Realasponse™

Marketing guru Seth Godin responded to questions from Ubertor.com regarding real estate business. Though there were only three questions asked, I felt they were well answered. However, the last question is what really stood out and exactly captures what we at Realasponse.com are all about. Here’s the question:

Ubertor:
How would you pick a Realtor to sell your home?

Seth Godin:
Someone I trusted
Someone respected
Someone who was the clear and obvious best choice!

We couldn’t agree more. Which is why we’ve been providing a marketing solution that allows you to do just that: (1) win trust (2) build repoire (3) offer something valuable to prospects that makes it easy to choose you over others.

Thanks Seth!

Is it really as simple as just throwing up a real estate website and having prospects line up for business? The short answer is an obvious no. However, it’s quite common to hear many play up the benefits of having a website. For certain, a website is a necessity for today’s Realtor, but it’s important to understand that having a site alone means nothing if it isn’t marketed. And with thousands of agent sites already in existents, and more being added everyday, marketing is ever an important thing.

Using Google Adwords is certainly an option, however, here’s the problem with this channel of marketing: it’s not personal enough. If you think about it, you’re using the same thing as your competition to attempt to stand out and appear different. A simple looking headline along with two lines of body copy. Is that really enough? Where’s the experience for the customer? There isn’t one. And the fact is it doesn’t take much for them to move past your ad and go to a larger competitor like Ziprealty or Redin who are buying up better ranking Adwords in the area you work. Bottom line: it’s too easy to get eaten by the big guys and not enough to stand out for the customer.

The answer to all of this is using real estate postcards to market your website. If you really want people to get a sense of what you’re about and what you can offer them put something in their hand. Give them something in their hand they can interact with and experience. Remember, according a 2005 National Association of Realtors study, most home sellers and buyers contacted only one agent. That means prospects aren’t doing a lot of searching out there for Realtors. So it’s best to go to the prospect first and meet them at their doorstep in the form of a postcard.

Another benefit about marketing with real estate postcards is that your marketing material is only competing for attention with mail that the prospect has received for that day (and chances are it won’t be another agent’s postcard right then and there.) So, again, using our website postcards will give you a better chance of standing out and securing a customer. It’s about increasing chances not taking them.

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.

With winter coming up it’s going to be difficult for many agents to survive the market altogether. Just this past week many retail stores reported less than expected profits into the next quarter; and they’re right. Because many households have aired on the side of caution with the housing crunch outlook and plan to be frugal for coming months, overall spending will be less than favorable as a whole. However, this doesn’t mean people have stop buying homes. It just means it’ll take more to get them…or at least more whit.

But for many agents that choose to market themselves with real estate postcards that are plagued with recycled messages and weak visuals; their days at marketing to today’s buyers and sellers are almost just about up. Why? Because today’s seller and buyers knows the game and is being persuaded by the “commission debate” to seek out selling or buying a home themself. Companies such as Redfin are helping consumers to see that the market and times are-ah- changin’. What agents have to do is PROVE their value. And guess what? Offering a Free Market Analysis or Free Consultation is not going to cut it! They expect a consultation and are being moved daily to refer to ball-park estimates on Zillow or Trulia (regardless of how far off they are).

Postcard marketing is not dead, however, the old way of just sending any postcard in the name of having to touch the prospect is absolutely the wrong way to think about effective marketing. Prospects aren’t laughing real estate postcards with animals having talk bubbles with cheesy saying. It’s no time to be cute! It’s all about being effective. With the market the way it is, they’re looking for answers.

And what’s better than meeting prospects at their door and offering to address what is already on their minds; then by sending postcards that do, in fact, that. Grab they attention and get them to act.

Check out Realasponse.com and view our demo for more.

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