Well, THAT happened! [Cupcakes & Firestorms]

Now, on to Thanksgiving. I don't know if it's just me, but I always feel comfortable in each month with whatever the holiday or festivities might be for that month. October, for example. I didn't quite feel ready to take down our ghosts and goblin decor from our house, but was forced into Thanksgiving mode. Who would keep a ghost face on the window during November? You are out if you do that. :) SO, it's no more anticipation of Halloween, it's in the past, behind us, look to the future of Thanksgiving woman! Okay, so I'm snapped out of October.

Then I look at the dates on the calendar to see where I'm at with my marketing, and how much time I have to relax about it. NO TIME that's how much! I am amazed at how quickly the time passes in between marketing efforts. There is no time to get comfortable with marketing because when you stop doing it, you stop generating new referrals coming in! That is bad for business.

So, I take a deep breath to get going on November's marketing. But first, I must explain how the whole gammet works, as it's mysterious to people not in the business how it works. At least it was a mystery for me before I got into real estate...I had no idea what it was like behind the scenes!

As a former teacher (6 years, middle school and loved it!), I am going to educate you on exactly how marketing works for agents. I will call it "The Mysteries of Real Estate Marketing 101" because every good story should have a title. :)

First of all, when you hear a brokerage firm name such as Coldwell Banker, ReMax, Keller Williams, Prudential, etc. the firm is like the school. You go to the office and use their space to do your job. The manager of the office is like the principal of the school. Agents report problems to the manager, or when in trouble that's where they go. But the manager is not your boss, since all agents are independent contractors meaning: there is no steady paycheck coming in.

Time spent in the office does not mean there is money! Real estate is not a "job", it is a business. Each and every agent is their own boss, each and every agent gets out of it what they put into it. Which could be a lot, or a little!

The office does not supply everything for agents to be successful. Of course each office is different so I only speak from my own experience with 3 different firms in the past 6 years. (BTW: I have been with Coldwell Banker for the last 4.5 years and not planning to go anywhere else that would take me another blog time to explain.)

As independent contractors, we agents are responsible for our own: motivation (this I list FIRST as if you don't have this, you will not survive in the business and as much as I'm sure every brokerage firm would love to provide this for agents, it's not sold in stores and can't be handed out!), postage, marketing, events/seminars, memberships (e.g., Chamber), coaching, stationary, mailings, etc.

Some offices provide "work stations" with staplers, paper clips, computers, etc. I prefer to have my own belongings and "work station" so that I am sure not to run out of inventory. Or maybe I am a control freak and just like my own stuff.

Knowing that agents are up to their own efforts on marketing and generating new business, it's interesting to have a look at how each agent's efforts vary. I can only speak for myself, and I do have a very solid marketing system. This system is the "engine room" of how I stay in contact with my clients and friends (not necessarily in the market to buy or sell, but willing to refer business to me when they come across someone in need of an excellent agent who will go the extra mile).

Stay tuned for the ending of Mysteries of Real Estate Marketing 101...for now, I have to go meet my Team in Training group at the pier for a 4-mile run.