marketing idea: Benefiting the Community can Benefit Your Brand - 11/18/08 07:52 AM
Thank you to all the real estate professionals in Yorba Linda, California that have made an effort to support childhood cancer research and more  importantly, the victims of the most recent fire storm in Yorba Linda California.
My daughter, Keiko Hoen who is the Junior Class President at Esperanza High school has organized a community wide event with over 85 of her friends to help put on 15 Yorba Linda Lemonade Grand Stands.  Local businesses like the Bank of America, Vons, Stater Brothers, Citibank, HomeGoods, the US Post Office all have agreed to let her put up her stands and sell … (4 comments)

marketing idea: The Impact of Having a Complicated Web Site Can Be Devastating - 08/28/08 12:23 PM
I heard a powerful statistic today -- 50% of your web site audience FALLS OFF after every click they make on your web site!  How much work is it for a visitor to find the listings they are looking for or to find the home valuation they are looking for?
Think about that and look at your web site -- Can your web site visitors get to the information they are looking for QUICKLY and EASILY -- Don't create work for them.
For example, would you rather read a 1000 word essay or 10 blocks of 100 words with photos to … (3 comments)

marketing idea: Reasons for communicating with your farm! - 08/26/08 05:36 PM
Do you know when you have to change your clocks?.  Do we have to turn the clock forward or backward?  Is it October or November?
Be the first to tell your farm -- put a post card out with your branding reminding your homeowners that it is time to "fall back" and turn the clocks back an hour on the first Saturday night (Sunday at 2:00 am)  in NOVEMBER!
Send out your card the weekend before and the card will remind your homeowners AND your branding comes across.  Refer them to your website for valuable content that they can get regarding the values … (8 comments)

marketing idea: Holiday Promotion Can Make an Impact! - 08/26/08 05:26 PM
The holidays are coming and you can take advantage of them working your farm area. You know the homeowners in your farm.
You know the Non-Owner occupied properties in your farm area as investors that may own multiple properties. 
You know those homeowners in your farm area that have been in there home for 5 years or more.
If you don't -- get connected with your title company for the data you need to more intelligently get ready for the farming during the holidays.
You want to get email addresses for your geographic farm -- are you willing to pay for … (1 comments)

marketing idea: "Changes in Life" can be signals for real estate HELP! - 08/21/08 08:02 PM
Think about your business from the consumer's point of view.  When do people sell and move?
That's right -- a life changing event.
1)  It could be a change in employment or transfer to another location -- get connected with LARGE local employers and offer to assist their HR department with real estate assistance in the event they can refer you to their employee.
2)  Birthdays -- that's right, growing families require a larger house -- get connected to your title company or mailing houses that you can rent this data for a mailing
3)  Divorces -- unfortunately it happens and … (3 comments)

marketing idea: A great way to get the word out to agents about your listing! - 08/21/08 07:53 PM
I found a great tool as part of a single property domain tool.  You can go to ListingProducer, register for free and create a an electronic flyer that can be posted on the Internet.  You can email the proof to yourself and your seller as part of the listing presentation.
After you get the listing - you purchase the product and publish your listing.  They have great benefits like being able to syndicate your listing automatically, burn a CD presentation of your flyer to give to the seller to distribute or use in an open house BUT....
They just recently added … (8 comments)

marketing idea: Do you know where your listings are? - 08/20/08 06:06 PM
Several surveys show that 85% of the home buyers today are on the Internet doing their research prior to contacting a Real Estate Professional.
There are so many web site destinations that your listing can be posted on.  Some are more automatic than others but you need to know and you should discuss with your seller as part of the listing presentation where there listing is posted.
Your listing goes to Realtor.com with the placement in the MLS.  Many of the MLS's are also sending data to other destination sites like Cyberhomes.com and then Cyberhomes.com syndicates the listing to America Online … (10 comments)

marketing idea: Can You Find Your Home? - 08/19/08 06:06 AM
Google and Microsoft Virtual Earth have great aerial mapping tools and consumers like looking at and using the systems.y
Zillow, Cybehromes and others have included these imagery tools along with other mapping tools like parcel overlays, demographic, community and points of interest like schools, parks, hospitals etc.
Use an aerial image of your neighborhood and put it out in a jumbo post card to your community. 
Ask the question, "Can you find your home?
Several objectives are being accomplished --
1)  They are reading the card and will pay attention to your name, photo and brand
2)  It is interesting to … (3 comments)

marketing idea: What is your elevator pitch? What does your personal brochure say? - 08/19/08 05:41 AM
Your talking with someone and they ask you, "What do you do?'.
What is your 30 second elevator pitch -- what are you going to say that makes an impact, that they will remember you and why they should think about you for real estate services.  Do you have a brochure with you or a business card you can give them?
The next step is do you have a personal brochure as a self-promotional tool?  Does it look professional, does is represent you and your services accurately.  Every agent should have a personal brochure and here are some items that you … (6 comments)

marketing idea: Make an Impact in Your Community with a Creative Event - 08/19/08 05:28 AM
Car washes pop up as a result of High School Students or other charitable organizations are trying to raise money for their cause or event that they are doing.  They always surprise us with the student standing on the street or street corner trying to direct traffic into the parking lot for the car wash.
Why don't you offer your PROMOTION services for this event.  You know the neighborhood, you are door knocking, putting out flyers or post cards.  Why not consider putting out a post card informing the community and offer a FREE car wash with their post card as … (1 comments)

marketing idea: Honor Your Neibhborhood and Make an Impact - 08/17/08 05:06 PM
Everyone likes recognition -- You know the neighborhood farm you are working.  You are the neighborhood expert.
Give out an award to those homeowners that beautifully care and maintain their property.  Print out a certificate and call it the "The Pride of Ownership Your Home Shows is Sincerely Appreciated!"
As you drive your area -- note those special homes and get the special mailing out.  You will make and impact and get to know those homeowners that might be your next listing.
Your name, Your Photo, Your brand and proof that you are the neighborhood expert and pay attention to details, the … (3 comments)

marketing idea: Do something special for your clients, family and friends - 08/14/08 05:46 PM
You have two options -- one is going to the store and find the right greeting card to send out for the occasion your looking for OR Go to SendOutCards and look at an amazing card catalog of greeting cards you can select from.
Once you select your card -- a thank you note, a birthday card, an anniversary card, a congratulations for buying a home, a sympathy card --- you can put in the contact you want to physically have SendOutCards mail the card to with a REAL STAMP.
You can send just post cards or greeting cards and you … (2 comments)

marketing idea: How to stand out from a crowd in your neighborhood - 08/14/08 10:56 AM
Put yourself in the consumer shoes!  Look at your direct mail pieces you put out to your clients or prospects and ask yourself, "Would I open this letter?"
What piece of mail would you open?
1 - an envelope that has a label on it and a bulk mail stamp and a return email address not disclosed.  It looks like Junk and you throw it to the side and may not even open it
OR
2 - an envelope that is personally addressed, a colorful and createive postage stamp and your return address
Take it to the next level....
Go to PhotoStamps … (2 comments)

marketing idea: Stand out and make an impact with your prospects and clients - 08/14/08 10:49 AM
What piece of mail would you open? 1 - an envelope that has a label on it and a bulk mail stamp and a return email address not disclosed
It looks like Junk and you throw it to the side and may not even open it
or
2 - an envelope that is personally addressed, a postage stamp and your return address
Take it to the next level.... Go to PhotoStamps and get your photo, your logo, a special community photo, something on the stamp that will catch the consumers attention.
Better yet -- use it as a closing gift-- get … (6 comments)

marketing idea: Out of the Box Farming Idea You Can Do In Your Community - 08/12/08 07:35 PM
As a Real Estate Professional, you have your geographic farm organized and categorized in a Contact Management Program -- right?
That database of names, addresses and even email addresses is a very valuable asset that you collect and build over time.  Take advantage of that database and co-market with other affiliates or vendors that you may never have thought of.
I was at my local dry cleaners and under the glass counter top was tons of business cards from local real estate professionals, mortgage professionals, contractors, etc.
Consider working with the Dry Cleaners similar to what was done above AND / OR … (7 comments)

marketing idea: Out of the Box Farming Idea for your Community - 08/11/08 08:26 AM
As a Real Estate Professional, you have your geographic farm organized and categorized in a Contact Management Program -- right?
That database of names, addresses and even email addresses is a very valuable asset that you collect and build over time.  Take advantage of that database and co-market with other affiliates or vendors that you may never have thought of.
I was at my local dry cleaners and under the glass counter top was tons of business cards from local real estate professionals, mortgage professionals, contractors, etc.
Consider working with the Dry Cleaners similar to what was done above AND / OR … (6 comments)

marketing idea: Use Home Valuations as a farming tool - 07/28/08 09:32 AM
It is has been demonstrated that the consumers are on the Internet searching for information about their neighborhood and their homes.  They want to know how much the house sold for down the street, they pick up flyer's in the sign boxes to see what the house is selling for, they attend open houses to see where their neighbor is moving or simply to find out what they are selling it for.  You see, all these consumers know their home and what they think the perceived value is but they don't know their neighbors or the competition.
They want to know … (4 comments)