Huh?

Well, if you have ever seen comedian Brian Regan you will recognize this line...for those of you who haven't.. here is 'the bit' he does ( with apologies to Brian):

"I don't know what the hell is going on with cranberries, but they're getting in all the other juices. Whoever the salesman is for cranberries sure is doing a great job…he’s showing up everywhere. Hey, you got some apples? Put some cranberries in there. We’ll call it cran-apple and go 50-50. You got grapes? How about cran-grape! You got mango? Cran-mangos! You got pork chops? Cran-chops! Banana-man wakes up one day and say's, "Man! I ain't into nuthin'! Better get cracking Banana-Man. "

Funny stuff, but what's the point? There is a lot of marketing wisdom of the "Cran-Man" that all of us in the real estate profession can learn from.

This Web 2.0 stuff is more than just a new fad...it is a transformation to a collaborative way of working and living. Mother Nature has been doing it for a long time-we are just catching on... By working WITH others in a mutually beneficial relationship, we not only save time, resources and energy but we actually leverage our time, resources and energy and accomplish much more.

When you stop and try to think outside of the box for new collaborative marketing you find there are hundreds of new ways to save money and time while accomplishing more. Here are just a few...

1. Instead of blank white space on the back of your business card, contact a lender and see if they want to split the cost of the cards and share a side with them. You saved money on your cards, you now are reaching all the people the lender passes his/her card out to and you strengthen the relationship with your lender.

2. Summer is coming and people will be looking for landscapers and lawn mowing services. Contact one of the companies you know and trust and ask them if they would provide one free mowing in return for a potential new client and create a coupon or card ( with your info on it too) that you can present to your new home owners that may need landscaping services. In the winter, offer one free snowplow. This also expands the opportunity to grow your database as well. At the next networking event you are at, you now have an excuse to hand someone something unrelated to real estate but also providing value and still putting your info out there.

3. Don't have an empty website. Call up your favorite home builder, painter, plumber etc and see if they would like to advertise with you. You can keep the cost so minimal that it make sense to them and you now saved money on your hosting while also providing your visitors valuable info. These are GOOD contractors right? People you know and trust? Then you ARE doing a great service to your web visitors. Show the contractors your website traffic reports to educate them on how many potential home buyers are looking on your website.

4. Go to a few of your favorite restaurants and inform them that you are beginning a client appreciation program and that you will be regularly mailing your clients items of value. If they could offer a coupon for a discount at the restaurant you would provide it in your mailing. The restaurant saves on postage mailing it out, your clients get a real value and you can use them yourself when you go to lunch with clients.

Now I will tell you these are not NEW ideas by any means..but they are a reminder that if we take a moment and think of ways we can work in a mutually beneficial way with others we will reap the rewards.

I bet cranberry sales went off the charts when they decided to add it to other juices. The once bitter (but well known for its health benefits) drink now became palatable and reaches a larger market.

Be the Cran-Man and "couple up." :)

If you wanna a good laugh watch the short clip of Brian below (Cran-Man part at the very end...)