There’s no question that blogs are great. They are an awesome source of organic traffic from people who are looking for what you have to offer. And, they are also a nice way to cement your brand image online. But, the truth is that lots of people want ‘em, but very few maintain (or sustain) them. What happens is this: you design or get someone to design this fabby blog site and you ... Continue Reading
Maybe We Should Stop Laughing at Bing
When I first saw the meme with the small child counseling his grandmother on how to get on the Internet, I had a huge laugh at my mother’s expense. I cannot begin to count the number of times she has called me to resolve a tech-type problem—most of which merely involved clearing the cache, powering down the computer, or restarting an application. But, for real estate professionals, I ... Continue Reading
6 Ways to Cultivate Top-of-Mind Awareness
If you want the leads to keep on coming (and coming and coming and coming), you’ve got to cultivate top-of-mind awareness. Interestingly, only 2% of sales occur at the first meeting. This means that for every 100 leads you get, only 2% might buy at the very first meeting. The key—of course—is to be front and center when that individual is ready to buy (or sell). And since you don’t ... Continue Reading
Should I Put My Photo on My Business Card?
If you aren’t already a member of the Raise the Bar in Real Estate Group on Facebook, you may want to join the 10,000+ real estate professionals who are already members of the group. They have some pretty thought-provoking conversations about topical real estate stuff. Recently, after a conversation at my office about the importance of the profile photo on business cards and signage, ... Continue Reading
How to Improve Your Email Drip Campaign
I'm so tired of drip campaigns (ironic, of course, because you may have received this via drip). I am far beyond questioning their effectiveness. While my own open rates are generally very high, I am tired of receiving these automated, generic, newsletter-type things that agents send to clients or to their own colleagues in an attempt to sell the new listing or provide ... Continue Reading
Geographic Farm – Will You Market One in 2015?
In Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “ A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” I always return to that phrase when it comes to regular and consistent prospecting, marketing, and lead generation activities. What Emerson means (I believe) in this phrase is that people should not blindly follow a leader; he encourages non-conformity and individualism. However, when ... Continue Reading
Is Failure to Follow Up Costing You Big Bucks?
Did you know that every time you fail to follow up, it could be costing you $50,000 – or more? If you think you're "too busy" to consistently follow up with past, present, and future clients, it might be time to stop and think about the price you're paying in terms of future income. Just to have an easy number to work with, let's say your average commission is $10,000. So when you ... Continue Reading
How to Create a Kickass Facebook Cover Photo
For some people, your Facebook cover photo may focus on family. For others, it may focus on hobbies. For a third group, your Facebook cover photo may focus on business—telling the world what you do through imagery. They do say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Given the fact that most people prefer visuals to the written word, real estate professionals need to be craftier than ... Continue Reading
How to Create a Successful Marketing Campaign
I’ve been checking out Craigslist and getting a lot of sales-type emails lately. The common theme in both is “leads.” Everyone seems to be hot for leads—as if leads will solve the world’s problems. More leads = more closings, right? Maybe yes, but possibly not. You have to know how to convert a lead—what you need to do to get someone to the closing table. That is, you have to be able ... Continue Reading
Avoid Going Stir Crazy When You Can’t Sell Real Estate
Just last week, San Diego County was plagued by wildfires. It’s a tough time to sell real estate. After all, who would want to go shopping for a new home when it’s raining ashes? While I’ve never sold real estate in other parts of the United States, I would imagine that the situation is pretty similar in areas plagued by snowstorms, tornadoes, and other weather-related disasters. Of ... Continue Reading