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Marketing ME at Wal-Mart

Wally World is one of the busiest stores in St. Augustine and one store that I try to avoid. Crowded parking lot, long check out lines, I'm an in-there-and-outta-there kind of shopper. However, they are open late (24 hours) and I sometimes just have no other choice to shop there. Well, something happened to me last night that changed my whole Wal-Mart shopping perception.

I recently moved from on-site developer sales to Watson Realty's St. Augustine Beach office. I am fortunate to bring all the developer listings with me. So, I have a ton of signs with the old real estate company name on them. These are the corrugated kind, you know the ones that sit on metal posts and stick in the ground. Mine are bright red with big white letters "Bank Short Sale" Marjorie Taylor 904-591-9121 prominently displayed and Neighborhood Realty, Inc. in smaller letters below. They really are quite obnoxious, but I get more calls from these cheesy signs than from any other form of marketing.

Marjorie Taylor's Short Sale Sign

Because I am practical (some would call me downright cheap at times) with my marketing dollars, I thought I can ‘fix" these signs so I can reuse them. I don't want to order new ones. So, I brought a sign into Wal-Mart with me to see what I could find to cover up Neighborhood Realty. I felt a little dorky walking through the isles with my big cheesy sign in tow. But that feeling quickly went away when several customers stopped me to ask what property I was selling on a Short Sale. I passed out a few cards and found some matching red tape to cover Neighborhood Realty.

Success at Wal-Mart - do I have the nerve to do that on a more consistent basis? However, I don't want to wear out my welcome at just one store. St. Augustine has a K-Mart and Target. Perhaps I should bring that sign to Home Depot, where homeowners may be doing some fix-up-before-they-put-their-house-on-the-market kind of shopping. I'm on a roll here... what about the grocery stores? The possibilities are endless...

Marjorie Taylor is a licensed Real Estate Broker and community leader representing Homes in St. Augustine. She is passionate about helping clients buy and sell Homes in St. Augustine and Homes in St. Augustine Beach, Florida.

904-591-9121

Marjorie@MarjorieTaylor.net

www.MarjorieTaylor.NET

Marjorie Taylor, REALTOR

Marjorie Taylor, Director of Operations, Listing Solutions is a licensed Real Estate Broker with VIP Staging and Home Management. A community leader, Taylor is Chairman of the St. Augustine St. Johns County Board of REALTORS Technology Committee; she is professionally educated and trained, holding the designations of CDPE, CRS, CSP, e-PRO, GREEN, GRI, TRC.

Marjorie is passionate about helping clients with their real estate technology needs. 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year - Women’s Council of REALTORS St. Augustine Regional.

904-591-9121
www.ListingSoluutions.net
Marjorie@ListingSolutions.net

Posted by Marjorie Taylor, St. Augustine Florida on 01/29/2009 08:42 AM

Comments (12)

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12 Comments on Marketing ME at Wal-Mart

JAN

2009

There you go.... marketing at it's finest!

Marjorie.....you're my kind of realtor! Keep on keeping on .....and let us know how it goes!

Great ideas for marketing! In this market we have to get beyond the "cheesy" and do whatever we can.

Sometimes the billboard method works!

Marjorie,

My comment was lost I will try here to recreate that gem one more time.

You might wear out your welcome going there on a regular basis. However often times these stores have a bulletin board for postings. Post a small version of your obnoxious sign. These boards are often found close to the restrooms or employee break rooms.

If they do not have one then you buy one and donate it to them. Sell them on the idea that THEY are reaching out to the community in tough times.

I accidentally forgot a sign for an open house for one of my foreclosure listings after an open house. It was on a very busy corner...I guess for quite a while. I got so many phone calls on that one bright yellow sign. It was a directional sign, but had my phone number and advertised "others available" Well worth the occasional investment in a sign to get that kind of exposure.

Great story. We need to keep our eyes and ears open throughout each day for those opportunities to advance our sales; they can come up anywhere!

I used to do this a few years back...It really works but it is a lot of work.

You are the accidental marketing genius. I think that you should make it into a sandwich board and wear it to your kid's soccer games. They say sponsoring teams works great -- I put my logo and website on my daughter's soccer jersey.

JAN

2009

Herb, it was a gem -- Posting and/or donating the bulletin board is something I am definitely going to look into. I'm not sure that I'm ready for the sandwich board, Gina...but the thought did cross my mind. Like Karen and Darrel pointed out -- I'm working on getting over the cheesy and doing what works.

In this area new home builders hire people to stand on busy corners to hold signs and wave to cars. This thought crossed my mind too... briefly.

I have 7 of those condominium listings...and working on dozens of home-sites, all short sales (oy) Karen, you have a great idea about a billboard. A giant cheesy red billboard on US 1 ... Oh do I dare?

FEB

2009

Marjorie, what a creative idea! When checking out, stand in the longest line possible, you'll have a chance to talk to more folks. Another great idea: Wear your name badge and Realtor pin, and I'll bet lots of people walk up to you and ask how, "How's the market doing?"

Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown

FEB

2009

Marjorie,

To increase sucess maybe next time wear a sun dress to go along with your cheesy sign. You will have to let us know if you get any leads from your efforts.

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Marjorie Taylor, St. Augustine Florida

Saint Augustine, FL

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Listing Solutions

Address: 2465 US 1 South, Suite 68, St. Augustine, FL, 32086

Office Phone: (904) 591-9012

Cell Phone: (904) 591-9121

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