Do you want to know the key to any successful marketing campaign?

It's not about the marketing...

It's about the campaign.  So stop wasting time!

I don't care what type of marketing you are doing.  Over time, it all works... 

Calendars, magnets, post cards, pens, brochures, newsletters, recipes.  All of it...

                                                                              
                   

I joke with my wife that I could hand out big sheets of paper with my face and phone number.  If I hand out out enough of them, people will start to call...

So you have to focus on the campaign first:

• How long?  Marketing takes time.  Realistically, you won't see results for some time.  It can take a year or longer.  But once it does start working, you won't want to stop...
  
  
• Where?  Pick a neighborhood.  I like townhome communities.  They have a higher turnover ratio than single family homes.  Once you choose one, stick with it.  Remember, this takes time...

• How many homes should I market to?  This is a budget issue.  I recommend you start small.  You don't want to overextend.  This is a marathon.  Not a sprint...
  

So pick a neighborhood.  Start marketing.  It works...       

Ken

I took a listing the other day.  I will be selling a condo in Chicago for a friend.

The listing went on the market yesterday.  I used 10 websites to help me list the home...

10 Websites I use when listing a home

1. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS)  The most powerful listing site for a Realtor.  All of the brokerage sites share in this listing information, as well as sites like Redfin, Realtor.com, ChicagoTribune.com and many others.
   
   
2. The Keller Williams Listing System (KWLS)  Available to Keller Williams agents.  Allows extra informartion, links, and pictures.  Shares listing data with Homefinder.com, Yahoo, Zillow, Trulia, Vast, Google, Cyberhomes, and Frontdoor.
   
   
3. RealSpaceTours  All of my listings have a virtual tour.  Although I don't think a tour actually "sells" a home, I have had buyers only look online at homes with a virtual tour...
   Real Space Tours is a website available to agents started by Active Rainer Andrew Olson.  It is easy to use, keeps track of statistics, and is free.
   
   
4. Postlets.com  A great website.  Creates online brochures for listings.  Postlets automatically shared with GoogleBase, Oodle, HotPads, Trulia, DotHomes, Zillow, Backpage, Vast, Enormo, Frontdoor, Local.com, and Lycos.  I also post my postlets on CraigsList, Active Rain, Facebook, and Twitter.
   
   
5. Active Rain  With Active Rain's famous "Google Juice", posted listings can be found easily.  As a Realtor, you can become the local expert by writing about your listings.
   
   
6. Facebook  All of my listings are promoted on my business page, Ken Tracy Real Estate.  I run ads on Facebook for my "Featured Home".  My Facebook profile has a widget featuring my listings.
   
   
7. Realtor.com  The official site of Realtors.  For a fee, an agent can enhance listings, increasing marketing and traffic.  I email weekly client reports to my sellers showing online activity.  
   
   
8. Craigslist.com  The online classified ads.  Very popular for real estate.  Sellers will want their homes on Craigslist. 
   
   
9. Trulia  I became a Trulia Pro to increase traffic to my listings.  I can also run a local "spotlight ad" to feature new listings.  I email my sellers a Trulia traffic report every week.
   
   
10. Ken's Featured Homes  My personal website.  My "featured home" is on the homepage. 

I was reading Active Rainer John Novak's featured post, "Facebook fan page Basics".  In the post, John offers more reasons for setting up a busines page on Facebook and links to get it done.

While reading through the comments, it seemed most Realtors had yet to set up a page.  Those that had set up a page had few fans...

It got me to thinking...

I had started my business page in May.  I was originally skeptical...

Who would want to be my fan?  I already have a Facebook profile.  Why do I need a business page too?

But I knew I liked working with Facebook.  A lot...

So, what the heck?  I set up my page.  It was incredibly easy.

Facebook (or some morphed quasi-Facebook concept) is here to stay.  It is a great way to stay connected. 

Get connected.

10 TIPS FOR GETTING MORE FANS ON YOUR FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE

• Suggest your page to your Facebook Friends.  All of them.  Your friends will be your primary source of fans for your page.  At least at first.  Every month, I suggest my page to all of my friends who are not yet fans. 
  
  
• Build up your Facebook friend base.  Since this will be your primary source of fans, it is best to have as many friends as possible.  Be active and involved on Facebook.  Comment on others posts often.  People like getting comments.  They will remember that you took the time.
  
  
• Write about your page here on Active Rain.  Facebook Business pages are a hot topic on Active Rain.  Write about your Facebook page.  Your post will get lots of readers, comments, and who knows, maybe even a feature.  All of this exposure will get you more fans.
  
  
• Read about Facebook here on Active Rain.  There are so many great writers here on AR.  You will learn so much and stay on top of any advances/changes that come to social media.  Check out Cassandra's Blog down in Fort Myers.  She wrote an awesome series of posts on Facebook business pages.
  
  
• Facebook Ads.  The ads are a great way to spread your brand and get new fans.  I run ads on Facebook daily.
     
• Create a personalized URL.   www.facebook.com/tracyrealestate is the URL for my page.  I put it everywhere.  On my business cards, my email signature, my flyers and my ads.
  
  
• Post on your business page often.  I like to post something on my page every day.  It doesn't have to be poetry.  An interesting statistic.  A link to an article you read that day.  A new listing.  Your latest blog post.  Mix it up.
  
  
• Don't forget it is your page.  Just because it is a business page, don't lose "the you".  People get involved more quickly with individuals than they do with corporations.  Let them know you are a real live human being...
  
  
• Choose the name of the page carefully.  Once you select one, you can't change it.  I brand mine with my face and my name.  I want my fans to remember it is my business page.
  
  
• Stay active on other social media sites.  You will find people on websites like LinkedIn that you won't find on Facebook.  Get to know them.  You also want links to your Facebook page from all of your social media profiles. 

Marketing is a marathon.  It's not a sprint.  It will take time.  Stay consistent. 

Remember, if you aren't excited about it, no one else will be either...

Ken

Are you are thinking of buying a home in the next year?  Or are you a Realtor that needs to sell more homes?

Then the article, "New Tax Credit may be worth pouncing on," written by Kenneth Harney in today's Washington Post is a must read...

This article is the clearest explantation I have read of the new tax credit, that took effect on November 6th...

While last years tax credit for "first time home buyers" impacted relatively few, I believe the new tax credit will have a major impact.

Not only does the new law extend the first time home buyer credit until June 30, 2010...

But now, most that have owned their home 5 years or more and buy another home will be eligible for a $6500 tax credit.  This describes almost everyone I know!

Whether a buyer is moving into a bigger home or downsizing to a small condo, most who have owned their current home 5 years will be eligible...

I believe this tax credit will be the nudge many need to fall off of the proverbial fence...

2010 is the year volume will return to the real estate market...

Are you ready?

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

p.s.  I have found Kenneth Harney on Facebook and become a fan.  I am #24...

Kenneth Harney Washington Post on Facebook

If you had $1000 to invest in your business, where would you invest your money?

Would you invest in technology?  Perhaps a digital camera?  A new smartphone?  Maybe a laptop?

Or would you invest in marketing?  Facebook Ads?  A series of ads in the local newspaper?  A postcard mailing campaign?

I recently wrote two posts:

• Facebook Ads.  My results after one month. 
• The BlackBerry Storm 2.  Another real estate investment. 

Both posts were written about investments I have made in my real estate business... 

The Blackberry Storm?  A technology tool...

Facebook Ads?  A marketing campaign...

Which is more important?  Where do you put your money?

When I wrote my post on the BlackBerry, the comments were unanimously positive.  Everyone said I would love the phone...  I do, by the way.  I will save that for another post!

When I wrote of the Facebook ad campaign, the comments were more reserved.  Lots of interest.  Curious.  Cautious.  But somewhat skeptical...

I was surprised. 

If I have to make a choice, I spend my money on marketing...

You can have all the tools in the world, but if you don't have any customers..

Does it matter?

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.  

Ok.  I took the plunge.

Yesterday I went out and made the decision.  I purchased my first smart phone...

I bought the new BlackBerry Storm 2...

                                                      
                                                 -My new BlackBerry Storm 2 poses on my daughter's table.

It sure looks pretty.  All shiny and new.  Big touch screen...

As an investment in my real estate business, the purchase was long overdue...

Afterall, my old phone was just a phone.  It didn't have a camera.  I was in the Stone Age...

And I strive to be a tech and social media savvy agent.  Heck, I even tweet...

So I am excited about the phone, yet I still find myself wondering...

What do I do with the thing?

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

Back in early October, excited with wealth after a recent closing, I began an ad campain on my favorite social media site, Facebook...      

I am running two ads.

One highlights my Facebook Business Page. (I am very proud of the rapid growth of this page.  Thank you so much to my 250+ fans!  I am excited about the potential of this site.)

The other spotlights "Ken's Featured Home".  My listing of the month:

                                                
                                        -2112 Seminary-One bedroom vintage in Lincoln Park...

I promised to post my results.  After one month:

My featured home ad has been run 143,140 times.  Exposure for my website.  Exposure for my listings.  The ad has been clicked on 45 times... 

My Facebook Business Page ad has been run 526,471 times.  This ad has been clicked on 140 times.  I have gained an additional 17 fans to my page from this campaign...

The total cost of the campaign after one month has been $120.40.

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

Listings are the name of the game.

In spite of this, I often struggle keeping my inventory of listings up.

I seem stuck in a cycle.  I pick up a listing or two.  I sell them in a couple months.  And then back to square one...

Not the way I want to do business.  I need a steady inventory of homes to sell...

I thought I broke out of the cycle a few months back. 

I had just taken my fourth listing, a personal record. 

But then, it happened...

One sold...

Then another...

This week, a third went under contract... 

I am left with just one. 

Holy poop!  I need more listings...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

DOES THE REAL ESTATE MARKET NEED SAVING?

This morning I was reading Richard Weisser's featured post, "A completely new proposal to save the real estate market.  It's not as crazy as you might think!"...

In the post Richard writes of his new idea to save the real estate market.  His plan involves "A dollar for dollar tax deduction for down payments".  Seems like a pretty good idea...

But I am struggling with the premise...

Why does the real estate market need saving?  Is it really that bad?

I thought it was a great time to buy a home...

Interest rates low.  Prices down.  Lot's of inventory to choose from.

So what gives? 

Does the real estate market really need saving?

Ken

A Realtor you can trust. 

-It was a sunny day at the Carrolwood townhomes in Naperville.  Is the real estate market's future just as bright?