someone to call you if thinking about “buying or selling”…….
One question?

WHY SHOULD THEY CALL? You’ve told them nothing.

Branding is NOT blending in.

3) Branding without borders
Kids cover your eyes!!! And yes, this is a real postcard. What are we saying here?! “I’ll present your open house half nude and bring Bruiser with me?” There are standards in NAR, remember?. If you care to show yourself down-to-earth and adventurous you can, however, marketing is for the prospect, NOT your ego. Most prospects care about the bottom line, “What can you offer ME that others aren’t?”

4) Out dated photos are out of style
Ok, so you put on a few pounds over the years or managed to pick up a wrinkle here or there. It’s natural. But don’t resort to using your high school photo to cover your shame. Over the years I’ve seen agents use photos that clearly misrepresent what they look like. The problem here is that some prospects, after seeing you in person, may feel a sense of disappointment and equate your slightly dishonest representation with the type of service they might come to receive as a client. You might find yourself asking, “ What happened…everything seemed to be going good by all signs?”.

Get a nice photo that represents today’s YOU and get it retouched if you care to. Remember, honesty builds repoire.

5) Recipe marketing gets cooked
They say the way to some peoples heart is “through their stomach”, however when did this apply to real estate? The common misplaced belief when marketing with recipe postcards is that “perhaps the prospect will remember me by offering something useful.” Come on, do you really think people would make one of the most important financial decisions of their life by referring to a recipe? Also bad, is its natural ability to eliminate possible business by discrimination. Look, I love Sloppy Joe, however, my mother doesn’t…and she’s not alone, vegetarians don’t like it either. Get the point?

Fall is here! Ok, maybe it’s not all that exciting given how the market has taken a turn over the last two years, however, the important thing to remember is that there is still plenty of business out there. People haven’t stopped buying homes it’s just that people aren’t running out as quick as they once did to purchase a home. And with winter right around the corner, here comes another slow period in the housing transaction market. But that doesn’t mean you stop marketing. In fact, this is the perfect time given two strong reasons.

For one, most agents and brokers will be wasting money on holiday postcards and seasonal gimmick items that get treated like abundant fruitcakes that EVERY ONE is giving. From the clients perspective, it’s just another, “agent trying to get in good to get my business”.

Also a good reason to market this winter is because many agents won’t survive this winter. It’s sad, but true. Many agents have been bracing themselves for a market miracle which isn’t coming anytime soon. The reason you market hard in the winter is because you want to build repoire come spring and summer. And guess what? With less agents in the ‘08 market you’ll be able to stand out more easier. But it’s not just showing up at their door that will get you into their “housing life”, but offering something valuable that addresses the concerns and needs of today’s prospects that PROVES you know what you’re talking about. For more on that check out: www.realasponse.com