I don't know about you, but I'm already being bombarded by companies telling me about all the MUST HAVE's I should be buying RIGHT NOW if I'm gonna have a shot of surviving in the real estate biz in 2009? What about YOU ??
According to them I've just GOTTA HAVE IT! My real estate career will simply go down the tubes without it! And I simply must
Whoa! If this is happening to you, too (and I know it is!), take a step back and evaluate, do some research, ask lots of questions and DON'T sign up to buy anything - especially in today's market - without having some rock hard evidence that it WILL in fact build your business and put some real money in your pocket in 2009.
I'd love to have my 2008 money back on some programs I signed up for that promised that my business would soar, prospects would be calling me begging for my business, and yada, yada, yada! Some programs actually did live up to their promises, but many others simply didn't.
Never again will I fall for the line that I've got to sign up right away to get it for the low, low price of...
In 2009 we simply don't have the money to throw the dice, gambling that the next program, website or gadget will be a magic pill to cure our real estate ills.
So how do we not only survive - but thrive in 2009 without spending outside our marketing budgets (which should be trimmed along with all other budgets)? Well, long before our Louisville, Kentucky market started to slide, we went back to what we know works - regardless of what's happening in the real estate market: staying in touch with our real estate advocates - the people who love us and send referral business our way. Phone calls are free - and your past clients, friends, and family are happy to hear from you.
Jacki and Jerry Shafer are "mega agents" with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty Louisville East. Jacki and Jerry have over 20 years of real estate experience, offering excellent service in Louisville as well as nearby Oldham, Trimble and Henry Counties in Kentucky.
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Your post reminds me of something I heard years ago about marketing. The speaker said we needed to realize that the people who told us what we "had" to have didn't list and sell real estate. They sold marketing. They stayed up all night, drank pepsi, ate twinkies and developed their programs. I like something Brian Buffini said. Make your marketing accountable to your checkbook. I think my first bucket of cold water in the face was from Joe Stumpf. He challenged us to go back to the office and look honestly at our marketing. His premise, most marketing is to impress either ourselves or other realtors.