ScreenDreamer LLC Success Notes

The REALTOR'S Guide to Being a Local Celebrity

The internet is a vital part of real estate advertising.  However, when you first encounter someone online, they’re a complete stranger.  Prospects like to feel that they know the person they are doing business with.

Make yourself stand out from the crowd.  Localizing your site and improving your local reputation is a great way to make consumers trust in you.  Local celebrities always seem to cash in on the big bucks, so why not give it a try?

 

Take yourself from REALTOR  to trusted local sales icon.

 

 

1. Show Yourself Off to the Public: Attend and Sponsor Local Events

Celebrities become well known because they don't hide in the shadows. They get out there and get noticed.

Sponsoring and attending local events is a great way to become an active and respected member of the community. If the general local public adores you and feels like they know you, they will recommend you to others.

       

So, what can you get involved with?                   Little league teams are always looking for sponsors. Imagine your logo on the front of shirts of 20 kids who will be all over town. This allows you to do something nice for the community and get some walking advertisements.                     The town carnival: Does your town have an annual town fair or picnic? Sponsor a booth and socialize! Collaborate with a popular company like the town pizzeria or the cotton candy vendor. Display your logo on their booth and get to know the members of your community at the same time.                     High school productions: Many high schools put on big plays every year and need to sell ad space. This is a cheap way to show your brand off to their parents. You can even attend the event or donate refreshments.                     Grand openings: New restaurant in town? You can be sure everyone else will be checking it out, so you should too. Be in the know and be where your prospects are. Celebrities always know what's going on. It also makes a great conversation starter when meeting someone knew who could be a potential client.                     Start a welcoming committee for new town residents. Consumers will remember how nicely you treated them and recommend you to others.

2. Show Off Your Expertise About Local Places on Your Website

The public looks for area information from other local celebrities: journalists, nightclub promoters, town officials and so forth. As a real estate professional, you help many people transition into the community and would be a prime candidate to provide them with this type of information.

After your experience at a new club, restaurant, Movie Theater or whatever else is new in the area, write a review on your site.

This will help increase your content count, but also shows how well you know the area. When someone chooses a new community, dining out, schools and entertainment can be an important factor. Show that you're an expert that knows what's happening around town.

You can even establish a successful blog where you write about these types of things. Your fans will soon be tuning in to read every week.

3. Famous All Over Town

Get your face all over town, literally. You need consumers to feel like they know you.

Celebrities have their face on the cover of national magazines, MTV and Vegas billboards.

       

Imitate this on a small scale:                   Advertise on shopping carts, picture included                     Get your face and ad on a local billboard or bus stop                     Make an appearance on the local news or cable access channel                     Buy an ad on local radio                     Attend town meetings and speak in front of everyone                     Do something noteworthy and notify the local papers                     Send out a press release every time you sell a house

4. Attitude is Everything

If you're going to be more well-known, you need to act and look the part all the time. We've all seen celebrity-ism backfire when celebrities can't control themselves.

Don't let a catfight at your son's hockey game or a rumble with a rude neighbor in the grocery store ruin your reputation.

       

Act professionally all the time; your potential clients are everywhere                 Be helpful to those in need                 We're all human, you're going to disagree with people, but talk to them about your problems privately, don't cause a scene.                 Share your expertise with others                 And most importantly, be yourself. Smile and be friendly. If you seem like an inviting person, others will respond the same way.

Are Your Prospects Clicking Through? Or Are They Just Through with You?

Getting new prospects to your website is no easy task. Once you get a consumer on your site, you need to find ways to keep them there.

If the visitor doesn’t like what they see or they can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll leave your site to search the web and they may end up on a competitor’s site.

 

Stop handing your prospects to the competition on a silver platter.

 

Here are 4 Realtor “must haves” that can help you to keep prospects on your website.

1. Do You      Have Enough Content?

The first step to keeping people on your website is to provide them with enough content. Saying “Hi, my name is Steve and this is my website” just won’t cut it.

Quality content serves many purposes. It answers questions, shows your expertise, engages people and keeps them clicking through your site, which will help your ultimate goal of getting more leads.

So, what should you be writing about?

-Your credentials: How many years have you been a REALTORâ? How else are you involved in the community? Have you won any awards? Share your biography with site visitors.

-The area: People want to know things about the counties and towns they are considering moving to. Make sure you inform them about things to do, schools, shops and more.

-Listings: Do your listings have descriptions? Offer prospects more than just a pretty picture.

-Get creative: Discuss the best restaurants in the area, nightlife, family fun ideas, community traditions and more.

 

2. Is      Your Website a Site for Sore Eyes or Just a Sore Sight?

Web design and pictures are very important. When was the last time you had a website redesign consultation?. If your site looks dated or has obnoxious colors, it can turn prospects off from the start. 

Make sure to:

-Use colors that are easy on the eyes and compliment each other

-Be consistent in terms of colors and patterns that match your branding

Photos are also an important part of making your site look up-to-par. Make sure to include a professional photo of yourself and any other members of your team if you’re a broker. 

 

People are easily captivated by visuals. Try adding a slideshow of your best listings.

 

3. Do You      Have Loads of Listings?

Having a website that lacks listings is the equivalent of having an ice cream sundae without the toppings. If given the choice, prospects would definitely leave a vanilla website in search of one with a few more sprinkles.

Are you using the latest IDX browser? If not you’re behind the times.

IDX allows you to display 1,000s of listings on your site. This offers prospects a variety and keeps them on your site a lot longer. It also allows you to offer site visitors’ incentives such as premium gold key services, giving you the opportunity to capture lead information. This information can be sent directly to your inbox or mobile device so that you can respond to leads in a timely manner and service prospects more efficiently. 

 

4. Services      and a Little Something More

Just because you’re a REALTOR doesn’t mean you can’t partner with other businesses.

People who are moving are in need of many services such as carpet cleaners, storage garages, moving trucks and more. Why let them leave your site to find these companies? Have a section where you suggest your preferred vendor to them. 

In return, have these vendors advertise for you. This is a win / win situation that can help both businesses. It even gives you one more thing to write about on your site. 

You can also think of unique ideas to include as a bonus to keep prospects on your site. This can include things such as maps, fun facts about an area, virtual tours and more.

 

Success Notes Bonus Tip:

Need more content? Make a list of curb appeal tips that prospects can try on their home before having an open house. Explain how following these easy steps can increase the value of their home. This will show prospects that you know your stuff and will give them something to get excited about.

In the Next Success Notes…

When searching the internet, sometimes it’s hard for consumers to figure out how legitimate something is. When a prospect comes across something that is local or familiar, the “I’ve heard of that” light bulb goes off and they continue to read. Are you just another name online? Or are you becoming a familiar face? Take yourself from a stranger to friendly neighborhood REALTORâ in just a few easy steps. In the next Success Notes, we’ll discuss ways you can maximize your site by making it more localized. 

 

 

 

Getting the Most Out of Your Marketing Efforts

Getting the Most Out of Your Marketing Efforts 

Promoting your business is hard work and can also be costly at times. 

Don’t allow your efforts to go to waste. Get the best results for the time and money you’re putting into marketing.

Are you marketing during the most effective times? Are you running cross promotions? 

Check out 4 ways to get the most out of your efforts.

1.Follow Up with Leads in a Timely Manner

 
A lead not followed up on is a lead wasted. Some companies lose up to 30% of their leads because they do not follow up properly. Do you have a set procedure to follow up on your inquiries?

 

Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) such as Salesforce.com make it easy to follow up with leads. Imagine being able to get leads delivered from your website into your inbox or mobile device.

As you know, it can take a lot of marketing and hard work to get each inbound lead. Maximize your success by: 

•   Calling each lead back within a half hour 
•   Sending out an auto responder to web inquiries 
•   Doing a follow up campaign to closed lost leads
  
  

 2. Run Cross Promotions

 

Connect your marketing efforts for the best results. Mixing mediums can double or triple your success. If you advertise on the radio, direct people back to your website.

In any email marketing pieces you put out, make sure to link to your website.  

Run magazine ads or create direct mail pieces featuring a special promotion, valid only if they visit your site.

The more ways you try to reach consumers, the better your chances of being seen.

3. Timing
 

Are you marketing at the right time? It takes a certain amount of time to prepare the creative for your marketing efforts, but once you have your finished product, timing can be the difference between your campaign being a flop or a hit. Here are some timing basics to remember:

Email marketing pieces do the best during the week. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are your best shot at getting a high click and open rate. A close second is 1pm on the same days, when employees are returning from their lunch breaks.  

Radio is the most expensive, but also the most effective, during morning drive time (typically 6am-9am) and evening drive time (5pm-7pm). The average commute for Americans continues to increase each year. During these key hours, people spend the most time in their car with the radio on giving your message a greater chance to be heard.

Television advertising rates increase greatly during SWEEPS months (February, May, July and November). There are weeks during these months where the ratings count more, so networks air their most outrageous episodes, attracting more viewers. During this time, your commercial would have the greatest chance of being seen. The next best time to air a commercial is during primetime from (8pm to 10pm) where networks air their newest sitcoms. Pick a timeslot which airs shows that would attract your target audience.

4. Press Releases to Multiple Publications

If you’re going to take the time to write a press release, (and you should) don’t just send it to one newspaper. Send it to as many local papers or trade magazines as possible.

Don’t forget about the power of the web and the e-press release craze. Posting press releases on newswires, blogs, social networking sites and websites gives you the chance to make your release interactive. Include a link that will lead to more information about your company or a sign-up form for prospects or the media to contact you.