marketing: tech4REpros Digest: 8/17 to 8/23 - 08/24/08 08:27 AM
REBHOF - Jennifer Fivelsdal Jennifer Fivelsdal was recognized as an outstanding real estate blogger for using local content to generate business on her ActiveRain "outside" blog.
Industry: Bottom Calling and Sucker's Rallies Serious investors don't wait for the market to "hit bottom" because they understand that there are plenty of good and bad buys in any type of market.
REBHOF - Jim Klinge Jim Klinge was recognized as an outstanding real estate blogger for using a balanced presentation of the market to earn credibility and generate business.
Software: FREE WINForms Webinars! Free thirty minute WINForms webinars on a variety of advanced topics are now being offered monthly to C.A.R. members.
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marketing: Web: Localism Redux - 07/10/08 11:18 AM

On Wednesday, July 9th, ActiveRain unveiled a new version of Localism, their consumer facing real estate blogging platform. It didn't take long for the screaming to start.Realtors Blogging For RealtorsAlmost 100,000 real estate professionals have signed up for free accounts with ActiveRain. Most of them didn't last long, though the same can be said for all forms of real estate marketing. For those that did stay, the challenge was reaching consumers in network that fostered mainly peer-to-peer discussions. ActiveRain's answer was Localism, a platform that organized content by state, county, city, and neighborhood.What Happened To Localism 1.0?Members flocked to Localism, … (5 comments)

marketing: Strategy: Something Of Value For Less Than A Dollar? - 05/10/08 07:32 PM
On Monday, May 12th, the cost of first class postage will increase by one cent.
Last time the post office raised their rates, a local broker gave me a card to remind me about the increase. Inside the card, he had placed a strip of 10 one cent stamps. I held on to those stamps and every time I used one, I thought of him.
Brian Buffini suggests periodically giving your clients something of value to let them know that you're thinking of them so that they will keep thinking of you. I can't think of a more efficient item of … (5 comments)

marketing: Strategy: The Tao of Real Estate - 05/04/08 03:03 PM
Your real estate business is a duality comprised of two aspects, a technical aspect and a marketing aspect. The technical aspect consists of various activities that are performed between the listing and the closing, from filling out contracts to ordering inspections to handling negotiations. The marketing aspect consists of the various activities that are performed to generate listings and buyer clients.
Like Yin and Yang, these aspects can oppose each other. For example, time spent learning to use online forms software is also time taken away from marketing. But, these aspects can also compliment each other, as in the example yesterday where … (6 comments)

marketing: Strategy: Are You Marketing Your TMS Platform? - 05/03/08 02:51 PM
Is your office currently using a transaction management system like RELAY, SureClose, or Transaction Point to provide online escrow coordination? Have you made your use of a TMS platform part of your listing presentation?There are a number of advantages you can claim over agents who are not using a TMS platform.
Online Disclosures Visitor TrackingYou and your transaction team can save trees by using your TMS to post disclosures online. Disclosures are available 24/7 to all agents and buyers who are interested in the property. To access those disclosures, agents and buyers must provide their name and e-mail address. The TMS platform … (2 comments)

marketing: Strategy: Practice Makes Better - 03/14/08 02:10 PM
Here are four ideas to get your office motivated and moving forward in 2008.1. Five QuestionsRandomly call on agents at office meetings to answer the five questions that every agent needs to be able to answer anytime, anywhere. Have the other agents provide helpful feedback.2. Book ClubAssign teams to read real estate marketing books and report back at weekly office meetings. We can all learn more by pooling our study time and sharing our findings.3. Farm ClubHave every agent who isn't swamped with business start a geographic farm of 200-400 homes. At the first meeting, that agent should describe his or … (5 comments)

marketing: Five Questions You Need To Be Ready To Answer - 03/12/08 08:22 AM
There are five questions that every real estate professional should be prepared to answer anytime, anywhere. Are you ready to answer them? Click here to listen.When relatives, friends, or acquaintances ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I am a real estate marketing and technology consultant. More than half the time, they respond with the following question:"How's the market?" That's the most common question posed to real estate professionals. If you aren't ready to answer that question anytime, anywhere, you will miss opportunities to gain new customers.How long should your answer be? The average person might be … (9 comments)

marketing: Podcast: Objectives of a Real Estate Podcast - 03/11/08 09:11 AM
In this podcast, I discuss the objectives of real estate podcasting. Click here to listen.
Are you looking for ways to increase business while reducing expenses? Podcasting is an inexpensive way to stay in touch with your clients and reach out to new prospects.
The overall objective of podcasting, like all real estate marketing, is to generate more business. But, podcasting isn't like cold calling. Podcasters have to attract an audience, so a simple commercial isn't going to generate more business. You need to deliver value to attract listeners and you need to demonstrate why they should choose you to help … (9 comments)

marketing: Industry: Rock 'n Roll and the MLS - 02/02/08 04:11 PM
There is an old saying that Rock 'n Roll will never die. Some people still believe it, even though today's versions of rock 'n roll are dramatically different from the music of Elvis and the Beatles. I still remember the day legendary bay area radio station KOME switched from the dated hard rock of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin to the new sound from Seattle, grunge. Ironically grunge lasted less than half a decade before giving way to post-Grunge, Alternative, and other emerging formats.What does all this have to do with Real Estate?I was once told, by no less of an authority … (16 comments)

marketing: Info: What is Viral Marketing? - 01/10/08 08:20 AM
Viral marketing is when you create a marketing message so entertaining, interesting, or compelling that others voluntarily spread that marketing message for you. In the old days, before computers, we called this "word of mouth advertising", also known as "referrals", and recognized it as a valuable resource for generating business.Are you distributing marketing materials and messages that are so entertaining, interesting, or compelling that your clients and prospects would pass them on, or are you simply sending out stock newsletters and "just sold" cards (aka "brag cards") to remind clients and prospects that you haven't left the business yet?What does it … (5 comments)

marketing: Strategy: How Many Leads Have You Generated By Playing Computer Solitaire? - 12/10/07 07:24 PM
Obviously the question in the title is rhetorical, but as a former computer support rep, I can't tell you how many times I called on agents to help them with their computers and discovered that they were playing solitaire.
Last week, I posted step-by-step instructions for signing up at facebook.com. 
Who here hasn't signed up at facebook.com?  What was your objection?
Too expensive?  Nope, it's FREE.
Don't have the time?  It takes about the same amount of time as a game of computer solitaire.
It won't generate business?  It has a much better chance of generating business than computer solitaire.
This post isn't about the value … (10 comments)