If you are a Real Estate Professional you simply must learn to stand out from the crowd if you expect to be successful.  People who want to buy or sell property have literally hundreds of choices when they start thinking about an agent or a broker.  So what makes you different? How do you stand out from the crowd and get their attention? 

Every Real Estate Professional should have five secret weapons in his or her marketing arsenal.  These weapons will help you become memorable to clients and referral sources. These weapons will help you become the logical first choice when they need Real Estate services.  So, read on. But don't share the secret.

1. Brand yourself.  You simply must brand yourself and differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack.  I once read about a Real Estate Agent who used a tag line about the guy in the green hat.  He always wore or carried a bright green hat when in public.  His business card carried a photo of him in the green hat.  You might not want to identify yourself by some article of clothing - and I don't actually recommend it.  You can, however, differentiate yourself in meaningful ways. For example, if you are a golfer and you are appropriately knowledgeable, proclaim yourself as the Golf Property specialist.  If you are an avid angler and you know the scoop on all the local lake-front and river-front properties, brand yourself as the local waterfront property expert. 

1. Use Targeted Marketing.  Set yourself apart from the pack by not going after the same potential clients.  Don't go after just anybody who wants to buy or sell Real Estate.  Focus your marketing on reaching people who want to buy or sell properties within your specialty.  Create a tag line that says you are the local specialist in your area, and use that tag line in all of your advertising and marketing.  Focus on neighborhoods that fit your specialty when looking for properties to list. Market yourself creatively to people who are likely to refer clients to you or to call you when someone is looking for a property of this type.

1. Constantly Stay in Touch.  There are many theories about how often a Real Estate Professional should be in touch with clients, prospects and referral sources. Some people say six times a year; others say as many as 30 times a year or more.  You can choose the frequency you think appropriate for clients, for prospects and for referral sources. The important thing is to stay in touch regularly.  I also suggest that you give each person a small gift each time you are in touch, whether through a face to face visit or a note in the mail.  Real Estate coach Brian Buffini suggests "pop-by visits" when you just call a client, say you are in the neighborhood and you'd like to stop by.  Keep the visit short. Just let the client know you value him or her, and leave a small gift of some kind. The gift need not cost you more than $3.00. The point is to leave something that helps the client remember you.

1. Thank your clients. If you have achieved any success in this industry, you already know the importance of saying thank-you.  But saying thank you with a gift that helps the client remember you is even more productive. There is no reason you cannot combine marketing and gratitude.  Saying thank-you will increase the likelihood of the client calling you again. Saying thank-you with a small gift (say, a $3-7 gift) will make it more likely the client will call again because it improves your memorability factor.  The gift also reminds the client to tell friends, relatives and neighbors about the quality of service you provided.

1. Thank your referral sources.  Everyone likes to be appreciated.  Business associates also like to be appreciated.  Always, always say thank-you to anyone who refers a client to you (whether that client uses your services or not).  If someone refers clients to you, and you don't bother to say thank you, you might get one or two more referrals. But that will probably be the limit. If you don't say thank-you, you are not likely to get many more referrals. So say thank-you and say it with a small promotional gift. You probably will not need to spend more than $5 - 10 for an appropriate gift.  So, show your appreciation.