Want to wow your clients/prospects? Here's an out of the box idea that will get them talking!
I wrote about this in the beginning of the year...I had ordered these from Lowes but the site had discontinued them. However if you visit www.cardways.com, you can order personalized gift cards ( I used my business card head shot, but try your logo - build that brand!!!) for any number of popular stores.
They are great for thank you gifts, open house drawings, closings...
Mine are going out today, as a "Spring Project Starter". They were a hit at the holidays and the response was tremendous. Buy 'em in bulk at $10 a piece and listen to the phone rrrrrrrring!
I was so proud when, just out of college in the 80's, I was hired by a large copier company as a sales person. I was the only woman on the team, and I was hired specifically to sell this new piece of equipment called a facsimile machine.
Pretty funny when I look back on it - first I was required to wear a skirt or dress (!)- and these early machines cost over $3000 and had thermal rolls of paper! I would go into the offices to do demonstrations and people would gather around in total silence until that piece of paper that said "TEST" came over and then "ooooh, aaaaah, wow!" would fill the room.
Anyway, we finally landed an appointment with the largest real estate company in the area. They had 15 offices at the time. I pitched the obvious benefits - agent convenience and happiness = retention, cutting edge technology = growth, etc. but this purchase did represent a huge investment.
At the end of the day, the contract was signed. But I will never forget the president of the company saying:
"I need to have my head examined. THE AGENTS WILL NEVER USE IT!"
Well, of course, they did - and fax machines changed the real estate industry!
Today, when I hear an agent say "it's always been done that way" I remember those words and I'm reminded that our industry is an ever-evolving one - and not just from a technology standpont. We owe it to ourselves and our clients to remain open to learning and developing new skills and new ways of doing things. Everyone benefits!
Please read this post with an open mind. I know there are two firmly divided camps regarding open houses and for those of you who think they are a waste of time, may I offer another perspective?
A little background first:
After spending nearly two years as a licensed assistant, it was time for me to take the leap and go out on my own. A new year (2004) was upon us, my faith had kicked in, and I knew it was now or never. Leaving my mentor was tough - she is a wonderful woman and an outstanding agent, but I needed to grow. She wished me well, and I am forever grateful to her. Tears and hugs, and off I went. Excited. Exhilirated. Scared to death!
I woke up the next day thinking "oh my gosh, what do I do now?" As a single mom with two children to consider, panic quickly set in. So I grabbed the phone, a cup of coffee and the local newspaper and started looking for FSBOs. Lucky for me, there were 9! I called each one. Of those I reached (5) I explained I was an agent, and told them that I would love to show their home when I had the right buyer. May I preview your home? Three agreed, and off I went!
Fast forward two weeks, and two - yes, TWO! - of these FSBOs called and said "you know, we're tired of this. We'd like to talk to you about listing our home." Well I was over the moon!!! And can I tell ya what I was so excited about? The opportunity to hold an open house! You see, the agent I had worked with had one policy when it came to them: NO. And I was convinced this presented a wonderful opportunity. So I listed both homes, and scheduled the first open.
I enlisted a loan officer to assist me. With chili in the crock pot, football on the TV, and plenty of directionals, we had a fantastic turn-out! The atmosphere was fun and festive, and I was genuinely excited to be hosting these guests. People hung around to eat and watch the game. I mingled and connected, filled sippy cups and kept moving.
So how did I make $80,000?
That day, my first open house, I CONNECTED with three open house guests - a young married couple, and a single mom with kids, like me. They didn't buy that home, but they did hire me to sell their homes and to act as their buyers agent for their next purchase. Four transactions right there! And since 2004, they have, between the 2 of them, sent me referrals resulting in 6 more transactions. And already the people they have referred have referred! Amazing!
I'm convinced that attitude is everything. I have simply come to expect that I will earn a client when I host an open, and 80% of the time, I do! I commit to having fun, and showcasing the home in such a way that visitors find the experience memorable.
Okay, so I didn't earn the 80K in 3 hours...but it started there! If it hadn't been for that cold football Sunday, my solo career might have taken off in a different direction, and I wouldn't have served such wonderful people!
This morning I'd like to share with you one really fabulous idea that will turn heads, get you plenty of free press, and make you feel REALLY good! If you're not willing to roll up your sleeves and step outside your comfort zone, stop reading now. But if you are, and you are ready to roll into 2008 in a brand new way, then stay with me!
Here's the story...I had just listed a 120 year old Victorian sitting on 10 acres in a very rural part of the county. Niche product, not much drive-by. And to top it all off, it was vacant! How in the world could I create some great buzz and get lots of people through the door?
So, I'm in the shower, which is the only place I can get any peace and quiet, and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks! I was so excited I couldn't even dry my hair!
THE HARFORD HOLIDAY DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE
Okay, so here's what I did...
I called 10 of my service providers - contractors, lenders, attorneys, etc., and asked them to sponsor a room. They each agreed to contribute $350.
I then called 10 interior stylists, decorators and stagers and asked each of them if they would transform the room, using the $350 provided by the sponsors.
The sponsors and decorators would each receive advertising in the booklet I produced for the event. Decorators were also encouraged to display their marketing materials within their space, and could offer for sale the furnishings they brought in. Names of both sponsors and decorators were prominently featured on a large poster (set on an easel) in the formal dining room.
The event consisted of a long weekend open house, where visitors payed a small fee to tour the home. In exchange for their donation, they received a $10 discount coupon from the neighboring Christmas tree farm! All proceeds were donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Saturday evening was reserved for a special wine tasting. Vendors provided food and wine at cost, and all proceeds, again, went to Habitat. Live music really added to the atmosphere!
Raffle tickets were also sold for each of the decorated ten trees...winners could either take the trees following the event or could donate it to a needy family.
Naturally, information about the sale of the home was featured throughout.
Realtors, service providers and friends assisted with the clean-up after...nothing for the sellers to do but come to the party and enjoy!
WHAT A WIN-WIN!!!
Over 250 people viewed the home over the course of the event. The sellers were delighted!
We received free advertising - the event was featured in four newspapers, including the Baltimore Sun
The charity not only received money, but also the opportunity to educate the community further about the lack of affordable housing in our area.
The sponsors and decorators picked up business, as they all attended the wine tasting and "worked the room"
I was complimented - and remembered for "thinking outside the box"!
YOU CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR!
Of course, the holidays are a wonderful time of year to do something like this, but I'm convinced that it could be successful in any season. All you need is a special property, some willing participants, and a desire to receive wonderful exposure for your designated charity, your listing, and yourself.
I hope this has inspired you somehow, someway! And I'd love to hear what YOU have done that has been different, yet effective!
Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all are excited about what I'm sure will be an awesome 2008!
This entry may be met by a "DUH!" by some of you more seasoned folks out there, but any thing you can add would be greatly appreciated. Let's make today the day we extend ourselves to others and share a little about what we know!
I have been fortunate enough to have trained, coached and mentored dozens of agents and I gotta tell you that I am often stunned by the mindset that the majority of the "newbies" possess. Yeah, they get the part about commission, they get the part about climbing that ladder, but they miss that one key piece that can be absolutely EMPOWERING. And once you wrap your head around it you will be more confident, more capable of asking for those hard earned commissions without apology/negotiation, and more willing, I think, to get out there and make it happen.
Just who do you think you are? Please, please don't say "I'm an agent." And don't say "I work for XYC Real Estate Company", either. Try this on for size:
I AM A REAL ESTATE PRACTITIONER.
That's right - you OWN your own practice! Just like doctors, attorneys, accountants - you are the owner of a business and a designation that requires you to remain educated, ethical, and committed to a standard of practice. If you start thinking of yourself in this way, I guarantee your whole demeanor will change in front of potential clients and you'll find you'll earn that listing or buyer without having to compete.
Consider this:
Doctors, lawyers and accountants don't negotiate their fees...and when's the last time you asked them to? Why, because we are conditioned in this society to hold them in high regard. Because they are educated (so are we), they have lots of expenses (so do we) and they are an expert in their field (yeah, and SO ARE WE!!!)
Practitioners grow their businesses through relationships...and so should you. When's the last time you saw your accountant on a billboard? Do you think a physician is paying for Internet leads? They're not conditioned that way...they are taught out of the gate to grow their practices through referral and service.
Practitioners learn the "business of doing business" - and you can't afford not to. It's a shame, really - most RE licensing courses teach you how to pass the exam, most brokers show you some basic farming techniques, but you're on your own in terms of establishing your practice. You MUST devote time to a business plan. You MUST spend time with an accountant and an attorney to understand your liabilities and responsibilities and you MUST consider this to be an integral part of being in this industry.
Practitioners specialize - and when they do, they are met with a higher perceived value by the consumer. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see the " I can fix it all" doc or the general practice attorney. I want that professional who knows more about one area than anything - and anyone! -else. There comes a point in time when med students are asked "what are you going to specialize in" and if you haven't done it yet, you need to ask yourself the same question! Why? Because your perceived value will be higher. You can free up time by dedicating yourself to a niche you enjoy. You can market yourself more effectively...need I go on?
Practitioners know they are building something of value, that can eventually be sold. My dentist recently moved so that he could fulfill his purpose - to work in an area where he would care for those who are indigent and underprivileged. How did he do it? He sold his established practice! What a win-win! The new dentist came in, maintained the same standards and commitment, managed the same database, and is busy and happy. You can do the same thing! If you sow those seeds, build that practice over time, you too can reap big rewards down the road.
It's called a "practice" for a reason - because it's not a destination you will reach; you keep working and learning and getting better at what you do. What will you do this week? This month? This year? Are you committed to serving your clients and community better by engaging in the practice of real estate?
I hope these points make some sense to you. Your success in this remarkable industry is yours for the asking, and I wish you happiness while you attain it!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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