Happy New Year, Melissa!  I agree with you - I'm going to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) and tell:  the best payoff does come from developing one-on-one relationships with Realtors.  To that end, I will be striving to do more presentations to them - and to develop a menu for the office managers to select from.  In 2008, I will also try to get to more builders

Mailings, Expos, Preferred Vendor Lists:  thppppppppppppppt!  ...and too much $$$!!!

However, I should say that I did get a decorating job from my Halloween candy effort!

Melissa - I'm glad you posted this and am interested to see what everyone else posts.  I have never gotten work because of the candy items (like Julia's above) but just use them to keep in touch with my partner agents.

I am considering putting together a 'promotional package' to hand out to potential partner agents that would include general info, my step-by-step blog, the ppt, a list of partner benefits and... well I'm open  to suggestions.  Anyone else do this?  What is the response?

Melissa - Last year I really targeted Realtors® - I did the chocolate marketing and sent letters out.  I did about 14 office presentations and they really paid off.  I am still getting referrals a year later.  I also tried to target FSBO's by offering free virtual tours with every staging.  I did get about 3 stagings that way - I only advertised it on my other blog.  I think the biggest thing for '08 will be continued internet presence.  Almost all my clients find me on the internet.  Here is my newest marketing strategy for '08. 

I linked your blog to mine also.  ;) 

Julia - congrats on the response with the candy bags!

Kimberly - the promotional package idea is a good one.  In our December newsletter we announced a new affiliate program for agents and it has been very successful thusfar.  I personally look forward to its expansion in 2008.

Maureen - Office presentations are great!  I only had to do a couple in the beginning and now only do then when asked because my calendar is pretty full on a steady basis.  I haven't worked with FSBO's but do advise it to students because I know it can be very successful. 

Thanks for the link back!  I just wish I had your muscles and pain tolerance to be able to work your marketing materials!  If you haven't seen them, check it out...

Melissa: I have had really good luck with Realtor Presentations, also. And like Maureen, it is the gift that keeps on giving....6 months later I am still getting calls from agents from that office. I am going to start putting out brochures at stagings instead of business cards. The brochure gives me a little more space to explain what sets my company apart from my competitors. Other than that, I plan to go to more open houses, Realtor Caravans & the weekly Association of Realtors meetings in my area to network. I will also try to do presentations there as well. Best wishes for a Happy Healthy & Prosperous New Year!

Melissa -

What has really worked for me is the internet presence. I come up on Google searches and that's where I get a lot of my calls from clients other than my standard Realtors who I work with. I've also gotten jobs and bids from just going on the agents caravans. I go with another realtor friend of mine so I can see what's out there and then talk face to face with the agents in the houses. They will usually ask for my information.

What didn't work was a trade show booth at our yearly home and garden show. A group of stagers had a booth there and hardly anyone received any business from that.

I think face to face is the way to go! 

Hi Ladies,

Great infomation on here! I'm new to active rain and to home staging. I have been an interior designer for 4 years where I work for a design firm and do high end cliental. I'm starting my own home staging business and I was going to do the realtor presentations to get my name out there? My question is how do you get them to commit to the meeting? Do you make it a Lunch n Learn? Do you pop in unannouced? Do you show up at the open house and start talking about what you do? What's the most affective approach in your experience? I'm working on my page on here so it's more professional but, I am open to any suggestions just please bare with me.

Thank You in Advance,

Amber Kincaid

Melissa, In 2007 I received and still receive clients from Realtor's presentation, newspaper articles , internet  and AR. In 2008 I plan on continuing with the 4 above. as I feel consistency is the key to success. Of course adding newsletters and brochures might turn the key golden :.) (Sorry Maureen, can't try your permanent method, I don't have your back,lol)

Thanks for this blog and comments. I will watch for more comments. Thanks

Happy New Years Everyone!

I agree, I get tons of flyer's, mailers and postcards from every kind of organization imaginable, and they go straight to the trash. Most Realtors do the same.

Melissa,
I have decided to simplify more and more this year. I will be only doing the following this year:

1. Newsletters
2. Blog Posts on AR
3. My Website
4. Networking groups/clubs
5. Word of Mouth

I also am giving my best agents a business building book. I focus on being a resource for them and it really brings me a ton of business.

Great post, Melissa. 

My primary goal is internet marketing, specifically my website. Most of my contacts have been via the internet.   Along with that are my blogs, on AR and my outside blog.

Bi-monthly e-newsletters.  At least you can track the # of newsletters opened, you can add links to other sites which you can track if they are even being opened or not.  I've paid for 6 months worth...I'll be able to assess through the reports whether or not they are even being read and whether or not it's worth my $'s to extend my contract. 

I've given up on mailings.  I did get a few responses in the past but not one job out of it, so it's not really worth it.

Working with our newly formed ASHSR group in Atlanta and building exposure.

As money is available, throughout the year, I'd like to order more porfolio books to be able to leave with agents and prospects.  I only have one right now and I'm not letting out of my site!  =)

I bought a home in NC about 8 years ago, and every December for the following 4 years I received a laminated one-page calendar from our Realtor with the main pic of my home that was used in the MLS listing.  It had the realtor's name and info at the bottom, and it had a prominent place on my fridge.

I passed his name on a few times, and always had his info handy when I did.

Regarding the presentations to Realtors, I got my current job with an Interior Designer from local realtors that I had contacted regarding Staging job openings.  The ID company had done a presentation to them a few months earlier on Staging, and the realtors remembered her.  "We" have also gotten follow-up jobs from that presentation.

Good luck, y'all!

Oops, I just realized I posted before signing in.

HEY, IT WAS ME!!!

I have had the most luck with email blasts to Realtors and I am in a referral group that meets once a week. I need to send out another email blast tomorrow to start out the new year. I have also, have a great google presence thanks to active rain and I have had 8 contacts from just my profile page alone. I am also, going to do some talks and beef up my own website.

Melissa - What's worked for me is brief handwritten cards and notes (minimum of 5/day) followed up by phone calls and lunch appointments.  I spend a lot of time networking with other business owners learning more about their businesses and how I can help them increase their business, in turn they ask about mine and refer me to Realtors, investors and homeowners.  What's not worked is blindly reaching out to Realtors that have no relationship or referrals to me, without fail I spin my wheels.  What I have to do within the next few weeks is spend hours and hours on my website!!

Jackie