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:::Advertising in the Newspaper::: PART 2

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker | Wright Realty

I enjoyed the post and comments yesterday on Mark Moore's blog regarding, 'Who reads the Newspaper?' and I guess I would like to take that post further and continue it today with, 'Who is still advertising in the newspaper'?. We have been struggling with this question for the last six months...Two of our local competitors have pulled out completely from one of our local newspapers which has prompted our office to further  consider what we are doing. We all know the stats from NAR and other places that show 6% of buyers first learned of the home they purchased through the newspaper...while the internet shows 24% and a REALTOR® 36%. In my state of New Hampshire the stats are even more extreme with only 3% from the newspaper and a whopping 47% from the internet.

We live/work in primarily a tourism area and some believe ( well, some agents around here anyway...)  that because of our tourism market newspapers work due to all the visitors ( supposedly) picking up the paper to see what is happening locally.I am curious what some of you that sell real estate in tourism areas feel about your print advertising needs...does it work for you and are we a bit exempt from the NAR newspaper stats because of our tourist visitors? Even better: If any of you have visited the White Mountains of NH did YOU pick up the newspapers around here? 

If there are enough replies I am actually hoping to use your responses in an upcoming marketing meeting we are having to help us decide our newspaper/magazine/print ad strategy this year. 

What say you? :)

Thanks AR Community. 

 Sean

Charlie Ragonesi
AllMountainRealty.com - Big Canoe, GA
Homes - Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros
Where I am in the local paper I have not made one sale. BUt I could not get a listing without people seeing their home and our ads in the paper. Go figure
Mar 12, 2008 12:18 AM
Michael (Mike) Elliott
Nottingham Real Estate Group - Hamilton, NJ

I pulled out of the paper 3 yrs ago, after spending 6k per month, as a small office, for only 3% of all inquiries. Sellers flinched at first, but when i explained how I was taking (some) of the savings and reallocating it to the web, they bought in. It's time. Just do it. The paper is a colossal dinosaur, and a pain in the enck to meet deadlines. they make typos, upsetting sellers, etc, etc.

Mar 12, 2008 12:21 AM
Gina Tufano
Ask Gina & Company with Pearson Smith Realty - Sterling, VA
Ask Gina & Company, Northern Virginia Real Estate
I advertise in the paper to keep my sellers happy.  I don't get many/any calls from it though.
Mar 12, 2008 12:23 AM
Allison Stewart
St.Cloud Homes - Saint Cloud, FL
St. Cloud Fl Realtor, Osceola County Real Estate 407-616-9904

The paper will always appeal to some people. Seniors for example while internet smart sometimes prefer to relax and read the paper. O think a lot depends on your local demographics.  I have been to the White Mountains (Love it) had a place on Lake Winnepesaukee for awhile, and found it through the homes guide. It may be a better alternative to the newspaper.

 

Good luck and sell well!

Mar 12, 2008 12:27 AM
Jim Marks
Coldwell Banker | Wright Realty - North Conway, NH
Team Wright Realty
Yeah, the "seller thing" is always the rub...It is encouraging to read that some of you took the plunge and it didn't hurt your business...that is of course the fear here.
Mar 12, 2008 12:27 AM
Debbie Holmes
John L. Scott - Boise, ID
Gets the job done!
I think I will stop advertising in the Idaho Statesman because it seems worthless.  That is not how I get my buyers. Yesterday I tried to go to classifieds online to look for an ad I saw and I couldn't even get there.  I could save 10%of my expenses by not advertising there.
Mar 12, 2008 01:05 AM
Teri Eckholm
Boardman Realty - White Bear Lake, MN
REALTOR Serving Mpls/St Paul North & East Metro
I still advertise in the newspaper but I stick to local suburban weekly papers. I make certain direct readers to visit my website for color pictures. One thing that I have noticed is that many of the callers are older and do not have internet access. Many have been affluent buyers/sellers just not in the internet connected generation. If I didn't advertise in print, I would miss this market.
Mar 12, 2008 01:11 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County
I read a couple of newspapers daily...but I don't read the advertisements unless I am specifially looking for something.
Mar 12, 2008 01:19 AM
Wayne Miller
San Diego, CA
I'm in Naples, Florida and folks enjoy reading the little magazines packed with homes; however, I've rarely received a call from those ads.  I'll go further and say, not one sale as a result of print advertisement. 
Mar 12, 2008 01:31 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

I haven't had much success advertising in the newspaper. I find subscribing to news groups, email lists and other Internet resources have a better return and more exposure.

Good Post!

Mar 12, 2008 02:07 AM
Monika McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH
Southern NH & the Seacoast Area
I still think there still needs to be a balance BUT the majority of our money and our efforts are on the internet. A small portion is print media.
Mar 13, 2008 05:42 AM