Good real estate marketing has clear call to action - it tells the prospect what to do next and creates the sense of urgency to act NOW. This can be pick up the phone, fill out a response card, go to a website, etc. While the call to action is often overlooked, it is critical because the only objective to your marketing is to get someone to respond, period. In this post, I'll focus on marketing to distressed homeowners, although these principles can be applied to other audiences, be it a prospective homeowner, a FSBO, expired listing, etc. 

The most desirable result of your marketing to distressed homeowners would be  the homeowner calls you to list their home, but we all know it's not that easy! There may be people that want to pick up the phone to call and they genuinely need the services of a distressed property expert, but they are just not quite ready yet. They are on the emotional rollercoaster of shame, embaressment and panick, and they don't want to warm up immediately to a stranger, especially when the entire media has been telling them that if someone offers foreclosure avoidance help, it's probably a scam or a vulture looking to swoop in and profit from their misery. 

To overcome this mistrust, experiment with some different calls to action. "Pick up the phone and call me" will not work with a great number of leery homeowners that don't want to divulge their problems, much less to someone they don't know from a can of paint. However, those homeowners that would not ordinarily pick up the phone might respond to getting a free report. Some possible report titles: 

  • A checklist of steps you can do when you receive a certified letter from your lender... 
  • Five things you should never do if you fall behind on your mortgage... 
  • How to stop annoying collection calls using the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act...
  • Etc
At this point the homeowner isn't thinking, "I want to list my home with this agent". They are merely thinking, "I just lost my job and am falling behind on my house payment - I don't want to make those five mistakes", or they are thinking, "I am bombarded with calls from collectors, it would be great to have some piece and quiet".  Now, the conversation begins. 
 
Posted by Brandon Volpe on 10/02/2011 06:07 PM   Comments (1)  
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1 Comments on The Call To Action

OCT
02
2011
150,066 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

Great advice.  The 'call to action' is often overlooked, but it cannot be if one is to have any success in a marketing campaign.  The sole exception is a marketing campaign just to bring about brand awareness, but I don't think that'w what any of us are looking for.

The Call to Action should be hammered into people's heads 20X before they move on to lesson #2 in marketing!

 
6:13pm • #1


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Brandon Volpe

Binghamton, NY

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Datamar, Inc. / Homestead Data

Address: 124 Washington Avenue, Endicott, NY , 13760

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Providing cunning marketing insights and tips to real estate professionals, with a focus on the distressed property market and getting more consummated short sale transactions.


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