This is an article that I found on Ezine Articles that may be useful to you all. The author, Melissa Riley, who is also here on AR, has some extremely important information to share.

According to NAR's 2008 "Profile of Buyers" and how they find properties, it makes sense to market listings using the 80/20 rule:

33% find their property through a real estate agent
32% find their property through the internet
15% through a "for sale" sign

Based upon this 80%, how would you develop your listing marketing strategy?

Let's start with marketing to other real estate agents. After placing the listing on MLS, this segment is virtually disregarded by many listing agents. Do you know the top agents who are most likely to show and sell your listing? Do you have their email addresses? How do you market to them? With inventory levels high in many areas, it's important to keep your listing "top of mind" to those top agents. Prudential Real Estate Affiliates has "ecards", which are effortless to send out. Some agents use Constant Contact, and some use "Floor Plans Online". Whatever you decide to use, be consistent with your contact to agents, highlighting the most compelling features of the house.

Next is the internet: Let's begin with the basics of photos. Do your photos present your listing in the best possible light? Do they help your listing stand out from the competition? Are you maximizing the number of photos allowable on every site? Since over 87% of all buyers begin their search on the web, attention to the quality of photos becomes one of the most crucial marketing tools. Also, which sites is your company on which enable you to create a differentiation for you or your listings? Have you claimed your listings on trulia.com or zillow.com? Do you place your open houses online to drive traffic? Consumers (including us) love the detail of the information, the ability to search unassisted, that it's 2/47 and real time and the interactivity of the internet. Web presence for listing will grow rapidly for buyers as they demand more information and technology to assist them in their home search.

And, as uninspiring as they are, "for sale" signs still work. While they're not that exciting, they remain a basic tool for a consumer to find a home in an area or neighborhood with which they are already comfortable. The effectiveness of for sale signs also increases with listings with high curb appeal.

In the next few years, success in marketing listings will include a meshing of a strong, compelling and unique online presence, including social networking sites and comprehensive marketing to local, targeted agents. Top agents will persist in pushing the envelope in getting their inventory to stand out from the crowd.

I almost forgot....print advertising? A whopping 3% and dead last on the list of how buyers find properties. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_Riley

We hope that you enjoyed this great information.

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  Lori Kim Polk is the Founder and Lead Designer of Artful Journey Designs and Staging, a full service Home Staging and Design Corporation combined with Ryan Dressel from Stage Right Design located in Roseville, California. Recently featured in Sacramento Magazine, Sacramento News and Review, KFBK radio and SMUD's Home of the Future. We proudly service Granite Bay, Rocklin, Lincoln, Sacramento and surrounding areas.

Call us today at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710 for our premier services. "The art of selling your home!"