The holidays are down time in the real estate industry. The real estate market begins slow after Halloween, drops off drastically a week or two before Thanksgiving and doesn't start picking up again in late January...

It's that time of year again, when into the last month of the year we squeeze Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve. Throw into that mix a big dose of unrealistic expectations and harsh economical struggle and no wonder that along with "peace on earth, goodwill toward men," come anxiety, exhaustion, and depression. 
With all that is going on in the Real Estate market this winter is going to be, most probably, very slow and blue. So why not to get busy instead of getting blue? Maybe this year is time to do something no one else is doing. Takes some research and little work... but it is a time well spend, while you have extra time now is the time to do it.

Focus on the next year... Promote your business and services by designing great brochure with relevant informations of your comunity along with your AD.

1. List the community events that happen annually (you can include the holiday's events too). Call the appropriate entities and get this year's dates for each event. Write a small note about each one,(only few good words) telling visitors and new residents why they should attend them. List them according to date.
2. Note the names and addresses of recreational facilities in your community. The gym, the shooting range, the bowling alley, the movie theaters, etc. Put down everything that comes in the category of "fun". Do the same thing: write a small note on each one and make them sound attractive.
3. Get a copy of a good map of the community and start marking each of these events and facilities on the map. Seeing them all marked in will give you a sense of how to proceed. You may use graphic bullets or numbers differentiating the events from the recreational facilities. (2 different colors will make it) or if the map is not to crowded put names on the map. If you use numbers create a small legend for name,location and rest of info.
4. Be sure to put your office location on the map... perhaps with a bright red star!
5. Reserve a space for your ad, making sure that it showcases the benefit of choosing you. Concentrate in making your ad very attractive and professionally looking. Don't forget to include your picture in the ad. And of course, in large bold print, list the fact that this brochure is presented compliments of... YOU.
6. It is a great source to design and print these brochures on line.

It is fast, inexpensive and provides many layouts to design your AD. You can create it in minutes and the quaity of graphics are great!

• If you still want to save money to print these brochures, it is a good idea to choose a few other business in your area who offer services and approach them about placing an ad along with yours. Since you do all the work, and holidays are around the corner, we'll be surprised how many would love to join you. Think about motels and restaurants in particular, because you'll be mailing these brochures to new customers coming in from other communities.
• If you don't want to bear the cost alone, you should have no trouble getting some of these service to kick in for printing in exchange for a nice block ad on this map. They might even be willing to give you discount coupons to give as additional gifts at closing of your real estate transaction.
  

Once finished, you can offer copies of this handout to gas stations, motels, and restaurants as a service to their customers - so that any person who arrives in town without having chosen a Realtor will learn about you first.