Austin's post below backs up my feelings on real estate marketing - and every other kind of marketing.

When you want customers and prospective customers to trust you, you need to let them know who you really are underneath that professional exterior.

When you do, you allow them to see that in some way, you are like them. And you know, when you meet someone who is somehow like you, you tend to see them as a good person.You may be wrong in that first impression, but that's another story.

I'm a dog person, so I naturally trust other dog people. If you're a golfer, or a non-profit volunteer, or a parent to 6 kids, or a gourmet cook, you naturally are drawn to others who share those interests and activities.

You don't have to reveal every aspect of your private life in order to show who you really are, but if you share a little, people will trust you more. You become a real person.

Strangely, with some of my copywriting clients, I have to struggle to get them to share anything about their life outside of work - even with me.

And, since the client who pays me is always the boss, all I can do is give my professional advice. If they don't agree, their copy is written devoid of personality. But I think it's a huge mistake.

Be who you are, and let others know who you are. Not everyone will love you, but you don't need everyone to love you.

Besides, you'll have more fun working when the people who choose you are "like you."

Have you seen the ad for metal roofing on TV? 

They must run it often, or always at the time of day when I hear TV, because I don’t go there often.

There’s a young couple about to view a home for sale, and the real estate agent mentions a few features inside the home, then starts going on and on about the benefits of the wonderful metal roof.

She tells them how it will keep them safe from fire, last forever, look beautiful, etc. Then she says “So, ready to make an offer?” The potential buyer asks if they can look inside first and the
agent looks at them and says “Why?”

I always get a kick out of it, but I’m not so sure it’s an effective ad.

Will it sell metal roofing? More importantly, will it cause homeowners to go to that particular website to buy their metal roofing? The ad doesn’t say why theirs is better than any others, which is one mistake. If it mentions a brand name, I haven’t caught it – I’m too interested in how silly the agent is acting.

If it has any effect at all, it might just be to make people consider metal roofing if they’re building, or re-roofing a current home. Then, my guess is they’ll call their local builder, and the local builder would contact a local source. I don’t see metal roofing as something you’d order on line. (Do they send the installers along in the shipment?)

What about seeing it from the real estate point of view?

Will the ad serve to make real estate agents look ditzy? Or will viewers see it the way it was probably intended to come across – that metal roofing is so superior that an agent will go off the deep end, and that a buyer really doesn’t need to know anything more about a house?

I don’t know. I think that actress playing the agent is very likeable, but I don’t think I’d want her working for me!

If you’ve seen that ad, what do you think?

Here's to good marketing,

Marte

This contest announcement made me really stop and think – what AM I doing with my blogs? I've just been going along, doing what seemed to come naturally, without stopping to think about it.

My primary means of staying in touch with past, present, and future clients is my ezine. Or rather, my ezines, because I have 3 different ones for 3 different sets of people. One is general marketing, and that's the one most closely tied to the blog on my website.

The other two are more specialized, for real estate and for fund raising. But “marketing in general” applies to all forms of promotion – whether you're promoting your services as a real estate agent, your products, or your non-profit cause.

Sometimes, when writing my ezines, I do reference a specific blog post in my ezines, but I think they come most into use for my clients when they write me with questions.

Often, people who are new to my ezines or my blog have questions that have been covered before. For instance, they may ask about ways to build their SEO and I can send them to a post with tips that will increase their chances of being found. Many ask how to get started in real estate self-promotion, and I send them to several different posts dealing with that problem.  Of course I always have something to add, depending upon the particular situation they've described to me. 

I don't use my own blogs exclusively. You know how some real estate clients don't always want to listen to your advice. Well, copywriting clients are sometimes the same way. So when I can't convince them of something (for instance, the need for a call to action) I use someone else's blog to back me up. Sometimes it works.

I offer a lot of free advice in both the ezines and blog posts – and some say that's foolish. If I tell people how to write their promotions, they'll just do it themselves and won't need me.

But I don't believe giving away information hurts my business a bit.

People who truly want to write their own materials can use my tips, and people who truly can't afford a copywriter can be saved from some damaging mistakes. Meanwhile, those who don't want to write their own copy can see that I know what I'm doing. I think it's a win-win situation.

One more thing... Since reading an AR post a couple of weeks ago, I've started building a good list of blog post titles and their links and sorting them by subject matter – so that I can quickly reference them in new blog posts as well as have the information at my fingertips when I want to answer a question.

That project has been halted momentarily, however. Last week I had a crash and when I went to my external hard drive to get my back up files I found that they looked like something out of a nightmare. Compare what I found to what you'd see if you took all your paper files, opened the lid of a big trunk, and just tossed them all in.

I decided to quit searching until I found out if my computer lady could retrieve my files. She says she can, so I'm putting that project on hold until I get my “real” computer back. Then I'm going to learn a better way to do back-up.

So far, I haven't printed and mailed or hand-delivered any of my blog posts. Every one of my clients contacts me via e-mail, and I seldom meet any of them in person, so links are the fast way to get people the information they want.

Thanks for offering a contest that made me think about this - so that I can do even more of what's working!

Rebecca makes some important points in this blog post - and even though I do marketing day in and day out, she taught me something. Thanks, Rebecca!

First, about your profile. People want to do business with other people, not with robots. In addition, they want to deal with others who are "like them" and can understand their wants and needs. 

Including a little information about yourself turns you into a real person - one they can identify with and see as somehow being "like them." I always recommend to my copywriting clients that they include some references to pets, family, hobbies, or community involvement. You don't need to go on about it, but subtly weave it into your profile copy.

Her idea of having something pre-written where you can get your hands on it quickly is a time saver everyone should practice.

Next, the call to action. Marketers have done the tests that prove it - most people don't take action unless you tell them to. Even in fundraising - you can tell a story about how much your cause needs help, but unless you actually ask for the help, you won't get it.

So come right out and ask for what you want. Call me. Send your friends and family to me. Come to my open house. List with me. Visit me on Active Rain!

Rebecca's 3rd hint is one that had escaped me... adding links to your old blog posts on your new ones. It's brilliant.

After I read this post, I went through all my old Active Rain posts and captured the links on a document I can use for reference. Then I sorted them into categories to make them easier to find.

But why stop there? Why not also reference posts on your other blogs - such as the one on your website, or something you might have posted to Squidoo?

It will take a little time to gather all those links, but if you keep them in a file along with your ready-made profile paragraphs, getting at them will be fast and easy.

That said, you might want to read this tip on writing copy for that website:

Remember You're Talking to Just One Person.

And this one: Before You Write, Get Clear on Why Your Service is Special,

and then, Give Your Prospects a Reason Why They Should Choose You.

Not too many people on line are using ANY of these methods - so get started today and lead the pack!

Yours for success,

Like so many who have posted their stories on Active Rain, I had an account for a long, long time before I started actually using it.

In fact, it's really only been the past few months that I've started logging in every day and getting acquainted.

And, like so many others, I wish I had done it sooner. But, I really wasn't sure this was the right place for me. You see, I'm not a Realtor any more. I'm now a copywriter who helps Realtors and a lot of other people market themselves and their businesses. I left the listing and showing end of it after 19 years - when I realized that what I loved most about my job was the marketing.

But just like Realtors sometimes have trouble finding buyers who have the ability to get a loan, I sometimes had trouble finding real estate professionals who had the desire to market themselves - let alone the money to invest in their careers.

Trying to locate the agents who were career professionals and knew the value of good marketing was getting spooky!

And then I started posting on Active Rain. More importantly, I started commenting on other people's posts. After about 3 months, I started getting inquiries from today's top agents - and the individuals who are destined to be top agents before much longer.

This is a win-win-win situation for me. I love writing, and I enjoy reading other people's posts, keeping up with what's going on in the day-to-day business of real estate, and commenting. And of course - I like getting to meet and do business with top professionals in the field I know and love.Working from home has it's advantages - like setting my own hours and enjoying a wonderful view any time I look up from the computer, but sometimes you do want to interact with other people. Active Rain meets that need, too!

That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed branching out to other topics, because I have. After 19 years of thinking about real estate night and day I was so immersed in it that I didn't even realize a lot of these other occupations existed. It's fun to have variety in my life.

But when all is said and done, my first love is still real estate.

Notice: This one is primarily for land buyers, new agents, and agents who have not had experience in selling land.

This Friday night, October 9, I will be the guest on a new teleseminar series given by home builder Stan Stauffer, and everyone is invited. The series is about home building, and it begins with my segment about choosing the land.

The Conference Dial-in: 1-218-862-7200

Conference Code: 115698

The Time: 7:30pm EST

Why did Stan ask me to be his guest?

You probably don't know this, but after I "retired" from selling real estate, I decided to write an e-book about land buying. It's purpose was to save people from the financial and emotional disasters I'd seen over 19 years in the business.

Here in our area, where unimproved land makes up a large percentage of the sales, there were plenty of disasters for me to see. Some of them didn't become evident until their owners hired my husband to build their custom homes. Sometimes our attempts to secure a building permit revealed that no - they couldn't build on that parcel.

In a small town, you see and hear a good deal of what goes on, even in other agencies. And sometimes it was scary.

As you know, as a licensed agent I could not interfere in other people's transactions - even when my fingers itched to dial the phone and tell someone that important information was being withheld from them. (Yes, we had some pretty crooked agents doing business here. Thankfully, most of them have left town.)

So, when I let the license go, my husband suggested that I write the book. Then I could feel good knowing that at least some people were going into land transactions with their eyes wide open.

The e-book, entitled "The Land Buyers Guidebook," takes buyers from choosing an agent through all the little details to look for and questions to ask. It also outlines the contingencies that must accompany certain land purchases and the possible consequences of ignoring them.

After working with so many agents who had not previously sold unimproved land, and thus did not know all the questions they should be asking, I think this one can also save agents - at least from embarrassment and at most from a lawsuit.

Later, I wrote a second book: "Home Building Simplified." That one outlines the questions that people need to ask themselves as they choose a house plan, and details they must supply to their contractor before he or she can even submit a bid. It goes on to talk about dealing with mortgage lenders, building departments, and the contractor. It also tells how to choose a good contractor, if you plan to hire one, and how to deal with subcontractors if you don't.

Anyone thinking of acting as their own general contractor should read this before making the decision. I also happen to think it would make a good gift for customers who have purchased land with the intent to build... and I don't mind at all if agents download a copy and print it out for several customers. Placed in a nice binder with other pertinent information about the land, it might even be a good closing gift.

Cara has pointed out what every seller needs to consider, especially if they're interviewing multiple agents and are tempted to choose the one that promises the highest price.

But... as a copywriter and thus a believer in marketing, I do believe that along with price, terms, condition, and location, good marketing is a must.

An agent who will "list it and forget it" is not as likely to sell the house quickly as one who makes the effort to create an eye-catching presentation on the Internet and then take additional steps to make sure the greatest number of buyers are made aware of the home's availability.

In addition, agents who have marketed themselves well will often have a database of buyers who are waiting for the perfect home - and will contact that list immediately.

In addition, the difference between agents becomes crystal clear when problems come up between agreement and closing. A top agent jumps in to get the problems solved while a poor agent cries because the sale isn't going to close.

So, I think #5 on this list should be "The right agent."

Informing sellers about their part in presentation and gaining their cooperation is vital to the process. That's why my FSBO and Expired Listing prospecting letter sets include a seller checklist.

When people live in a house they often don't even "see" the little details that can alter a buyer's perception of the house.

When I was still an agent one of my least-favorite chores was pointing out those details, so I loved having a list to go over with sellers. It made it feel a little less like it was just me, picking on them.

Thanks, Cara, for a list that agents can use to show sellers the truth about pricing.

Hopefully, a whole handfull, but I've known agents who guarded those cards like they were gold - they'd only give one away if someone specifically asked for it! Really, I know agents who can make a box of 250 cards last a year or more. (They cost money, you know!)

Instead, you should be handing them to everyone you interact with during the day - even if you've given them one before. If they ask why, tell them it's so they'll have one handy when they want to give your name to someone.That's a subtle request for referrals and just might make people realize that you do appreciate it when they tell others about you. (When they do refer someone to you, remember to say Thank You!)

Photographs: It's become common practice in real estate now, so maybe I don't need to remind anyone, but be SURE to include a good picture of yourself.

Many of the people you talk with in your day to day travels either don't even know your name until you hand them your card, or won't remember your name later. But if your picture is there, they'll remember your face. More importantly,when they see you smiling at them, they'll remember that they liked you!

I'm talking about the waitress who brought your lunch or the checker at the grocery store - you might visit with them every time you go in, but do you introduce yourself by name?

The picture on your card is also important when you attend networking events...

Think about how many people you might meet in a single day, and how little time you have to actually get acquainted with any of them. How can you keep track of which of them impressed you as someone you might want to do business with?

When you hear 50 or 100 names you have to have a darned good memory to remember what you thought about each of those people when you met them. But seeing their faces on a card will cause you to recall how you felt about them. You might see one face and think "She was sure friendly and informative," while another face will cause you to think "Boy was he an arrogant jerk!"

So hand out your card with your smilng face - so other people can think "That's someone I want to do business with" every time they come across the card.

Since so many cards don't have pictures, I try to write a little note on the card if I can do it without anyone noticing. But even then, by the time I get home I can be confused. One of the cards in this picture had a note that said "funny little guy." I might have known what that meant when I wrote it, but I sure don't now! I can't put a face to that card or that note. Nor can I put a feeling or impression to it.

If the card had a photo, by the time I got home at night I would still remember, and be able to write a note that made some sense. And that's a good thing to do, especially if they've happened to mention wanting to buy or sell a home in a certain location or price range.

Be sure to actually use the cards you get at those events

Those cards can expand your sphere of influence! When you get home, put them in your contact database and send them a note within a day or two. If you can remember something you talked about, mention it - so they'll remember you.

You may have written a note on their card reminding yourself that you offered to send something, and if you did, do it right away.

Maybe you got permission to put them on your newsletter list. If so, do it. If not, write them and offer to put them on the list. Send a sample so they'll know your newsletter will be of value to them.

And then, provided you were favorably impressed by the person, make an effort to send a referral their way within the next few weeks. There's no better way to ask for referrals (and get them) than to be the first to give one.

Yours for success,

This probably isn't news that anyone who sells real estate wants to hear, but getting approved for a mortgage is about to become more difficult.

From what I've read here, and what agents have told me in person, you thought it was difficult enough all this year!

Fannie Mae has announced regulation updates meant to reduce its risk... beginning with a requirement for a credit score of 620.

Other changes include options regarding mortgage insurance. Buyers whose loan-to-value ratio exceeds 80% can choose to accept higher monthly mortgage insurance premiums or pay a one time fee at closing to compensate Fannie for the higher risk. Either way, they'll be paying more. It would be a good idea to talk with your favorite mortgage broker to see just how much the increased fees will add to a monthly payment before helping buyers decide on the maximum price they can pay for a home.

Debt to income ratios are also under fire. Fannie Mae will no longer approve ratios exceeding 45%, unless the borrower has very strong assets and exceptional credit scores. In no case will they approve a debt to income ratio over 50%.

These changes are due to be implemented during the weekend of December 12, so serious buyers who may be on the edge of not qualifying under the new rules should get their loans closed prior to then.

So what can you do? Get going on a buyer letter!

Let your buyers know what's about to happen, and encourage them to take the plunge if they've been waiting to see if rates will fall or a new buyer tax credit will be announced. After all, financial gurus are predicting that rates are now as low as we'll see in the next ten years. And... a buyers' credit won't do them much good if they can't get a loan.

This is looking like a big game - so it won't surprise me at all if a new credit is announced immediately after the new Fannie Mae regulations go into effect.

Something else you can do right now is to start providing your buyers with information on steps they can take to raise their credit scores. According to the chart provided on the Fannie Mae announcement, one point can make a considerable difference in the amount they'll pay for mortgage insurance, especially if they're making application for a 95% loan.

The cut-off points are at 640, 660, 680, and 720. A score of 740 or more pays the least mortgage insurance. If you can provide the tips that raise them from 639 to 640, or from 739 to 740, they'll love you!

New Desktop Underwriting guidelines will call for a credit report less than 90 days old on an existing home purchase - so everyone who has been struggling to get approval for a short sale for 4 or 5 months will have to submit a new credit report. Construction financing gets a break - 120 days.

Other Regulations:

"Trailing Secodary Wage Earner Income" will no longer be considered, and loan officers will be required to get verbal verification of employment within 10 days of the loan closing.

Borrowers using stocks, bonds, or mutual funds as assets for reserves need to remember that only 70% of their current value will be counted, while retirement funds will only be counted at 60% of value.

If Fannie Mae had used guidelines like these a few years ago, instead of making loans to anyone who could fog a mirror, you probably wouldn't be faced with the glut of REO's and short sales you're dealing with today. Seems like they can't find any common-sense middle ground.

Along with a good reminder that we all need to give back, Debe has provided a comprehensive list of people to follow to get specific kinds of help.

Everyone can benefit, but new agents in particular should follow these links for a short course in how to use Active Rain to build their business.

Thanks to Debe for a wealth of resources, all in one place!