Consistent Clients – Real Estate Marketing

In the spirit of goals and visualizing end results, let’s implement some actions. Here is a sound technique to help your marketing plan be the best it can be.

Have you taken a moment (actually, more than a moment – be sure you get it ALL out) to write down exactly what you want and how it will make you feel once you get it? I’ve previously mentioned this technique it helps bring you closer to your end results more quickly. Here are three specific reasons why:

1. Writing things down brings your desires into physical form.
2. Writing helps you gain clarity and further refine your desire into something you absolutely know you want.
3. Writing allows your desire to “stand alone” without being surrounded by the clutter that normally exists in our thoughts regarding what we want.

Well, what are you waiting for? Start writing!

Rich Rogala

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, Real Estate Marketing, Writing Your Goals, Marketing Plans

Real estate listing sites and social media sites are a great way to get visibility for new listings online. You’ve probably heard the statistic that over 85% of people start their home search online, so having a presence for your listing on many different sites increases the chances of it being found by the perfect buyer.

Unfortunately, though, with all those different sites it can be easy to lose track of what you’ve done.

I’ve created a Marketing Checklist for New Listings, which makes it easy to ensure  you’ve posted your property on all the sites you normally use, and easily keep track of what has been done. It also makes it easy to pass off to an assistant, since all the steps and sites are laid out. Plus, it serves as a handy sheet to use in marketing to sellers – they can see that you’re actively promoting their property.

Feel free to download and use in your own marketing! To download just “right-click” on the link below and Save to your computer.

Marketing Checklist for New Listings

Most real estate agents have cell phones, and many depend heavily on their smart phones for more than just calling – email, internet access and apps on cell phones are just a way of doing business for many Realtors®!

With the right applications, a real estate agent in the field can be just as productive as one in the office. You have the ability to network and communicate with clients, fax documents, look up listings, find local area resources, calculate mortgage payments, and even shoot video!

If you have an iPhone, their app store is currently the biggest out there, and offers lots of apps to make doing business on the go easier and more convenient, so check out this list. These are just a small group of what’s available, but this list alone could probably save you hours of time versus running back and forth to your office!

Realtor.com – Search over 4 million homes with this app from REALTOR.com. Find property details, pricing, photos, open house information and more on homes for sale.

Home Buying Power – Determine how much house your client can afford by plugging in desired payment or income percentage, down payment, loan term and interest rate information to calculate buying power.

Dictionary of Real Estate Terms – Convenient and user-friendly reference tool for real estate professionals and consumers on the go.

Mortgage Calculator – Helpful tool for making quick calculations such as monthly rates, loan options and adjustments for down payments, insurance and taxes.

Zillow – Get access to the popular search site that many real estate clients are using.

Yelp – Search for places to eat, drink, shop, relax. Become an expert of your neighborhood.

Walk Score – Calculates the “walkability” of any location and shows you a map of nearby amenities; helps clients find walkable neighborhoods.

LoopNet – Get access to commercial listings around the country.

Documents To Go – Create, view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files from your smartphone.

Mobile Phax – Use the camera on your iPhone to take a photo of a letter-sized document and then send as a PDF to any email address.

Vlingo – Send a text message, call a friend, search the Web or update your Facebook or Twitter status using voice commands.

Qik Live– Shoot and share live video from your phone and send to a client.

Smarter Agent – Search homes for sale or recent sold, and apartments for rent.

Expensify – Import expenses and receipts and submit paperless expense reports from your phone.

Foursquare - Foursquare on your phone gives you & your friends new ways of exploring your city.

There are also lots of apps for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and instant messaging – giving you lots of ways to quickly and easily connect and network with your clients.

Credits: Originally published by Stephanie Sievers, Illinois Realtor Magazine

I came across a really interesting post today on Social Media Examiner – 4 Ways to Use Twitter to Capture Customers. Great read on how local businesses can (and are) using Twitter to connect with local people and turn them into customers.

There are great examples for other types of local businesses, but what really caught my eye is a tool Nathan mentioned called TwitHawk. Maybe I’ll do a more in-depth post on using it later (after I play with it for a while), but check out the full post. Twit Hawk looks like it has a lot of potential for you to find local people discussing

• how tired they are of their apartment
• considering looking for a home
• recent job transfer/new job in your area
• needing more space
• etc.

Now remember, you are not going to see positive results if you jump in and try to sell them on using you as a Realtor®. At best, they’ll ignore you, and at worst they might block you, or even tell their friends. BUT, if you have some tips for them (maybe in the form of a blog post, free ebook, etc.), it would be acceptable to say something like “Hi @twitterperson, I have a blog post at www.myblogposthere.com with some good info for first-time homebuyers – feel free to check it out.” Low pressure contact like this is acceptable, or you could even just give them a warm welcome to the area, or recommend a listing you just listed that sounds perfect (but make sure it really does!).

So check out the post, see what you think of TwitHawk, and I’d love to hear how it helps your biz!