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Advertising? Marketing? What do you do?

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty Professionals, Inc.

I am kind of wondering what needs to be done in this market.  I have read many blogs and understand that you need to keep doing it all, newspaper, real estate guides/booklets, radio, billboards and yes, cannot forget the internet. 

I basically use the internet for the majority of my marketing.  I feel you need good search engine placement and I think I am doing pretty good in that area and I do get leads from it.  I have my own main website (http://www.Searcy4Sale.com) and several others that I link back to each other. 

I am also doing individual property websites like http://www.8KingCircle.com and all of these link back to my main website.  I like doing these individual property sites because I can showcase many photos and get a lot more information out there.  Also, it is easier to do an ad in the paper and give a brief description and then add the web address.  This will save on word count.  I even had a customer that uses the house as a rental and he sent rental prospects to the site to look at before he spent his time showing it.  That seller loves it and so do my other clients.

A am still doing the normal newspaper and real estate guide advertising but on a reduced size.  As long as they are out there, I feel you need to have some kind of presence.  I have read and attended conferences that said eliminate half of your print advertising expense and put in the internet marketing.  I have done that but feel you still need to be there, even if it a small part.

I used to do newsletters and was big on post cards.  I stopped that a few years ago and wonder if that was a mistake.  With this type of marketing, it takes consistancy in order for this to pay off.

I would like to know what are you doing in this market to keep new business going.  I am in rural Arkansas about 50 miles North of Little Rock and have about 20,000 population in my town and about 50,000 in the county I operate.  I know there are some things that I would need to do different if I was in a larger area but would like to know what you are doing if you are in a similar market size.  We have over 100 agents after the same business and you have to be different but effective.

Also, are you using social networking and how are you using it.  I joined facebook several months ago and the agents I have seen on there mostly brag about what they are doing and I had to hit "hide" on some of them.  My wall was filling up with that they were telling about and got tired of that.  I started out doing that also and some may have hit "hide " on me also.  Now I have come to the conclusion, everyone does not want to hear that I had a closing today, I had 15 showing with the prospect etc..  Yes, you may say that you want everyone to see that you are working but if they hit the "hide" button, then they won't see you at all unless they actually decide to look at your wall.  I want to use it as a vehicle of giving helpful ideas and suggestions that I have had experiences with.  Let them come to the conclusion that I am a professional instead of me telling them that I am.  That's my thoughts on that, what are yours?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and ideas!

My name is Larry DeGroat and I am a Realtor at Realty Professionals, Inc. in Searcy, Arkansas 72143 and I sell new homes, existing homes, commercial property, farms and land as well as manage and own rental properties. If you are looking for real estate for an investment or a home, I will be glad to assist you! You can call my personal cell number at 501-278-7659 or e-mail me at Larry@Searcy4Sale.com. Visit my website at http://www.searcy4sale.com if you are looking for Searcy homes for sale or other areas.

Stanton Homes
Stanton Homes - New Home Builder - Raleigh, NC
Design/Build Custom Home Builder in North Carolina

Active Rain is a great place to be, particularly to showcase communities, area attractions, etc.

Jun 04, 2009 06:55 AM
Anonymous
Shelly Hunter

There are a lot of different types of social media groups and professional media groups you can use to get your name out there, Activerain is great, Facebook is ok, Linkedn, Naymz, Getfave etc. Those help in getting your name on the search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. I also do a pay per click campaign on those search enignes as well. I use The Search Engine Pros who only charge 10% of my monthly budget to manage my PPC campaign. They can also help with the media profiles. 

I am backing off on the newspaper and flyers, going more toward the internet. Craigslist is huge for me too!

 

Shelly Hunter

Jun 04, 2009 07:05 AM
#2
Anonymous
Shelly Hunter

This is the website for The Search Engine Pros   www.thesearchpros.com

Jun 04, 2009 07:06 AM
#3
Billie Hillier
http://702IsHome.com - North Las Vegas, NV
Savvy Home Realty Solutions

Hi Larry -

 

The key is to maintain a balanced marketing campaign with the most important part of it is to TRACK YOUR LEADS!!!

What works for one agent won't 100% work for another. I have clients all over the US with different types of business model (some are all REO, others are 100% luxury, short sale, mixed, etc.) and we start with a plan, implement it and measured the results. At the end of each month we review the lead source (sign call, Web site lead, CraigsList lead, etc) and adjust our markeing efforts accordingly.

Also, are you new or well known in your area? Do you have to establish yourself or are you already established?

Internet is golden but you still need to maintain personal contact with your SOI and past clients. There are "traditional" methods that you still need to keep as part of your marketing.

 

Billie Hillier
___________________
Practical Real Estate Marketing
The Internet Has Changed the Way Clients Find You - Let Us Help Them
www.PracticalRealEstateMarketing.com

 

 

Jun 04, 2009 08:24 AM
kirk johnson
Working The Magic - Bellingham, WA

Larry,

Seems that you have to watch the budget.  I have no idea on what search term you are going after.  "Searcy real estate" got about 2,400 in the month of April accourding to google keyword tool, which you are #2 on Google for.  Your #1 competitor on Google can be taken quite easily, but it will take time.  Stick to the internet, paper marketing is dying.  First thing, create your own blog page and first blog on your site and then blog on Active Rain.  You are giving Active Rain link juice without getting some back.  Wordpress blog platform is free, you need linux server to use it.  There are many wordpress themes that are for free.  That is what we use for all our clients new websites.  SEO friendly and it is easy to use.  For your area info page, see my "why should I move here blog", it will make sense.  The content will help you get more search terms for your areas.  For more info on SEO practices real estate seo  Browse through and see if it will help you.

Jun 04, 2009 08:55 AM
Rebecca Levinson, Real Estate Marketing and Online Advertising Consultant
Real Skillz-Clear Marketing for Your Real Estate Vision - Lake Geneva, WI

I have my own ideas about your post, being that my business is marketing, but you have shared here transparently and have asked others to do the same.  Let's see what other offerings and discussion can be generated here.

** THIS POST IS FEATURED IN THE EPRO INTERNET MARKETING GROUP**

Jun 05, 2009 02:08 AM
Sandy Blanton
Pensacola Real Estate - Team Sandy Blanton Realty, Inc. - Pensacola, FL
Pensacola Real Estate- #1 in 07null- 09null

I'd say stick with the internet. In our area, the local homes magazine and newspaper etc are not very effective and are very expensive. However, direct mailing is still very effective- the only form of print advertising we do.

Jun 08, 2009 08:42 AM
Sandra Mathewson
RE/MAX 4000 - Grand Junction, CO
CRS, CLHMS, ABR, SRES, GRI, CDPE, PSA, SFR, CNHS

Some good advice above.....print is on its way out, internet is the way you want to go. 

You are right..people on Facebook do not want to hear about your closings and how many showings you are doing.  The ones that are saying that have not read "want not to do on Facebook and Twitter".  Social media is "soft" marketing.  Everyone knows you sell real estate, you just don't keep telling them.  There are several good blogs for Facebook marketing, subscribe to a RSS feed and keep reading.  The others will fail with their approach.  Social media has a zero tolerance for sales pitches.

Good luck!

 

Jun 08, 2009 03:55 PM