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Want to increase your market share?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

Perhaps you already have all the market share you need or want. You may be so well established that people think of you first when they think of real estate. But if not, you probably want a greater real estate market share. With the number of sales dwindling due to lack of inventory, increasing your share is more important than ever.

How can you increase your real estate market share? Increase your real estate market share

By increasing your mind-share. In other words, by becoming so visible in your marketplace that potential clients think of you first when they think of buying or selling.

You’ll increase your visibility using many of the same methods you use to generate leads, as discussed in this post. But there’s more. And what might work will depend upon your target market.

What works in a small town may not work in a big city. What works for one niche may be different from what works in another.

Right now I think perhaps increasing your market share might call for a step back in time.

You do need a website, and you do need to fill it with valuable content. You also need to blog. But counting on the Internet to bring you all the business you need may yield disappointing results.

Why? Because only the people who are thinking of buying or selling right now are looking at real estate websites.

If you want to be the first person they think of when they begin to think about buying or selling, you need to be in their minds ahead of that thought.

Mind-share can have a snowball-effect for you, as it did for me.

If your market is a small town, a reasonably small geographic area, or a niche market, I think much of what worked for me 20 years ago will work for you today.

When I had an agency our real estate market share grew each year. It took less than 2 years from the time we opened the doors until we had more than 50% of the market share – despite having 5 competing agencies in our community. (And two brokers who vowed to have us out of business within 6 months.)

At the time, I thought business was growing because we were doing more marketing and trying to serve our clients well. Most of our competitors didn’t do those things. But thinking back to how that happened, I don’t think that was the whole story. I remember many people commenting “I see your name everywhere.”

To increase real estate market share, increase mind-share with those who don’t yet need you.

People were seeing us everywhere. As our market share grew, so did our number of yard signs everywhere. On top of that, we were involved in things. We attended City Council and Planning & Zoning meetings, and I was an active member of Chamber of Commerce. We supported the Senior Center’s free lunch program. We spearheaded the revival of our town’s 4th of July celebration. One of my agents and I were founding members of the animal rescue organization. As volunteers, we were in many places.

Our town has one annual celebration, with a parade. We were in it, and one year we also filled and gave away hundreds of printed helium balloons during the activities in the park. One of my agents even got brave and tied one to the bumper of a police car as it went through the parade route. By the way, I don’t recommend giving away helium balloons unless you hire someone to help fill and tie all those balloons and strings. Our fingers were sore at day’s end!

And I wrote articles. Citizens could read something about activities at Cliff Realty or see our names associated with other organizations in nearly every issue of our weekly hometown newspaper.

Sometimes our newspaper coverage came from deliberate marketing activities.

to increase real estate market share, be in the newsWhen we purchased 2 bins of pumpkins and gave them away at Halloween, the newspaper ran photos two weeks in a row. One year we purchased a box full of American flags and handed them out in the Post Office parking lot just before the 4th of July. That made the newspaper too.

Giving things away helps increase visibility…

A few times each year we purchased promotional pens in bulk and gave a dozen or so to each of the checkers at the local grocery store. Of course they all eventually went home with grocery store customers. We also gave away promotional notepads, and every December we handed out wall calendars. Keep in mind that we had a visible office with plenty of walk-in traffic. We didn’t have to pay postage for those.

We used the postal mail to increase our real estate market share…

We mailed prospecting letters and postcards to people in areas where we wanted to list, and we sent a monthly newsletter to past, present, and prospective clients. We used just listed and just sold cards, too.

You might think that because you don’t get a response from the first letter or two, you never will. But marketing experts say it takes a minim of 5 touches to reach a “cold” prospect. Here’s why.

In addition, your messages may have a long shelf-life. After I let my license go, I still got calls from people who had received my mailings years earlier.

Postal mail is not outdated…

My friend Barbara Todaro, now retired, took the Todaro Team to #1 in their Franklin, MA create real estate market share through postal mailingsmarketplace with massive, consistent postcard mailings. Unless they never sort their mail, there isn’t a homeowner in her mailing area that is unaware of the Todaro Team.

That sounds intimidating, and expensive, but Barbara says she started small. She began with sending Just listed / under contract/ just sold cards to a few homes surrounding her listings, then increased as the marketing worked and her budget grew.

One thing I didn’t do, but should have…

A very good way to build mind-share is through public speaking, which I could never force myself to do. If you can, stop and think about the places where you could give a presentation. It could be at local service club meetings, Chamber meetings, or senior citizen gatherings. It could be at HOA meetings.

If your niche is horse properties or waterfront, get invited to speak at one or more of their meetings. If you serve first time buyers, pair up with a lender to give a mini-seminar. If the community is large enough to generate an audience, you might do the same for downsizing seniors, divorcing couples, or estate executors.

Just remember to impart valuable information – not a sales pitch!

What can you do to create mind-share?

Look at what we did and see how you can use those ideas to become the agent that people think of first when they think of real estate.

Define your area or niche and begin sending prospecting letters. Then magnify that impact by putting your face and name in front of those people in as many more ways as you can fit into your schedule. Make it your goal to have those in your farm area or niche say “I see you everywhere.”

Just as people choose the restaurant will the full parking lot as opposed to the one with an empty parking lot, they’ll choose you over agents who have no visibility.

One more thing…

If you use social media, use it to build mind-share with people who don’t yet need your services.  In addition to posting your listings on your business pages, post short bits information on your personal pages. In addition to market tidbits and buyer or seller advice, you could (with permission) wish sellers a happy move to a new home or welcome buyers to your community.

The result: your internet friends will see it and begin to automatically associate real estate with you.

 

Mailbox Image courtesy of Felixco, Inc. @freedigitalphotos.net
Top agent Image courtesy of supakitmod at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
News Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This post first appeared at https://copybymarte.com/want-to-increase-your-real-estate-market-share/

Comments (24)

Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Marte,
What a great combination of exposures you were able to get. Thank you so much for sharing!

Jun 08, 2021 11:22 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Tammy Lankford, That's good - go ahead and let your competitors keep believing it!

That's right Michael Jacobs - you can't sit back and wait for it!

 

Jun 08, 2021 11:27 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Nina Hollander, Broker - Some just want to believe it because it costs more than email. Let them! I do agree about newspaper ads - because sadly, newspapers seem to be going away.

Shayne Stone Thanks - I wish you the same.

Carol Williams We were doing everything the others wouldn't do - and it worked!

Jun 08, 2021 11:30 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker

Marte Cliff hi Marte... well it's the newspapers' fault that I (and many others) don't want to read them. They've stopped reporting news and are just now opion pieces. I don't care about their opinions.

Jun 08, 2021 12:01 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Marte,  I purchase cloth grocery bags for as soon as most grocery store will stop using plastic bag.  They have in some area but not mine yet.  Can I reblog this sometime?

 

Jun 08, 2021 12:00 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Good idea Will Hamm. Every time homeowners pick up  a bag to go shopping, they'll think of you!

And yes, of course. You are always welcome to reblog anything I post. Thank you for wanting to!

Jun 08, 2021 01:49 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good evening Marte Cliff ,

Awesome post! Being "Top of Mind" in this market is so important. Print media is not out but hoping most agents keep thinking along those lines!

Jun 08, 2021 08:17 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Dorie Dillard Austin TX - I love your attitude!

Jun 08, 2021 08:20 PM
Sham Reddy CRS
Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH
CRS

Thanks for sharing Marte!

If you want to be the first person they think of when they begin to think about buying or selling, you need to be in their minds ahead of that thought

Jun 09, 2021 04:24 AM
Marte Cliff

Thanks Sham.

Jun 09, 2021 12:55 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Print is far from dead when used as our Mentor Barbara Todaro would point out repeatedly, Post cards and mailings do get attention but it is a process

Jun 09, 2021 05:34 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Ed Silva - Yes, and it takes a bit more effort than email.

Jun 09, 2021 12:56 PM
Ginger Harper
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage~ Ginger Harper Real Estate Team - Southport, NC
Your Southport~Oak Island Agent~Brunswick County!

I like the way you think. Thanks for sharing

Jun 09, 2021 02:01 PM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

Mind over matter is a true and real statement. The mind is a powerful tool when used the right way. Excellent post.

Jun 09, 2021 03:22 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I will try to expand with new thinking and new ideas just to experiment with things a little bit before I implement everything 

Jun 10, 2021 10:54 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much, Marte, for sharing your experience and your advice.

Jun 11, 2021 03:49 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Marte:

There is lots of wisdom in this post, but this really summed it up for me - "To increase real estate market share, increase mind-share with those who don’t yet need you."

Jun 11, 2021 07:54 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp
SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties - Bourbonnais, IL
The Home Inspector With a Heart!

I love how "new" ideas always seem to work, no matter the year or business or market. The way I see it, Everything counts. Don't stop trying new ideas and be consistent with the tried and true plans. 

Jun 12, 2021 04:03 AM
Chuck Tanner
Keller Williams Realty - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker "Let's Get You Moving"

Sometimes we have to be reminded of our shortcomings. After 23 years in this business I should know better. I am going to save this post and read it each week. Thank you for this awesome reminder!

Jun 15, 2021 04:55 AM
Paddy Deighan MBA JD PhD
http://www.medicalandspaconsulting.com - Vail, CO
Paddy Deighan J.D. Ph.D

many people have an unhealthy fear of success and this prohibits growth ahd success..so yes, our our mindset is critical to personal and business success

Jun 15, 2021 11:15 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

I appreciate your post and value the advice. I use most of these tips. Like you, I shy away from public speaking and had almost gathered the nerve when 2020 hit. I enjoy using just listed and just sold, Facebook, Insta, and wrote a blog post for the first time in a while today. You were wise to promote through the newspapers. It sounds like you were in a smaller town? That may have worked to your advantage, too.

Thanks, Marte!

Jun 26, 2021 04:07 PM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

Thank you for all of the great information and tips.  I do appreciate them all.

Jul 05, 2021 07:46 PM