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Internet Advertising Only? ..... I Think Not !

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 311291

 Do Not Forget Print Advertising!

 

A recent post seemed to take the position that anyone who spends money on print advertising is wasting money and that those old-fashioned ads that stain your fingers may make the sellers feel good, but they don't sell houses.

Call me old-fashioned then, but I do both print and Internet advertising. I know that not everyone who buys a house - or who is helping someone look for a home - is in their 30's. There is another generation, and they do read newspapers, and they do need print ads. This generation includes people with lots of disposable income who are looking for nice homes. It also includes people with children and grandchildren who may need a new home, and these parents have time to help their kids with the search. 

Why would you ignore an entire group of potential clients by refusing to talk to them in the way that will reach them? Sure, many of them are tech-savvy, but they often find us on the web after seeing our names and faces in newspapers or hearing us on the radio.

Most potential buyers start a home search on the internet before they ever contact a Realtor®. But that doesn't mean that just having a Web presence is enough, any more than doing the Three P's is enough.

1-Placing the listing in the MLS, 2-Placing a sign in the ground, and 3-Praying  - these three things are not enough to sell houses...not in this market!

 

 

 

 

Know the market, take time to listen and learn about the client's needs, working my vast network of connections and resources, investing my time and talent in each transaction, and yes, placing ads in print media that sells houses. Sure, you can Google me and my properties anytime. I'm there.



Some sellers like to see their home in print, and others love to see it on their computer.  Sometimes the parents see it in the newspapers, and the kids see it in another city on the website.

Whether it's a big ad on your web site or a print ad in the local paper, how can it be wrong to do whatever it takes to reassure your seller while you market their home?

The full-service commission that I receive does pay for the print ads for the Internet ads and for the many hours of my time. My experience goes into getting the best price for your home and making sure the seller is happy. This advertising also keeps my name and face in front of the public and keeps a future waiting list of buyers and sellers.

So forget print advertising ?.... NOT at this time.



Margaret Rome

 

Posted by

Margaret Rome
HomeRome Realty
Broker/Owner/Realtor®

Baltimore, Maryland


Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

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Comments (84)

Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

I like your print ads.  They definitely give you name recognition, while marketing the properties.

Mar 24, 2007 08:48 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Randy,  Thanks for your kind words. That is exactly what I am trying to achieve.

 

 

Mar 24, 2007 12:00 PM
Anonymous
Hillary

What a delight to read your blog!

 

Thank you for defending print media--  I'd like to think that, as an employee of the Merchandiser Newspaper, our paper reaches your target audience and truly makes a difference in your business.  And I am more than certain that advertising with the Merchandiser pays off!  It's funny, even as we sit in "Dummy Day" (when we look at a mock up of the paper and make necessary changes) each of my co-workers carefully studies your ad, seeing what new listings you may have and if there's anything in their price range-- and there usually is!  

 

I am so happy that you have had continuing success with the Merchandiser-- no doubt because of our exclusivity (Margaret is the ONLY realtor running in her selected paper) and because our paper is delivered to single family homes and town homes.

 

But Margaret, I am also certain that your success is  because of your obvious care for your career and for your clients.  You have never been anything short of a pleasure to work with and I look forward to speaking with you each month to get changes for your ad.  Thank you for making my job easier!!

 

Thanks again! 

Mar 26, 2007 08:20 AM
#66
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Hillary, Thanks for your kind words. You and George have made it a pleasure to advertise in the Merchandiser. The exclusivity plus the direct delivery to private homes is a definite bonus!

 

www.HomeRome.com

Baltimore,Md

Mar 27, 2007 02:10 AM
Christopher Webster
EXP Realty, LLC - Columbia, SC
Columbia South Carolina Real Estate For Sale
I agree, you must use all avenues for advertising. Why not? Target all areas.Just always ask where they found you. The more you advertise, the more return you receive!
May 01, 2007 07:03 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Hi Chris, Just read this on one of your blogs: "One thing that I see in the business is agents that are outdated with their technology. There are too many free things out there. I'm so interested in helping others that I'm starting up a fast track to success program on free technology. Also optimizing your website. As a seasoned agent I know that technology is an everyday effort. I use what time that I have free to market myself however possible. If you look up my name you'll see that each week new links just keep coming.''

Where are you posting these links?

May 02, 2007 12:58 AM
Gail Robinson
William Raveis Real Estate - Southport, CT
CRS, GRI, e-PRO Fairfield County, CT
I carefully track my advertising dollars and I have dramatically decreased the amount I spend on print advertising over the past few years as the return on investment just isn't there.  I do sponsor a newsletter for a co-op complex (the last page is a full-page, full-color ad for my real estate business and an article on local real estate, of course) that is published 6 times a year.  I also send out glossy, jumbo postcards of new listings 1-2 times a month.  However, the best print advertising, I've found is not really advertising, but public relations.  The local newspaper did a full-color spread on one of my new listings last week and The New York Times is doing one on another listing, which should be out in a few weeks.
Jul 13, 2007 05:11 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
Gail, PR is the absolute best way to get your message out to the public. Will you share with us how you were able to get your local paper and the NYT to feature your listings. That  would be an awesome blog!
Aug 02, 2007 09:57 AM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate
I know everyone has different view points. I was doing those type of advertisements for years in many of the same type of publications you showcased on your blog. The last few years the amount of calls that those pieces generated was next to nothing. Advertising on the Internet in many different places has had much more of a cost to value effect than print advertising for me and my team.

This could be partially due to the fact that I am just outside Boston which is a hot bed for tech firms. Many of the buyers purchasing in my market place are very tech savvy. Of course I agree that the older generation may not be computer savvy and may be doing more of their searching in papers. If I was marketing over 55 housing I would certainly go that route.

I do use print advertising for promoting myself as a Realtor in the local newspaper and of course through mailings. I just don't see a good cost to value relationship for homes especially when a print piece has a short shelf life and little return. Print advertising over the last few years has been more of a listing tool than an effective way to get a property sold. When I was doing advertising in the Boston Globe the previous two years I would be spending substantial dollars - for what? To get maybe two or three calls a month? That does not make good business sense! I was spending over $2000 a month advertising just in the Sunday section of the Globe. The other type publications such as Homes magazine were even worse. Bottom line I guess is that everyone's market is different. I would be willing to bet though that in the next five years you will see further cuts in newspaper ads.

Aug 21, 2007 05:33 AM
Tim Decker - The Real Estate Book
Real Estate Book - Mullica Hill, NJ

Good post, for people who say print is dead, there is that generation who is not using the internet. There is also the generation of young people who use the internet but are hands on and like to look through a print magazine.

Aug 27, 2007 08:05 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Bill, Thanks for taking time to share your opinion. The internet certainly gives a much better cost to value ratio.  "Print advertising over the last few years has been more of a listing tool than an effective way to get a property sold"  Hopefully my print ads drive viewers to my website. Being a listing agent, I need do a variety of advertising including print, internet and radio.

Tim, Thank you. There are still plenty of people who read print.

Aug 27, 2007 10:13 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
Troy, You are right that we need a mix. THanks for your chart. Is there an updated version?
Feb 23, 2008 10:54 AM
Jeff Vandermate
The Real Estate Book - Pasadena, CA

Very nice post! I am in the advertising field myself and agree with you 100%, print and the internet needs be like a marraige. They should both compliment one another. Look at The Real Estate Book in your local market, they also feed to the internet for free! Thank you

May 16, 2008 11:23 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Jeff, Glad that you agree. I was a panalist in DC today and spoke about how my print ads are geared to my website.

 

May 16, 2008 01:22 PM
Steven Nickens
Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers - Wailea, HI
R(S)GRI ABR, Maui Real Estate Hawaii

In a market like this I find print to be a waste of money

May 16, 2008 03:33 PM
Tim Montoya
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc - Abingdon, MD
CDPE, SFR, MDI

Remember, the computer was supposed to make us a paperless society, along with the credit card. There are a lot of things that we will never completely turn away from. If done properly, different types of advertising can compliment each other. I'm sure anyone who has a website initially advertied their web address somewhere. Using print ads to point customers to your site is a great way to get those who are not "tech savvy" to learn a new skill. Maybe hold a seminar for those that are less than proficient on a computer and advertise it with a print ad. Just a thought.

Jun 06, 2008 12:20 PM
Carson Porter
Baltimoresun.com - Baltimore, MD

here's my chart:

Buyers are buying homes they find online

Jun 26, 2008 02:27 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Steven, We do have different opinions.

Tim, I would love to come to your seminar. Let me know when and where.

Carson, Thanks for the chart.

 

Aug 15, 2008 09:44 AM
Cristal Drake
Prudential California Realty - Fullerton, CA
Realtor - Fullerton Real Estate

Margaret, thanks for this post.  I am guilty of really just doing on line ads.  Well, not totally, my flyer box is ALWAYS full with nice color flyers.  I hate it went the flyer box is empty!  This is a great reminder though.

I love your "P" system reference!  I wrote a blog about making sure that isn't all you are getting from your agent a while ago!

Aug 16, 2008 02:53 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Cristal, Online is where it's at! However, we need to get the people to the internet. I have qualtiy  calls, for listings, from my print ads.

Sep 13, 2008 03:54 PM