Are your freebies up to date?

Many real estate agents have been in the practice of giving away free info or freebies in exchange for a name and phone number or email address. Even before marketing online took hold, many provided toll-free info lines. If you’re doing something like this, now may be the time to step back and reevaluate whether your “freebie” provides the same value it used to.

With the changed economy, many buyers and sellers have new concerns and different questions they’d like answered. Think of ways that you can be the agent in your area that is providing the answers potential clients are seeking. Whether you create a free report for how short sales work, or what to do if a seller suddenly finds themselves upside down in their home, to the best ways to take advantage of the new $8000 tax credit, your freebie will work a lot better for you if it’s providing current info.

And don’t feel like you have to take the time to write up an extensive free report, either. With so many great online tools, you should be able to get something up quickly. Think about providing a free audio or video series answering many of the questions your clients have been asking you lately. Using an autoresponder system to deliver a series may actually increase the perceived value of your free offer, and can be very easy to create. Remember, people just need their questions answered - they aren’t looking for time-consuming reports to read, or long videos to watch. 2-3 minutes is more than enough to answer a question, and you’re showing that you value their time as much as they do!

So take a minute today to look at what you’re currently offering. If you don’t have a freebie yet, now’s a great time to create one!