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The Only Way For A Newspaper To Survive

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:20:46 -0500

Knock knock. Who's there? Newspaper. Newspaper who? Exactly.

It's almost embarrassing for me to write about why you shouldn't advertise in newspapers so I won't. Instead, I'll update you on just what newspapers are doing to stay afloat in such turbulent times. You may ask "why does this matter to me as a real estate agent." It's a great question and the answer is simple. In the future, newspapers will still be a part of your business model but it will take a major paradigm shift from the newspaper industry before it makes sense for you to get involved again.

Not long ago, Shorewest REALTORS, a Wisconsin based real estate company, published the below advertisement in their local paper.

"Thank you for reading our property ads. Starting January 1st, our Open House listings will no longer appear in this paper. All of our listings are featured on Shorewest.com"

This ad is a bold example of just what real estate companies are finally doing. Slashing their newspaper budgets. In my opinion, this was a great move by Shorewest. However, it doesn't mean that newspapers are out for good. Not yet at least. In order to survive, newspapers will need to undergo a complete overhaul of their business models, content and delivery.

For years, the newspaper industry has been over exaggerating their circulation and providing very little value added. They all add very little benefit for a company/agent trying to target a very small and specific demographic market. Advertising in newspapers has become much like dropping fliers for your product from an airplane. You just hope that it lands in the right hands but most of the time, much of it is a waste.

In their current state, surviving newspapers are finding other ways to make money while providing additional services to companies--especially to mom and pop shops. Just some of the methods of creating new revenue identified by the industry include

Website advertising with a new push for greater Search Engine Optimization
Direct mail services and fulfillment
Website hosting for easy lead generation
Custom newspaper printing
Call centers/sales support to qualify leads from your ad

Besides the value added aspect, newspapers are being forced to rethink the kind of news they deliver. After all, why should I have to wait a whole 24 hours before I receive major international news. I can look that up anytime on the web, have it delivered right to my phone, or watch it on TV. For these reasons the industry will have to create more magazine-like articles of special interests. Instead of trying to become the first to break a story, they will need to investigate stories that have already happened and give the side that no one knows.

Take one of today's events as an example. The Internet has already blasted the headlline "Justice Souter To Retire." Tomorrow morning I will scan through the headlines and read this exact same headline. If a newspaper wants to sell newspapers, its headline should read, "Obama's Arsenal of Possible Choices for Supreme Court." This article would contain in depth information on each candidate and would be of great value to anyone interested in this particular topic.

If I had to put my money in futures of the real estate company, I would place it with companies that would allow me to customize my own physical newspaper with the news that interests me, with only the ads that I care about, and delivered to me only on Sundays. This concept is being lightly considered by only a couple of companies. From an advertising standpoint, this would be a format that would be well worth putting money into. Couple this with a whole group of services that I, as an advertiser could use, and this could be a good thing. Newspapers, you have a lot of work to do before you can make sense to me again.

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

First Time Homebuyer Statistics You Need To Know

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:58:11 -0500

Century 21 has come out with some killer research and statistics on a very important demographic. First time home buyers. If you do not have an aggressive plan on targeting this demographic, sit down and beginning thinking about how you are going to approach this audience. Many believe that this group will be the group to spur the housing market into more profitable times.

Important takeaways from the article include:

78% Of Potential First-Time Home Buyers Say That Now is a Good Time to Buy
85% say they consider current home prices affordable
56% of potential first-time home buyers are considering purchasing a foreclosed or short sale home
63% are open to purchasing either a "fixer-upper" or "as-is" home
75 percent of potential first-time home buyers believe it is difficult to get a home loan right now (This one is important to overcome!)
59% of potential buyers rated their understanding of the process as only "fair" or "poor."

Read the entire article and research findings HERE

No Chicken On Sundays

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:43:25 -0600

I always seem to have a craving for Chick-fil-A on Sunday. The only reason I think this happens is because Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. Have you ever noticed that you crave something more when you can't have it?

We are a 'give it to me now' kind of society. Most companies want to give their product/service the way the consumer wants it. Burger King says "Have It Your Way," 7-Eleven stores are open 24 hours a day, Sprite tells us to "Obey Your Thirst," or how about this one...."I Want My MTV!"

Only a handful of companies have been able to tell the public that they will offer their product or service on their own terms. After complaints that its Ketchup took too long to come out of the bottle, Heinz didn't change its packaging right away. Instead, like a scolding mother, it told us "Good things come to those who wait." In this same way Chick-fil-A's founder and CEO Truett Cathey decided to close his doors on the busiest of days in the restaurant business. His reasons really had nothing to do with creating the craving for Chick-fil-A as I described above but instead was done to:

"Glorify God by being a faithful steward to all that is entrusted in us"Read the entire Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday policy here (Quick-load PDF file).

What if, as real estate professionals, we weren't the crazy people that much of the public views us as? What if we actually created hours and advertised them on our business cards? What if we told our clients and potential clients "Unless it is an emergency I do not work on Sundays?" Or maybe the more Disney-esq way of telling them is "I am available to you Monday through Saturday afternoon."

We may find that by doing this we are:

refreshed by the rest that we receive

our time is respected by our clients

more productive since our hours are limited

What if... we actually created a craving for our services? Think about it and make the change.

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

Here's A Bailout For You: Buy These Two Books

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:11:21 -0600

I don't plug too many books on my site but I can't stay quiet anymore.

If you are an agent who is thinking about this tough market and you are not sure how you are going to pull through and become the successful agent you've had always wanted to be, buy a good red pen and these two books:

1. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent (McGraw-Hill 2004)

2. SHIFT How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times

If you don't already know who Gary Keller is, grab the agent next to you and ask them so they can laugh at you. Gary Keller (along with Joe Williams) founded Keller Williams. His experience and organization of the residential real estate profession is truly a textbook example of how you, as an agent, need to run your business.

Find out about the Keller Williams secrets of 8x8, 33 Touch, and 12 Direct. This systematic approach to marketing not only works but works well. It is also what I have been telling you about for the past 18 months. Keller Williams agents: I'll see you at the Keller Williams Family Reunion in Orlando in a few weeks. Look for me at the Xpressdocs booth.

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

Most Real Estate Agents Are Not Graphic Designers

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:56:18 -0600

When I worked for the University of West Florida back in 'the day' I'll never forget an individual that had to approve the advertisements I was making before they were sent out. I was a young Communications major with a focus in public relations and advertising (I also had a lot more hair then I have now) and she was a 20-year administrative assistant. Every time I showed her one of my ads she said the same thing. "Look at all of the blank space on this ad!" she would say, almost horrified."

In my presentations I often mention the importance of good design. It always amaze how many real estate professionals I hear from afterward that say "I am a graphic designer." or "I do all of my own artwork." To be fair I usually don't ask them about their experience.

I don't want to be insulting here but unless you graduated from a reputable school and have spent 4 years learning graphic design OR have spent years studying Quark, InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, please understand that you are probably not a graphic designer. If you use Microsoft Publisher on a regular basis, it does not qualify you as a designer.

I bring this up because as a real estate professional, it's important to protect your investments. Many of you hire designers to create a brand for you that will do one or more of the following:

Attract attention
Create familiarity
Use a message to position yourself in the marketplace
Show your professionalism

Whatever your reason for creating a brand it is important to allow the professionals to produce a piece that will best fulfill your objective. Again, assuming that you have hired a reputable person, let her do her job. Over and over designers have heard their clients say; "There is too much white space." "Make my logo bigger." "My photo needs to be big." "Can't my colors be brighter?"

I want to be clear. It's not that you shouldn't have any say in what your designer produces, especially if they are writing the copy for your pieces. It is that you need to let them have the upper hand.

Watch this video put together by agencyfusion. It outlines the things that agencies and designers hear all of the time from their clients. Plus it's a lot to fun to watch!

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

Be Personable Like Your Dentist

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:39:01 -0600

Several months ago I wrote about my dentist in Boston and how impressed I was with them. Not just the service, but the entire way they marketed themselves. I was so impressed, I called them back to find out how they knew my wife and I so well. I mean, really, after our first couple of visits they were able to recall six months later everything we told them. It turns out that every visit the assistant went back to the file on the computer and wrote down all of the things that we spoke about. They were big on writing down dates of things as well, birthdays, anniversaries and so on. Any date that they write down goes into another spreadsheet so they can send appropriate correspondence.

A similar thing happened to me when I went into get my haircut at Sportsclips. "Matt, do you want us to use the 2 on the sides like last time?" Cindy asked me. Then she asked my how my wife was doing with the pregnancy. Again, this was a person I remembered but hadn't seen a few months.

It got me thinking. How many of us actually take the time to record personal notes about the clients with whom we have worked. What does it do for our business when we can reach out to each and every one of our clients in a totally unique and personal way?

Unfortunately, many real estate agents these days don't even keep up to date blue lists, let alone going above and beyond to create notes on life events. There's no better time to change a habit then at the beginning of the year.

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

Does God Belong In Your Real Estate Business?

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:58:37 -0600

It wasn't more then a year ago I was sitting down with a Vice President of a real estate company and we were talking about something that all of us are told to shy away from. The foundational question of the conversation was rather simple. Does God belong in real estate? Before you answer this question with a simple yes or no, think about it.

Almost immediately the first company that was brought into focus was Keller Williams. Keller Williams has been said to have a strong spiritual component to its core values. They even define this on their website. My VP friend told me that she thought they were just selling God to steal the best agents. I told her that this may be true, however, it was another discussion to define if this is right, wrong and/or effective.

There is no question that all of us have strong opinions on both sides of this argument. I ask you, for the sake of this post to look at a more shallow view of this subject. Is marketing your belief system a good idea in real estate?

The short answer to this question is absolutely. Marketing is, after all, about finding like-minded individuals that are able to see value in your product and/or service. Is it not? In marketing guru Seth Godin's new book, "Tribes" he says a business needs two things to form its own tribe.

1. Like-minded people

2. A way to communicate

In the God case in which we are talking, God can be the interest of the like-minded people.

So why do so many people say it's wrong? Well, for starters, people are afraid of offending others and losing their business. The truth is you will never be able to please all of the public all of the time. Quite frankly, you shouldn't try either. And here's the thing. If you can't tell people about who you are and what you represent, how can you call yourself authentic? (I've written about being authentic a bunch)

Is it effective? Just ask Keller Williams. They seem to be recruiting agents just fine.

Vote!

Matthew Gosselin (Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:02:00 -0500

Thank you all for emails recently and concern for why you haven't seen my usual blog posts. I am a big believer that if I don't have anything important to write then it is just not worth taking your time. Secondly, there is a lot going on in our world today and instead of competing for your attention I think it is better to hold off (for the most part) for the next 30 days.

So you will notice that from here to elections I will be sparse in my posts. This will also give me time for other writing. I want to encourage and ask you all today to make sure you're registered to vote and that you get out and vote November 4th!

Two things before I end this pre-election post.

1. Promote voting to your sphere of influence. Xpressdocs has given you one tool. They have given you the opportunity to order "Why Vote?" postcards that can be direct mailed.

2. Share this link with your friends, family and clients. By typing in their address they will be able to find the nearest places to register as well as vote.

Enjoy and we will see you soon! Oh, as an aside. I was originally scheduled to attend the NAR conference in Orlando this year but this has since changed due to a conflict. Do me a favor and stop by the Xpressdocs booth and give your card to any of the reps there and mention my name. I will be sure to send you a little something extra special for taking the time.

Bottled Water Versus The Real Estate Agent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Real Estate Package

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

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

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

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

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

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

Agents: Have You Tried Swimming Upstream Yet?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do You Want To Market Your Listing To Me?

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

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

I am a homeowner.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

I am in the market for a home.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

The home I want cannot be older then 10 years.

Do you want to market your listing to me?

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

Do you want to market your listing to me?

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

Do you want to market your listing to me?

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

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

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

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

Alison Roger's Tells Us What Direct Mail She Likes

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

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

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

Nominate Your Favorite For The Gosselin List 2008

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

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

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

This year's categories include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Blue Goose Theory Takes Form In Mike Lefebvre

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

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

Agents: Watch What You Say!

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

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

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

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

Here are some important rules for public relations.

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

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

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

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

45 Ways To Save Money

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

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

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

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

45 Ways to Save Money!

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

Go Guerilla!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recycled 747 Plane Becomes House

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

David Davis Shows Us Marketing At Its Best

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

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

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

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

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

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

Create Content That Your Audience Will Actually Read

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When It Is Okay To Lose A Client

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for the sound advice Gene!

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

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