Marte's Blog

Why Use a Photo on Your Business Card?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:35:36 -0600

Last week I got into a small "discussion" with someone on LinkedIn about using photos on business cards.

He said that since his doctor, attorney, accountant, and insurance man didn't use them, he saw no reason why he should have to do so.

And of course he's right. He doesn't HAVE to. There's no rule. But in a business like real estate, it's still a smart thing to do.

We need to face the facts of human nature. And one of those facts is that we forget more than we remember. Some of us are especially good at forgetting names, especially if we've only heard them once.

So when you meet someone at a networking event and hand them your card, there's a good chance that by tomorrow, or even by later in the day, they won't remember your name. This is especially true when they're meeting many people at the same event. What they will remember is your face.

So if you've made a good impression, when they see your card again, they'll get a good feeling.

From there, your card might go into a desk drawer with dozens of other cards, until one day that person either needs your services or has a friend who needs them. Then, when they dig through that drawer they'll find you - not from your name, but from your face.

But it doesn't stop there. Think about past customers - people you helped a year ago, or even two or three or four years ago.

I advocate staying in touch with them regularly - at least with a quarterly newsletter. But even then, they might forget your name. It's tough to face, but once their transaction is finished, remembering you simply isn't a high priority for them. At least, not until later when they need you again, or when a friend or family member needs the same kind of superior service you provided.

People who have moved out of the community are especially likely to forget - because they won't be seeing your ads or your name on sign riders.

Your card in that desk drawer will lead them to you, as long as they see your smiling face looking back at them.

The third reason for using your photo is to get business, and referral business, from people who barely know you. I think it's strange, but it is true that the waitress or the gas station attendant who has never done business with you would tell someone else to call. But if you've been pleasant as a customer, they will.

I don't think they do that with doctors or lawyers or stock brokers. But they do it with real estate agents. If you remember to give them your card often enough so they have one handy when someone mentions real estate, they're very likely to hand over the card. And it won't be your name that reminds them that they like you - it will be your face on that card.

So - no, you don't HAVE to put your photo on your business card. But doing so can help you get more clients.

Thanksgiving Wishes

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:49:01 -0600

Earlier today I was asked what I was thankful for - and since I've been grumping and grousing about the inconvenience of having my computer in the repair shop AGAIN, it was a good exercise to just stop and think about the many reasons I have to give thanks.

Family - A husband who has put up with me for most of our adult lives, and will even cook dinner on occasion.

Two smart, handsome, and loving sons - who actually love each other as well as us. A daughter-in-law and an adorable grand daughter.

Friends - a handful of people whose company I treasure - and another handful of internet friends who enrich my life, each in his or her own way.

My furry, 4-legged friends - companionship, protection (no one gets near this house without me knowing it!) loyalty, love, and entertainment all rolled up in 5 bundles of fur.

Good health - a treasure in itself.

Work - doing something I truly enjoy, and being glad to sit down to work each day.

My home - a wonderful house built by my contractor husband, at the edge of a meadow where I can look across and see the mountain and trees - and occasionally spot wildlife passing through.

And Active Rain. When I joined here I felt a little out of place, because I'm not a real estate agent. I'm a copywriter who helps agents promote themselves, but I wasn't sure I really belonged. Still, I stayed because I do enjoy reading all the posts, and knowing the issues and challenges you face helps me to do a better job for my clients.

I shouldn't have worried. Everyone here has made me feel welcome, and I thank you all for that!

Now... if I just had my real computer, with real programs, I'd give you a picture of one of those list items... but oh well. Maybe next week I'll be able to say I'm thankful to have my computer back.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Marte

Procrastination Strikes Again!

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:50:55 -0600

Darn but I hate it when I put things off just a little too long.

I knew when my computer went haywire a few weeks ago that I needed to find some way to back up emails - but I was so busy trying to deal with getting programs re-installed, and then with trying to make the "repaired" computer work - I didn't do it.

Now I think it's too late. My "real" computer is back at the "fix-it place" and this time I hope they get it right. But it appears that getting it right will mean wiping out everything I had saved. And I had lots of things saved that I did want to keep.

This time, I'm going to make the time to find out how to back up e-mail. There has to be a way. But that's water under the bridge, and I can't do it until I get my computer back.

Now I'm thinking about other things I've been putting off and making a list... I should probably impose some deadlines on myself while I'm at it.

What have you been putting off that you should do now?

Is it something that's going to cost you time and money if you don't tend to it?

Maybe you need to give your website a pick-me-up - or finally install that opt-in box on your short sale page.

Or maybe you need to check your database and make sure you've got all your past clients in there - and check to see that you have new addresses for your sellers.

Perhaps you need to write some letters for your autoresponder, or create your holiday message so you don't end up doing it in a rush at the last minute.

Or maybe you should take an hour or so right now and put together a Thanksgiving message to send to everyone on your list.

We all have a list of tasks that are "important but not urgent." We put them off because, in all likelihood, they're tasks we don't especially like doing. It's easy to replace them with "urgent but not important" or even "not urgent and not important" tasks. Anything to keep ourselves busy so we don't have to get over there and do the things that aren't fun.

If you have a list like that there are only 2 ways to get rid of it. Either jump in and just do it, or delegate.

Either way, you'll feel better when you mark it off the list.

That said, I'll help you mark off one task - writing a letter to first time buyers. I already wrote one that you are welcome to use, and all you have to do to get it is ask. You'll find the box at www.copybymarte.com/firsttimebuyer.html

Here's to lots of year-end sales!

Marte

Marte Cliff, Real Estate Copywriter
www.marte-cliff.com

How Twitter Affects Your Writing Skills

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:52:13 -0600

I expect you might be thinking “It makes us illiterate, that’s how!”

That is part of it, of course. Just like texting. I do worry that kids growing up texting and twittering may never learn to write a complete sentence with actual words. And I do have trouble figuring out what people are trying to say when they transfer their shortcuts over to their email messages.

All those abbreviations make my head spin. I sit there going over all the things in my mind that could fit a given set of numbers and letters. Sometimes I just give up.

But think about the other side of it.

If you want to convey an idea on Twitter you have to stop and think how to condense it into 140 characters. Sometimes it can’t be done in real words, but often it can be done if you turn the sentence around and cut unnecessary words.

Meanwhile, you’re being forced to distill your idea down to one important point – with no fluff. And that is vital if you want people to read what you write. When you focus in and cut the fluff you make things easier and faster for your readers.

No one with any sense will start sending emails or prospecting letters composed of just 140 characters, but when your brain starts thinking in “Twitter terms” you’ll begin to naturally hone in on the most important idea – and you’ll write better as a result.

I know someone who writes about 8 pages of rambling prose when the point he wants to make could easily be conveyed in a paragraph or two. I haven’t read one of his messages in its entirety in years, and I doubt if any of his other friends have either. It’s simply too much work. (I tried to get him to start using Twitter, but he wasn’t interested!)

Plenty of writers recommend just dumping all your thoughts on the paper and coming back later to edit, cut, revise, and re-arrange – and I agree that is a good way to work. It gets you past worrying about what you’re going to say, because you know you’re going to cut part of it.

But before you begin, think of your letter in Twitter terms and determine the main idea. Then write that thought at the top of the page and keep it in mind. Focus on it, so that everything you say either comes back to it or supports it.

You’ll end up with a letter that’s easy to read and understand, especially if you cut the fluff as you edit.

The New Homebuyer Tax Credit and New Construction

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:26:05 -0600

Did you know that the new “Homebuyer tax credit” can apply to you when you build a new home?

For the purposes of the credit, you may claim your new home as long as you begin occupancy between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2010. This date can be extended to June 30, 2010 as long as your binding contract was in force by April 30.

I can’t imagine being able to move into a newly built home that wasn’t under contract two months earlier, but perhaps they are counting the installation of a manufactured home in the “new construction” category.

But anyway… if you enter into a contract for a new home now and it is not ready for occupancy until June 29, you can still claim the credit.

Be sure that you get and keep documentation of that occupancy date, because you’ll need it for proof of your eligibility when you claim the credit. In some counties this is a sign-off from the building inspector.

First time buyers who meet the income requirements can claim the entire $8,000. And you don’t actually have to be a first time buyer to qualify. You simply must not have owned a home for the previous 3 years. So, if you sold your home a few years ago and have been traveling around, “trying out” new communities, you’ll be eligible even if you had owned a home for 30 years in the past.

The other class of consumers who are eligible are those who own a home now and have lived in it for 5 of the previous 8 years. So, if you had owned your home for at least 8 years and just under 3 years ago you moved out and turned it into a rental, you’d still be eligible.

These consumers can receive up to $6,500 as a tax credit, depending upon their income. The calculation is a bit convoluted, so do check with your tax advisor to see if you qualify. He or she should soon have the official regulations from the IRS.

I have to be honest. I was not in favor of the previous credit and am not in favor of this one, but there it is. Your taxes are paying for it, so you might as well use it.

I am curious about why they decided to exclude certain people. I’m thinking of those who have owned their current homes for less than 5 years and people who don’t own a home now but did 2 years and 11 months prior to their new purchase.

Are these people that they want to discourage from buying? If so, why? It's another one of those "What were they thinking?" questions that we ask about the government every day now.

And now... a shameless plug for an e-book that could save you thousands of dollars and months of grief...

If you are thinking of building in time to take advantage of this credit, and if you haven’t yet read “Home Building Simplified,” I urge you to get a copy today. At only $17, this e-book could be your most money-saving resource as you enter into the home building process.

In home building, time is money, and even a few day’s delay can cost hundreds of dollars.

Using this book, you’ll be prepared ahead of time for the questions your lender and your contractor will ask.

But don’t take my word for it. Go to www.yourhomebuildingsite.com and read about it. Then order the book. If you read it and think it has nothing of value to you, just send me a note and your money will be refunded.

Simple. Easy. No risk. And I promise not to write and ask you if you're crazy! (Yep, I've had that happen to me!) My husband and I wrote this book after 19 years in real estate sales and custom home building... and it's purpose is to help people keep from making costly mistakes.

But if you think it's contents aren't helpful, then we won't argue.

Wishing you a happy home... be it old or new!

Marte

Work When You're Working

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:05:05 -0600

A couple of days ago I reblogged Clint Miller’s excellent post on things you must do if you plan to be a successful real estate sales person.

One of the points he made was that it is vital to stick to a set working schedule – not allow yourself to decide that you don’t feel like working today. I agree with him. I also think it’s important to “Work when you’re working.”

I can’t count how many times I’ve watched real estate agents sitting at their desks gossiping, or shopping on line, or playing video games. Now there are even more ways to fritter away time – such as playing around on Facebook.

Why do they do this?

For one thing, it’s awfully easy to get pulled in when someone else wants to waste their time talking about last night’s episode of some TV show, or gossiping about one of the closers at the Title Company, or telling their tales of woe about spouses, kids, or in-laws.

Sometimes those folks just come right on over and pull up a chair and start talking.

While it isn’t a great policy to be rude to co-workers, you do have to find a way to take back your time. You need to learn to say “Gee Helen, I’d love to hear about that, but I promised to have this done by 2:00. I need to get back to work.”

When the person trying to steal your time is a guest who just walked in to visit knowing that “You aren’t doing anything” because you’re at a desk, you can use the same tactic. Or… if you know the person is too rude to take that hint, you can look at your watch and say “Oh gosh! I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to be somewhere in 15 minutes!” (It's not a lie, you have to be anywhere except sitting there wasting time!)

Then excuse yourself and actually leave the office. If you think your guest will hang around talking to everyone else, use the time to check on your signs or refill your brochure boxes. (Of course you do have extra copies in your car at all times, don’t you?) You could also pick a neighborhood and drive through looking for FSBO’s – if you find one, stop and offer your free report. Maybe there’s a home nearby that you’d like to preview – use your cell phone to call the agent and see if you can go there right then.

Now for the toughest one… what if it’s YOU who is stealing your time?

This happens for a lot of reasons. Sometimes you’re just plain tired or discouraged. You might need to schedule an evening out just having fun. You might even need to schedule a day or two away from the office, doing something totally unrelated to real estate. Everyone can get bogged down when they think about the same thing day after day, and if you’ve just had a disappointment after working hard on a transaction, depression can also set it.

That’s when you need to do something pro-active to pick yourself up - wasting time is apt to make you feel even worse.

But often, not working when you’re working is because you haven’t set up a system to reach your goals. You haven’t told yourself what you need to accomplish each day, so when you find a free hour you don’t know what to do with it.

This can especially be a problem if you really have just an hour or a half hour before your next commitment. Everything you think about doing seems like it will take too long – so there’s no sense getting started and having to stop.

What’s the cure?

Make a list and keep it handy. When you have a free half hour, take out the list and choose a task to fill that time. Start with things that will only take a few minutes.

Follow up calls to current prospects
Staying in touch calls to past and present clients

For both of these, put names and #’s on the list so you don’t have to hunt for them. Then when you call, note the date next to each name… so you’ll know where to begin next time you have those extra few minutes.

Checking your briefcase to make sure you do have those extra flyer box brochures in case you see a box that’s empty.
Transferring notes on phone calls, etc. to the permanent file on a current transaction.
Uploading photos from your camera.
Checking the MLS for Expired listings.
Working on a post for Active Rain!

Now, for those times when you have a whole day with nothing scheduled, add some items that can take an hour or a few hours:

Following up on all your leads
Writing an ad for your new listing, or updating an ad for an old listing.
Working on marketing copy for print publications.
Writing a letter for your autoresponder series.
Writing a prospecting letter for mailing
Updating a property brochure for a flyer box
Working on your own personal brochure
Creating a postcard to go to your farming area
Working on your newsletter
Working on your “special reports” for buyers and sellers
Writing another Active Rain post
Taking new photos to use in a Localism post

I know you can add to both of these lists – they’re just examples of what you might include - the important part is to make them so that you do have something positive to accomplish when you find yourself with a little free time.

I don’t know the “why” of it, but sometimes even when you know there’s plenty to do, you just can’t think what it is! And yet, you know that when the hour or so is up your brain will kick in and you’ll say “Darn, I could have used that time to… “

So make the list - don’t let free time turn into expensive time because it was wasted time.

Since you DO have plenty of things to do each day, you might also enjoy reading these two posts about the "Highest and best use" of your time.

Delgate the Busy Work and Should you be Writing?

5 Ways To Kill Your Career In 2010

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:54:08 -0600

Clint makes some wonderful points the following post...

While all of them are right on target, two stand out for me... One is the necessity to keep on marketing and working on lead generation, even when you're busy.

Lead capture enticements on your website, in social media, and on your business cards can allow you to automate that to a large degree when you combine them with a good set of follow-up letters loaded into an autoresponder.

I think everyone - in real estate or any other business - should take advantage of that opportunity to stay in touch with leads while you're busy doing other things.

The other was his differentiation between work and busy work. It sure is easy to let yourself get distracted by things that don't matter. You know - stopping to straighten out your desk, or order some new pens, or transfer some names from your notebook into your day planner. They might need to be done - but not until you've done the work that counts!

An even worse problem comes when you can't think what to do next, so do nothing. I've seen a lot of agents playing computer games at their desk when they could be following up on leads or writing their next house ad.

Wishing you success,

Marte

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):

It's a new year!

Well, its almost a new year...New business plans in the works...new budgets being considered (shoestring, though they may be...). New attitude attributed to a new year.

All good things....

But, none of that will mean diddly if you continue down the same destructive path that a good portion of agents find themselves on currently.

It amazes me on a daily basis how many agents that I deal with actually set themselves up for failure by making simple, yet deadly, mistakes in their business. Some of these mistakes seem to be so simple to overcome. Yet, time and time again, they repeat the same thing expecting a different result. That is the definition of insanity.

So, in the hopes that I can in some small way help YOU avoid making these mistakes, I wanted to summarize an article I found in BrokerAgentPro that lists 5 of the things agents do that hinder their own efforts...and ways to avoid getting caught in these commission killing traps.

Getting ‘Busy Work' confused with actual ‘Work' - Many agents across the country suffer from not having a consistent game plan for their daily activities. There are several things that you should do daily. These include: Lead generation; Contacting prospects that are potential clients; Work and sort out the motivations of existing clients; Negotiate contracts on pending deals; Present findings to your clients. All 5 of those things MUST be done on a daily basis to maintain a consistent level of effort on all aspects of your business. If you are not getting any one of these done, you are attempting to build a business on a weak foundation and you will fail.

Not working a set schedule - Lack of motivation is the biggest cause of not working a set schedule. "I don't feel like it today." Guess what...no one *feels* like it. But, they do it. Successful agents work a set schedule every day whether they ‘feel like it' or not. That set schedule might be any time between 8am and 9pm, but its a schedule none the less. What do you do on days you don't feel like working? See #1 above.

"It's a numbers game" - Well, sort of. But, no, not really. Yes, you need to track your numbers. Yes, those numbers are important. But, in no way will those numbers lead you to making any money! This is a PEOPLE game! If you are not out helping people with or talking to people about real estate, you are doomed to fail. Focus on what you have to offer - your talents and abilities to assist people in buying or selling a house.

Lacking multiple lead streams - That's right. If you do not have multiple streams of leads, you will fail. If your only source of leads is making cold calls, asking for referrals from clients, calling expired listings, etc...You are limiting your ability to get new clients. If you take a day off, you don't make ANY progress. None. What if you lose your phone for a day? What if you lose your voice for a day? No progress. So, having several good lead generation sources is a must in order to keep bringing in new potential clients. Just remember, not every lead will close. But, every lead needs worked. That's what you do!

"Its all about the Benjamins, baby!" - This philosophy will ultimately be your demise in real estate. You should never put earning a commission above your ability to be of service to your client. If you are not out there to help your clients, you will fail. If you don't know how to help your clients, LEARN! The ‘rules' have changed. Make an effort to adapt to those changes and *help* your clients. The money will follow.

Looking to add to your client base? Contact Clint at 800-977-7058 and ask about how he can help you. Or, follow him on Twitter. Dont forget to fan us on Facebook!

Should I Really Care About What You Think? Learning to be more transparent

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:43:19 -0600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Via Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC):

When I was a young(er) man, back before I was a father of four, or a Realtor, or a blogger, my wife Pam and I used to do our grocery shopping at around 11pm to miss the crowds. We got to know the nighttime checkers and managers at the local store.

Recently, Pam reminded me about how I used to buy "camouflage" foods in an effort to make the cashier believe that we were consuming something with nutritive value, rather than strictly junk food. Today, as I was shopping, I was buying ingredients for a highly decadent Oreo cheesecake that my daughter is making for her Brownie/Girl Scout event tomorrow. I also loaded up on candy, Tostitos, diet sodas, and other stuff that could never be deemed health food. Guess what? I didn't even bother with the camouflage food. Instead, I was perfectly content to roll my cart filled with snacks to the front.

This struck me as analogous to my blogging efforts over the past couple of years. When I started out, I assumed that I was "supposed" to write about business stuff only. At the very least, I thought that I needed to include some market reports as part of the mix so that no one would know that I simply enjoy writing, regardless of whether it results in sales. Thankfully, along the way, I've had plenty of sales, too.

When I am teaching others about social media and blogging, one of the most common questions I get is this:

"But what should I blog about? I don't have much to say."

My answer is a short one: ANYTHING that you feel comfortable writing about publicly is fair game.

There's no magic formula for blogging, and I don't think you should ever listen to self-proclaimed experts who tell you that you should have 20% personal, or 50% business, or 0% fun. Just write, and you will become a better writer over time. Blogging provides another unique opportunity that writers didn't have in the old days - instant feedback!

In the pre-blogging era, authors, journalists, and anyone else who aspired to communicate via the written word would have loved to have comments on their works as they progressed and honed their skills. You and I probably take this for granted now, right?

I realize that transparency is an overused buzzword in the social media arena these days, but I still think it's an important concept for businesses and individuals using these tools. Almost every single sale that I have had (including an astounding SIX in the pipeline right now) have come from my willingness to let people get to know me as a person, not just as a real estate broker.

Writing about real estate all day makes Jack a dull boy.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaboobie/92663750/

If you enjoyed this post, why not connect with me in these other communities?

If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Is This an Effective Ad? Or Not?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:36:49 -0600

Have you seen the ad for metal roofing on TV?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's to good marketing,

Marte

Using Blog Posts to Enhance Copywriting Client Relationships

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:49:50 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Online Marketing Assumptions You Might Be Making and How You Can Correct Them

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:43:04 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remember You're Talking to Just One Person.

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

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

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

Yours for success,

Via Rebecca Levinson, Real Estate Marketing Consultant (Real Skillz-Clear Marketing for Your Real Estate Vision):

Three Online Marketing Assumptions You Might Be Making and How You Can Correct Them

In the 24/7 world of online marketing that now includes interactive social media and blogging strategies, it is easy to get caught up in new web 2.0 tools and not work on remaining consistent and improving the work that has already been created. Pruning my blog and improving my online marketing presence this week has been an enlightening experience this and I wanted to share my findings and solutions with you.

Here Are Three Online Marketing Assumptions You Might Be Making and How You Can Correct Them

1. Your Online Business Profile Should Be Brief

One common assumption about online business profiles is that less is more. While you shouldn't write an epic biographical novel, your online business profile should include relevant information: Background, Services, Testimonials, and Contact information. Spice up your online business profile by telling readers about YOU, the person, not just the business professional.

It's a good idea to create one basic online business profile in a document processing application (I use Google Docs). Obviously your ActiveRain profile will be different than your Facebook profile which will be different from your profile on Twitter.

If you save one master profile you can pull content from it to create a different profile for each of your social networks.

You want your profile to be tempting enough that prospects either pick up the phone and call you or they email you. Do not make the assumption that prospects will read a paragraph about you and visit your website for more information. You need to capture your prospects attention on the platform in which they found your profile. The content in your business profile should keep visitors intrigued and reading.

Remember, if visitors don't stick who cares about the click.

Almost every single client that has called me from my real estate marketing profile on ActiveRain has picked up the phone because of an emotional trigger related to what I wrote....which would be the softer, more personal side of who I am and what makes me tick. How do I know? I asked the ones who didn't tell me, though many of my prospects and clients have told me this as soon as they had me on the phone.

Know-Like-Trust + Experience and Knowlege= Contact From A Prospect

Here's a resource for further details on how to create an engaging online business profile in 5 simple steps.

2. Your Blog Readers Will Know All the Places You Have A Presence Online

It can seem confusing, based on the concerns from some in the real estate blogging community and social media marketers at large, whether you should "maintain the purity of a blog" by not adding calls to action. Well rest assured you can maintain a quality blog and add a call to action for your blog readers.

Most good marketing has a call to action and the most valuable property of your blog is the post itself.

Both a call to action AND your blog are two great tastes that DO taste great together. The formula you want to write is: Valuable Property + good marketing=Call/Email of a prospect.

A Blogger’S Call To Action
View more presentations from rebeccalevinson.

Do not think for a minute that other marketing professionals do not have a call to action in their blogs. You will find calls to action in the footers and links of blog posts across the blogosphere. Remember that socialize buttons, RSS text links/buttons, email links, website links, and phone numbers are all important calls to action that should be incorporated into your blog posts.

Strategically you will want to vary your calls to action based on the keywords and content of each post. This will be easy if you have an online marketing strategy.

3. Your New Blog Subscribers Will Read Your Older Posts

Most of your new blog subscribers will read from the day they subscribe forward. Sometimes they might dig back a week or two....but further isn't likely UNLESS YOU...

Point readers, new and old, in the direction of your older posts. Many of your blog readers will read other bloggers online and your older blog readers may miss a few of your blog posts as they have other bloggers they follow. Point your readers in the direction of your older posts. When you write a post, link to 2-3 other blog posts you have written in the body of your post (if applicable) or in closing as recommended reading.

Not only will you be providing your readers with a valuable resource on the same topic as your blog post, BUT if you link wisely, you can also win by increasing the Google Juice to the blog post.

Fresh New Post Content + Recommendations to older related blog posts= Value to your readers new and old

All Good Marketing Intentions Succeed with Action

If you are making some of the aforementioned assumptions in your online marketing now is a good time to start correcting them.

As my good friend Anne Marie Malfie made the point, frequency is a required action for successful online marketing. You must not only go backward and correct the 3 online marketing assumptions you may be making but moving forward you need to implement these ideas into your online marketing strategy and take action frequently.

If you enjoyed this post about online marketing then you should read,

Advertise Online Only What You Are Willing to Answer

Your Internet Appraisal Shouldn't Be A Drive By Valuation

Pre-Spring Cleaning: How to Stage Your Internet Storefront and Create An Engaging Online Marketing Presence

Subscribe to Blogging In The Rain, A Real Estate Marketing Blog

Before Active Rain I Wondered Where the Top Agents Were, and Now I Know

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:33:17 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Late Notice: Teleseminar Invitation

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:56:35 -0500

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

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

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

Conference Code: 115698

The Time: 7:30pm EST

Why did Stan ask me to be his guest?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every Seller Needs To Know, What Sells a house?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:40:49 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Via Carra Riley CRB, CRS, GRI (Carra Riley Inc.- Real Estate Consultant, Author, Speaker ):

Every Seller Needs To Know, What Sells a house?

There are four varibles that sell a house.

1. Price

2. Terms

3. Condition

4. Location

All four of the variables go together to create the "perfect sale." Each aspect must be taken into consideration if you want a property to sell.

1. Price fixes everything! Don't let anyone tell you different. When the buyer perceives there is a value because of the price, they will buy the home.

The other three varibles always can effect the price.

There are circumstances where a buyer has lost the ability to qualify for a traditional loan because of a foreclosure or bankruptcy and the buyer needs owner financing. With Owner carry Terms that particular buyer may be willing to pay more because they have ownership with possibly a small down payment.

Conversely, if the Condition is bad the price will have to be reduced to reflect a value in the home where a buyer will have to come in and do repairs or cosmetic updates.

Location is the toughest variable in the sale to compensate for. Most people have heard about in Real Estate the terms Location, Location, Location. If the location is bad.. ONLY price will sell the property possibly combined with terms so exciting that a buyer will not be able to pass up the deal.

2. Terms. If the Terms are attractive, sometimes a seller can get more money for the home. For example: a home with a value of $325,000 listed with owner carry terms of $25,000 down and no bank qualifing might be able to sell at $350,000 because of the terms.

Under any owner carry situation, it is important the seller speak with their accountant and attorney before accepting any contract and agreement to finance. The seller should be completely aware of the liability and consequences in owner financing. This is just an example how price can increase with the right terms.

3. Condition is a key factor in selling a home. When the property is in top condition, looking like a show home the seller may get top market value for the property. In times where homes are selling at a slow pace, in order to procur a sale, the home should be the BEST property at the Lowest price to get to the closing table.

Taking a seller on a preview tour of the homes in the area similar to their property can save months of discouragement with a home not selling. When a seller can see the competition and accepts the fact their home needs to be the Best house at the lowest price to sell, the home will sell and the seller will see what they are up against in comparison.

Carpet or paint allowance does NOT work in selling a home. If the home needs carpet, put it in. If the home needs painting, get it painted. Many times this can cost a seller $5,000 to $8,000 to do those upgrades. Investing, yes, investing is the correct term, for getting the house sold. The money invested will come back in the form or a quick sale at full market value.

A picture is worth a thousand words so think about how the property looks and even take some pictures to see what a buyer is looking at. Sellers should look at the pictures like they were a buyer and ask, "would I buy this house in this condition for this price?" Are the kitchen counters cluttered? Are the closets a mess? What does the front door look like and the yard when people drive up to the house?

A seller has 8 seconds for a buyer looking at a home to decide if they really like the house and if it will go on the A list. The buyer starts the decision making process when driving up to the home while looking at the surrounding properties and the entrance to the home.

There are many agents are trained in "staging" a home and there are "staging services" which help a seller to understand what needs to be done to create a "marketable product." Listen to these people if you want to get the house sold.

The seller needs to separate from the house and see it as an investment or product that needs to be sold. The seller needs to take all the emotions out of the happy memories in the home if they are serious about selling.

4. Location is the only variable which cannot be changed. A bad location, is a bad location so only price and terms are going to help this situation.

It does not matter that the same model home across the street sold for thousands more, because it was ACROSS THE STREET and did not back to the highway. A seller needs to get a reality check on location and think about when they purchased. If the seller got a good deal when they bought because it had a bad location then they have to give the new buyer the same good deal to sell.

Sellers should take all the emotion out of the business of selling a home and treat the transaction as an investment decision.

If the goal is to get the home sold then listen to the professionals and let them do their job.

As Donald Trump would say, "It's only business."

Cosmic Cow Pie

Carra Riley

How Many Business Cards Did You Hand Out Today?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:14:12 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yours for success,

Fannie Mae to Tighten Guidelines

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:20:29 -0500

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Regulations:

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

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

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

Giving Back to the Active Rain Community

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:41:30 -0500

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

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

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

Via Debe Maxwell, Realtor® Let's Talk CHARLOTTE! (Helen Adams Realty):

Giving Back to the Active Rain Community

Transitioning into a new career, no matter what avenue you take to make that transition, can be an arduous process. Wrapping your arms and your mind around this new career and giving it your all, makes for a much smoother adjustment than simply flying by the seat of your pants! The same thing goes for newcomers to the blogging community. If you're anything like I was, I tippy-toed into the blogosphere--very cautiously, I might add! How many times have we heard the negatives of blogging? Well, let me tell you, the amount of positives TRUMPS those negatives exponentially.

Recently I was asked to help a new member, who is also a new agent, get her blog started and help her get her business going in a positive direction. I realized that, not only do I love my 'real' job but, helping and watching others succeed here in the Rain is something that, simply put, makes me 'proud!'

I have watched so many Active Rain members go from the 'newbie' phase to learning the ropes and taking full advantage of this amazing venue in no time at all. A shining example of that would be Sheldon Neal--I wouldn't say he tippy-toed like I did, rather he dove right in! He followed active members, showed that he actually READ the posts and was an active participant in discussions. He then began blogging after learning just what a quality post is and now has a huge following. My recommendation for newbies--wrap your mind and arms around Sheldon and hold on for the hilarious ride!

But, where did Sheldon learn just how to 'work' this system? Well, let me just say, there are too many wonderful members to list here but, just a couple of examples will set you on your way to learning the ropes:

Subscribe to Jeremy Blanton's blog--if you need a tutorial on anything 'technology,' he's always on the cutting edge! Brad Andersohn gives great tips for becoming a successful blogger here in the Rain. His instructions are even good for those of us who have been around for awhile--there's ALWAYS something new to learn from Brad!

Broker Bryant is the 'resident' short sale expert! His posts are chock full of information on how to list properties to how to negotiate them. A little (or should I say BIG) injection of humor makes his posts a pleasure to read. And, his lovely wife, TLW, has a huge spot in her heart for newbies--she shows newbies the ropes and even holds your hand if you're a bit shy. The ammo-wielding, tough girl act is just that--TLW has a heart of GOLD! (Can you tell I adore this woman?!) And, watch out--she's the queen of serenading you with rock and roll embeds on your posts!

NOW, for you 'oldies': Are you giving back to the community like these shining examples are doing? Are you learning something and sharing your knowledge with the community? Do you have expert knowledge in something that you can teach to others?

Lenn Harley is our resident expert on copyright infringement. If you have questions about adding photos that you've snagged from the internet, check out Lenn's posts on this big NO-NO! Bill Gassett is a great member to learn how to provide market reports for your consumers. A good mix of professional tips, personal experiences, listing properties, local information, tutorials and good ole' humor can be found all over Active Rain. Missy Caulk and Margaret Rome provide a good mix of fun, personal and professional information on their sites; and, you can learn a great deal about how a positive attitude can make or break your business from Sally Cheeseman.

Jason Crouch is the epitomy of one who gives back to the community; he provides wonderful tips and advice to members, both old and new. Margaret Woda , one of the most well-rounded bloggers, has a knack for 'presentation!' Her blogs are always organized and appealing to the eye. Margaret shares her knowledge in a way that even those of us who may be a bit technology-challanged, can understand.

And, one of my personal favorites, Marti Garaughty, who gives SO much to us--writing reveiws, highlighting some wonderful posts that we may have missed throughout the month, recommending technology and social media articles to us for our reading pleasure and even shareing his amazing creative abilities with blog headers, monthly calendars and so much more.

Are YOU giving back to the community?

My challange to you, as seasoned Active Rain members, is to create a post designed to help others--what have you just learned to do that took you hours to figure out? What have you been dying to learn to do and finally learned how to do it? What was the most beneficial tool you learned to use on your blog? Has someone recently asked you how to do something and you told only that member? Why not write a post about it? After you've written a tutorial, come back and post your link--I'll compile a list for newbies on the most up-to-date tutorials.

We've all taken so much from the Rain, why not make a committment to give back as the members I mentioned (and SO many others) do? It's refreshing and I think you'll feel that same sense of 'pride' in watching others grow that I do!

From Total Frustration to Peace - in One Easy Step

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:15:21 -0500

My last post was a warning about what can happen if you fail to update Wordpress blogs every time you see a notice saying an update is available.

I didn't know it at the time, but there's a good reason for that. The folks who provide Wordpress are on a constant look-out for threats, and when they see one, they do an upgrade to protect against it.

Live and learn - from now on I'll upgrade immediately! Meanwhile, I hadn't done it and my sites were attacked. First I noticed that an "index.php" file had been added to all of my domains. Because .php "outranks" .html, those blank pages were shoving my own index pages out of the way. I got that fixed, then because I was busy with writing projects and some unrelated computer glitches, I stuck my head in the sand for a week or so, even though Thomas Raef had offered assistance. I just didn't want to deal with it!

Then a few nights ago I noticed that I had a ton of strange names entered as subscribers on my blog. You know the kind - the ones that are just a jumble of letters, but not really a name at all. I decided those looked suspicious so deleted them. Then when the page refreshed I caught a fleeting glimpse of a strange administrator name: Geoffrey someone.

Oh oh... Upon further searching I found that the unauthorized, hidden administrator is a symptom of invasion by the Wordpress Worm.

About that time I concluded that I simply could not deal with this myself. The instructions I found included tech-talk that may as well have been written in Greek, for all I understood. So, I wrote to Thomas.

I'm thrilled to say that now, all is well. I don't know how many hours Thomas put into removing Geoffrey from my files, but I'm very grateful to him for doing it.

Having that unauthorized "administrator" lurking there was like knowing there's an intruder in the house, but being unable find him. Wondering what further damage he would do was nerve-wracking. He did "Kill" one of my blogs, so what would be next?

Later, in a phone conversation with Thomas, I learned that within the next few weeks he'll be introducing new and very affordable software that will send an alert if anyone makes alterations to my files in the future. Then it will show me what to do to fix it.

For some reason, most anti-virus programs don't pick up on this particular kind of invasion, so people don't know it's there until their website starts causing problems for site visitors.

Thomas has promised me that I'm now on the "first to be notified" list as soon as this service is available. If you want protection from this kind of thing, you might want to get in touch with him and get on that list yourself! Contact Thomas Raef: TRaef@wewatchyourwebsite.com

Thank you Thomas!

A Quick Warning...

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:20:51 -0500

Earlier today I wanted to put a link to my Real Estate Career Builder course on my blog post.

When I insert a link I like to go to the page in question and do cut and paste with the URL so that I don't accidentally type it in wrong. But this time I couldn't get there by typing in www.promotemyrealestatecareer.com

The only way I could access the site was to add "/index.html" to the end of the URL. I thought it was just my computer so sent the link to my son to see if he could use it. No, he couldn't. But then it was time to go cook dinner so I didn't get back to worry about it until tonight.

I started checking and found that the ONLY one of my subdomains I could access was the one that is a Wordpress blog. So, I called GoDaddy.

What we found was that on September 4 someone, somehow, had uploaded a file called "index.php" to every one of my sub domains.So my home pages have essentially been missing for almost an entire week.

Talk about good marketing!

I have no idea how someone got access - and if someone figured it out and told me I'd never understand because I'm so non-techie - but all of the uploads were done within a few minutes of each other. Someone knew how to get in and play tricks.

Go Daddy is doing a scan and checking for other nasty stuff - and trying to figure out how this was done. In the meantime, they had me rename all those files rather than delete them. I'm not sure why. The good news is that all my domains are working again.

So... be careful. Go to your own site every day or so to make sure nothing similar has happened to you!

When you're counting on your website to gather leads, having it disappear is not a good thing!

Take care!

www.copybymarte.com

What I Wish My First Broker Had Taught Me

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:59:45 -0500

When I look back to my first broker, and the few who came after, I realize one important thing: None of them were marketers.

They knew to put an ad in the local newspaper, they knew to post a photo on the bulletin board, and they knew to suggest other properties if someone called on an ad and the property didn't suit them. My very first broker even knew that an ad should "put the reader in the house."

But that was it.

From there I had to learn it all by trial and error. There was no Active Rain filled with agents who could teach me something, and there were no courses like the ones I offer on marketing for real estate.

Somehow I knew that there had to be more to it - as in ways to create a succesful business. So I started reading books. Then when I joined a firm that belonged to the Board of Realtors I started reading the magazines they sent out. (Everyone else dropped them in the round file.)

I started coming up with radical ideas that made my broker cringe. Every time I said "I have an idea..." he said "What will THIS cost me?"

So finally I got a broker's license and opened my own agency. It was the only way I could be free to prove to myself and others that marketing really worked. And it did, but that's another story.

What I wish I'd learned a whole lot earlier ...

What I wish my first broker had known and taught me, and what I didn't figure out for myself until I'd wasted far too many years, was to hang on to past clients as if they were gold!

By the time I left real estate sales I had learned to stay in touch with past clients - although only the last few years worth. When the light finally dawned I went back to the file archives and retrieved names.

But even then I didn't have much sense. Those clients could still have been valuable to me had I kept them after I quit selling real estate to pursue copywriting full time.

But, I had them all loaded all my client data into a version of Top Producer that wasn't working well. The program kept freezing up and I was sick of the thing. And I had stopped selling real estate. So what brilliant thing did I do? I deleted the program.

A year or so later an agent called to ask if he could BUY that list. Oh, darn.

But the mistake was bigger than that. Those people could have been valuable contacts for me as I began to build my copywriting business. Oh, darn again.

So why should you stay in touch with those folks? Because past clients are a gold mine of future business. Not only will they come back to you if you've stayed in touch, they'll send you referrals. It won't happen if you fail to stay in touch.

Mailing is expensive, but you do need to put past clients on your newsletter list at least every calendar quarter. Even if you forged a friendship while you were working with them, people forget. Two years from now they might know someone moving to or from your territory and really want to send them to you - but not be able to remember your name and contact information.

How many times have you forgotten the name and phone number of someone who served you well?

Even clients who became quite fond of you can forget after a year or two. So instead of whipping out your card when a friend or relative
needs help, they'll say something like "We had a really great agent when we sold our home. I know he (or she) could help you. Honey, do you remember that agent's name? No, well, what agency was it? Darn, I wish I could remember."

Don't let that happen!

If you haven't been keeping a database of past clients, start today. Every time you close a sale, put that information in, along with a note that will remind you of some details about who they are. (You'll forget too, over time!) Then go back to the archives and retrieve the rest of the names you can find. Write notes about them while you can still remember.

Do not skip the people who have moved out of the area. You never know when they'll want to come back or when a friend or relative of theirs who still lives in your area might need you. You may have to do a little work to get addresses of people who have moved, but it will be worth your time.

Oh, and if you're just starting in real estate and have a list of past clients from another career, don't throw them away! Those people belong in your "sphere of influence" file.

Write them and tell them it's their lucky day... they now have a friend in real estate!

Best success!

Just getting started? Check out my 6-lesson course in Real Estate Marketing...

The Real Estate Career Builder Course

Marketing Your Services - Remember You're Talking to Just ONE Person

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:04:27 -0500

You may have dozens of people - even hundreds of people - that you stay in touch with via your ezines, e-mail blasts, or newsletters.

But those people are ALL individuals. You need to write to them as such.

I cringe when I see ezines and e-mail campaigns that reference "All of you" or even "You guys." That doesn't make anyone feel special to you - it just makes them feel like they're part of a herd.

Today's technology makes it easy to customize your email messages with "Dear Sally" or "Dear Mr. Jones," and you should be doing that. But more than that, the body of the message should sound like it's just for them.

When you sit down to write, think about just one of your customers or prospects and write directly to them. If you're writing to people you don't know yet, hopefully you know something about them, so you can make up someone in your mind.

If you sell to young families, picture them in your head. See the mom and the dad and a couple little kids. Think about how they live and what they think about. Consider what they want and what they worry about, and then what you can do to ease their worries and help them get where they want to go.

If you market across different niches, separate your buyers and send a different letter to each category. The concerns of a young family buying their first home are different from those of the empty-nesters who simply want to change homes.

If you're writing to try to get new listings, write a separate letter for people in different situations. The seniors who don't have to sell, but want to move to be near kids or experience a different climate are far different from the people who are stuck between a rock and a hard place and need to do a short sale. And they are different from the person who needs to sell to relocate to a new job.

If you know someone personally who fits the profile of the person you're writing to, put them firmly in your mind and then write to them. Go so far as to write "Dear George and Sue," and then write the letter to them. You can come back later and change the "dear" part.

Now talk to them like you would if you were sitting across the table. You wouldn't sound stiff and formal, and you wouldn't say things like "People like you." No, you'd say "you" instead. Assuming that you have pretty good language skills or you wouldn't be in real estate sales, simply write like you talk.

In short, give plenty of thought to the person who will read your message. And don't try to create a "one size fits all" letter - because one size will end up fitting no one.

The Highest and Best Use of Your Time - Delegate the Busy Work!

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:29:57 -0500

Have you ever calculated how much your time is worth when you're using it well?

Now might be a good time to begin tracking your hours and seeing just how much time you spend with buyers and sellers from your first contact until closing.

I think you'll find that you're earning a good wage for the hours actually spent with buyers and sellers or working directly on their transactions.

Even if you average in the hours spent with buyers who didn't buy and listings that didn't sell, it will be clear that if you want to earn a higher income you need to spend plenty of time with people.

But where do you get extra time when you have so many other tasks to perform?

You look at those tasks and decide which ones only you can do.

Then consider hiring an assistant to do the work that doesn't require your personal touch.Even some of the work directly related to your buyers and sellers can be delegated.

Can someone else do the routine data entry - such as MLS?
Can someone else set up your autoresponders and make changes to your web pages?
Could your teen-age daughter or son write your thank you notes?
Can you hire someone to put up your signs and flyer boxes?
Would your listings look better on line if you paid a professional photographer to take the photos?
Do you really need to give advice on getting a home ready for sale, or would it be better all around if you paid a stager for an hour to give homeowners some friendly advice?
Should you write your own property ads, or is there someone with a creative bent who could take your notes and turn them into attention-getting descriptions for your flyers and internet postings?
Should you write your own web copy and prospecting letters, or could someone else take over that task and free up your hours?
Do you really need to drive around to all of your listings to check that flyer boxes are full, or would it be worthwhile to hire a high school student for that task?
How about the time you spend keeping your car in shape to carry clients? Wouldn't it be better to hire someone to wash and vacuum?

Even when times are slow, your time would probably be better spent by picking up the phone and making contact with the past clients who might send you a referral - or who might be thinking about buying or selling again. You could also be out there making contact with FSBO sellers or taking your flyers and personal brochures around to the personnel departments at local corporations or school district offices.

In other words - reaching out for new business.

Sometimes agents get so busy with "busy-work" that there's no time left to make money.

Take a look at what you're doing and how you're spending your time. If you're doing busy-work or (Heaven forbid) chatting with other agents, playing computer games, or shopping on line, then re-organize and start putting your time to its highest and best use.

Are you up for extending a helping hand today?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:05:11 -0500

I got the following note from one of my new real estate ezine readers a few days

ago. She has been an agent in the past, but has now moved to a new community

and feels at a loss.

I was working on a deadline and didn't have time to think about a really good answer, so told her to sign up for my free 7-day mini-marketing course and directed her to my real estate article archives at EzineArticles.com to get more ideas.

But I know that's not enough.

Here's what she wrote: "I don't have any money and I want to get my name out there. I am new to this town. What is the best and quickest way to start? There is a do not call list too and a lot are on it. Please help..."

I wrote and asked if she had a website yet - the answer was no.

I do have some ideas that I will send to her, but you are out there every day and I think you know some things I don't, because you have had different experiences.

When I started in real estate I didn't have any ready-made clients, but I was in a town I'd lived in my entire life. I wasn't a complete stranger.In fact, I'd been in other businesses and knew a lot of people.

My question to you is this: If you moved to a completely new community, had no money and no website, and wanted to start over from scratch, what would you do first - knowing what you know now?

Perhaps someone has faced exactly this problem and can give us the benefit of first-hand experience. If so, please share...

Thanks,

Marte

www.copybymarte.com

The Highest and Best Use - of Your Time: Should you be writing?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:02:02 -0500

Is writing your own marketing materials the highest and best use of your time?

You as a real estate professional must wear dozens of hats. Some of them no one else can wear, but some of them could easily be placed on another head, freeing your time for those tasks you do best, and those that put the most $ in your bank account.

Talking to customers and clients face-to-face, for instance.

If you're just starting out and not very busy you can probably wear most of those hats yourself for a while - but even then it depends upon where your talents lie. Some things you should never do for yourself, even if you have plenty of time.

One of those is writing. If you love it and you're good at it, you should do it, at least until you have too little time to spare. If you don't love it; if you aren't sure about proper word usage; or if you just don't do it very well, then you shouldn't do it at all.

It's something everyone seems to think they should be able to do, but many cannot, and it has nothing to do with intelligence. Evem while they have no trouble communicating in person, when they sit down to write the words just aren't there. Some people feel embarrassed over that inability to put their thoughts down on paper in a way that motivates other people, and I've never figured out why.

We each have different talents. I yell at my best friend with regularity because she calls herself "dumb" over not being able to write a good letter. This is crazy - the woman is a brilliant accountant!

Your copy precedes you...

The copy on your web pages, in your email campaigns, and in the letters, brochures, and postcards you send is the first impression that many have of you. As such, it should draw attention to what you can do for those potential clients and customers. Sadly, too often it draws attention to a misuse of the word "here," or one of dozens of other common grammatical/spelling errors.

That's why, if writing is "not your thing," you should either enlist the aid of a friend or family member who knows how to write good marketing materials, or hire a copywriter.

Unless your marketing materials make a good first impression, you may never have the chance to make that first "in-person" impression.

I know, writers are expensive. That's because several hours of work necessarily go into each letter, post card, or web page. Any writer who tells you they can whip out an effective sales letter in 30 minutes is someone you should shoo out your door.

But I do have good news. I can take the price sting out of one piece of the marketing mix.

I've just released two new e-mail campaign sets - one to help you gather FSBO listings and one to capture Expired listings. Each set contains 10 letters and comes with a "Special Report" to entice visitors on your web page to leave their contact information. Each also comes with a "Seller checklist" that you offer during the series in order to initiate a more personal contact.

Your letters will stand out from the rest...

Both sets of letters are designed to put you in a position of "Helpful friend" rather than "Shark agent who wants to list my house and take my money." Each letter builds upon the last to subtly show why those sellers need your help, and puts you in the position to be "in the right place at the right time" when they make the decision to list.

I wrote these two letter sets because I was contacted by an agent who has been having a rough time. Some personal difficulties had put her out of the loop for a while and now she found herself with no listings, no closings in the offing, and a need to make a living. Her finances were low and her need great.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that considering the shape of the economy right now, there were probably plenty of other agents in the same or similar situations. So I wrote these sets for her with the understanding that they would be "non-exclusive."

Professional copy at a fraction of the price...

Now you can have the benefit of these letters at about 4% of the price you'd normally pay. No, that's not a typo - I really said 4%. You'll find the details on my prospecting letters page.

When you order either or both they'll be delivered electronically and you can have them up and gathering leads in less time than it takes to write just one good letter. If you're worried about someone else in your prospecting area using the same letters, please feel free to write and ask me. I think it's doubtful, since only about 20% of all real estate agents are even trying to promote themselves, but it could happen that two top agents are going after the same niche area. I'll be happy to check and let you know.

If you really want to do it yourself...

If you do want to write your materials yourself, plan on setting aside at least 2 or 3 hours per letter. Write it first, then edit. Then set it aside for a day and edit again. Then read it aloud to make sure it flows well. If possible, have someone else read it to make sure you've said what you meant to say. Misunderstandings come easy, even in writing.

To determine if letter writing is the highest and best use of your time, compare the cost of having a good letter written against the income you might realize if you were on the phone or in front of a customer instead.

Who Should Buy a Rural Home in Priest River, Idaho?

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:28:17 -0500

Who should buy a rural home in Priest River, Idaho? Anyone who loves mountains, wildlife, clean air, and sparkling streams.

Priest River, Idaho began life as a logging town, and it has remained so throughout the years. Residents cling stubbornly to their logging heritage, and recreation is almost entirely centered around the great outdoors.

As the logging industry wanes, the town has become a haven for tele-commuters, artists, and retirees who seek quiet and solitude. The majority of newcomers arrive looking not for a home within the Priest River City limits, but for a rural home within a few miles of Priest River. They want privacy. Most choose a home with acreage that gives a buffer between residents and their neighbors.

The town offers basic shopping opportunities - a grocery store, hardware store, drug store, and of course a liquor store! You can also find a limited supply of "gifty" items, furniture, and two businesses who will be happy to install new carpet in the home you purchase.

Unless you're a "thrift shopper" you won't find clothing to buy in Priest River. If you are, you'll be in heaven, as the town boasts four establishments selling used clothing.

Shopping centers, entertainment, and hospitals are a mere hour's drive away in Spokane, Washington or Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Priest River does have a medical and dental clinic, and a small hospital is located just 6 miles away in Newport, Washington.

Main street died out several years ago, but is now coming back to life, with old buildings being remodeled for new purposes. Along with others being renovated, the Historic Beardmore Building is finding new life. It was purchased by a grand-son of the original owner, who has been remodeling it into office suites and retail spaces. Residents were treated to a sneak preview last fall, during Priest River's first (hopefully) Annual Octoberfest.

Main street is also home to the Priest River Branch of the West Bonner County Library. This is a busy spot, with computer stations filled most days, and residents enjoying the ongoing activities for children and adults alike. Andrew Carnegie would be proud to see how this small community makes use of the opportunity he so believed in.

Residents tend to watch out for each other - as evidenced by the number of active volunteers at both the food bank and the Monday Soup Kitchen, held at the Priest River Senior Center. Here is where anyone can walk in and get a good meal of soup, sandwiches, salads, and deserts - and pay whatever they can, if they can. The food is provided and served by volunteers from local churches, service groups such as the Rotary, and even local businesses. Two of the town's three banks take their turn at hosting this event.

If you're yearning for a taste of yesterday - small town life the way it was - then you should definitely consider purchasing a home in Priest River, Idaho.