By Kelly Quigley, REALTOR® Magazine
Fundamentals of Marketing for the Real Estate Professional by Doris Barrell and Mark Nash (Dearborn Real Estate Education, 2005)
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When you’re getting started in real estate, creating a strategic marketing plan is one task you don’t want to rush. This book ensures you’ll cover all the bases by providing a clear roadmap to effective marketing and branding, with some classic marketing strategies mixed in with newer approaches that have emerged with the Internet’s prominence. The authors offer step-by-step guidance on creating a professional image, writing press releases, advertising through various media, and evaluating the results of your marketing plan. Field exercises at the end of the book correlate to each chapter, providing a good way for rookies to put their new plans into action. “It is your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your dollars that go into making your real estate marketing plan a winner,” the authors write.
Tips From the Book:
- Brand yourself through professional correspondences. Until your clients indicate a more relaxed tone is acceptable, you should keep your e-mails somewhat formal and concise. Use a professional-looking fax cover sheet and a letter template that reflect your personal marketing style. Over the phone, always identify yourself and greet the other party with an energetic, professional manner. Return communications as soon as possible. Most people appreciate a return call, message, or e-mail on the same business day.
- Sponsor an organization or event. Every organization needs financial aid. You can always place an ad in their programs, but consider sponsoring an actual event or team to really get your name out in the community. As a sponsor, you can offer to buy T-shirts and/or caps for a bowling league, charity golf outing, school band, or even a neighborhood watch group. Show your support by attending events and getting to know the participants and their families.
- Make open houses into twofers. Make yourself and your style of marketing memorable to all visitors of an open house that you host. Provide information not only about this particular listing but also other listings you have that are in the same area or price range. Make the information eye-catching—not just MLS printouts. Also plan something distinctive—whether it’s providing seasonal treats or activities—that will make your open house stand out in the minds of prospects.
By Kelly Quigley, REALTOR® Magazine
Time Traps: Proven Strategies for Swamped Salespeople by Todd M. Duncan (Nelson Books, 2005)
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You can’t slow down time, but you can change the way you spend it. When you invest your minutes wisely and avoid the many “traps” that clutter your day with busywork, you’ll find that eight hours a day is more than enough time to reach your sales goals and have a fulfilling personal life, Duncan writes. “Do you live to work or work to live?” he asks.
This motivational book explores eight traps that busy salespeople encounter, including the Control Trap (wasting time hoarding tasks), the Yes Trap (wasting time saying yes), the Quota Trap (wasting time counting sales), and the Party Trap (wasting time celebrating success), with each chapter ending with a time-saving summary of the main points. The overriding lessons: Break unproductive habits, focus on activities with the highest payoff, and make time to pursue dreams. “Take an honest inventory of your life,” Duncan writes. “Is it a reflection of your uniqueness, your ardent desires—or are you on autopilot, just going through the motions, filling up time?”
Tips From the Book:
- Don’t buy gadgets you don’t need. Sometimes technology isn’t better. It’s just prettier. There may be a subtle pressure to have the hippest tools available, but if you can accomplish something more efficiently without a tool, then don’t buy one just because everyone else has one. Do away with gadgets that are eating up your time, and learn how to use each tool to its fullest.
- Never call a prospect unexpectedly. Don’t call a prospect who isn’t expecting your call or isn’t excited to talk to you. If they don’t know who you are and why you want to speak with them, you will waste your time and theirs. To make the communication more productive, warm up the prospect before the call. Send them a memorable letter about your services that will evoke their curiosity, or ask a common friend or colleague to introduce you or arrange the meeting.
- Work without interruptions. How often do you surf the Web, check stocks or sports scores, e-mail friends, tell jokes, straighten up your work area, or shop online? Record how you spend time during your workday, and you may be surprised at how much of it is eaten up by time-wasting activities. Get disciplined and eliminate these tasks to free up time, which you could spend on business development, time with family, or a vacation. Set segments of time to work on defined revenue-generating activities and eliminate all other distractions.
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