BlogofGeese.com on Active Rain

Bottled Water Versus The Real Estate Agent

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:58:56 -0500

The bottled water industry has always amazed me. I mean truly amazed me. I am able to watch this over $35 billion (Beverage Marketing Corporation) industry as though it were a sporting event. Most recently I have realized that it continues to evolve and the latest evolution is most definitely in the packaging.

Bottled water is using the same approach as the wine industry. It's use of various packaging and its method of story-telling is just now breaking the surface. Case in point: FineWaters.com

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

"GOTA- The Guaraní Aquifer, located beneath Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay and is one of the world's largest aquifer systems. Named after the Guaraní tribe, it is estimated to contain about 37,000 km³ of water, arguably the largest single body of groundwater in the world, with a total recharge rate of about 166 km³/year from precipitation.

Bottled at its source and extracted from an 250 ft (80 m) deep well under the highest safety and quality standards, no additives or processes are inflicted to this water."

Doesn't this sound like a description of a great bottle of wine? If you are still not convinced, be sure to take a look at this ad for Gota Water. Categories like Balance and Hardness prove that this industry is after the most elite water snobs.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

Water is just one way in which an industry has completely found a Blue Ocean Strategy. 15 years ago no one ever considered purchasing water in an individual bottle let alone buying a $9 bottle of water that was imported from a far away Antarctica glacier (could this be the reason our glaciers are melting? :-) )

Are there ways in which real estate may be able to find these Blue Ocean strategies within our own industry? The answer is we already are! Real estate websites like Trulia are finding ways to enhance the search process and are attracting a different demographic then what the usual MLS systems can do. Companies like Xpressdocs are creating easier ways to use direct mail and email marketing with greater capabilities and are designing them with the real estate professional in mind. Companies like Redfin are redefining the transaction process for the real estate world.

The truth is, your real estate package is much more difficult to change then simply changing the shape of a bottle. Your unique real estate business involves great thought, turnkey solutions, and a style that no one else can duplicate.

Your Real Estate Package

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:03:50 -0500

Pancakes have been around, seemingly, forever. So how could they ever get any better? For one, the packaging could change. Pancakes are commonly a weekend food because of the length in time of preparation, unless of course you are fine with the frozen pancake thing.

One company has created a new and unique packaging for pancakes. It’s called Batter Blaster They’ve solved a simple problem while creating a new way to enjoy warm stove-top pancakes (and organic at that!).

The Connection Real estate agents have been around for a long time as well. To the public, most agents are the same ‘pancake mix’ that can be found in any store. The agents that want to be successful tomorrow will need to change their packaging. As a real estate professional, how do you show the public that you do things differently? How are they supposed to know that you offer services that no one else does? What do you do differently? Do you tell them these things on your website, your blog, your advertisements, your voicemail message, your tagline, your press releases?

Answer these questions about your packaging, stay consistent and you have yourself a real estate agent that is going to stick around for a while.

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

Agents: Have You Tried Swimming Upstream Yet?

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:23:53 -0500

I have a folder that sits on my desk. You don't want to be in it. It's simply labeled blunders. It is a collection of some of the worst marketing, advertising and public relations examples I have ever seen.

When I was 14 years old I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, I just didn't realize people called it marketing communications. It was during that year that I started to collect some of my favorite examples and I saved them. In fact, I hung most of them on my wall. I didn't have much content to sort through so I would steal magazines that belonged to my brother, sisters, father and mother. I would sift through them and when something caught my eye, I kept it. To this day I have a bad habit of ripping out pages from doctor office magazine collections. Just ask my wife. It's her pet peeve.

The materials I tend to collect are either very very bad or extremely well executed. I have separate folders for each. After all, what is the point of collecting mediocre examples? The content itself ranges from great use of content flow in make-up and jewelry ads to a really bad advertisement about a lawn mower. There are also reminders of great public relations campaigns like the recent Chesepeake Energy's Barnet Shale to the bad handling of a PR crisis over at the Boston Arch diocese. You can find postcards, fliers, bad business cards and the list goes on and on. After sharing some of these materials with a group on real estate agents one day someone asked me "Don't you ever feel bad about showing people's bad advertising." My reply was simple and honest. They didn't feel bad about making it, I'm just helping them promote the message they created.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The part that most companies miss when they realize that they have not promoted themselves in the most effective way is that they are missing a connection to their audience. Worse yet, those who do take a look at a company with poorly executed advertising, public relations and marketing will often see the brand in a negative light.

The same is true with real estate agents. If you want to advertise yourself in a cheap way, expect a cheap audience. If you want to make yourself look like a snake oil salesperson, then come up with very cheesy slogans and use bad photos of yourself to promote your brand. If you want to blend into the crowd of real estate clutter then use the same text, tag lines and photos that everyone else is using. You will all but guarantee that no one will look at your branding.

On so many levels this is a very easy game. There is a reason why everyone knows what a salmon fish is. It's because they swim upstream. So the question remains. Isn't it about time you swim upstream?

Do You Want To Market Your Listing To Me?

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:53:25 -0500

The following is an exercise I often do at speeches and presentations. First, visualize all of your listings as well as your current office listings. Now let us begin.

I am a homeowner.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

I am in the market for a home.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

The home I want cannot be older then 10 years.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

I want to own a home between $300k -$400k

Do you want to market your listing to me?

I'm looking for a 4 bedroom home with a 2 car garage and a fenced-in yard with a pool

Do you want to market your listing to me?

I will take the chance and say that you probably don't have a property that meets these requirements. Sure, you can find one for me but that is not what we are talking about here.

This conversation is about property marketing cards. Do they serve a purpose? Yes they do but probably not the purpose you or your homeowner thinks. Using the above example you can easily see that the chance of you sending out a Just Listed card and have it reach a person who is truly interested in that home, is very slim.

We send out these types of direct marketing because we need to let our blue list people know that we are active agents. It is true that occasionally you may be able to start a conversation among neighbors surrounding the house and find the appropriate buyers that way but again, the chances are slim. Positioning yourself as this active agent who is assisting many homeowners is never more important to do then in a down market. So get to it!

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"

Alison Roger's Tells Us What Direct Mail She Likes

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:20:56 -0500

Alison Roger's has a great post (found here) of her experience receiving direct mail from moving companies. The post provides great insight into the mind of a consumer. The main takeaways are:

If consumers are in the market, they will hold onto your postcard
Promote the fact that you are local and therefore are a trusted resource
It doesn't matter much how you address your mail these days. Consumers expect them to be electronically address and may see handwriting as less then professional. However, in some cases, handwriting can be beneficial.
Use a highlighter to highlight just 2-3 of your benefits. This can also be done in the initial design of your postcard so you don't have to spend hours highlighting 1,000 postcards
Do you ask for the consumer's business? After all, it is the reason why you are sending them a direct mail piece.

Nominate Your Favorite For The Gosselin List 2008

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:35:48 -0500

The Gosselin List is compiled each year of the hardest hitting real estate blogs, technology and books in the industry. View last year's here. Sometimes these tools aren't the most popular or widely read making The Gosselin List a list aimed at finding the best content-driven tools.

Either comment here or email me at mg@mybluegoose.com to nominate your favorite tool. I will be taking nominations until December 1, 2008.

This year's categories include:

Top 10 Most Influential Real Estate Blogs
Best Real Estate and Marketing/Sales Books of 2007
Top 10 Real Estate Website Tools
Top 10 Real Estate Blogging Tools
Most Interesting Industry-Changing Concepts
Top 10 Real Estate Search Terms of 2007
Most Read Blog Posts From BlogofGeese.com

What Do You Do When You Are Waiting For Late Clients?

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:52:05 -0500

As I was stuck in traffic this morning, Teresa Boardman and I were exchanging stories on what we do when we are waiting. I happen to use Twitter more often then not.

"I remember the time I fell asleep in my car and my clients came and pounded on the window," said Tersea Boardman. Teresa also went on to tell me that once, for a perpetually late agent she told her that the meeting was at 10:00 when it was really set for 10:30. It worked!

So the question remains. What are your stories of waiting for late clients? Tell us, tell all! Leave your comments here on this post or use Twitter with a #waitingreagents Hashtag. Happy Friday everyone!

The Blue Goose Theory Takes Form In Mike Lefebvre

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:51:06 -0500

Watch Mike use Trulia to capture his market of homeowners who are looking for an agent to do something different. Click here for the story

Agents: Watch What You Say!

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:49:02 -0500

Most recently, Jesse Jackson was caught saying something he shouldn't have about Barack Obama. This was one of those 'caught off guard opportunities' that the media eats up. What's interesting about this story that nothing of what Jackson said was during the interview. It was all caught on tape before it. The LA Times reports that a late shift employee caught the remarks before the interview after they were assigned to transcribing it.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

The lesson to real estate agents here is simple. You are always on camera and on the air. If a professional politician can make this mistake then so can you. Remember that your interview will start the second you pick up the phone or walk into the studio.

Real estate markets are hot topics for the media right now and they would love nothing better then to report the most bloated story ever. And guess what? You are their expert. Although most members of the media are ethical there are many others that will inflate your ego so they can quote you as an expert and then get you to say whatever they know will sell a story

Here are some important rules for public relations.

When a reporter calls you, ask them if you can call them back in five minutes after you have received approval from your public relations director or your manager. There are a few reasons for this. It’s important not to keep a journalist waiting too long because often they have a deadline looming and if kept waiting, they will contact the next agent on their list. Also, calling your PR director or manager covers your butt. Your PR director will want to call the journalist to find out what the story is about and why they chose you to give a quote. This weeds out any chance for a story with bad intentions. If it is a hot button issue or one that may effect the company, the PR director may decide to field the questions herself. She may let you handle the questions but want to listen in on the call so she can interject if any red flags go up. This is the only way you should handle a call from a journalist.

Nothing is off the record. Just because a reporter shuts the tape recorder off does not mean that the interview is over and you can say whatever you would like. There was a small real estate company in California and the president was being investigated for fraudulent practices. A reporter called an agent, who she knew personally to get the internal scoop. The agent never called her manager but handled herself appropriately during the face-to-face interview. After it was over she finished up by telling her ‘friend’ the reporter that everyone in the office had suspected for quite some time that the president had been embezzling funds. “He’s not that good at his job,” she said jokingly but guess what quote appeared in the paper the next morning? The actual headline of the article was AGENTS SUSPECTED CROWLEY OF FOUL PRACTICES. Everything you say is in fact on the record.

If it’s not interesting, don’t try to get it published. So often public relations directors are bombarded with calls from real estate agents who want a press release written because they sold four houses in the same month or they had the biggest year since they started in real estate. That kind of information does not interest the media. If you made the President’s Circle for your company, that may be information you can send to your local paper and they may publish it if they have a business section but do not expect an article written about you. It will probably very simply read: Jane Realtor of XYZ company joined the President’s Circle for grossing over $50 million in annual sales.

Have your public relations director write your media releases for you. If you do not have a director ask around to find someone who has written a correct media release. Besides knowing what is newsworthy they have the experience of creating catchy headlines and can format the release appropriately.

45 Ways To Save Money

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:07:53 -0500

I absolutely have to recommend a book that I read a few years ago called Small Change by Larry Terkell. The book is how doing the little things in life add up to big results. It's the idea of the piggy bank. You're thinking, what can a few pennies and some pocket change possibly do? But before you know it, you have a few hundred dollars in your bank.

There is no doubt that these times are tough and we all need to take precautions in saving our money. As real estate agents we also need to help our clients with ways in which they can save money. Use the list below as a checklist. You can organize your life as though it were a business.

Here is a list of ways in which you or your clients can save. Remember, small change yields big results!

45 Ways to Save Money!

Downgrade your TV subscription. Who has time to watch 200 channels anyway?
Renegotiate your auto insurance
Drive 55 miles an hour (better gas efficiency)
Re-discover old clothes in your closet
Make a dinner menu each week. This will keep you from splurging and going out to eat.
Exercise once a night. Gives you something to do and keeps you from snacking and eating those chips that you shouldn’t be buying.
Cut coupons every Sunday.
Subscribe to only the Sunday newspaper if you don’t have time to read the week’s newspaper.
Buy spring water by the gallon instead of by the individual bottles
Buy more of something when it is on sale. i.e. Toothpaste, toilet paper, soap
Go to a state park on vacation
Start Christmas shopping in August and finish by September
Throw loose change in a piggy bank.
Wash your own car instead of paying someone to do it.
Don’t leave the water running when you are brushing your teeth.
Sign up to auto bill pay with your bank to avoid late charges
Don’t turn on the lights in the house during the day.
Evaluate the setting of your air conditioning
Don’t buy paper plates
Use your dishwasher when it is full. Most dishwashers will save water/energy instead of hand washing.
Use windows instead of air conditioning when you can in both your car and house.
Use sites like Yahoo food and Food Network to help plan dinners that are cheap, easy to make and healthy.
Bring your lunch to work every day.
Start a garden (have to wait for spring for this one)
It’s finally time for a yard sale, but be the organizer for a neighborhood yard sale. Everyone will win.
What magazine subscriptions do you NOT have to renew next year?
When making traveling plans, weigh driving versus flying. If flying see if it is cheaper to book one way flights on different airlines.
Reevaluate your phone company and look for options. Maybe use your cell phone only? Maybe switch to an Internet company like Vonage?
Go grocery shopping with a complete list and leave two blank spots for splurge items. But only two!
Buy the cheap cereal. I love their names. Fruity wheels instead of Fruit loops, cinnamon squares instead of Cinnamon Crunch. You get the idea. 9 out of 10 times they taste the same.
Use GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas near you.
Take a look at your homeowner’s/renters insurance
Is your bank charging you any fees? They shouldn’t be.
Carpool or use public transportation
Quit smoking if this applies.
Find new ways to entertain the family at home instead of going out.
Keep online purchasing to a minimum or none at all. When you do make an online purchase, search for a coupon code before buying. This site will give most of all of those coupon code sites.
Talk to your wife/husband/roommate before your make a purchase over $50 to see if it is really necessary and not an impulse buy.
Keep buying coffee to only once a week and try not to buy the $5 cup. Make it at home. You too can make iced coffee.
Borrow books from the library instead of buying them.
You don’t have to change your oil every 3,000 miles. READ THIS. Do it every 7,000 instead.
Keep your distance from the ‘expensive’ friends who may have more to spend then you.
Consider a rental car if you are making a long drive. You still have to pay for gas but they wear and tear on your own car will save you money. Go to Priceline to book a car. I got one for $17/day a couple of months ago.
If you live in the city, consider a Zip car
For God's sake, use your leftovers. Find creative ways to use everything in your refrigerator.

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"

Go Guerilla!

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:37:09 -0500

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 forehead. 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 them is setting up a digital frame of your listings in a restaurant waiting area or a physician's 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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:14:24 -0500

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...

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:45:02 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:12:02 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:55:11 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:33:34 -0500

“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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:42:25 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:37:24 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:30:59 -0500

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?

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:23:33 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Wed, 07 May 2008 08:03:09 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:36:31 -0500

Click here to listen to the 30 minute interview.

When A New Agent Finds Himself

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:05:55 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:55:47 -0500

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

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:24:09 -0500

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