BlogofGeese.com on Active Rain

Go Guerilla!

2008-07-03T15:37:09Z

I love guerilla marketing, I always have. My first exposure to it was something I instigated in the days of high school when I was student council president. I asked a small group of students to carry around bananas for the whole day and when someone asked why they were carrying it around, they answered "I can tell you tomorrow." By the end of the day everyone was talking about the mysterious bananas. The next day different people were carrying around a jar of cherries. This time they answered "come to our ice cream social on Friday." It worked because instead of having advertising yelled AT them, they were asking for it.

Fast forward to the Boston Marathon years later. I was standing watching the runners when I noticed someone with the name Terry Tate stamped to their forward. Then I noticed dozens more with the same thing. I finally asked someone and they told me that it was a new campaign for Reebok and to watch out for it on TV. I now have a Terry Tate bobblehead that sits on my desk. Terry Tate commercials are still my favorite.

Just yesterday I was reading a story about faceless aliens appearing at big events going virtually unnoticed (photo below). At the time of this post, no one knows who they are or what they are doing. I can promise you one thing. We will all know soon.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

There are ways in which we can use guerilla marketing to our advantage in real estate. I would make the case that most of these ideas revolve around events. In my book, My Blue Goose, I outline several ways in which you can use guerilla marketing for your own promotion. One of the is setting up a digital frame of your listings in a restaurant waiting area or a physicians office.

These tactics can produce unique opportunities as more people pay attention to agent's who take the time to market themselves creatively.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Recycled 747 Plane Becomes House

2008-06-30T08:14:24Z

v class="thumbnail">
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Just as I was sitting back in my office and checking out some of the newest real estate news and winding down for the weekend, I came across a Yahoo video about a new home being built in California. Francie Rehwald has a dream that is different than most of us. She is using an old 747 plane to build a house atop a California mountain side. Her daughter said "she is definitely a hippie at heart." Francie herself says "I love to recycle, I love to be green."

Is this story an example of us taking the 'green thing' too far or is this a story about an expanding interest in custom-built, unique homes? Maybe it's about creating art. Maybe this is a trend of using junk yard trash to create new living environments. Whatever the answer, it has me perplexed.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Luba Knows What Works On The Web. See It Here...

2008-06-24T12:45:02Z

I just came across the work of Zephyr real estate agent, Luba Muzichenko. As far as marketing is concerned, Luba does two things very well. First she is host to a very valuable and local blog titled "The Avenues Blog." (photo below-www.theavenuesblog.com)

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The Avenues Blog is a neighborhood blog covering the Sunset and Richmond districts and does a fantastic job of integrating photos and events. If I lived in this area there is no reason why I wouldn't bookmark or create an RSS feed to this site. Very impressive.

Secondly, Luba has created one of the best agent websites I have seen in a long time. (www.LubaSF.com) It provides insightful and useful information to buyers and sellers. I love the fact that she hosts a market report on the top of the page with information all homeowners are after. Additionally the site is exceptionally well organized and attractive. Most of all I like the fact that Luba does not try to recreate a company website by adding in a hundred different links, links to MLS, weather reports and so on.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

What an outstanding model of content for agent marketing on the web. Do yourself a favor and take a look at her stuff. It's not often you see such great execution in the real estate world.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Real Estate Agent In A Box, Brian Buffini May Be A Waste Of Your Money

2008-06-19T12:12:02Z

There is a common myth in the real estate world. The myth seems to work this way; If I do things the same way as everyone else, I will be fine. This is why you can Google real estate education and find thousands of courses that will supposedly make you millions in ‘x’ number of years.

Out in the real estate world, agents are craving solid and innovative information. In their quest they discover the low-hanging fruit--the companies out there that want to offer you complete success in just 10 easy steps. Or how about this one, “buy this book and sell 10 homes, guaranteed!” What? “100 Days to Greatness!” Sounds like a religious experience, huh?

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

To be fair I will tell you that there are tidbits of information within these courses that are good. I just think more often then not they oversell and don’t live up to the hype. Most all of these courses lead to more services that you need to acquire to succeed like paying for your daily coaching, more books, more training on the same topics etc. At best, these programs are new agent training with entertainment. Call it infotainment if you wish. This ‘real estate agent in a box’ mentality is hurting the industry.

I’ll be the first to tell you that every agent needs to know and practice the basics when marketing oneself or a property. Send out postcards, make your phone calls, follow up with thank you notes, contact everyone regularly, use multiple photos, be personable so on and so on. The basics are important. They need to be learned and used but it’s time to move past a discussion of the basics so real estate can become a better industry.

Real estate agent’s should learn from agents like Laurel Strand of Montclair, California. Her innovative and leading marketing ideas have catapulted her business. Her business model was created from lessons she collected from leading agents. When asked what three words represent the secret to real estate she answered “Vision, creativity and tenacity.” Wow! Those are three words you just don’t hear enough of. They are three words that are found within most of the Fortune 500 companies and it’s time we start using them in real estate.

Vision-Vision is the ability to be able to see past the immediate. It is also about staying focused and planning out your goals and how you plan on accomplishing them. No more flying by the seat of your pants.

Creativity-The attempt to swim upstream. Get a hold of every possible way in which agents market themselves and create a message that is truly unique. Harriet Shaw of Dallas markets herself to an art and business savvy prospect. She uses “You’ve heard of the art of the deal, now meet the artist.” She could have easily said “for all of your real estate needs, call me,” but what is enticing about that?

Tenacity-You will not win every battle out there. Tenacity is just as much about consistency.

Break out of the box and start doing things your way. Customize them for your business and the location of your business and realize that you already have these great ideas. Search through blogs like Inman News and Active Rain that offer advice in real estate. Look outside of real estate to find out what other industries are doing to promote their brand. Many of these ideas can be used for your business. Get out of the mentality that you need to pay someone to coach you every day. Instead, ask around your office to see if you can find a successful agent and choose them to become your mentor. By doing this you can redirect the thousands of dollars you were going to spend directly into your marketing.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

David Davis Shows Us Marketing At Its Best

2008-06-13T07:55:11Z

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

One of the monthly features on the new Xpressdocs' Blog (launching July 7th) will be called Blips and Blunders. It's a section that will feature the best and well, the not so best of real estate marketing. Here's a taste of what to expect from this section. Let's call it a sneak peak exclusive to Blog of Geese readers.

It didn't take long to notice the work of David Davis. David used a template from the Xpressdocs public site to create a piece that real estate agents around the country should be doing more often. The postcard starts off with a great quote "New friends are silver, old friends are gold; make new friends but don't forget the old." This quote symbolizes exactly what agents forget to do. They forget the people on their blue list or they send them just one seasonal greeting each year. It simply is not enough contact.

This is yet another reason why David's message is so great. It is very simple. "I'm still helping folks buy and sell real estate." What more do you really need to say? Mr. Davis continues on the back with listing his experience and doing so in a way that is casual, warm and inviting. The photo he uses is the same. It's honest, straightforward and is not coupled with horses or dogs or birds or some of the other animals I see in agent photos. To put it quite plainly, it is solid marketing and great execution.

David Davis (david@wowlookbuy.com) is now part of the Keller Williams organization and besides having a rock star name that is quite fun to repeat, he is going to pack a powerful marketing punch to the real estate marketing arena. Great job David!

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Create Content That Your Audience Will Actually Read

2008-06-11T14:33:34Z

“It's no longer just enough for people to believe that your product (your services) does what it says on the label. They want to believe in you and what you do. And they'll go elsewhere if they don't.” ~Hugh Macleod

One of the biggest issues surrounding real estate marketing these days is that most of the marketing collateral being produced is meaningless. Too often they are lengthy, confusing, and cluttered. The advantage that Fortune 500 companies have when they produce their advertising and promotional materials is that they spend millions on marketing think-tanks to produce quality, meaningful reminders of their brand. With research dollars they can even determine if a campaign will be successful even before it has begun. As an independent agent you do not have these resources available to you, but this is no excuse for bad marketing.

There are some basic principals and recent studies to help you on your never-ending quest in making sure that your message is heard. As a rule of thumb, before you begin creating your piece, ask yourself a few very important questions:

A. What do I want to get from this piece? More buyers? More Sellers? A referral?
B. Why is this piece important to my reader? In other words, why would they want to read it?
C. What is the best way to deliver this particular piece?

Once you answer these questions you can begin to create a remarkable advertisement for yourself and your business. Below are some tips to make sure you are heard above others in the marketplace.

1. Keep It Simple
Many real estate professionals continue to over-saturate their marketing materials with words that mean very little to the consumer. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” says University of West Florida advertising professor, Tom Groth. “Just because you have the space does not mean that it needs to be filled. Sometimes saying very little says an awful lot.”

2. Offer Something of Value
The United States Post Office conducted a study and found out that the majority of consumers want to know what’s in it for them. Without offering something of real value the consumer is less likely to read the piece you’re creating. On this same note, offering a no obligation property evaluation is not enough. It’s an agent’s duty to offer a no obligation property evaluation. What kind of market statistics specific to that prospect's area are you able to pull? Do some work on their behalf and they'll be impressed.

3. A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words.
Make your picture speak two thousand words by using high-quality photos and have them taken professionally, if possible. If you are sending out a direct mail piece to 200 people, you need to realize that your piece serves many purposes. By using quality property and agent photos your reader is likely to spend more time looking at it. Prospective clients will often say, “I want an agent to take photos like that of my home,” placing you at the top of their list for real estate agents.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

4. Become a Resource
Homeowners are craving information about market conditions, especially in uncertain markets. Sadly, this is an area in which many agents have failed to capitalize. It’s the reason that websites like Zillow.com are taking off. Agents want information that relates directly to them and they want to know they have a source to turn to. Use your materials to let them know that you have the information and are ready to deliver it.

5. Be Location-Specific with Your Message.
Position yourself as the local agent that lives, breathes, and works in town and you’ll get a lot further with your message. Chances are you work under the umbrella of one of the larger companies like Prudential, Coldwell Banker, GMAC, Sotheby’s, Century 21, Re/Max and so on. Although these companies provide local expertise, some homeowners can be persuaded to believe that agents that work for these companies do not know their areas. Using a phrase like, “As a 15-year member of this community,” or place yourself in the heart of the community with intro phrases like, “I remember homecoming at Springfield High School; the fun, new energy, and excitement. As your real estate agent I can give you the ins and outs of this town and any other town in which you may interested.”

The tips above are just a start. As a consumer yourself you know there is very little time to read all of the advertising that is thrown at you in one day. When you learn from this and create your materials based on what others want to see and not what you want to see, you will find that you’ll get a better response and more business.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

When It Is Okay To Lose A Client

2008-06-09T09:42:25Z

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

I love reading the newspapers and online news sources to discover the new real estate deals out there in the marketplace. Everything from an Orlando developer giving away Mini Coopers to buyers to this buy one, get one free deal in California. Developers are pulling out all the stops to clear inventories.

As a real estate agent, it is important to understand that buyers are after your expertise more then they are after someone who can take care of the transaction for them. Anyone can do the latter. It is your job to find the best deals out there and expose them to your expert investment advice.

Recently at an event in Boca Raton I was speaking to one of the country's top five real estate agents. First, I asked him how he manages to do so well even in a down market. His reply was "what down market?" He went on to tell me that he markets each listing with 5%-10% more marketing dollars then in a thriving market. His reasoning was simple. "If there are less buyers out there, I need to do more to get out in front of the ones who are buying because they are definitely out there."

The next question I asked him was how, after 20 plus years in the industry, he was able to continue solid growth year after year. "I've lost more deals then I have made." Very often buyers, specifically those who are interested in buying for investment reasons go to him to buy a specific property. 9 out of 10 times he talks them out of it. He does this because he looks past the one transaction. He knows that if he can convince them to buy a property that will yield a higher return on investment then that buyer will come back to him for repeat transactions. A very simple that works. "The key is that you have to be willing to let a client walk away because no agent should want to be a part of a losing investment."

Thanks for the sound advice Gene!

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Going On A Real Estate Road Show

2008-06-04T11:37:24Z

After finishing a whirlwind tour of real estate conferences and events I am happy to report that my busy real estate travel season has come to an end. My travels have brought me from one end of the country to the other; from Boston to New York City to Las Vegas to New Orleans to Boca Raton and I could continue but I won’t. This year’s attendance at all the conferences seemed to be down. I owe this to the downturn in the market, the recent loss of more than 10% of the industry’s sales force and the high cost of travel.

Many hours and dollars have been invested into these shows and it would be prudent to reflect on what real estate agents can expect as attendees of conferences. Here are just a few things to think about.

If you can’t attend, find someone who will So many conferences, so little time. The great part about the real estate industry is although we sometimes compete with each other, we still share new information when we get it. Find someone who is attending whether they are a person you work with or someone who you know online. Do you homework and find out what breakout sessions are being offered and find out if your contact will be attending them. Offer them a breakfast meeting when they get back so they can fill you in on everything they learned.

Count Sheep As much as wrapped up into these conferences, be sure to get enough rest. There is nothing worse then waking up to outstanding breakout sessions that you paid for and not having the attention span to sit through them.

Take Notes Bring a notebook and a pen. Although the information you are hearing sounds interesting and like something that you would never forget, the truth is that you’ll forget it all as soon as you get on the plane to get back home. Using a site like Twitter can help keep your notes trackable and electronic.

Network Like You Never Have Before Have an idea of who you may want to meet and why it is beneficial for both of you to meet. Maybe it is for relocation efforts or to exchange best practices information but in any event it is not always the number of people you meet but the few quality relationships you make.

Bring a Camera Yet another excuse to contact someone is to send them pictures of your time together at the event. Also, many of these events deserve quality photos!

Don't forget the couple of notable conferences coming up. Real Estate CONNECT, San Francisco, July 23-25 National Association of REALTORS Conference, November 7-10

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Viral Video Finds Its Place In Marketing for Century 21

2008-05-19T20:30:59Z

A few posts ago I wrote about Mike Lefebvre, a real estate agent who shows promising results as a real estate agent and a unique ability to offer his clients an edge in the marketplace. In the post I also correctly predicted Mike's winning video.

I am very pleased to inform you that Mike has won Century 21's viral video contest giving his homeowners $21,000 in cash and a new flat screen HDTV. Mike wins himself an HDTV but more importantly he wins the exposure as an agent who, even in a challenging market, is willing to put in the extra time to get the job done.

Great job Mike! BlogofGeese.com is proud to be watching you as an up and coming agent and one that other agents need to watch.

Aren't We All Storytellers?

2008-05-13T16:23:33Z

We forget sometimes that we are all storytellers. Even the products we are selling (your houses) tell stories. It's human nature to feel at ease when we listen to story. There is nothing better then when Evan, my 18-month-old son, grabs a book and turns around and backs up which is his way of telling me "I have this book and I am going to sit on your lap so you can read it to me." Storytelling is in all of us. Listening to a story is equally so.

If you are not using telling a story with your marketing then you just aren't getting it. What kind of history does the home in which you are selling hold? How do you tell a story about your homes to those who may be interested?

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Going Through 3 Agents in 2 Weeks

2008-05-07T08:03:09Z

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

I'm tired. Now it's time to start work. Over the past couple of weeks I have been immersed in the duties of moving my family to Texas. The move was instigated by a need to be closer to Xpressdocs, where I am a business development executive. Thank you to all who emailed asking about blog posts and if I vanished off the face of the earth. In some ways, I had. That is to say if you call the internet, earth.

During the past couple of weeks myself, my wife Nicole, my 18-month old son Evan, and our toy poodle have hopped around from Hampton Inn, to the Westin, to Residence Inn back to a Hampton Inn and to another Residence Inn. We have flown from BOS to DFW with one stop-over in ATL. We've taken planes, trains and automobiles. Within 5 days we closed on our condo and leased a home that we had never seen in person. And lastly, here is the reason why you are reading this.

We have been through 3 real estate agents.

Agent # 1: Jaime Drunsic, Prudential Unlimited

A short time ago Jaime left a career as a pediatric nurse to begin a new adventure in real estate. I met her simply because she lived in the same condo building and I knew she had sold a couple other units in the building. I'll be writing more about Jaime and her "Great Spouse, Great House" niche but for now, know that she has found her place in the real estate world in a short amount of time and in a tough real estate market.

Here's what Jaime did right with our listing. She used direct mail and other professionally printed materials. She placed our condo on Craig's List. Maybe most importantly, she followed up everyone that walked through our door. Lastly, she encouraged us to set the right price--this too was obviously extremely important. I mention that she followed up with everyone because even experienced agents are not as disciplined in doing this. At the very least, following up gave her a reason to contact us and let us know what is going on. In fact, I will go as far as calling Jaime an over-communicator, which in my mind is a huge compliment. My wife and I were under some time constraints and this communication was very helpful for our stress/understanding levels even when it wasn't positive news.

Our buyer had seen our place early on. He waited a few months and finally when we saw we had lowered the price where he knew it wouldn't go much lower, he jumped on the opportunity.

I don't think I have ever heard of a smoother closing. Really. Not a single bump in the road. Everything was ahead of schedule. We were in and out the door at closing in 15 minutes. The closing itself was more a celebration for both parties then a legal settlement. It ended with a hug from our agent and friend and an extremely nice and unexpected closing gift.

Agent #2: Unknown

I won't mention this agent by name simply because it was not a favorable experience. I was given a recommendation by a friend to call an office. She just started working for this company so didn't have someone specific she could recommend for my area. I called and of course I was given to the agent who was taking calls at the time. I told her everything I was looking for and her first response was that there was nothing in the area for the price range that I had requested. I immediately found this odd only because my wife and I had found several places we liked on the internet. In, fact we were having trouble narrowing it down. She said she would look anyway and get back to me.

The next day I received an email of 30 listings. About 4 of them were homes with the guidelines that we had given her. We had asked for a 3-4 bedroom house, fenced-in yard, 2 car garage, good school district. I felt these were very general and vague descriptions of features yet she managed to find all of the houses that did not meet these needs.

The funny part (or not so funny part) is that after she sent me those listings, I never heard back from her again. I left her a voicemail but she fell off the face of the earth.

Agent # 3: Tana to the Rescue!

I was back to the drawing board on finding an agent who would help us. I decided to try and find a site that can help me with my listing search because up to that point I was pulling listings from all over. Plus, some of this listings that we liked went off the market. That's when I stumbled upon this site. One thing I haven't mentioned so far is that we were looking for homes to lease for a couple of years. This site was the first one that broke down all residential homes for lease that were on MLS. Plus it had a Google mapping feature that was greatly appreciated. The site also uses the technology of Showing Time, a company that I didn't know about until I met some of of their crew at an event in Boca Raton, FL.

As soon as I requested to see a home we received a call from our new agent Tana Kersten. Tana listened to everything we needed, kept in touch with us, told us her thoughts on areas and really knew what we we wanted. She spent two days with us, helped us find our new home and even drove in rush hour traffic to get us some papers that we needed. The transaction could not have been easier thanks to her.

It was a great thing for me to be involved on a personal level with these recent transactions. As a writer it is always helpful to hear from real estate professionals about their experiences however going through it first-hand provided me with a very unique perspective. Each of these 3 agents had their different styles and personalities but when it came down to it what my wife and I were most concerned about was 'who will get the job done.' Jaime and Tana really came through for us in that way.

We're happy to be in our new home. Xpressdocs is happy to have me 'home.' Stay tuned for more information about the company blog, new tech and more. Until then...

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

My Interview With Real Estate Radio

2008-04-22T14:36:31Z

Click here to listen to the 30 minute interview.

When A New Agent Finds Himself

2008-04-21T13:05:55Z

In a manner of speaking, Mike Lefebvre has found himself. A short six months ago Mike entered into a very fickle real estate industry as a rookie real estate agent. I’m certain that some of his colleagues, family and friends told him he was crazy for entering an industry that was seemingly shaky. However, in a rare feat these days he took the bull by the horns and decided to educate himself in any way possible. He quickly became a member of the Twitter community (twitter@RealtorLefebvre) following over 150 members and learning everything he could from experienced agents, technology gurus and agents who are in the same position he is. He sat in on every course imaginable to gain more insight on the industry. He’s one of the few who will not wait for a listing to magically fall on his lap. He understands that in order to succeed in this business you must first understand and execute the basics. This is why in less than six months he has produced 3 direct mail campaigns in the area of his first listing. He’s following up with calls. He’s taking advantage of his Century 21 Commonwealth’s promotional offerings. He’s making his presence known on the internet.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

If Mike’s name sounds familiar you may have recently heard it as the winner of the Active Rain viral video contest . The contest awarded him the opportunity to spend the day with Seth Godin which he will do on April 30th. He is also entered in a national Century 21 viral video contest with a cash payout in which this author believes he will succeed at winning. The video itself has received over 5,800 views to date. Check out his video HERE.

So after reading all of this, you may still be asking, “what makes Mike so special?” The viral video is the perfect example. Mike is not afraid to try new things and if they don’t work, he moves on. The thing about the viral video is that it IS working. He’s providing a very unique attention grabber for the owners of 30 Jefferson while promoting himself as an agent who will stop at nothing to get the word out about a listing. I can all but guarantee that some of his surrounding agents think he is wasting time making videos but those are the same agents will never examine what additional tools they can use to market their properties. What they should be asking instead is “Does it make sense to apply that idea to my business model?”

Agents like Mike Lefebvre are exciting to watch. You never know what kind of creativity they will bring the business next. In fact, if we were selling futures on Mike’s success, there is no question, I would buy in.

Matthew Gosselin, Featured Guest on Real Estate Radio USA

2008-04-17T07:55:47Z

Join me on Real Estate Radio USA Monday, April 21 at 5pm EST as I will be the featured guest. I plan on speaking about my book, My Blue Goose, the current state of the market versus agent marketing, and what to expect from my next book, Stand Out, Stick and Stay.

You can also dial in and ask me a question. Just call 1-877-741-3863.

Your Homeowner Is Out of Control

2008-03-27T21:24:09Z

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Today I read that a plane's doors flew off after take off. Yesterday there was a story about a plane traveling from Miami with a hole in the bottom. The Southwest fiasco about inspections not being conducted properly. My last flight from Chicago to New Orleans which produced very heavy turbulence that apparently was undetectable to the pilots. My flight from Pensacola, Florida to New Orleans which consisted of turbulence so bad that I knew (not thought) that I would surely die on this itty bitty plane and it wouldn't even make the news because there were only 12 of us on it. I could go on and on and on.

Flying, to me, is one of the faith-filling experiences a person can have. The reason is simple. A passenger has absolutely no control. That explains why people feel safer in cars even though automobile accidents almost exponentially outnumber the people injured/killed in plane accidents.

Here is my point. A homeowner is giving you the keys to their most important asset. Few will ever own anything of higher value. They feel completely out of control and that's why you hear crazy homeowner stories like this one.

Most recently in my Xpressdocs world I have heard a lot about real estate professionals giving a little bit of control to the home owners in the form of property business cards. These cards feature a house on one side along with the address and price and on the other side is the agent's business card. What happens is the agent gives the homeowner 100 or so of these cards and the homeowner proceeds to pass them out to their friends and neighbors. The accomplishes two things. First it gives the homeowner the control and the feeling that they are helping to market their home. Secondly it is a referral to the agent. I hope to conduct a few marketing studies on the results but overall we are hearing that agents are receiving a good number of listings as a result of the property cards. At Xpressdocs these cards are $35.50 for 250 cards which includes overnight shipping which means that as long as you place your order by 5PM EST you will be able to impress your clients the very next day.

Control is a strange thing and giving your homeowner just a little more of it will allow for a much smoother process.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

My Blue Goose Visits With Trulia

2008-03-18T14:08:53Z

I enjoyed talking with the folks at Trulila (Trulia.com) at this year's Prudential Conference in New Orleans. Visit Trulia's blogto read about their presence at this conference.

More information coming in future blog posts about what Trulia can do to make you a standout agent.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Agents: Don't Be Late

2008-03-14T09:45:52Z

This is a message to a minority. Real estate professionals, stop being late to showings and listing appointments. I am completely serious. I attended a sales meeting the other day and was shocked to learn that things had turned so sour with this office that timeliness was the main item on the agenda. It wasn't just one or two in the office, it was most of the office.

Tardiness in business is not tolerated. It's not even tolerated in golf as we learned recently when John Daly was kicked out of the Bay Hill for missing his tee time. Earlier in the day Daily's swing coach fired him for missing his practice.

How you conduct yourself WHILE you conduct your business is a form of advertising.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Talk To The Shakers

2008-03-13T08:56:51Z

I was getting my haircut the other day (there is much less to cut then there used to be) and a real estate agent walked in the door. They knew who she was because she gets her haircut at the same place. She spent a minute or two talking to each stylist and handed them a postcard.

"I just wanted to let you know that I am a real estate agent and if you ever have a client that is in the market, have them give me a call," she said.

And then she left. Total time spent in there was 10 minutes at the most. What happened next was very easy to predict. The stylist put the postcard on the desk in front of her and then turned to me and said "my husband and I just moved 2 years ago but now my mom wants to move closer to us." Similar conversations were being had throughout the business.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

It has never been more important to seek out the people in the services industry that talk to many people. They include Tax accountants, bankers, hair stylists, teachers.

How many of these movers and shakers do you communicate with on a regular basis?

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

If You're At One Of These Events, Get My Book For Free!

2008-03-12T18:23:51Z

Tis the season for real estate conferences! If you find yourself at the one or both of the following events, be sure to stop by the Xpressdocs booth and ask for me. Mention you saw me on Active Rain and I will get you a free copy of my book My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing.

Prudential Real Estate National Conference
New Orleans
March 16th-18th

Leading RE/Luxury Portfolio National Conference
Boca Raton, FL
April 8-11

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The Information On Your Direct Mail Postcard

2008-03-12T12:29:44Z

There is some confusion floating around the real estate industry about the definition of value as it relates to direct mail pieces. Should you send recipe cards? Should you partner with local companies to provide retail discounts? Should you stick with sending out market statistics and only marketing statistics? Here are some bulleted thoughts about the subject.

If you only plan on sending out one set of cards just to see what happens and then you will decide if you will use direct mail regularly, don't bother. Direct mail is about consistency.

We know that statistically only 18% of real estate professionals are using direct mail. If you are in the 82% group, then I will argue that sending out something like a recipe card is better than not sending anything at all.

You should be mailing out to your blue list (SOI, COI, Farm List etc.) no less than 6 different times a year. If you do this then go ahead and throw a seasonal postcard or two into the mix.

If you can find a way to add in a retail discount ALONG with relevant market information then you are sending out pure gold to your clients.

There are many new marketers who believe direct mail is a thing of the past in real estate. These people are not doing their research. Direct mail works and works well but only when it is used appropriately.

If you are sending out a generic piece with no customization to your audience, you are wasting their time and yours. The postal services studies tell us that consumers want their messages customized. Titles like "This Springfield House is Sold" always work better than "Just Sold."

Your company has many different ways in which you can obtain great market statistics about your area and they are dying for you to use it but few of you do!

When you decide to use market stats on your postcards, be sure to send a postcard to your local newspapers and TV stations. Easy stats in their hand at the right time could mean giving you airtime.

There are books written about this subject but it amazes me how few real estate agents are taking advantage of reliable information. This form of communication is an important part of your real estate business.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Are You Yelling At Me?

2008-03-10T14:13:56Z

I grew up in a small town just outside Burlington Vermont where my Uncle was the Mayor, I knew the postman by his first name, I could tell you the names of most every person on the fire department and my 5th grade teacher taught not only myself and my 3 siblings but my mother as well. This was a city where conversations and relationships were king. Yet, few leveraged this in their businesses.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Flash forward many years to Boston Massachusetts. Signs like the Citgo sign shown here next to Fenway are a common phenomenon lining the streets. Billboards are animated, on the T (the subway) ads decorate the inside of cars and as the train moves ads scream at you from the outside.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Whether agents are in a large city or a farming town, their advertisements should do the same thing. Old marketing methods tell us that ads are used to sell a product and make a message visible to as many people as possible. New marketing methods tell us that ads are used to start a conversation and it is perfectly fine if you start that conversation with just a few like-minded people.

So here is the question. Does your ad scream at people or does it start a conversation? The most basic questions to ask yourself when creating your advertisement are:
1. To whom am I speaking?
2. Will this ad be important to them?
3. Does the advertisement show a personality?
4. Do I give them enough information so they can contact me on their own time using their preferred method (phone, address, email, website)
5. Is my advertisement attractive?

Answer these questions before you come up with your idea for the ad and you’ll be in good shape.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

What Is Your Mean Green Machine?

2008-03-07T11:34:50Z

Xpressdocs has announced its aggressive green initiative, making it one of the first real estate partners to do so. As real estate’s leading print on-demand technology company it understands the importance of creating a business environment that is both energy efficient and eco-friendly. While the plan incorporates recycled papers and environmentally friendly inks, it is inspecting every aspect of its business—from energy use to roof coatings—so it will remain on the leading edge of environmentally responsible business.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Transforming your real estate business into a green one is no longer for the tofu-eating, dreadlock-wearing hippies. In fact leading giants like Wal-Mart are making extreme efforts to reorganize their business around using energy efficient buildings, working with other green companies and using environmentally friendly products.

As companies within the industry make green changes, the question then becomes “how can a real estate agent turn their business into a eco-conscious one?”

In a May survey, Landor Associates found that eight out of ten consumers believe it’s important to buy from green companies and are willing to pay more to do so. If consumers are willing to pay more but an agent’s commission will stay the same, isn’t it fair to say that the average consumer will choose you as their real estate professional over someone else who is less green? The following are just some of the ideas that every agent can adopt.

1. Specialize in green home listings
Companies like EcoBroker allow agents to become EcoBroker certified while teaching innovative energy, environmental and green strategies. Additionally the company will teach you how to your market yourself as an EcoBroker, an asset in itself.

2. Yell it on the hilltops
Create what is called a boilerplate; standard information about your business that appears on each one of your marketing pieces. In it, describe the practices that your business and company use to promote eco-responsibility.

3. Use the good plastic
Carry an environment saving credit card with you at all times. Bank of America is one of the latest to offer a green credit card. These programs offer a chance to donate a percentage of what you have spent to environmental groups. It also calculates your carbon emissions and attempts to neutralize them. For instance, if I buy a plane ticket the credit card company will have an appropriate number of trees planted to offset the carbon emissions that my travel produced.

4. Ask people to opt-out!
Make sure you are not using more paper then you need by mailing only to the ones who want to receive your mailings. If a client chooses to be taken off your list offer them a chance to be contacted through the web.

5. Don’t forget about your exceptional services
As great as it is that you are green don’t forget the importance of appealing to the consumers on many different levels. In other words, don’t let your ‘greenness’ overshadow the exceptional real estate services that you offer.

6. Seek out green companies
When you have a choice in service providers do some research to find a company that is eco-responsible. It’s okay these days to ask companies what they are doing to become green even if they aren’t all the way there yet.

7. Keep up your direct mailings and flyer printing
You’ll notice that even the environmental companies are using direct mail as their primary focus to generate income. After all, their mission is not to eliminate all impact on the environment but to decrease the negative effects. You still need to run your business effectively and the public understands that.

8. Start a green force
The nice thing about many of the real estate companies today is that they are open to hear suggestions from the agents. Your company also has more resources then you do. Creating a task force to begin implementing green ideas can be an important first step for you and your company.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Social Marketing Stages of Intimacy

2008-03-03T12:34:16Z

If you ask any serious marketer, they will tell you that real estate marketing is just as much about basic human psychology as it is about designing an advertisement. Of the many types of human psychology, social marketing is defining the way in which we conduct our business.

Social Marketing has been and will always be about relationships. Don't let the new web 2.0 fool you. Social marketing has been around in a business-like setting since the days of the hunters and gatherers. It was always used to start conversations with people who shared interests. The collection of these groups are called social capital. Read my post about the importance of obtaining social capital.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The beginning of the internet simply brought more exposure and numbers of like-minded individuals and it removed the need for a physical meeting. Of course the use of tele-conferencing also removed the need for physical meetings but it lacked the ability to search people by their interests.

Traditionally, relationships are defined by the degree in which sharing and intimacy occur. This remains true in the online world as well. If we know this to be true then we can define the three stages and some web tools that currently exist within these stages to promote the level of intimacy and sharing that are appropriate.

Stage 1: Knowledge of Existence
Before anyone can share their interests, they must first be found. Before the internet it was difficult to find large groups of like-minded people. In the case of real estate groups, social after-hour groups were created but a lot of effort and time was put into making these groups into a reality. Below are sites professionals use to be discovered. You are able to create your circle of 'friends' based on conditions that you choose. The best part is you are able to see friends of your friends without asking them, a feat which wasn't possible before the internet. Sites that can be included in the Knowledge of Existence stage include:
Facebook
MySpace
Linked In

Stage 2: Elevation of Interest
As with any forming relationship, once you discover someone, or something for that matter, you are enticed to learn more. Maybe it is a new musician, a restaurant your friend just told you about or hopefully a homeowner is trying to learn more about you! Whatever the case may be, more information is needed and in the Googleized world in which we live, they will get the information they are seeking. Here's where you make sure that the only information they see is what you are putting out there.
Twitter
Twitter is micro-blogging in 150 characters or less at a time. Very often it will reveal personal information and thoughts about the people that you are 'following.' This insight provides a chance for you to know a person on a deeper level then what their blog will often allow.
Personal Blogs
Blogs engage a reader. They will eventually determine whether or not a reader will stay loyal to your blog. Although stage 2 is a stage of evaluation the majority of people on the internet will not advance the relationship any further. Most often your blog and advice is what they are really after anyway. I will argue that the few people that do advance the relationship will become clients and/or partners.

Stage 3: Involvement

The Involvement stage is all about a realization that there is a strong interest connection between you and them. More often then not and when proximity allows, it results in a face-to-face meeting. For real estate agents this could mean a potential client or another real estate professional who shares your interests.
Spock
Spock (If Spock is used in the same way as My Space or Facebook it can also be considered as Stage 1 site)
Spock is similar to the MySpace's of the world although it was designed to be low-key and to be kept to a group that you truly 'know.' This then allows the user to not have to censor his or her message to the group.
Tumblr
There are many people using Tumblr as a way to share personal information and thoughts in addition to their blog or micro blog. These thoughts are often random in nature. I've also seen some agents using it as a listing and showcase tool. They can direct clients to this micro-site and include video, photos and additional notes about particular properties. In a day of personalized message deliveries, Tumblr allows the users to provide relevant information for clients in a way that doesn't showcase it to the entire world.
Meet Up.com
Combining traditional with new, Meet Up.com promotes groups waiting to be discovered for just about any interest. The purpose behind every one of these groups is to meet up, in person, with anyone who may share the same interests.

To develop interpersonal relationships we need to understand how they begin and what makes them progress. The above tools should help you stay organized especially if you are one of the few with enough foresight to develop a social marketing plan.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Do Your Socks Match Your Marketing?

2008-02-25T08:37:56Z

The year was 2002 in San Francisco, CA when four friends realized that the world was facing a crisis. People were wearing the same socks; white, black and gray. Most people stick to these colors simply because they know they eventually lose one.

So the Little Mismatched Company was formed. With three socks in each set ordered, men, women, boys and girls virtually lined up on the Little Mismatched website to get their hands on these expressive accessories.

"It's about coordinated mismatching, not to be a clown" co-founder Arielle Eckstut told the USA Today in 2006.

Today the company has produced over $25 million in sales and has landed deals with Linens & Things, FAO Schwarz, and Nordstrom. The company understood something important. People want to express their creativity and their lighter side without going overboard. This simple understanding lead them to great success.

The real estate industry is not much different then this story. There are a lot of black and white socks in the industry today. In other words, real estate professionals are perceived as being same. A Harris Interactive poll revealed that 36% of those surveyed felt agents had "hardly any prestige at all" indicating that agents have failed to show a lack of real achievement. The existing consumer perception of real estate professionals should be of concern to us.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Just last week I spoke to a homeowner asked me "does it really matter who I list my house with? They all seem to do the same thing, put my house on MLS and conduct open houses." This perception seems to be common among the public which tells me that as real estate professionals we are doing a poor job of educating consumers about the real services a real estate agent offers.

The solution is rather simple. Choose your core services and Blue Goose (value-added) offerings and market the crap out of them.

Let people know that you aim to do much more with their listing then what they can do on their own. Only you know what will work best in your area so keep your ear to the ground and bring a notepad and pen with you.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Why A Bag of Chips Cost Me $2,000

2008-02-22T16:24:57Z

Author’s note: Hang in there, this does relate to real estate.

I have a passion for chips. Not just any potato chips. I’m on a quest to find the crunchiest chip and I think I found it. After devouring my first chip in the bag I felt a small piece of my tooth come off. Gross, I know. In all fairness to the said tooth, it was a baby tooth, a small genetic feat that a few of us in my family have been able to hold on to. Naturally what pursued was a call to the dentist at which time he told me that the tooth would likely have to be extracted and a fake but permanent tooth would become a welcomed addition to my mouth.

“Interesting story Matt” you are saying. “But how is this going to help me become a better real estate professional?”
Glad you asked. I love my dentist. Few can say that. In fact after I twittered (Twitter.com, Username: mattgosselin) about my experience I received a few messages from people saying that they would rather have a tax audit or even go to the OBGYN before seeing their dentist.

As I walked into the waiting room I saw a recent addition. A giant massage chair beckoning me. It had been an extremely busy day, plus the cracked tooth, plus the drilling that was about to commence…a massage was exactly what I needed.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

My dentist knows the same thing that every other dentist knows. People get nervous about going to see them. Few ever look forward to it. Just one way that he knew he could help was by providing comfort to his clients should they have to wait for their appointment. That’s the other part, I have never had to wait more then 4 minutes to se this dentist. There are many things that this practice does well.

So here’s the question. How many of us take the time to figure out what is going to make our clients comfortable? How many of us have sat down to create concierge services to fit their needs? Do they a need dog-walking service during an open house? How about a sheet that gives them ideas of places to go when others are viewing their home? What about a step-by-step checklist of how a transaction works for first-time home buyers?

What kind of value-added services do you provide to your clients? If you are scratching your head trying to find an answer, read Seth Godin's Post. OR, make a change in your business.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon