I Have a Farm

Great idea and some great ideas from those that have commented.  I primarily get my clients from the internet and referrals but am also considering starting to farm.

Good for you for having a plan.  Think about what you can do to bring value to the homeowners.  IMHO, people who are willing to go outside the "I asked my friend, relative, fellow church-goer, etc" to list my home are seeking professional services and someone focused on providing value to them. 

Dale, consistency will pay off.  I am a big fan of door knocking because most people still prefer personal communication.  If no one is at home, I do not leave any information behind but I do visit them at another time.  After awhile, you become a familiar presence in those communities.

Great job on deciding to farm! I found the keys to farming to be consistency and personal touch. I tried the "paper at the door" approach and watched 3 For Sale signs go up in my neighborhood. Good luck and much success!!

Dale - Don't just tell them who you are - focus on THEM. 

I'm glad to see that you're planning to deliver a newsletter with sales stats. That's a good start. In addition, you could offer to do a market analysis so they can decide whether now is a good time to sell. In other words, offer some service without obligation. 

Once you get a listing in that territory, be sure to send just listed cards, under contract cards, and just sold cards. 

I'd also recommend becoming involved a bit more personally. Attend their yard sales, have coffee at the local shop, go to the kids' ball games - always wearing something that identifies you as an agent. 

As mentioned by a number of people consistency is the answer. I also would market to more then 97 homes.

Dale-kudos for your farming.  The biggest producers in Silicon Valley are farmers.  I've farmed, trained farming and watched farmers since 1976 and here's my thoughts: 

Newer tracts have higher turnover rates than older ones.  Face-to-face is best.  People want to see a newsletter that shows how much homes have been listed and sold for in their immediate nieghborhood (not two tracts away) because they can relate to it--include a small street map of the farm area to help them relate.  Have a great listing presentation so you can convert calls to listings.  The more they see you and your name the better (you need "top of the mind" awareness), so include just listed/just sold post cards, open house anouncements and signs with your name, personal invitations to open houses nearby.  drip, drip, drip, drip.  Have patience, consistency and tenacity.  Preview all homes in your farm area and watch when and for how much they sell.  Use that knowledge in your CMAs.  Never stop learning more about the farm and about RE because it's always changing.  Concentrate on the work activities and the money will follow.  

Combine it with your on line marketing approaches.  Do a face book page for the area.  Maybe a small dedicated web site.  Or at least blog on the area and provide an easy web address to that set of blogs.

Dale, this is a top notch plan!  I love the idea of tying the door hangers and postcards to the unique neighborhood website.

Dale, thanks for this excellent post as you've shared, from your heart, your marketing plan. This is great!

I would highly recommend  that you have in place an ASP (Accredited Staging Professional) from your area and a professional photographer.  These a 2 VERY IMPORTANT 'tools' to have in your  'toolbox' and on your 'team'.  You and the ASP stager could farm the neighborhood together!

Go to www.stagedhomes.com/do-stage to see an example of what you would get by using an ASP Home Stager in your area - the stagedhomes site gets over 10 million hits per month from buyers searching for homes. This is a FREE marketing tool for the agent and homeowner who uses the ASP stager that they choose in their area to stage their listings! I wish I were in Tracy, California to help you!!

I'm so glad, by the way, that you are completely healed from your serious accident in 2006.  Blessings to you in all of your real estate endeavors.

Great idea to start a farm and build a campaign around it.  I didn't read all the comments but thought it might be a great idea to start a Facebook page about the community.  Search out and find neighbors and invite them to join so they can share neighborhood thoughts, etc.  You can help plan an event or charity drive or something that is significant for the community.  Good luck!

Fantastic post today, really enjoyed the read, I'm gearing up for another exciting weekend, hope you are as well. Have a good one.  Liz in Chandler

I think that going back to the old fashioned face-to-face type of farming is a great idea. 

Farming is a great method to becoming an area's expert. 

Hello Farmer Dale. Thanks for sharing your plan. I like it. We've farmed before with some success. I found that combined online with offline was very powerful. I would write monthly market report blogs, and send postcards. One of our sellers said she called because she saw me everwhere!

Now I'm thinking we need to get back to farming that neighborhood!

My company AnnieMac offers complimentary course on farming to our Worx referral partners.

Dale, I have been in the business since 1992 and if you do what you say you are going to do I really think you will be successful and you will get business.  Face to Face contact is allways the best.  Hang in there and dont get down.  This business will get you down believe me I know I have been on the coaster ride for 22 years now. 

Hi Dale,

I haven't sent out any mailers, but I have had some success going door to door. I pick up a client for every hour I knock, haven't closed any yet, but that is better than waiting for them to come to you! Good luck!

Hi Dale,

Great idea for farming. Consistency, bulls-eye marketing and personal presence. I think we all fall prey to the "farming" is a waste of time and the internet is the answer. Well I think a selection of both still work quite nicely depending on your type of market. I know for a fact when I do a postcard mailing I get listings!! I really think it totally depends on your market what will work the best. Good luck and I hope you will have great success.