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 it comes to prospecting and marketing activities for real estate, it’s good to be consistent (but not foolish about it).
That is, there needs to be “a method to your madness” (that’s Shakespeare, by the way). You’ve got to have a regular plan, a consistent plan that will allow you to meet or exceed your goals.
The other day I had the privilege of conducting a Lunch & Learn Workshop for the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors®. At this workshop, we spent loads of time discussing marketing to geographical farms—how to permeate a farm, how to get leads out of a farm, and how to get business in the geographical farm before going broke.
Your Geographic Farm Marketing Plan
Real estate trainer Kitty Cole recommends a 7 x 7 campaign for your geographic farm. That is, send 7 mailings in 7 weeks. She states that the first four mailings should be these: 1) a mailer on recent sales in the area, 2) market statistics or data, 3) 10 home staging tips (and please call me for the other ten), and 4) a business portfolio or extensive brochure on your real estate services.
Keller Williams agents are probably already aware that KW recommends an 8 x 8 campaign for people that you have just added to your database (a.k.a. mets): 1) letter of introduction, 2) community calendar, market stats, etc., 3) same as week two but choose a different piece, 4) phone call to check if they have received the mailings, 5) a free report, 6) an investment or home maintenance piece, 7) a small gift with your logo on it, and 8) another follow-up phone call.
Clearly, the one thing that these two techniques have in common is the weekly bombarding of a prospective home buyer or home seller—the non-stop marketing that goes on longer and more consistently than that of your competitors.
With the New Year just around the corner, it’s time to get your marketing plans up to speed. Will you be targeting a geographical farm or will you be working only with people that you have already met (working by referral)?
Whatever you decide to do, remember that a no-so foolish consistency will bring in the bucks in 2015 and beyond.
Leave a Comment