| Times have changed, so why is it that everyone | | | | Magazine about getting published, I came to them |
| is still working with the old forms prospecting? | | | | with an article entitled "How Sales Is like Dating" |
| Today's market requires innovative new | | | | for their Sales Coach column. Offering up |
| techniques to convert suspects into prospects | | | | information on sales skills is always a timely topic |
| and prospects into sales. Today's buyers and | | | | for Realtors, and it has the benefit of being an |
| sellers are inundated with marketing and | | | | evergreen topic as well (which means that it will |
| advertising. David Shenk in his book Data Smog - | | | | be used over and over again and will never be |
| Surviving the Information Glut, states that the | | | | out of date). Comparing sales to dating made it |
| average American encountered 560 daily | | | | different and interesting, which is something that |
| advertising messages in 1971. By 1997 that | | | | most publications strive for. The fun and funky |
| number had increased to over 3,000 per day. Can | | | | approach that the article to also appealed to the |
| you imagine how big that number is today? With | | | | personality profile of the average real estate |
| that much competition there is no way to stand | | | | agent which made it much more likely to get |
| out from the crowd. | | | | published. Before I submitted the article I also |
| This is why cutting-edge marketers are looking | | | | checked with the editors about their submission |
| into how they can respond to a client's need | | | | guidelines to make sure that my article was the |
| rather than seeking them out actively when they | | | | right length and format so that it had any chance |
| aren't needed. No longer is brand recognition the | | | | at all of being published. Then I got lucky. It |
| key word of the day. Instead, it's now our job as | | | | seems that the editors had been looking for a |
| marketers to make sure that we are the first (or | | | | feminine voice for their Sales Coach column. |
| at least the most compelling) people someone | | | | If you're smart, you'll publish articles in magazines |
| finds when they are looking for us. | | | | that target your particular niche. This way not |
| The Internet Is The Place To Be | | | | only are you exposing yourself to potential clients, |
| As you probably know, over 84% of buyers | | | | but you're exposing yourself to people that you |
| start their search on the web. This means that | | | | actually want to work for, and to whom your |
| the Internet is the single most effective venue | | | | website is targeted. |
| for focusing our response marketing efforts. If | | | | Don't Discount the MLS |
| you spend money on no other new client | | | | People aren't just doing research on the web to |
| marketing this year, spend your marketing dollar | | | | find out general information about real estate, |
| here. It's not that expensive, and the returns are | | | | they are actually looking for houses. And when |
| far greater than any other marketing venue | | | | they do that, they will eventually end up on or |
| today. But how do you stand out from the | | | | some other MLS access portal. When this |
| crowd? | | | | happens, your MLS description becomes your first |
| Content is King | | | | marketing contact with potential buyers and |
| When people go looking for information about real | | | | sellers. Too many agents are still leaving this |
| estate, the first thing they do is search for key | | | | critical marketing content to their assistants, or |
| terms through a search engine. Google, MSN, | | | | dashing it off themselves without much thought. |
| Yahoo and others are the library card catalogs of | | | | Remember they did ad copy includes a call to |
| today. In order to get listed on these search | | | | action and a motivation to act. If your MLS listings |
| engines you need to have great, timely, | | | | don't include this, then you're missing the boat. |
| up-to-date copy; and it needs to be some place | | | | Failure to Convert Equals Failure to Close |
| where people can find it. | | | | No one signs a listing contract without someone |
| Blogs | | | | closing and asking for the sale. Just like with the |
| Having a blog is one of the best ways to get | | | | contract, you can't expect prospects to get in |
| found online. Search engines look at blogs as | | | | touch with you unless you give them a reason to |
| timely, new, hot content and therefore they index | | | | get in touch and then ask them to do so. You |
| it higher than static webpages. They also index it | | | | may choose to offer people a low-commitment |
| more frequently. So you can write a blog post | | | | form of contact such as an auto responder or |
| today and it will be indexed before tomorrow; | | | | white paper or you may simply ask them to |
| whereas an update to a static webpage could | | | | e-mail or call you. So long as you ask, your |
| take as much as a week to show up. | | | | chances of converting a surfer to a lead are |
| Podcasts | | | | greatly improved. |
| A podcast is a great addition to a blog. It allows | | | | Social Networking Sites |
| prospects to hear your voice, get a sense of | | | | Social networking sites like Linked in, Facebook, |
| your personality, and begin to feel as if they | | | | and Plaxo are other ways to get more business. |
| already know you. It breaks down the barriers | | | | Let's face it, people still prefer to work with |
| that keep people from contacting you. But you | | | | someone they've been referred to. These sites |
| have to do more work on podcasts. Not only do | | | | allow you to tap into your friends and family and |
| you have to come up with relevant content, but | | | | clients social networks. For sites like Linked In and |
| you have to record it, edit it, and post it out to | | | | Plaxo you can also ask clients to recommend you, |
| the appropriate websites. Then, if you hope to | | | | which automatically shows up on your profile |
| have it indexed by the search engines, you also | | | | when people go searching for you. It's almost as |
| need to post a transcript of the podcast along | | | | though your client looked at their friend and said |
| with show notes since search engines can't read | | | | "hey, you really want to work with Sally. She's |
| audio files to know what sort of content they | | | | awesome!" Connecting to your clients through |
| hold. | | | | these portals also allows you to know when |
| Articles | | | | there's been a change in their status at work and |
| A way to be found and to build credibility at the | | | | often at home as well. This gives you the |
| same time is to get articles published both on and | | | | opportunity to contact them at relevant points in |
| off-line. It has been my experience that it is | | | | their life rather than random comments need |
| easier to get articles published online than it is | | | | through general newsletters. |
| off-line, but that will depend upon the size of your | | | | Relevancy is Key |
| market. Obviously, it will be easier to get published | | | | Sadly, we are so inundated with messages that |
| in a small town than in a big city. The key to | | | | have no benefit or relevance to us, that we are |
| getting published and getting business from your | | | | often overwhelmed and find it difficult to listen to |
| articles is to: | | | | any message at all. Therefore, if you hope to be |
| - Take a unique approach to a timely topic. | | | | noticed, then the single most important thing you |
| - Know the publication you're writing for and | | | | can do is to make sure that what you have to |
| make sure your article fits with their values, | | | | say is relevant to the person that you're asking |
| structure, and format. | | | | to listen to you. If you can stay on track with |
| - Make sure that your article appeals to their | | | | that one mandate, then you will find your |
| target market | | | | popularity growing by leaps and bounds. |
| For instance, the first time I approached Realtor | | | | |