The frustration in Real Estate Agent marketing and advertising these days parallels this puzzling question.
What came first the Chicken or the Egg? Oh, and I’ll tell you which came first in this article.

Often we hear…. I’ve got lots of chickens, but no eggs.
Marketing translation: I’ve got my marketing(aka chickens) working, but no buyers(aka eggs)!

So, what’s the answer? 

Right now, today, it’s not all about leads. That’s right. In this market, it’s all about exposure, visibility and positioning yourself to be found when the chance comes along.

“Luck is the skill to place yourself in the path of opportunity so it SLAMS right into you”.
Use this definition and you’ll bring about positive change.

Ok, I know. The problem is, “I need more leads to sell more real estate to make more money.” Therefore, many of you are highly focused on something that’s assured to disappoint you; lots of leads.

Today, many of you already know you can’t even buy good Leads. Many have tried. I’ve heard the stories. Most, if not all of these purchased leads are miserable and a useless waste of time.

Why is that? Because the true real estate buyers are now too few and far too smart for the trickery of a few years ago. So guess who’s left that makes up most of the purchased leads? The true buyers only sign up for things that offer a clear value. Or they are compelled by a property of real interest and want to receive detailed information. Savvy buyers are rarely going to allow their contact information to end up on a mailing list or call list.

What can we learn and do during these times to maximize our chances to make a sale?

a good Formula …. apply patience (both emotional and financial), use your tools for analysis to see where real estate is selling, refocus marketing where buying is occurring, adjust your plan for new focus, cheerfully accept change

To make more sales, let’s put this simple formula above to work

patience – it’s gambling to just pull the plug on this marketing or that marketing in an effort to cut costs.

How do you decide?  Use a test.

Test your marketing –  when a product or service demonstrates the ability to regularly put you and your inventory in front of lots of real estate searchers, it passes the first test of, “what do I keep”.  Finally, this product or service must be affordable. It must fit your marketing budget to pass the final test. If not, forget it. Go find a product or service that “passes the first test” and  you can afford.

If you are not getting leads, and your marketing passes both of these tests, it’s not the marketing. It’s something else and we’ll take a look at what you might want to change.

use your tools, analyze and refocus - market, or fish where the most fish are biting

1. Use your tools (MLS, Title Marketing Manager/Rep and others) to determine where the sales are happening.
2. Geographically speaking, sales are not equally spread among all cities, subdivisions, communities, property types and price point. For example:  Condos vs Homes, Mesa AZ vs Scottsdale AZ, $125,000 sale price vs $650,000 sale price.
3. Narrow down the price point for those sold properties that are the main section of the “bell curve”. Eliminate areas and prices that are on either side of the curve.
4. Get specific – marketing to communities and cities by using the words that buyers use to search that specific area using Google, Yahoo, BING, craigslist… this is called Search Engine Marketing or SEM. It requires knowing and USING those search words (aka – keywords) that will match with that buyer so you are found in their search results. This is SEO!
5. It’s a numbers game. So, offer to help with marketing other agents listings in or outside of your office into the marketing services or products that have “passed the tests”.
6. Listings Agents, you must STOP and THINK… many of your fellow agents are willing to spend time and money to help market your listings for you. This is exactly what you want when you place your listing into MLS…. you want them to “go out and find and bring the buyer side to the sale so you can both split a commission”. Therefore, when Agents ask to help market your listings, say YES!

adjust your marketing plan – use the right bait with lots of poles in the water to attract the fish you have found

1. Marketing is exposing on highly visible services, our best inventory that is priced right, desirable  location, good condition so you and your inventory are in front of the prospects. That’s it!
2. If you have these services in place with plenty of the above inventory offered,  patience will produce the sales.

cheerfully accept market change – like it or not…believe it or not… you do attract what you think about and talk about

1. Think of the down market prices as an opportunity to buy low and sell in the middle or even sell high, one day.
2. Talk about the lowest interest rates in decades
3. Write blog posts about investing in Student Housing near Universities and large hospitals where temporary housing is in demand.
4. Give of your time that may be more available right now to organizations that need your help and watch how that deed of goodness will return opportunities that would have been otherwise missed.
5. Think of being and doing all things with acceptance, joy or with enthusiasm.

Oh! The Chicken or the Egg? Scientist in England say they now know it was the chicken. Google it!  Either way, our marketing produces the exposure to crack those sales..

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