My Picture on a Grocery Cart Won't Sell Your House...An AR Poll

Or will it?

I think not. I've seen my picture. It does not say to people, "My goodness...that girl makes me just want to put countless miles on my car and peek into other people's lives in the hopes that where they live now could be the place that I will soon call HOME!"  

Nor does it inspire people to say, "Geez...her picture just makes me want to sit down with Todd Wiggins at American Family Financial Services (how bout that for a shameless plug) and spill all my financial secrets so that I can prequalify for a home loan so that Kimble can sell me a home!  I will do that just as soon as I finish paying for these grapes..."

Sure, things like the grocery cart give us name recognition...but I have to ask myself, "Where is my advertising money best spent?"

I've been hit with some pretty creative pitches:

• The coupon on back of the register tape
  
• Bus benches
• Local and national magazines
• Radio air time
• The obligatory promotional products (calendar, mousepad, calendar mousepad...)
• The side of a 1-800-Pack-Rat moving container

But, as I review the marketing plan for the year, contemplate all the myriad of options set out before me and try to figure out to whom I should write the check...

WHICH OF THE GIMMICKY ADVERTISING IDEAS REALLY WORKS BEST?

A quick poll for active rainers...

1) Which advertising gimmicks have you tried?

2) What was most successful?

3) How do you know? 

Please share what worked and how you measured that it worked. I'm really curious.  And I'm skeptical. Truth be told (and at the risk of encouraging some pretty heated debate in the comments), I find it hard to believe:

• that I need to have my picture on a business card, a grocery cart, a register tape or anything else...
• that the fridge magnet is going to appeal to the young, urban professional with no kids...real estate investor...small business owner...who makes up the majority of my team's clients...(Please note, a majority of our clients have sleek, stainless fridges with no visible sign of advertising!)

I am not sure about the bus bench...I've seen an awful lot of 'tagging' on them lately - even in the ritzy neighborhoods. 

Since it's my birthday today, be gentle...indulge me a bit in your comments. It would be a great birthday gift if we could spark some really constructive debate on what we can do that's DIFFERENT:

So,in the spirit of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' here I go again spilling some secrets. Here's what's worked for us so far: 

• Tiffany keychains (retention)
• Quirky ads: For example...in the 'You're so Nashville if...' edition of the local weekly Nashville Scene:

          Don't tell our parents we're Realtors...They think we play music on a street corner (upside down, of course)

• Blogging
• USB Pen with listing presentation, closing docs
• Cupcakes
• Prepared meals
• A toilet (retention)
  

And here's what we're considering next:

• Reusable tote bags
• Coasters
• Edible bouquets
• Limo service
• Viral ad campaign

What am I missing?