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Wondering If I should keep breaking my back...

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty USA - Amherst/Clarence

Every year since 2003 I have been prospecting by lining the street with American flags around Memorial Day.

I put one flag in front of every single house near the curb on 5 streets in my farm area with my business card attached.   I usually end up putting about 250 flags out.  I get up early in the morning and am usually done in a few hours. 

When it is done, it looks great!  (But my back and legs hurt for the next week from all the bending!)  I have tried to hire my own children to do it for me but of course, they are too busy. 

The thing is, everyone knows me as the "flag lady",  but I do not get any business from it. 

This is not the only prospecting I do either.  I try to send at least once piece out every month with my picture on it.

This year I am contemplating whether it would be better to take those flags to our community Memorial Day parade and pass them out rather than "breaking my back"  lining the street. 

What do you think?  Or should I forget the whole flag thing altogether and try something new?   

 

Show All Comments Sort:
Rich Kruse
Gryphon USA, Ltd. - Columbus, OH

I just priced this out.  It looks like about $.50 per house.  Not bad.

I'd do it.  Actually, I think I will do it.  Thanks.

May 20, 2007 01:10 AM
Anonymous
knef
i live in an area where another local realtor does this every american holiday...it makes the neighborhood look nice and patriotic but her return is almost nil.  from my perspective, it's not worth the time and effort.
May 20, 2007 03:39 PM
#8
Dominick Gaccino
Dominick gaccino - Peekskill, NY

id pass them out

 

sounds like way too much work

May 20, 2007 03:46 PM
Michele Kiefert
Welcome Home Interiors, LLC - Buford, GA
ASP, IFDA

I really like your idea, it's original and you put a ton of effort into it!  The only thing is, I'm the kind of person who doesn't necessarily appreciate people sticking things in my yard without my permission.  I would probably not do business with someone who did that to me.  (I never even glance at stuff stuck under my windshield wipers or thrown on my driveway in a plastic bag with rocks.)  Maybe there are others like me...  Not that I'm unpatriotic, but I dunno, I guess I would prefer you to actually come to my door to ask first.  Especially if I lived in a small town.  If you did that, you could hand me your business info, introduce yourself, and tell me you'd like to dress up the neighborhood with flags.  Heck, I'd even put it out there for you!  But that's just one homeowner's perspective...

I would, however, welcome a flag with advertising at a parade, because then I'd have the option of accepting or politely rejecting such a solicitation.  Then I'd even feel like you made the effort to "meet" me, instead of me feeling like you were sneaking advertisements in front of me while I wasn't looking.  I guess I am trying to say, handing me something is much more personal than leaving it in my yard and I'd be more apt to call on you for my real estate needs.  Is that old fashioned? 

May 20, 2007 04:08 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel
I know of one agent who has been doing the same thing at her farm area and I have often thought of doing it.But if I decide  to get the flags, I would hire a teenager to do it . But I like your idea about the parade.You might have better luck.Good luck.
May 20, 2007 11:03 PM
Toby Riley
American Home Mortgage - Ann Arbor, MI

Mary,

I would drop the door to door bit and try the parade.  Generally speaking, if you go to hand someone something (espically an American flag) they usually will accept it.  Let us all know what you decide to do and how it worked out. 

May 21, 2007 02:51 AM
Dianne Barody
Century 21 AmeriSouth Realty - Pensacola, FL
Pensacola Florida Real Estate
Hi Mary, I agree with Sarah.  Get your community involved in placing the flags with you. I see a great opportunity here.
May 21, 2007 05:23 AM
Joe Harris
Morgan Financial - Melbourne, FL
Mary, the fact that your know as the Flag lady means that at least you are known.  However, if your efforts are not producing any results, than you must take a serious look at what you are doing, and if you should continue.  You have to look at your marketing as a business.  How much did it cost you to put those flags up?  How much time did you spend?  What kind of results did it produce?  Did the business justify the Cost?  In this case there may be a few things that you can not put a real value on, yet may help your business in the future; the fact that you are know as flag lady.  I like your idea of just handing out the flags at the town celebration.  That may be easier on you, reach a wider span of people, thus having a greater impact on your business
May 21, 2007 06:17 AM
Donna Lueder
Integrity Group Inc. - Boise, ID
Meridian Idaho Real Estate
This might be a great way to see how many people miss the flags. I smell money!
May 24, 2007 11:50 AM
Jeff Schneider
Schneider Group Consulting & Investments Ltd. - Edmonton, AB

You have to look at it as "What is you Return On Investment?" If you are getting up and breaking your back for 4 hours to put out all of these flags, and you don't get a single lead from it, then your return on inestment is 0%. The other question I would ask is "What do I value my time at?" In my business, I try to value my time at a minimum of $250 per hour. So that means if I can effectively pay someone less that $250 per hour, and they get the job done at say 70% of the quality that I would have done, then I would rather pay someone to do it, then do it myself.

May 24, 2007 01:51 PM
Loreena and Michael Yeo
3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX
Real Estate Agents

Mary: On behalf of your farm, I do thank you for this. If you are looking for more business out of this, have you considered Real Estate Coffee Talk? I dont farm because I need my resources to become somewhat effective (whose doesnt)? You could walk the invitations if you have more time than money. It's also informational and noble.

 

May 28, 2007 02:12 AM
Dawn Workman
Veracity Real Estate Group, LLC - Camas, WA
Camas Real Estate Expert, MBA, 480-540-8100
Mary, my thought are that you may not get any business directly, but does your image of flag lady generate future contracts?   And, since it is after Monday morning, I am curious as to what you actually decided to do.  
May 28, 2007 03:46 AM
Gregory Maley
Sold Buy the Sea Realty & R.E.N.T. - Wilmington, NC
REALTOR, GRI, CBR, SHS, e-PRO, ABR
I like the idea of taking your flags to the parade.  Prospecting is always better when you can add a personal contact to it.   Get out there, meet people, hand out your flags.
May 28, 2007 04:22 AM
Tiffany McAnally
Keller Williams - Birmingham, AL

Mary, I would hate to lose the image as the "flag lady"... You've been building it for so long! If you really want to maintain that image, I would suggest that you knock on their doors and give them this free gift personally... You get to actually MEET the people, and I've found that in MY market, that personal touch really is noticed AND appreciated... Just my two cents...

May 30, 2007 03:53 PM
Dawn Workman
Veracity Real Estate Group, LLC - Camas, WA
Camas Real Estate Expert, MBA, 480-540-8100
Mary, I am curious what you decided to do. 
May 30, 2007 06:08 PM
Mary Buchner
Realty USA - Amherst/Clarence - Buffalo, NY
Amherst NY Real Estate, Relocation and Buffalo Homes for sale

Well folks,

Thank you for all of your input.  Since I was in a quandry of what to do this year, and since I got invited to an out of town graduation, I didn't do anything.  

I have decided that I will pass the flags out in my farm area door to door for the 4th of July holiday. 

Thank you for all of your suggestions.  

May 31, 2007 01:18 AM
Carl Berg
ERA Wilder Realty, Inc - Columbia, SC

Mary,

     I am a new Realtor and United States Army Infantryman. I do intend on putting out flags for the fourth of July. I talked about it with my BIC and I guess she has done it for the last 3 years and everyone loves it and the neighborhood looks great (Patriotic). I just have to find out where I can get them for the best price.

     Keep it up you are making a difference if not in your checkbook, but to those service members and their families that drive by.

May 31, 2007 05:16 AM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation
I've always admired the agents who do this, but I've also questioned whether they're effective at creating business.  Really, there is nothing like personal contact for generating business.  I suggest donating the flags to a local scout troop or Veteran's organization, and offer to handle the details for them such as ordering flags and taking them to the meeting place; provide hot coffee and donuts or cold lemonade and cookies for the people who work on the project.  If you make personal contact with 10 people who work on this project with you, you are more likely to get business than 250 flags placed in front of properties.
May 31, 2007 06:36 AM
Steven Shewell
Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. - Ephrata, PA
The Mortgage Maverick

Okay...you're known as the Flag Lady.  You have your "Hook" established.  Now let's look at why it's "not" working for you.

On first glance it may have to do with WHEN you are doing it.  You say "I get up early in the morning and am usually done in a few hours."  Have you ever stopped to consider if you may be more successful with this marketing activity if you moved your timing back a few hours and did it when people were up and moving around?

Being "known" as the Fag Ldy is nice, but having the neighborhood actually have met and really KNOW the Flag Lady is even better.  If they meet you personally and you give them their flag and chat with them for a few minutes, you will get a ton better mileage from this activity.

Give it some thought for your future marketing activities.  Actual interaction with your target market will yield much greater dividends.

Jun 02, 2007 03:21 PM
Carl Berg
ERA Wilder Realty, Inc - Columbia, SC

Mary,

       I have been farming my community every week for 3-4 months no phone call, no e-mail. I do however get A LOT of waves as I am driving through the community.

       On 3 July My wife, 4 kids and I packed up in the truck and passed out flags until 3 am. Yes it was a long night, but we were together and it did look beautiful. Well the next day I received 2 e-mails saying thank you. The one lady went as far as to tell me that they had a neighborhood block party and I was the talk of the town that night. About 2 days later I received a phone call saying thank you. So even though no sales YET, I did make an impact and I did get my name out there.

                                                          

Jul 11, 2007 12:38 AM