Featured Real Estate Marketing Articles
Client Relationships Can Be
Your Best Source of New Business
By Joel N. Sussman
If you thought you were wasting your time keeping in touch with former clients, you may want to take a fresh look at that point of view. According to a study released just last month by the National Association of Realtors®, more than half the people who bought or sold property selected their agent or broker either through a referral or as the result of a previous client relationship. The 2005 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, based on more than 7,800 responses to a national questionnaire, revealed some interesting patterns in consumer behavior.
Specifically, it was shown that 44% of buyers chose their agent or broker on the basis of a referral by a friend, neighbor, or relative; and 11% used an agent from a previous transaction. From a marketing standpoint, it's also relevant to note that 7% of the respondents found an agent on the Internet, 7% met at an open house, and 6% followed up on contact information displayed on a 'for sale' sign. So while it makes sense to have a strong presence on the Internet and to continue holding open houses, casting a wider net for referrals may be one of the best ways to increase your sales.
| Personal Recognition May Be the Missing Ingredient
As you experiment with different techniques to stay in touch with past and prospective clients, the key element in making a good impression is personalization. If people feel like they're being treated like 'just another name' on your mailing list, then your letters and greeting cards will often be perceived as junk mail. For that reason, sending out a generic birthday or anniversary card with only a signature and no personal note is usually a waste of time, paper, and postage. People want to know that you actually remember them and have taken a couple minutes to think of them, rather than delegating the task to the office secretary, for example. (Perception is all that matters.) And if you can remember something specific about the client or prospect, and comment on it, then they'll definitely sit up and take notice. Something as simple as "Hope you're getting more sleep now that the baby is older!" or "How did the remodeling project go?" can add a much-needed personal touch to your communications!
Consistently monitoring the local newspaper for civic awards, job promotions, wedding announcements, sports team victories, and other milestones is a habit that can help you personalize messages and cement relationships with clients. Not only can you send them a congratulatory note, but you can also enclose a clipping of the announcement as an added gesture. The fact that you've taken a moment to recognize their accomplishment or special occasion will definitely help you win points. And, since you never know when they're going to need your services again or when they'll be asked if they can recommend a good real estate agent, you need to periodically keep your name in front of them as a reminder of your interest, enthusiasm, and availability.
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Another approach to staying in touch is through a quarterly newsletter. (Issuing it monthly would be too time-consuming for most agents and brokers.) Bulletins that you write and localize yourself would tend to generate more interest than a generic pre-written version, but perhaps in the interest of time management, a combination of the two might be the ideal solution. As an alternative (or a supplement) you might also consider producing a permission-based email newsletter, an online e-zine, a blog, or simply a regularly updated web site. Regardless of how you approach it, keeping the lines of communication open between you and your existing and prospective clients can translate into repeat business, lucrative referrals, and more bottom-line sales profits.
How to Attract Clients & Close More Sales
by Joel Sussman
When you boil the real estate sales process down
to its essential ingredients, you end up with four
basic steps:
1) Attract prospects' attention
2) Arouse their interest
3) Trigger desire
4) Inspire definitive action
The path leading to that final hurdle of closing
the sale is marked by a number of challenges, ranging
from winning the prospect's trust to anticipating and
overcoming objections.
It can't be overemphasized that both the spoken and
written word are your most powerful allies in the quest to
convert a prospect into a satisfied client.
Establish an Emotional Connection
Whether you're writing a sales letter or conducting
a house tour, triggering your prospect's emotions can
be a highly effective marketing tactic. Whenever appropriate,
focus on the feelings they'll experience when they
settle into their new home. Paint a mental picture for them
of the beautiful park-like setting of the property,
the peaceful, friendly neighborhood they'll be
moving into, the cozy, crackling fire they'll relax in front of
on those cold winter nights, the enjoyable dinner parties
they'll throw in their rich-looking dining room, and
the fond, memories they'll create raising their family
in a new home. Once you've established what their "hot buttons"
are, you can then emphasize those sought-after features and
intangeable qualities in your house tours, phone calls, and emails.
Helpful Pointers for Sales Letters and Ads
Design and write your ad copy to focus on your clients'
goals, dreams, and desires. Allow your real estate offerings
to speak directly to their emotional and physical needs.
Give your letters and ad copy eye appeal by avoiding
a cluttered look, while, at the same time, highlighting the
benefits and desirable features of your listings. Emphasizing
benefits is one of the keys to selling real estate, so make
them stand out. Besides using bullets, such as checkmarks or
dark squares to highlight your selling points, you can call
attention to key words and sentences through the selective use of bolding, underlining, using a yellow highlighter effect, italics,
and exclamation points. A word of caution: using all caps, two
many font styles, excessive exclamation points, or too much
italics can make your text either difficult to read or just
plain tacky! Moderation is the best approach. Another good rule of thumb is to keep your ads and letters free from unnecessary words, phrases, and paragraphs that don't support and strengthen your message. Remember, many people have a short attention span
(are you still with me?), so avoid being verbose.
In studying tried-and-proven marketing methods over the
years, I can't tell you the number of times I've read how
important it is to end a sales letter with a compelling "P.S".
The impatient reader will often skim the bulletted points of a
letter and then skip down to the P.S. to glean the essence of
the message. This is a good opportunity to repeat a strong benefit,
reiterate the urgency of taking action now, or perhaps offer a
free report on how to increase the curb appeal or marketability
of their current home.
The art of putting a positive spin on things is not a talent
reserved for the public relations practitioner. If you make it
a habit to accentuate the positive and concentrate on being
a strong finisher, you'll build the foundation for a having
a solid competitive edge in the ever-changing real estate marketplace.
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Making money in real estate depends on many factors, not the least of which is the ability to establish and maintain relationships with prospective buyers and sellers. A new set of prospecting and 