Video: How to Market to FSBOs and Expireds

Using Done for You Direct Response Marketing Kits

by Julie Escobar

We’ve been talking a lot about tapping into Expireds in your market this week so I had our go-to video creator Jim Studebaker put together and easy-breezy, brief video on how to use our all-new, done-for-you marketing kits for FSBOs and Expireds.  It takes the guesswork out of getting noticed — and getting in the door with these two market segments!  Good luck and let me know what you think!

Got questions?  Call our office at 866.405.3638 and our team will be glad to help you!

See all of our kits and new products today at www.postcardsplus.com!  

EXPIREDS: 3 Keys for ‘Picking’ This ‘Low Hanging Fruit’

(And Why It Doesn’t Have to Be As Hard as Some Folks Make It)

By Julie Escobar

Expireds have long had a relatively rotten reputation.  Dubbed ‘difficult’, ‘tough nuts’, or ‘stubborn’ by many agents – but for others – they are considered great ‘low hanging fruit’ and for expired aficionados —  they are the #1 source for increased productivity, respectable listing inventory and even long-term referral clients.  So what’s the difference?

I believe most experts (and expired specialists) would tell you that success lies in three things:  ATTITUDE, APPROACH and SALESMANSHIP. 

ATTITUDE first, because often expireds are a little discouraged, beat up and even a little put off because they’ve been disappointed in the past.  But a strong agent with a great disposition and a handle on how to get the job done can almost always turn that around.

APPROACH without being pushy, overbearing or blameful.  We’ve always found direct response postcards a great way to capture the attention of a prospect by using questions and statements that are ALREADY in the mind of your target consumer and that lead them to look to YOU for the solutions.  And it’s an APPROACH that has worked tremendously for thousands of agents because it 1) warms the call, 2) presents you as the expired specialist and 3) offers an item of value that is intriguing and helpful to your potential customer.  (Now there’s a win-win-win!)

SALESMANSHIP is often a combo platter of things-right?  It includes the right attitude and approach of course, but also combines savvy dialogue skills, the ability to empathize with your customers and steer them in the right direction.  I’ve always found that it is also the ability to use VISUALS to help tie down your points, make your message crystal clear and lend authority to what you’re saying.  And when you are dealing with more than one seller—more often than not, one is a VISUAL person and one is more focused on the words and the details – so if you have BOTH going for you, you stand a better chance of closing for the signature!

A success strategy that many agents are using today is fairly simple and extremely effective:  

1. Every morning (or at least once a week) they pull the list of expireds from their MLS.  They put these names, addresses and contact information into their prospect database.  (You probably know by now how we feel about BUIILDING YOUR DATABASES!)
2. They set up a series of 3, 6 or 9 direct response offer postcards to go out to those expireds over the course of the next two weeks.  (Sending the postcards 2-3 days apart.)
3. They follow up with a phone call, introducing themselves as an expert in expired listings and offer the item of value in return for a chance to come out and see the property and make some recommendations for getting the job done.  (If at first you don’t succeed – keep trying!)  Close for the appointment.
4. They bring their collateral pieces with them to the listing appointment, and begin to build that relationship with them with the right ATTITUDE, APPROACH and SALESMANSHIP.

Sometimes (all right – a LOT of the times) pricing is a factor for expireds- so be sure you have some great objection handlers in your arsenal to ensure that you are pricing that listing RIGHT so you can help your clients reach a better conclusion than their LAST listing experience.  You’ll find some terrific pricing strategies here.

We went ahead and did all the leg work for you – We’ve put together three different expired listing packages for agents to make your job of getting in the door and walking away with the listing a whole lot easier.  Choose from our Silver, Gold or Platinum Packages which include direct response postcards, powerful brochures and the free reports that are just what the sellers are looking for!

Here’s just some of the pieces that are included:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on the image above to see the these pieces and more in detail or here to get yours today or learn more by calling us at 866.405.3638 or visiting our all new site at www.postcardsplus.com. 

Five Ways to Stay Top of Mind in Your Real Estate Market

The Sum of Small Things

by Julie Escobar

The market is bustling again in a lot of areas and competition is kicking into high gear.  One big secret to success is to stay top-of-mind with your book of business.  And while that doesn’t have to be a HARD process – it does need to be CONSISTENT.  That got me thinking about one of Floyd Wickman’s quotes, “Great results are the sum of small things, done well, repeatedly.”  Boy isn’t that the truth?  So I gave Floyd a call and asked him to expand on that a little for us – and here’s what he had to offer:  “That’s one of my favorite sayings too, and it’s so true.  In fact, nothing defines that more than a commissioned salesperson picking up the phone and making a simple call to folks in their book of business—even if for no other reason than to say hello.  There is no higher thing they can do to shift their results in this business than to create those conversations.  In fact, in our courses we teach agents that for every 12 conversations they have, they can expect a referral.  To me, that’s the number one way to stay top of mind AND build your business.”

Great advice.  Floyd also shared that you can’t ‘nurture’ everyone.  So every agent should have two lists – one which is their book of business – those folks you are building a relationship with over time.  Your second list should be your database. That’s a list of everyone who’s ever inquired, been on your mailings lists, or internet leads that you can send drip campaigns to until they are ready to make a move. Your database is your least expensive list to market to – but it also yields much lower results than your book of business.

So number one?  Take Floyd’s advice.  Pick up the phone to everyone in your book of business.  Decide how you want to break that up – 10 a day, 20 a day or as Floyd used to say, “Call until you get one.”  Block off that time just as critically as you would a listing appointment – because it IS that critical.

Number two?  Get out of stealth mode. I can’t tell you how many agents rarely leave the office or their homes but call us to say – how can I get more business?  Get OUT there in your community and get noticed!  Take part in charity drives, school events, and host Q & A sessions at the local library or coffee shop.  The more VISIBLE you are – the more likely people are going to say YOUR NAME when asked if they no anyone in real estate!

Number three?  SEND them something tangible.  For all the obvious reasons, we’re fond of direct response mail, postcards and newsletters – because they are easy to order, quick to send and don’t take up a lot of your valuable face-to-face or voice-to-voice time with prospects and those in your book of business or sphere.  But mix it up!  Check out our Fun Days page if you haven’t already for some creative and way outside the box ways to get in front of your clients in ways that are sure to have you REMEMBERED!

Number four?  Be HYPER-LOCAL.  There’s a reason this term is all the buzz right now – it’s because it is EXACTLY what consumers are looking for in their resources. Home buyers and sellers need to know what is happening right there in YOUR market – rather than just get sucked into the national news of what’s happening nationwide or even globally.  What are prices doing in their neighborhoods?  What’s happening in the schools in your area?  What new businesses are coming in or closing?  Who are the trusted resources, business or service professionals in YOUR area that they can call.  Start being the one to consistently deliver THAT kind of information – and your name, brand, reputation and referrals will skyrocket.

Number five?  Expand your reach.  If you’re not saturating the neighborhood or market area you want to dominate then turn to social media, Every Door Direct Mail (which gets you literally into every mailbox) or even walking the neighborhoods with information, a smile, and even a little token so that people can start putting the face with the name.  (In fact – the savvy agents do all of the above!)

Now, what are you waiting for?  Get out there and start getting your name, business and face recognized as the incredible real estate resource you are!  And if you need help – give our team a shout at 866.405.3638 for systems that can help you do all of that and more! 

And if you’re interested in Floyd’s new training, The Power of Listing, be sure to contact his team at https://floydwickman.com/contact-us/. 

A Conversation About QR Codes

Helping Agents Connect the Dots

By Julie Escobar

Our world gets smaller and smaller every day I think thanks to not only technology, but expansive thinking and creative minds as well.  Look at where we’ve come even in the last two years.  Smart phones opening lock boxes, agents selling real estate internationally, social media blazing  new trails and new tools that make communicating, and more importantly CONNECTING faster, easier and more customized.

Take the QR code.  Those funny little square filled with dots and lines that seem to magically create the bridge between printed pieces to online access wherever you want people to go.  And awesome new apps such as RedLaser.com that make them even MORE of a conversation starter.

So what’s an agent to do with these cool tool?  Well, as with anything else – you are only limited by your imagination – but here are a few ideas I wanted to share.

Put Them On Your Business Card.  This is kind of a given right – but here’s a twist…you can create what’s called a VCard QR Code- which is basically a way to add your contact information into someone’s app phone with the click of a button.  Simple.  Smart.  Effective.  But what about taking it a step further?  What if you created a landing page (be sure it’s mobile friendly) that had some direct response offers and a cool video that instantly engaged people.  Think, “Hey there!  Thanks for taking a minute to scan my QR code!  Isn’t it great how many new ways we can communicate in today’s world?  My name is _____ and I specialize in bringing the best in the business real estate solutions and answers to our community here in ______________.  I love this area and one of the coolest things about it is the people and I’m really glad I got to connect with you too!  I invite you to bookmark this page and come back often!  I’m always sharing new information!  Be sure to click through now and download your free copy of (list of homes, coupon for a CMA, eNewsletter, free reports for buyers or sellers, list of resources, etc.)!  You can add links to YouTube videos about your market area, moving tips, mortgage calculators, etc.  People are hungry for trusted resources and information in today’s world- be the agent that delivers those things consistently, and you’ll win their loyalty and business.  (If you need help making videos – be sure to reference the interview I did recently with one of my favorite video experts, Michael Krisa!  Click here to read…) Want to see what other agents are using for QR Code business cards? Click here!

Teach People Something.  There are lots of QR Code readers out there and apps by the dozen you can download.  I thought RedLaser.com was kind of interesting in that it’s more than a qr code app – it’s a barcode scanner as well.  Consumers can use it to price comparison shop in your area, buy online directly, check for area alerts, and more.  What a cool conversation starter when you are speaking to potential prospects – “Here, let me share with you WHAT ELSE you can do with this…now be sure to stay connected with me – and I’ll be sure to keep finding new ways to make your life easier!  And of COURSE if you or anyone you know has questions or real estate needs – know that I’m here for you!

Experiment.  One of the best things you can do for your marketing is to try new things.  Agents are using QR codes on their newsletters, Just Listed/Sold postcards, on their cars, door hangers, on the flyers at their  open houses, yard signs, I’ve even seen them on cupcakes that an agent had delivered to a few corporate offices around town!  (CLEVER!)

The sky’s the limit on what you can do.  Get creative – when you do you’ll get NOTICED.  And when you do that – you get REFERRALS.  And you’ll connect with some pretty cool people along the way.

Good luck!

And if you need some help, call our team at 866.405.3638.  They’re experts at helping agents make the most of their marketing.

EDDM: What Agents Are Sending

The Inside Scoop From the Print Shop

By Julie Escobar

Well, if I ever want the inside skinny on WHAT agents are doing effectively and WHY, I head straight to the source and connect with my good friend, colleague and all around smart cookie Ramona Williams.  Since it seems like Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)™ is the hot-market marketing tool of choice, I thought I’d find out what agents are saying these days.

Here’s the scoop:

Q: Ramona, EDDM orders are flying out of the print shop at break-neck speeds these days – what would you say the top three TYPES of mailings agents are ordering when using this cool and affordable service? 

A:  I’d say by far the most popular piece hands-down is the Panoramic Postcard featuring a new listing.  It’s sleek, beautiful, markets the new listing and is a great way to showcase the agent’s results as well.  Secondly, we’re seeing a lot of agents who are using a little bigger piece to spotlight multiple listings on one mailer.  It might be for a series of open houses or just to showcase that the agent is the turn-to person to call for listings in an area.  And third, we’re seeing agents use panoramic postcards featuring direct response offers such as a Free CMA, List of Homes, Consultation, etc. 

Q:  Great – yes, I think the panoramic postcard is definitely the front runner choice for agents right now. How many routes, on average, are you seeing agents choose? 

A:  I would say most agents choose one or two routes.  With the average carrier route running anywhere from 300-500 homes, it just seems like a manageable area for most agents to not only connect with – but have the ability to follow up on.  (And that really IS still the key-right?)

Q:  Right! So what’s the response been from the agents that you’ve talked to – is it working? 

A:  Absolutely, and I believe that most of the agents that are taking advantage of this powerful, yet affordable new option from the post office are using it in some very smart ways.  They are using them to break into new areas where they’ve maybe got a little name recognition but want more, or they are using it to really consistently cultivate listing saturation.  Both are really smart strategies.

Q:  I agree! Any last words of advice for agents considering EDDM?

A:  Just that like ANY marketing, consistency really is key.  If budget is an issue then I would say choose a smaller route and be consistent in sending to that route often. One-shot mailings – even ones that saturate a market area are not normally very effective.  The agents that are seeing the best results from this system are sending every one to two months for at least six months.

Thank you much Ramona for your insights.  As always – you’re very helpful!  If you are a real estate pro and you’d like to learn more about whether EDDM is right for you or whether another form of marketing might better suit your needs and market area – give Ramona and her team a call at 1.866.405.3638 today.  They’ve got the answers you need to kick your spring marketing into HIGH gear! 

 

 

 

 

The Perils of Overpricing…

Listings (Priced Right) Are the Name of the Game

by Julie Escobar

Building a strong and SALABLE listing inventory is at the heart of every top agent’s success checklist, but we all know that getting them priced RIGHT isn’t always a cake-walk.  There are sometimes over-bearing, unrealistic sellers standing in their own way of getting their homes sold in today’s market and for those folks you’ve got a couple of choices:  Use powerful tools (and mad negotiating skills) to show them the true perils of overpricing and get them to agree on a fair market price,  take the listing and let it sit (damaging your reputation and making it more unsalable by the day), or walk away and focus on working with folks who will allow you to do the most professional job you can do for them as an agent INCLUDING taking your advice on a list price.

One of the things I learned long ago from industry icons like Floyd Wickman, Danielle Kennedy, and Judy LaDeur is that the right words, accompanied by a great VISUAL will ALWAYS get you further than the right words alone.  That’s one of the reasons we are always creating powerful collateral pieces and free reports for our customers so that when faced with unreasonable sellers, grouchy expireds, or prickly FSBOs- you’ve got terrific visuals and objection handlers that lend credibility and authority to your presentations and even your pre-listing presentations!

Take our free report Six Pitfalls to Overpricing Your Home - this is a powerful piece to add to your listing presentation and as an opt-in piece on your website. I’d even use one of the six tips per day on your facebook page as a content-rich and informative post- at the end of a week offer to send your followers a copy of all six via email.  It’s a dynamite way to build your social media following and your email database!

Many of our customers also use it in conjunction with our Fence Sitter Series of postcards and in our Expired and FSBO campaigns as a item of value that consumers can  get just for calling.  Or the Merchandising Review is another piece that’s perfect for putting the responsibility of ensuring that a listing is salable back on the sellers.  You can get both of these and many more visuals and free reports by clicking here to see our free resources.

And if you really want to master your mad pricing skills, be sure to check out my eBook 21 Ways to Get Your Listings Priced Right (Despite the Sellers Best Objections!) It’s filled with terrific dialogues from top trainers, objection handlers and techniques for getting even the most stubborn sellers to see reason!

Good luck out there!  And remember if you need us -just call us at 866.405.3638 and be sure to bookmark our SPECIALS page to see the latest in new marketing tools and terrific savings promo codes!

 

Send – Call – See…

A Formula For Success

by Julie Escobar

All right, I’ll admit it:  I’m a planner.  I know, I know.  How BORING – right?  But you know after years of hanging around speakers and trainers and industry experts – I do know that success very rarely falls into anyone’s lap.   It’s crafted month after month, and year after year by people who are willing to do the work to get the rewards.  And that?  Is a formula to rally behind – old fashioned or not-right?

Take the Send-Call-See Formula…

SEND something every month or every 21-45 days to your book of business, sphere of influence, database, whatever YOU have labeled your customer and prospect base.

CALL everyone in your base at least four times a year.  Don’t stress about it.  I can’t tell you how many agents DON’T pick up the phone just because they’re afraid they won’t know what to say.  Start with “Hello!” Add in your name.  Ask them how they are – let them know the market it changing CONSTANTLY and just see if they have questions.  Be a resource.  A consultant.  People today appreciate that way more than they do a pushy salesperson anyway – so just be on their side and if they say YES, I’d like you to come over (some will!) then give them some time options and lock it down.  See?  That’s not so painful!

SEE everyone in your base at least twice a year.  Whether you do that all at one time at a customer appreciation event or spread it out by walking the neighborhoods, inviting special  clients to lunch, hosting community workshops,  attending neighborhood block parties, setting up shop at the local Starbucks for an hour or so or all of the above – make it a point to get out and about and let people put the face with the name!

Formulas don’t have to be fancy to be right on the money.  Try the Send-Call-See formula and put it to work for you starting this month!

Oh – and if you need help figuring out WHAT to send – our team is more than happy to lend you their expertise!  Call them today at 866.405.3638!  Meanwhile – check out our all new SPECIALS (and great deals) today!  Just click here!  

Make it a great one!