Is Print DEAD??

Well Bridget I would have to agree print is dead.  At the company I work for we push listing appointments with strength of Internet marketing.  Research has shown that 79% of the people who have shopped for a home have checked the Internet first.  From there I spin off the Internet products and services I use and have created.  I have a colleague that has tested her open house several times on print ads verses Internet drive (both using signs as well) and she swears that print ads have done nothing for opens. IF you have an strong Internet product at your company push that in your presentation.

Stan 

The sellers are just looking for exposure and that is understandable.  The reality is that if you have 17 in homes in a neighborhood that haven't sold in a year. A full page ad won't sell it unless it has the most features and benefits for the least amount of money in about a 2 mile radius. Do not waste the money.

Now about exposure, unless you made a typo on the listing and it is not showing up on the search engines it is almost impossible to hide it. So the fact is the buying public and the local Realtor community knows it exist.

Solution, you have to have the talk with the sellers. Mr. and Mrs. Seller the fact that there are 17 homes in the immediate neighborhood and x amount in the immediate surrounding neighborhoods. If you were a buyer, which home would you buy? Why? It will boil down to the one that has the most features and benefits, for the lowest price is the next one to sell.

You have to tell them no matter what the outcome, even if it means losing the listing. I know that is tough after spending a year and money, the fact remains unless they are the best deal in the area, they aren't going to sell. Either "correct the price" or spend more time and money on a listing that won't sell.

"Priced Right" and "Not Selling" are not synonymous.

 Good Luck

Hi there,

Good question and you know you're not alone here. Konnie while reading this "week in review" I came across a post by Jeff Turner, I would urge you to read it. I knew better myself, yet Jeff's post was a wake up call and I'm grateful for that.

As for print, not totally sure if it.s dead, but on life-support. That would be my last choice, period. You've Postlets, right? And the property is all over the globe, right?

Konnie - I wouldn't wast your time on print either. Question for you - If there are 17 other homes in the neighborhood are any of those agents advertising in print? If so won't they see the house when they get to the neighborhood?

I know sellers get frustrated. This is the time when they always ask for things that will never work and they are just grasping at straws. It sounds like the price needs to come down further.

I would have to say, that yes, print is way dead, my friend works for a newspaper, and she said her sales are down by 30% this year....

Print ads just dont work in this market anymore.  80% of the buyers are shopping internet first.