More guerrilla marketing

Dena,

I'm amazed that so few real estate professionals are using guerrilla marketing tactics and strategies as you suggest in your article.  I have written a book about it titled Guerrilla Real Estate Marketing -- detailing over a hundred different tactics to increase an agent/broker's exposure to the market.

Too few people see the importance of that little business card: it's just one of many methods that work.  I've also detailed how to gather (capture is probably a better term) leads and put them into a follow up system, but alas, I guess most agents are just too busy to qualify their prospects and end up showing properties to a majority of people who can't qualify.

I won't solicit any links in this comment, but will leave it to your discretion to see my blog on Active Rain, or connect with me on Facebook.

Some of the tactics I wrote about made the difference to many a real estate company in their marketing campaigns and took them from a paltry 50K/annum income to almost as much on a monthly basis.

Some of the strategies would probably be considered zany at best: but one thing for sure -- they'll never forget you when it comes time to buy or sell property.

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell - Author

Guerrilla Real Estate Marketing

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ernest.odell

Here's one that a friend of mine was using in Oklahoma: she went out and bought about a hundred seed packs for a mixed flower arrangement and stapled her business cards to the (top) front of the seed pack where they could see the picture and the card.  Got lots of calls, sold a few houses.  I think the cards cost her about $35 for a thousand of them, and the seed packs she bought bulk from one of the online shops that gave her a discount.

Just an idea.  What with spring coming up in a few months, it might be a "blooming" idea to consider.  :=)

Ernest

Dena wrote:

"Ernest, Now that you have a few Realtors attention here let me ask you a question.

Should my marketing have a shelf life? After all your friend with the flower seeds made an impression but when the seeds were planted, the package and biz card discarded was she forgotten by those who didn't call her?"

Yes, I have found that all marketing tools (and campaigns) have a shelf life.  In the case of the flower seed promo, if the person taking the seed pack (with the attached business card) is not in the "market" for buying or selling real estate, it's not going to really matter if there's a shelf life or not.  The one who takes the flower seeds is only interested in the "freebie."

Yes, that is one of the costs associated with that particular method.

However, there are other times when the business card is removed and kept, or passed on to someone else -- perhaps a friend, co-worker or a family member when they come into the market of buying/selling a home.

Imagine the conversation of two friends chatting on the phone and one of them says, "I'm looking to buy a new home.", or "I need to sell my house and get into something bigger.", or (use your imagination...)

Then the person who has the business card will remember the "flower seed" attachment and say, "Hey, wait a minute.  I've got a card from a realtor that can probably help you."  And the rest is (albeit, imaginary) history.

What I want to point out in this scenario is the psychological connection of the flower seed pack to the business card.  Some people WILL, indeed, throw both away.  But we don't know the percentages of those who do and don't.

This is where a follow up system comes into play.

Now, here is where I'm going to "give up" some of my marketing advice for the benefit of your readers.

If you have a follow up system in place, like a "lead capture" system -- whether it is a call in system, or a web site (you SHOULD have one regardless) -- and you're offering them something of value, like a newsletter, or a monthly update of properties from your MLS, then you will be able to provide them some reason to "connect" with you and stay on your list.

I do this with several realtors across the country.  They have an automated system that emails me according to the parameters I choose -- be it daily, weekly or monthly -- of properties in their area.  Some of them were doing this before I came into their list.

And here is where we have to ask ourselves, "Which half of my marketing tactics aren't working?"

In answer to Andrew's question, it COULD be 80%, or it could be some other figure.  I'll use 50% in my example.

(Please forgive the lengthy reply, but I think it's necessary to make this clear.)

This is where we need a tracking system, and a follow up system working in tandem with each other.  Believe it or not, there are ways to accomplish this without eating up your time in the office.  It takes me less than 15 minutes every morning to peruse my automated reports, so it's not a time killer.

I have some solutions that have worked in the past, but they would probably be too lengthly to read here.  I could supply some of the chapters and articles which go into this "in-depth" if you wish.

I have used a variety of services (and "guerrilla" methods) to help my clients, 

Just a few examples:

Customized Promotional Items and Handouts

• Business Stationery
• Signs & Banners
• Promotional "Give-Away" Items (pens, calendars, journals, “giveaways”)
• Photo Items & Apparel (off-line printed media and “branded” apparel)
• Door hangers, brochures or sales fliers

I use iPrint.com and Kinkos for a lot of my print needs. For more formidable printing jobs, I have a local print shop print my reports and bind them for me. If I'm too rushed to take anything to the print shop, I can do it all online with FedEx/Kinkos.

VistaPrint.com is another great site where you can design stationery, signs (and even apparel, coffee cups, mouse pads, etc.) online, then have it shipped to you.

CafePress also a wide selection of promotional products that you can design online:

• T-Shirts & Clothing Sweatshirts Polos and Shirts Outerwear
• Activewear
• Kid's Apparel
• Hats & Bags
• Mugs & Drinkware
• Wall Clocks (which you can design with YOUR NAME on it)
• Yard Signs
• Calendars
• Journals
• Bumper Stickers
• Books, Reports, Pamphlets
• CD-ROM presentations

If you use promotional items or handouts in your business, both CafePress and VistaPrint offer customized products that you can tailor to your agency. You can upload photos, your contact info, and design everything online. You're only limited by your imagination.

Okay... now that I've inundated you with TMI, perhaps you can digest this later at your leisure and get some ideas from it.

Do any (and all) of these above mentioned media have a shelf life?

Absolutely.

I still have fliers in boxes out in the warehouse that expired years ago, but some of them are "generic" enough that I can continue to use some of them.  This is just something that you have to take into account when designing them.

Now... I hope that I've been beneficial in contributing to this conversation.  If you would like to drill deeper into this, don't hesitate to say something here, or give me a call.  I can usually be reached at 806-297-3267 during the day.  If the phone is busy, it's because I've got 2 calls going, or a conference.  Be patient and put your phone on "auto callback" so that when I hang up, your system can auto dial me.

I hope this has been helpful.  If I haven't been clear, let me know.

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell

Guerrilla Real Estate Marketing

P.S. In regards to the "shelf life" equation, I have to reiterate that everything has an expiration date: credit cards, marketing campaigns, even we humans.

That's why, when I design "give away" stuff like calculators, pens, mouse pads, etc., they are designed to be used generically and without an expiration date -- or without a limit to its shelf life.

Having said all that, even realtors need to take into account that this could be a legitimate expense that they can deduct from their taxes.  You'll have to consult with your CPA on that.  But, being a realtor/broker may put you in the "business expense" category where you could write this off.

Just another thought...

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell

Dena and All,

I'm glad that I could be of some help.  Forgive me if I was too verbose, but I had a lot to relate.

A little bit later, I'll post a link to an article on "The Top 100 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics To Explode Your Real Estate Business."

It's an article I wrote several months ago, which later became a chapter in my book, but I thought I would recompile it and put it up on my server for you and your readers.

If you find something you can use, great!  I will feel like I've done my duty.  If not, then delete it.  :)  I won't be offended.  ;)

It will be in PDF format, so it will be easy to download and read.  It has a few "live" clickable links in it, so if you want to browse some of the references, it will be easy enough.

I should be finished recompiling it by 6 or 7 this evening (CST).

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell

Dena and All,

I got the report finished early (I'm a fast reader!).  ;)

The Top 100 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics To Explode Your Real Estate Business is available by clicking the title link.

I know the title may come across as a bit "hokey" but I did that for a reason: to picque your interest to read this article/report.

This is just one chapter out of my book, but I hope this can be of benefit to you all.

Let me know if I can be of any help with ideas for promoting your agency/brokerage.

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell

Ph: 806-297-3267

Another good lead generation method that you might use: offer a free report or other gift on the back of your business card. Set up a "lead capture" page on your web site to collect their name and email addy, then "hook" that into an autoresponder series.

Now, this takes a little thought, and maybe some time, to develop -- maybe -- let's say, a 12 month series on a newsletter.

On the first series after the prospect subscribes to your "free report" -- let them know that will send them informative articles related to your market each month.

I know several realtors across the country who get article "templates" which is a great help, because a lot of them are not "writers" per se.

If you would like to explore this idea, I can give you some tips on where you can get a low cost to no-cost autoresponder, and help you set up a 12 series of "newsletters."

The key here is to really make them NEWS and not a sales pitch on a special property for the month. You can always include those "premiere" properties (with pictures) in your monthly.

There's even newsletter templates available on the Internet that you can get for little to nothing.

...just thought I would throw that out there.

Use those business cards like they were ammunition in a rifle and "target" your market segment!

(There! That's just one of the "keys" from my Real Estate Marketing Equation.)

Regards,

Ernest O'Dell

P.S. You WON'T find this information in my book: but maybe I should include it in the next edition.

Okay, Dena...

I'll make you the same deal here as I did on Facebook: Tell me the name of the actor or the character (or both) who said the quotation below, in which movie, and I'll send you the link to a free copy of my latest book.

"It's fine to do what you want to do, but sooner or later you have to do what you were meant to do."

I will also send you the link to a bonus book written by a friend of mine.

You WON'T be disappointed!

Ernest